Medic1995

What I meant was the RN and Medic on a helicopter or CCT ground unit are doing the same job; not regular nurses and medics. They both can intubate, manage multiple drips, chest tubes, and administer whole blood. They bring different things to the table, but have the same protocols and operational capabilities. I get what you’re saying.

I don’t know a single person who didn’t get their first choice of department when they started. One of my best friend’s an ER Nurse, and he told me it was stupid easy to get a job. Advent, OrlandoHealth, and Tampa General all have ICU fellowships for GN’s that they continuously hire for. I also have CCT experience as a medic, so I can’t imagine it would be difficult to get a fellowship position in the ICU when I’m already three steps ahead of a new nurse. I’ve handled many vented patients on multiple drips and chest tubes by myself before. I’m not saying I know everything or that I won’t need to be trained, I’m NOT a nurse, but I have legitimate experience that makes me a solid candidate over other applicants. That’s not a brag, that’s just a result of being a medic in a rural area. The local community hospital is terrified and flying off the handle, and they expect us to get this actively dying patient an hour away to a level one center because the helicopter is grounded. It just comes with the territory.

I’m a paramedic, not an EMT! ? It’s cool, most people don’t understand that EMT-Paramedic is not an EMT. It’s confusing. I know it won’t give me higher pay to be a medic, but it will obviously make me a better candidate for the job if I meet the requirements for the critical care paramedic position and critical care RN position at the same time. I want to be able to put in an extra 12 at MINIMUM every other week, and maybe have the chance to stay late after shift. I never felt tired after only 12 hours on in the ER. On the truck I don’t hit a wall until I’ve run back to back calls for 16 hours straight. But this is good info! If I can average 42 hours a week at 27 an hour, I can start at right under 61k (assuming that OT is 1.5x your rate at anything past 40 hours.) and I would be at about 90k with 42 hours at 40 an hour. That’s decent enough to live off of for such a short work week, and the ability to sleep in my own bed every night. ? Thanks for all your help

The issue is I ALREADY know what I want to do. I’m a medic, and I don’t want that to change. Getting the RN is about gaining more experience in the ICU, and making more money when I get back on the truck. Advent runs a three man truck with a Critical Care Paramedic, and a Critical Care RN in the back on every call. It’s no different than being on a flight team; Medic and RN do the same exact job, but bring different experience to the table. RN is more medication management, and the medic is more airway typically. The RN just makes more money, because recruiting nurses from high paying ICU jobs isn’t as easy as taking a medic from a job that barely pays them 50k a year. So my thought is why not just take the detour and make more money for the same job? I’ve already done ICU, ER, OB, and OR clinicals way back when I was in medic school. I know what I like, and what I don’t at this point. ICU is the only exciting job in nursing, IMO.

I’m a paramedic looking at possibly attending nursing school to become a CCT RN. I haven’t made a decision, but I’m holding it as a possibility because of the possibly higher pay, and the amount of jobs available. My goal would be to work for AdventHealth as an ICU RN for two years (as required for Advent CCT) and transfer back to the truck as a CCT RN in either Tampa or Orlando. I have no issue with doing my time in the ICU. I love critical care, and I truly believe real deal CCRN’s are the best nursing has to offer. The reason I am hesitant, however; Is that with the cost and time spent to bridge over, I’m not sure if I will be making THAT much more money. I’ve heard Advent doesn’t pay very well, and money is honestly the largest factor here. Decent medic jobs in Tampa/Orlando typically start at 50k for 56 hours a week. (24/48) Obviously, as a RN I will make a much larger hourly pay, but I will only be working 36 hours a week. I have no idea what OT is like as a RN, or how frequently I can expect to get it. The 16 hours of scheduled OT is everything for us on the EMS side, and is why we make a 50k at a rate of 15 an hour. If I am going to do this, I’d like to start higher than 27 an hour, and be able to hit somewhere around 40 an hour within five years. If that isn’t achievable, it doesn’t really make sense monetarily for me to put in the time, money, and effort. Florida nurses, how much does a new RN (ICU) typically make? (If you know advent’s pay, that would be wonderful.) How much does your pay increase each year? What could I expect to earn as a certified CCRN/EMT-P assigned to a transport team? Is it just the same as a ICU nurse? Thanks, Jake