RN-Paramedic Bridge

Trauma Columnist · Oct 5, 2004

I live in Illinois and I'm licensed as a pre-hospital RN. See if they have that in Missouri. Doesn't involve a class (at least in IL). Since an RN has the basic education, I took additional classes in extrication and scene control. I absolutely love it. Believe me, if I wasn't a volunteer and could get paid decently for it, I'd be there 24/7.

tknrn · Oct 5, 2004

Thanks for the quick reply. I did do the EMT route at one time but didn't keep up my license. I will check into the Prehospital RN and see if that is available in Missouri.

rn29306 · Oct 5, 2004

I work at a rural hospital in the Emergency Room. I also have filled in as an ALS provider for the ambulance. I am wondering if there is any benefit to doing a RN-Paramedi bridge program. If so, is there any information on such a program? I live in Missouri. Thanks!:)

The only program I am aware of is in Nebraska at Creighton University. RNs are required to take a 1 week course to become an EMT-B and cost $300. Then the RN-EMT-B can take a 2 week course and become a paramedic, costing $1500 in the process. The paramedic route requires the following prereqs: RN licsense, BLS and ACLS, EMT cert, and 2 years critical care as a RN (ICU, CCU, PICU, NICU, ED, or Flight). Link to the site is http://www.ems.creighton.edu/rnp.htm

Good luck. Let us know what you do.

Medic946RN · Oct 5, 2004

In some states there is no provision for this. In my home state of Delaware you're either a Paramedic or Nurse, they have an unofficial MICN but they can't do prehospital only interfacility. But where I work in Pennsylvania you can go either route you can be an RN who takes an additional course and become a PHRN which is equal or slightly higher than medic, or you can be a Paramedic who goes to nursing school and become a PHRN. In Maryland where I work ER, there is no prehospital or official MICN title, if you want to be medic you have to take the paramedic course at the community college. So it varies from state to state. I'm thinking that if you can"fill in as an ALS provider" on the bus then your state must recognize RN's in some prehospital capacity. Unless you were doing strictly interfacility transports. Good luck, it's fun in the back of the bus, so much autonomy.