Paramedic to RN bridge program.

[NYCNative21]

Hello fellow EMS providers,

The reason for this forum is in regards to finding out any information on paramedic to RN bridge programs and if anyone has completed one. I do first want to say that I understand this is not the traditional route people take to getting there RN license but unfortunately my situation is a bit complicated. I am 25 years old and I was able to complete all my prerequisites for nursing school in order to apply but I just found out my parents are moving out of the State of Georgia and that leads me to having to put my RN school on hold due to how rigorous the course is. I understand that it is possible to work while in RN school but it is not recommended. I can always work two days a week while in nursing school but that is not a sufficient amount of hours to be able to pay for bills.

In my current situation I am considering joining the fire department again while working a side job on the ambulance while attending paramedic school. I am not worried about paying for it seeing that I have scholarships that will pay for my program (hope scholarship). My question is I understand that taking the route of going to paramedic school and then bridging over to RN is going to take a bit longer but the way I see it, I will still be able to work full-time and be able to afford to live on my own. I currently hold an EMT license in the state of Georgia and my fire certifications unfortunately lapsed. Right now I am currently going to be starting paramedic school this spring and before then I am just looking for a job as a firefighter while keeping my current part time job on the ambulance.

My question regarding this post is if anyone has done a paramedic to RN bridge program and if they did how do you feel it helped in regards to you becoming a nurse? From what I been reading a lot of employers are a bit skeptical hiring people who were paramedics and bridged over due to the lack of schooling in nursing. My ultimate goal is to get my RN license and one day go to NP school but as of right now due to finances and me needing to move out, I will not be able to go 4-5 days a week for nursing school (no place to stay).

The reason for my short sob story is so anyone reading this can understand why I am choosing this route because I do understand this may not be the quickest route but at the same time it is a route that allows me to still work full time while being able to afford to live on my own. Thank you to anyone who reads this.

[NYCNative21]

Thoe where my thoughts as well. I could'nt believe how low the numbers where that a lot of these LPN's are telling me but they could very well be lying to me. I'm not a huge fan of the state og Georgia honestly. I really do not like it here but I am using this state for my college due to the HOPE scholarship. It pays for full tution and I am currently trying to use it to get my LPN and then my RN before moving out of the state.

My plan is to hopefully get accepted into the LPN program and start this summer and then graduate. Start working full-time as an LPN and go to a college that allows for a one year birdge program. There is one I found that only requires a student to come in once a week which is doable for me and allows me to still work full-time and ill hopefully be able to move out.

[_firefly, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

My advice, slow down. I graduated nursing school at 39 - my third degree and career. If it's what you want it's not going anywhere, you'll get it. You actually have great grades. ADN programs are an inexpensive start to save money but are more competitive to get in and much harder to get hospital jobs wth. So consider upping your Teas scores by returning to college, and up your grades and apply to the bsn program. If you don't get in, finish a bachelors in something else and apply for an accelerated program (2 yr post bacc program). The competiveness drops. You will get in and finish with a bsn. Regardless, you can make it on your own with roommates. There are government loans, private loans, tons of grants and scholarships, and flexible jobs. You can easily work a few hours a week driving for Uber for example. Enogh to pay your rent at least and study while waiting around. You just gotta step up. You want to be a fireman or experience 911 calls, do medic school. But do it because you want to experience it. It really is just a tangential road toward nursing.

[_firefly, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Also you will need to get admitted to a new grad program and spend a year somewhere under supervision and possibly in a few classes. So 31 when you are a free agent and just starting to pay off the government and private loans while chasing call lights, being talked down to, measuring pee, hunting for meds, and wiping butts while patching bed soars in them. So yes, think carefully about this road. The medic experience is faster and more exciting but does not buy you time nor money in any real way. You can always take out gov and private loans, get grants, maybe a scholarship, get roommates, and work for Uber. It will not be easy, but you will grow as a person and you will stay busy.

Finally military nursing is awesome. Pension, you have corpsmen or equivalent so you are supported, you operate at a higher scope, and you have no school debt and they throw bonuses at you to stay in.

[Neo Soldier, BSN, RN]

If you want to be an RN eventually, skip the paramedic route. It's a waste of time and money if that's not what you want. The LPN program is just as rigorous as the RN program so keeping a full time job may be challenging. If you can, please consider living with your parents while you go to school otherwise find a roommate. If you've been accepted into a nursing program you can ask someone in your program if he/she is interested in becoming your roommate. There are websites that you can go on to find a roommate(s).

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Working full time and nursing school is really not that difficult, especially as a medic. I did it ans got through just fine, and I had some flexibility with scheduling so I could work it around my school schedule.

I would not bridge, as they are two totally different animals. I would suggest jorndoing excellsiar either because my co workers have done it and found they could have finished their associates degree at a traditional college quicker ans with less aggravation. Then wait to take the final exam ilor whatever it is is over a year, ans that's after you finish all the other stuff which takes a couple years! They have also expressed that they are going to me nervous doing certain things because they had no clinical time.

Suck it up ans work as a medic full time and go through the full schooling. Find a quiet truck with 24 hour shifts!

Annie

[AW81]

I am currently a paramedic with almost 2 decades of field and emergency department of experience...I did all of my pre requisites at a community college before beginning the Excelsior Paramedic to RN Bridge Program. It has been tough and requires self discipline to complete the nursing theory component online, but for my personal situation that was the best fit vs. brick and mortar. Right now, I'm waiting my test date for the CPNE, which is Excelsior's clinical evaluation before you can become eligible for the NCLEX. It has taken me just under 2 yrs. I would likely choose it again.

[NYCNative21]

Thank you for the encouraging words. I guess the reason why I am rushing this is due to the age of my parents. I'm turning 25 and my mom is half way to 60 and so is my father. I just personally want to have a good career and get on with my life before they reach 70 years old. The time I am 40 they will be 70 and just the thought of that kind of bothers me at times and thats why I keep trying to find the quickest ways to my career.

I do appreciate your kind words towards my grades. Even though I would disagree with you that the grades are not great lol, they are decent. Majority of students at my school who are turning in there applications for the nursing programs all have A grades and thats why I feel at the bottom. I am going to look into some BSN programs here in Georgia as well as applying to the LPN program but from a couple I already looked into, they require like five more classes for me to just apply to the program.

A lot of people recommend staying with a roomate but honestly I moved to Georgia from New York and even though I have been here for a few years, I still do not trust someone to move in with me. I get worried that they will either back out eventually or worse quit a job or stop helping with the finances which will mess up my credit score.

I was a firemen at one point about three years ago and they let me go ue to my nursing shcool. Now its harder to get back on due my firemen certications lapsing.

[NYCNative21]

I am considering the military nursing but the only issue is trying to figure out how it works. I want to talk to a navy recuriter but they at times do not tell the whole truth which makes it hard for me to trust them. I'm all for joining the navy if it allows me to live on my own while attending college to get my nursing degree but I do not believe that is how it works.

[NYCNative21]

Thank you sir.

My plan was to get my LPN or RN depending which one accepts me. After that I was going to start working again as either an LPN or RN while doing online classes to get my BSN or even I end up getting my LPN then I would do a one year bridge program to get my RN license that only requires classroom and clincal time once a week.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

I am an Excelsior graduate (paramedic to RN), and it is NOT a quick route. The current wait time for the final clinical exam is 12-14 months. On top of that, Georgia will require the OP to do a 650-hour preceptorship before being eligible for licensure.

[shiftingtides]

Why don't you look at renting a room from someone else? That way your credit is not at risk.

There aren't a lot of paths through nursing school that allow for working full-time and fully supporting yourself without loans or help.

Excelsior might be one, but remember that you do have to organize your own preceptorships (which I have heard can be difficult). And not all of their paths can be paid for with loans and grants. I don't know the specifics of your scholarship. And waiting for the CPNE test can be a lengthy process. I've preemptively decided not to bridge to my RN through Excelsior after finishing my LPN because my state would also require the additional hours I'd have to organize.

I'll caution you that LPN programs can be very tough to get into, too. Especially if they are less expensive and not for-profit.