waterpeace13

I work in a level 1 trauma center. We start with 5:1 but that increases to 7 or 8:1 when the trauma nurse gets pulled and we have to cover her rooms. We see over 300 adults a day. Its a super crazy place, huge nurse turn over, we routinely have no techs no help, seriously thinking about looking for a new job.

I am also a paramedic and RN. Just finished nursing school in Dec and about 1 month in to my orientation at a level 1 trauma center. I went to paramedic school and worked a busy commercial service for 6 years before I went to nursing school. I found medic school to be much more difficult than nursing school, but nursing school was way more stressful! I found my medic knowledge to be extremely helpful during nursing school, and it is now invaluable as a nurse in the ED. Truthfully I would be lost in the ED if I only had experience from nursing school. Right now I'm finding I'm able to keep up with what the docs are doing and I am familiar with lots of the treatment modalities etc. I also have good assessment skills and know what to look for in all different types of patients from really sick to just drug seeking. I also want to possibly be an APRN in the ED and I feel like I am already forming good working relationships with all the different levels of providers in my department. I'm at a big teaching hospital so we have new residents, attendings, specialists, along with APRNs and PAs all treating the same patients. Its so far been an amazing place to learn. And I am learning more because I have a strong foundation in emergency medicine. I would advise to just go with your heart, do what seems like the most interesting and fun for you right now. Both nursing and paramedic are extremely challenging jobs and if your heart isn't in it you are going to be miserable. Good luck!

My hospital is a level 1 trauma center in New England, we have over 100,000 ED visits per year, 99% adult patients too, we have a non affiliated pediatric hospital across the street so we rarely get any kids.

Please, please, please do not try and fast track becoming a paramedic. Unless you have a hospital based job or helicopter/transport position lined up that would require both licenses then maybe you can get away with it. If you plan on responding to 911s then you NEED to actually learn how to be a paramedic. There are many things that overlap in nursing and in being a paramedic but there are many skills that medics need to be comfortable with that most nurses are not trained to do. Can you intubate? RSI? Set up and manage a vent or CPAP? Can you start an external jugular iv? Or an interossous? Maybe an emergency cricothyrotomy? How about 12-leads? Can you identify a STEMI quickly and be responsible for activating the cath lab from the field? How comfortable are you with ACLS/PALS but actually running a code is one of the easier things that medics do, believe it or not. Most of the knowledge a medic has must be available immediately from memory. You almost never have time to look up a med dose, or time to sit and think about thing for more than a few seconds and you shouldn't be contacting a doctor for orders unless you have exhausted all your protocols. Almost everything a medic does is a standing order. You may be able to pass the 2 week class but good luck with the NREMT-P practical stations. And the written test. Not to mention if you do get through those precepting is going to be very difficult, you are NOT trained on the job. Precepting is basically a test of your skills on the road. Senior medics do not just let people skate by. EMS is a rough place. I am sorry if this post seems harsh but out on the streets and in the back of an ambulance there is minimal help, and its you and your partner who is usually an EMT. If you can't do the job well then people die! Please just get your EMT, you can still respond to 'cool' 911 calls. And you would be an asset to EMS.

What I learned this week, So I guess I live in the section of town that gets higher snow accumulations. We got at least 12" when the rest of town got around 6-8". I do live almost on top of a 'mountain' ( a CT sized one at least). Also learned that I need to get back to the gym if I expect to be stubborn and continue to shovel the 75yard gravel driveway instead of paying for a plow guy. I am going to want to fall asleep while on the ambulance tonight. And I am going to be super sore tomorrow. And I am getting super excited to start my new RN job. Orientation starts Feb 8th. I am wanting less and less to do paramedic work, and wish my nursing job had started already. Its a weird feeling, but I'm just tired of the streets, the lack of resources and having incompetent EMT partners that put us both at risk I guess. And I'm hopeful that being an RN in the ED will better than the road.

What I learned.... 1) No matter how awesome you actually did on the NCLEX, you will have your stomach in knots for the next 48hrs absolutely convinced that you failed. I had heard this many times but didn't actually believe it until now. I almost cried in relief. 2) I relearned that the state of CT takes forever to change your license to active status. Already knew this, but hoped something had changed, took almost a month for my paramedic license to go active years ago. But also learned that I should actually have a license but the state is just slow updating the online system. Going to call tomorrow. 3) Now that I am done with the testing etc, I am so much more excited to start my new job in a few weeks than I expected. But also pretty terrified. Ordered 3 ED nurse textbooks. One is all procedures. I wanna be prepared and not look like a jerk. I know that ED emergency nursing is going to be so completely different and also at times much the same as prehospital emergency paramedic-ing. Thanks to everyone who has posted about their experiences moving from the field to inside. I know this is going to be extremely challenging, I just want a seamless transition, so any and all advise is welcome. 4) I am dreading any snow more and more each passing day. I have enjoyed this easy winter so far.

Connecticut new grad starting in the ED at a larger level one trauma center $29 per hour base for all new grads and shift diffs $3.60 evenings, $6.00 overnights, $6.00 weekend, $12 weekend/overnight Cost of living is pretty high. High income tax etc I got super lucky and rent an older farm house fro $1,000 month but normally people pay about that for a nice one bedroom apartment. And I do have a 30mile commute to the hospital in nasty traffic.

Anyone have any updated info on how long it takes the state to activate an RN license? I am still waiting. Its been a week since I tested (Friday 1/8) and still no number. I got my quick results on a Sunday so I'm hoping that my license will be active early in the week. I really just need it done before I start working in February. Thanks for any info!!!

I did hear that as well, has something to do with whatever company is buying the hospital. Supposedly once that goes through they are supposed to go back to the original pay.

BLS for healthcare providers same cert you need as a nurse ect

I am in the current program. I think 16hrs or so is doable. I really wouldn't try from more than that. Mostly because clinical is 2 days a week, plus lab, plus class day. So 4 days devoted to school and that's not counting any study time. If you do have past medical experience then maybe you could work more especially during fundamentals/first semester. We have one person I think who was working full time but had to cut back because they kept changing our schedules.

Hello everyone! I did a search of prior posts but the info is from 5+ yrs ago. Just looking for base pay (clinical nurse I) with shift differentials at area hospitals. Specifically Harford hospital, St Francis, Waterbury, Danbury and Griffin hospitals. I know from a recent interview that YNHH is starting at $29hr + evening $3.75, night $5, weekend $4.70 differentials Thanks!

What unit will you be working on? I was just called for an interview for HVC 5-2. I haven't even graduated yet, I graduate in december with my BSN

I have heard that storrs and Waterbury both accept 30 students while the other campuses allow 15. And that Avery point is the least requested campus, supposedly there are more spaces available there normally

Anyone that is in or has completed the program, around how much did you end up spending on books? And are there any books that we really don't need to buy that are considered required?