paramedic goinggoing going!!

suzanne4, RN · Jan 10, 2004

I would definitely keep up the paramedic certification if at all possible. Since you have worked in the field for a few years, chances are that you would go into some type of Emergency Medicine. You will also have flight nursing available to you as well, if you maintain both certifications. Any critical care area is going to require you to have ACLS and BCLS, so my suggestion, keep doing it.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2004

Required refresher courses, required courses...

WELCOME TO NURSING, you'll fit right in.

I say keep the certification, you never know when you'll need it.

rj1973 · Jan 10, 2004

i have a question carol how come it is every time a former medic or curent medic has a question there is at least one nurse who needs to out do the person? my wife is an RN and has been for several years. she works CCU/ICU and is a BSN and CEN. and to the best of my knowledge no state in the union requires as much mandatory refresher or CEU's as a paramedic. In fact my wife let her EMT I go becuase, it was 24 hours refresher and 72 of ceu's.

i am not planning on bridging (becuase it only saves a semester) I have to take 48 hours of refresher (not paid), 24 hours of CEU's (not paid), and ACLS,BLS,(my ACLS/BLS would be paid if my employer didm't do it) every 2 years. grand total 88 hours. i know my wife attends several in house mandatories a year but there is no comparison! over the last two years i think it has totaled 24 hours plus ACLS and PALS (and all of it paid).

i don't mean to sound harsh but i've been in EMS for the past ten years. and every time i post a question at least one nurse has to come along and say"welcome to nursing" it's sarcasm whether you admit or not! maybe i'll just go to RT school!

MrsWampthang, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2004

I have been in EMS since 1987, first as a basic EMT, then as an advanced EMT, finally as a paramedic (1990) so when I decided that it was time to move onward and upward it felt like the right thing to do. The school I went to didn't have any bridge courses for medics so I had to do two full years of nursing courses. I did that while working full time as a medic. I graduated as a nurse in 2001 and have worked full time in the ER since that time.

So far I have kept my medic cert, but haven't done any time on the ambulance in, probably a year. I haven't taken any of the required updates to be able to work at our ambulance service so I'm not eligible to work there right now anyway. I have more than enough inservice hours simply because of the continuing ed I do for the ER, the only thing I am lacking to be able to recertify this year is audit review hours.

That said, since I have become a nurse working in the ER, I haven't really had any desire to go "back to the streets." I don't miss getting up in the middle of the night to go out to some freezing cold highway and pick up some stupid drunk, nor do I miss the numerous other scenerios that EMS has to go through on a daily basis.

If you enjoy patient care then I would suggest nursing, if you love the excitement of emergencies then I would suggest ER. Whatever you decide to do will be what is right for you, so good luck in what ever you decide. For me, I don't think I will bother to recert, because I don't have any desire to be on the streets anymore, so why bother?

JMHO,

Pam;)

dragonfly954 · Jan 10, 2004

Yuo may want to go into education someday.I know it is a pain,but you may want to rethink giving it up.How much ride time do you have to have to recert out of curiosity?:)

Coldfoot · Jan 10, 2004

I worked way to hard to get my medic to let it go. Personnaly, I'd try to keep it, it's still another cert to list on job applications. Have you looked at the Excelsior program, it sounds like it would be perfect for you.

Just my $0.02

ladytraviler · Jan 10, 2004

rj1973

Was a Paramedic for ten years. Last year gave up my paramedic due to fact that injuries made it very unlikely would ever go back on streets. Do I miss it. You bet I do. But not as much as I thought I would. Some of your nursing classes count towards recert. I made it through school with my Paramedic. It can be done but is hard and time consumming. I went into L&D so I do get my "fix" with that field. I have many nurses that tell me that I don't panic. I credit that to the fact I ran into so much in the field. Please weigh the pros and cons of letting it go. If it is an area that you might want to persue latter, teaching and that such, then try to work it out where you keep it. I to am from OK and do understand national reg requirements to recert. Best of luck to you in what ever you decide. EMS gets in your blood and is very hard to work it out. But would not change it for the world. Has given me so much in my life that I honestly could say I would do it all again. Private message me if can be of further assistance. Good day and God bless.

rj1973 · Jan 10, 2004

thanks to everyone who replied! carroll i don't want you to think i was attacking you so lets not turn it into to one of those kinda' post alright?

i have one more question for all the medic/rn's does the certification (not the skill's learned) really help with job's? i have no desire to teach EMT's or Paramedic's. and no real desire to go into ER. and flight nursing is out! i really want to do cardiac rehab.(completeing a BS in exercise phys this spring) and i will not go back to the streets, 10 years was enuff!

does the certifiction (again not the skills) give you an edge over other nurses for jobs?frankly i don't see how the liscenses is of much use in the hospital? any thoughts folks?

God bless everyone! and pray for that lady on the blackballed and broke thread!

vemiliob · Jan 10, 2004

:) Rj1973,

I don't know what are you worrying about, uncertainty of making the wrong decision perhaps?

After two years of being a full-time paramedic in Mar del Plata(the main Argentinean sea side city) I was so tired of no having family life all day long pending on my cell ringing. Many shifts of 24 hours followed by other shifts of 24 hours. I moved to Bs.As. and return to nursing. Unfortunately the Nursing Shortage is a global phenomenon, sometimes more exhausting than the ambulance job, adding the fact of having a heavy supervisor on your back pushing to get the work done.

What can I say...? I'm missing that adrenaline so much, traveling hundreds of kilometers daily, having friends in all the hospitals of the region, working with the metropolitan police, the firemen, being present at every important event of the city and counting with people's recognition everywhere.

I was forced by circumstances to leave that life, but being on your country under your job conditions, I surely would remain paramedic.

flashpoint · Jan 10, 2004

No way on earth I would let my National Registry lapse! You worked way to hard to get it and with all the changes they're making it would be a huge pain in the neck to get it back! If you ever want to do anything like be a flight nurse having that NREMTP behind your name can make a huge difference...also can make a differnece in getting simple ER or ICU positions...looks great on a resume. :)

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 11, 2004

Well, speaking as one who is required 100 hours of Onco every four years(for cert), 18+ hour of chemo classes every two years (for cert), 25 hours(some specific to state licensure) every two years and 30 hours (some specific to another state licensure) every 2 years, that is not alot of hours to put in. And I am not including mandatory inservices.

But then, what does a lowly nurse (not even ICU) know.

Carolina (not Carol)