paramedic52

Hi there! I have been told that Baltimore County Community College - Essex will be offering the bridge program this Fall. I'm also a paramedic & will graduate in a few weeks from the RN program from this college. They were supposed to start the bridge program when I started my actual "nursing" classes back in Fall of '04, but it didn't get off the ground, so I just went into the regular nursing program. One of my RN instructors told me the bridge program WILL start Fall of '06. You are required to have all the pre-req's before starting the bridge program though. Let me know if you need any further info. & good luck! HTH!

While I haven't started nursing school yet (will start this Fall), I did have to do hospital clinicals while I was in Paramedic school 7 years ago. From reading the boards here, it seems like we had to do some of the same stuff as nursing students ie. Iv's, push meds., pt. assessments, V.S., ect. Anyway, my first clinical experience started out horribly. I showed up in the ER on my scheduled day early and eager to learn. I met the nurse I was supposed to be assigned to that night. When I introduced myself she said "Well, I don't know what you expect to do tonight because I'm head nurse and don't have time for a student. I guess you can just walk around the hopital or go sit in the lounge." While I understood she was going to be busy, I was just floored by her attitude! Luckily, I had been to that ER numerous times as an EMT bringing in pt.'s and knew one of the other nurses there. I asked the head nurse if I could hang out with the other nurse and she said "I suppose so." I had a wonderful time with the other nurse and I was greatful I was able to shadow her instead of the head nurse. She let me perform all the procedures I was there to accomplish -- something I don't think I would have had the chance to do with the other woman. :chuckle

While I haven't started nursing school yet (will start this Fall), I did have to do hospital clinicals while I was in Paramedic school 7 years ago. From reading the boards here, it seems like we had to do some of the same stuff as nursing students ie. Iv's, push meds., pt. assessments, V.S., ect. Anyway, my first clinical experience started out horribly. I showed up in the ER on my scheduled day early and eager to learn. I met the nurse I was supposed to be assigned to that night. When I introduced myself she said "Well, I don't know what you expect to do tonight because I'm head nurse and don't have time for a student. I guess you can just walk around the hopital or go sit in the lounge." While I understood she was going to be busy, I was just floored by her attitude! Luckily, I had been to that ER numerous times as an EMT bringing in pt.'s and knew one of the other nurses there. I asked the head nurse if I could hang out with the other nurse and she said "I suppose so." I had a wonderful time with the other nurse and I was greatful I was able to shadow her instead of the head nurse. She let me perform all the procedures I was there to accomplish -- something I don't think I would have had the chance to do with the other woman. :chuckle

I'm 29 -- will be turning 30 by the time I start my pre-req's for the RN program. I'm glad to see there are others around my age. I only wish I knew what I wanted to be when I was 18! LOL! It would have been so much easier to just continue on in college and get my RN classes completed after finishing the Paramedic program when I was 23 -- pre marriage and child! LOL!