PHRN/EMT-P

It is actually a Medic to RN bridge, not the other way around. But with that being said, it is an apples/oranges thing.

There are many ambulance companies who will give tuition reimbursement monies for EMT-B's to advance. There are schools that have both LPN to RN bridge programs, as well as Paramedic to RN bridge programs. An RN doesn't bridge to a Paramedic.

The requirements are completely different. And you may find even as an LPN, that EMT-B is a completely different mindset, with focus on completely different things than your nursing taught you. So be careful that you stick with the procedure, and not go into "nurse mode" (which I found for myself, I was going off on nursing concepts as opposed to just sticking to what was in front of me).

I will also say that when you skills test, stick to the practice sheets. They do not care if you are thinking about nursing stuff--there is a set way/procedure, and don't stray.

You can see if your school will take any of your EMT training into account toward nursing, along with your LPN courses. What a Medic course will do is give you certifications that will make you more marketable.

I would also see if your local ER hires ER techs that need to be EMT's (and your LPN won't hurt). Then you will have some experience.

Best wishes!

You can get your EMT-b and hired into an Ambulabce crew. They usually pay for your EMT-P. Get experience while bridging over to RN.

I did it backwards RN to EMT.....

I work prehospital and PRN at hospital. Both of best worlds

Thank for your responses. I'll probably end of doing it backwards and that's what I was inquiring about. Jadelpn there are RN to EMT-P programs in other states, which is why I inquired as to if there are any in MA. I guess "bridge" is not the best way to put it. However, thank you both again.

Hmm. I've heard of EMT-P to RN bridge such as excelsior but not the reverse. My husband is a medic and I'm trying to get him to go for RN.

Good luck :)

As someone who did it "backwards" (EMT while in college, then nursing school, then paramedic), I would have done it the other way around. Nursing in a hospital and being a paramedic are two different worlds- although nursing knowledge and skills compliments paramedicine- in the sense that you have a broader perspective of patient care, pharmacology and the health care continuum.

Having been socialized as an ICU nurse for the first two years of my career, the hardest part for me was changing my mindset when caring for a patient in an ambulance (as an ALS provider). All of a sudden, it was up to me to make a working diagnosis (ie- get an idea of what the patient's problem is) and come up with a plan for that patient on the fly- based on what tools and protocols my partner and I had available. In the ICU, most all of my patients already had medical or surgical diagnoses, and I got a detailed, in-depth report on the patient's history, systems assessment, problem list and treatment plan. Also, I almost always had ready access to docs in the ICU to bounce questions off of. In the field, you have to quickly assess a patient you don't know from Adam and it's expected you'll make (sometimes quite hairy) treatment decisions independently based on protocols and experience. For example, you have to be comfortable with deciding whether or not to pronounce someone dead on scene (instead of initiating resuscitation) at 4:30am (when you were woken out of a sound sleep). Similarly, you may have to decide whether or not to immediately needle decompress a patient's chest with a pneumothorax. The doctors aren't going to be standing over your shoulder giving you advice. Medical Control physicians expect you to know how to function as a paramedic within your protocols and to have an idea of what needs to be done. ICU docs also expect ICU nurses to be competent and knowledgeable, but Medical control physicians aren't always available in the field (via phone or radio) and have very limited time to devote to you.

As far as RN's challenging the paramedic course/exam, I would say the appropriateness depends on the RN and his/her experience and education. If you don't have much EMS experience, I would definitely take the whole class; you'd be cheating yourself and your patients by taking the challenge shortcut. I took my paramedic class in another state (outside of MA) and was allowed advanced standing based on my EMT and ICU experience. In other words, I didn't have to attend some of the introductory lectures, or attended ICU or Respiratory Therapy clinical. The aspect of the program that was most helpful was the field clinical with the local fire department. If anything, being a paramedic student on a 911 unit, with a good preceptor, will indoctrinate you into the world and mindset of a paramedic- something your nursing knowledge and experience (with the exception of flight nursing) can't really replace.

In MA, RNs can achieve paramedic certification by advanced standing. The information on the challenge process can be found here:

http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/emergency-services/forms/paramedic-app-out-of-state-300-12.pdf

The link to the MA Dept of Public Health, Office of EMS can be found here:

Office of Emergency Medical Services

You need your EMT first, plus RN licensure, to challenge the paramedic exam in MA. I would strongly recommend against simply challenging the exam. Get some experience as an EMT, get into a reputable medic program and get your paramedic that way. Cutting too many corners will definitely show once you're out on the street.

PS- Paramedic school is definitely doable, but judging from my experience, it isn't a cake walk. Be prepared for a major time commitment. After clinicals started in January of the year I took the program, I was either: a)at work; b)studying; c)in hospital clinical; or d)in field clinical. My program was about 12 months long- it took another 5 months after it ended to become fully certified and cleared to function on my own. All that being said, definitely go for it if you feel like it's something you want to do.

Thank you all for the awesome responses.