BradS

Good question and I'm not sure. All it says is "course completion is May 20th 2017" and the BSN starts on the 26th. I was operating under the assumption that the test would be that day. Is there any sense in doing AEMT-CC? It's 5 classes + clinicals and they can intubate and do IV's and ACLS. Obviously I wouldn't have the knowledge of a medic but could more "legitimately" challenge after becoming an RN.

Yeah, simultaneously doing these programs has to be impossible! I would finish the medic program and then start the BSN about a week later Doable, I think, but there would be pain involved. And obviously some financial pain as well. Once again, my goal with medic would be to learn transferable skills and hopefully use it to help secure the nursing position I'm shooting for. I would volunteer shifts with a crew once in a while, but that won't be my focus going forward unless I can't get a job as nurse. Another option would be to earn AEMT locally. I think it's like 4 or 5 classes.

Ok, thanks for replying. Upon further research, there's somewhat of a consensus that paramedics think differently than nurses and that the education models are completely different. It would be tough to be into the medic mindset hardcore and then turn around and get into the nursing mindset hardcore, back to back nonetheless, but I would still do it if it was beneficial for a nursing career. Side note, I'd have to move to IOWA and incur a cost of about $20K ($10K tuition + rent/etc). So this would be a costly endeavor, especially if the payoff (in the form of a good nursing job) isn't there.

I'm planning on starting an accelerated BSN next year and would like to work in an ICU capacity soon after graduating. I'm currently an EMT and considering becoming a paramedic in the upcoming year, mostly for extra patient care experience and better skills. Will this be viewed favorably for ICU after I become a nurse? Will it help me get through nursing school? Are the skills transferable to an ICU setting? Thanks

Hi coffee719, I kinda stumbled across this post while searching for reviews of the BAT program and I just wanted to say thanks for the detailed review. I'm considering this program and still deciding what route to take, so this was really great. Hope everything turned out ok for you.

Is it possible that something came up during the background check? Any criminal record? Did they do a credit check?

Do they run credit checks also?

Is this course doable in the summer? They offer a ~5 week course at my school that I'm considering, but I'm a little stressed thinking about all the material coming at us through a fire hose.

I looked at this a while back and it doesn't seem like this is a true masters degree. MSN is the masters of nursing and I'm not quite sure what - "Masters Entry into the Profession of Nursing (MEPN)" is?

Great story, glad everything has worked out for you. Life is not easy, everyone should be prepared to fight...fight...and fight some more for everything you want.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my plethora of questions :) I realize the road ahead is going to be difficult and I'm not expecting to be both a great nurse and paramedic simultaneously. I guess I'm in a phase where I love the rush of an emergency call, but at the same time, I know the future is not so bright there. ER nursing seems like it would be the next logical step up and of course I would devote all my energy there until I get grounded. Medic school would not be a great option if it turns out I'll be able to get into the nursing program right away, but I'm gonna be stranded in EMT no mans land and regret not going medic right away if it doesn't work out. Ugh, I guess the first thing I need to do is contact the school and see if there's any wait time for the ABSN. Definitely considering NP. I like the fact that NP's are continuing to gain independence and there's a great nursing school close by. The more I read about PA's, the less I'm considering it. Their role is completely dependent on the physician and I don't want to put myself in that position after 3 or so more years of schooling.

I'm 30, have a BS in another field, and now I'm attempting to get into healthcare. I just received my EMT-B and so far I love riding the ambulance. I think it's called "lights and sirens syndrome" haha and it will probably wear off eventually. The problem going any further with this is obviously the money and the lack of knowledge- EMT's make ~min wage and I want a greater knowledge base to feel more comfortable. Obtaining EMT-P would take about the same time it would take to get a BSN(if I can get in right away). I also have a crazy thought in the back of my mind of trying to get into med school but I can't put all my chips in that basket so I'm trying to calculate the best path to keep options open. I'm thinking forge ahead with the BSN while getting EMT experience and then attempt to challenge the medic exam once I graduate? A potential backup could be getting into the medic program and take those classes while finishing up the nursing prereqs. I guess I'm looking for some words of wisdom from you guys/gals who've been there. Thank you

How much ICU experience do you have? To me, the job responsibilities seem to be at opposite spectrums, so I would definitely proceed with caution if you love your current job. I've read about FNP's and ACRP's getting back into the ICU in certain places. Have you considered CRNA?

You're a longgggg way away from CRNA school, but at least you're asking questions early in your journey. To sum it up, you need a BSN with the best grades you can get followed by a min of 1 year ICU experience(others have gotten in with ER and length of experience depends on the program). I would look into possibly obtaining your CNA if your school offers it, that will at least get you in the door somewhere.

What exactly was the problem where you could only stand a few days in certain LTC's? To me, it definitely sounds like LTC isn't your thing. You don't like being around hospice patients and don't have the ability/time to comfort them in a way you'd like to, its never going to work out on the current road. A change in your expectations, and distancing yourself emotionally would likely help. I frequently see nurses say that operating "coldly" is the only way for them to "survive" nursing. Some people can't do it though. All I can suggest is to investigate other areas of nursing you might like. GL

CRNA's ARE GODS!! JK :) Curious why you thought that 30 was too old for med school?

Well, working while going to PA school simply isn't possibly, so that makes your choice very easy. In the end, I think both titles end up doing relatively the same thing, so I'd vote NP for you. I'm struggling with the same decision myself. Starting out on my prereqs that will lead to both so I have a little more time to decide.

Thank you both for the replies. Concerto, very true and a good point you bring up about the downsizing. I'm not sure I'd want to make it a "career", meaning the full 20, but I would like to experience at least one tour. I'm well aware that the recruiters are looking to fulfill their quotos or whatever and some will do anything they can to get you to sign. The more I read, the more I see people saying don't enlist, especially if you have a degree already. I thought being a medic in the reserves might look good for my future application and train me for what I think I would like eventually; ER nursing. IDK what to do. I have a degree already so I would be E3/E4 depending on the service. Lunah, do you work with 68W's? I think that job is pretty dangerous but I'm assuming they get great training that would come in handy when you're looking to get into an ER.

Thanks for the excellent write up! I'm in the initial stages of changing careers and I'm interested in military nursing. My plan is knock out my pre-reqs and then do an accelerated BSN. With this in mind, what do you suggest would be the best way to get commissioned in the future? Do you think joining the reserves, maybe as a Corpsman or 68w in the Army, would be a good move considering my ultimate goal? I guess going active would be another option and hope to qualify for the Navy MECP or the Army AECP, but like you said, that's very competitive.

I don't have much to add, but I just wanna say how pathetic OH sounds. I hope you all stick together and win this war. Nurses are the glue that holds a hospital together and they should be getting a raise if anything, certainly not a pay cut + higher patient/nurse ratios! This entire fiasco sounds insane and only proves that nurses need to organize themselves. Good luck!

University of Arizona -College of Nursing - Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Not an MSN, it's called MEPN - Master’s Entry to the Profession of Nursing. I'm not really sure what the difference is or if this degree is respected.

Sounds interesting and fun. How old are you? How long have you been in and do you plan on staying in? Be safe

I enjoy reading first hand accounts of the nursing profession on here, but I also get turned off by continually see these "short staffed" posts. The nurse ends turning into an stress filled, anxious mess. Running around all day like a chicken with their head cut off. What kind of life is that? You nurses need to come together and stand up for yourselves. Write your congressman about the out of whack nurse/patient ratios. Let them know you barely have time to go to the bathroom and lunches are a rarity, and obviously patient safety is very marginal at best under these conditions. Wages have not risen with the added stress. The job really sounds bad to be honest and you guys are the only people who can do something about it. I used to play online poker before the US gov took it away, we then created a weekly thread asking everyone who read it to submit their dislike to congress. It's a slow process but individual states are now beginning to rollout their own online poker sites. You can't just sit back and hope it gets better because it never will.

I'd love to read some more opinions if anybody else wants to chime in. I am in a similar situation - B.S in an unrelated field and I'm interested in investigating nursing, specifically ER nursing. CNA seems like a quick way to get into the field, but the experience doesn't seem relevant to my goals in particular. I'm certainly not eager to do the "dirty" parts of the job, but the experience of being around patients and learning how to interact with them/other nurses could be extremely valuable.