Should I become an EMT?

buttons93 · Jun 26, 2012

Hello!

I am an EMT. I am also a pre-nursing student with one more semester before nursing school! I got my EMT-B because I want to be a flight nurse (after ER experience of course) and the EMS experience will help me and I LOVE the environment. My EMT cert also opened up hospital jobs too! Like ER tech, and it is helping me get a job in patient transport. Does your nursing program give you more "points" for working as a CNA or EMT? I know the program I want to get in to gives extra points to CNAs and LVNs but I haven't aasked if my EMT will give me more points. But! EMT has opened my eyes to a completely different side of health care. I might not be an EMT or life but it has opened my eyes to what I can do, what I can handle, and definately has prepared me in some ways to be an ER nurse!

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Jun 26, 2012

Hello!
I am an EMT. I am also a pre-nursing student with one more semester before nursing school! I got my EMT-B because I want to be a flight nurse (after ER experience of course) and the EMS experience will help me and I LOVE the environment. My EMT cert also opened up hospital jobs too! Like ER tech, and it is helping me get a job in patient transport. Does your nursing program give you more "points" for working as a CNA or EMT? I know the program I want to get in to gives extra points to CNAs and LVNs but I haven't aasked if my EMT will give me more points. But! EMT has opened my eyes to a completely different side of health care. I might not be an EMT or life but it has opened my eyes to what I can do, what I can handle, and definately has prepared me in some ways to be an ER nurse!

As an EMT how hard was it for you to get a job and how much more do you get paid as an EMT than a CNA? I was considering going for an EMT if I couldn't get into nursing and now that I'm in nursing school, I'm still considering it, but there are no classes in my area .

Brannray · Jun 26, 2012

What's crazy is I had been considering the same. I already have my CNA certification though... So idk which would be a better choice for me. I know that here where I live EMT's make about the same...*some places make it to where EMT's would make less per hour and some the opposite* but EMT's work a lot more hours.. And in the end would have a bigger amount.

funtimes · Jun 26, 2012

Getting your EMT license is not likely to be particularly beneficial if you plan on being a Nurse. I suppose it wouldnt hurt to do it if you have the time and money, but youd probably benefit more from other schooling. Ive been an EMT for several years and work as a PCT in a hospital. Its not really going to help you get a PCT job outside of the ER, and ER tech jobs are hard to come by, so I wouldnt get your EMT hoping to just do that.

The problem is the scope of an EMT basic is pretty limited, so theres not much strictly medical training an EMT has that an RN doesnt have. The things an EMT is trained in that an RN isnt are things that are almost useless in a hospital. Things like spinal precautions, splinting, vehicle extrication, ambulance operations and communications, hazmat and rescue operations. The few things you learn that are done in a hospital, you will often find are done somewhat differently in a hospital than the temporary fixes you do prehospital. For instance the way you would clean and dress a wound might be different on scene than it is in the ER, and so on.

EMT training does place a big emphasis on establishing and keeping a patent airway, and you are exposed to some equipment and procedures RNs might have little training with unless they work in an ER, but again thats not going to be of much value in a hospital where you have docs and RTs around with way more training. Mess with a patients BIPAP without talking to the RT and you are gonna get your butt chewed off by the RT, who could care less if your an EMT.

The pay also stinks for jobs doing transport, probably the same or less than most CNAs make, and those jobs are getting scarce too, since everybody and their brother has an EMT license these days.

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Jun 26, 2012

Thanks! It's nice to get a real picture of the job, responsibilities and pay.

buttons93 · Jun 26, 2012

I got my EMT about a month ago and it has been hard for me to find a job. Part of the reason why it is so hard for me is because I am 19 and most ambulance companies don't hire under 21. I am still applying wherever I can. Then again, a lot of times it is just about who you know.

I actually don't know how much EMTs get paid compared to CNAs. But, in my area, EMTS work 24s, 36s, 48s, and some work 60s! A lot of hours. But, funtimes is right. The scope of practice is very different from nursing and it is limited. If you already have your CNA I would do that instead!

funtimes · Jun 26, 2012

I should also add that working as an EMT can also make it difficult to go to school. Unless you are an ER tech, you probably arent going to be working 8 hour shifts. More likely 12 or even 24 hour shifts. You also might not always get to leave work on time, you may have to do a patient transfer that requires you work over your shift.

Keep in mind too that in pre hospital EMS there is also the potential for injury. You arent going to have hoyer lifts around. You may go on a call and have a 350 lb patient lying unresponsive in a bathtub, or maybe with a broken hip, and you have to get them out and down a few flights of stairs, or a heavy patient you have to get out of a car and onto a stretcher with full spinal precautions. I'm always amazed when I see these people in EMT classes who look like they can barely lift an ambulance cot even without a patient on it.

buttons93 · Jun 27, 2012

True true true! There was a nursing student at my school that worked as an EMT on the weekends. He thought he could tough it out and come to clinicals early Monday morning after a 48 hour shift. He got cut because he was late or just too exhausted to pay attention and failed.

DarkLotus · Jun 27, 2012

Well I am all ready a CNA and have been for almost two years. I need a change of pace if I don't get into nursing school this fall. I think I found an EMT course that is just one semester long three days a week (so I could work as a CNA while doing school parttime) and the tuition would be paid by a grant so no out of pocket costs. I really hope to work in the ER eventually...

Funtimes: What other schooling could your recommend?

funtimes · Jun 27, 2012

I'm not trying to talk you out of it. If its what you want to do then go for it. Becoming an EMT is great if you want to be a firefighter, and its required to become a Paramedic, which is what you need to be to do the real life saving interventions, but I just dont see it as being of much value for Nursing.

RNs have a much deeper understanding of how the human body works, and can use critical thinking to determine how to treat a patient. EMTs are pretty much taught cookbook medicine. You memorize all these signs and symptoms and interventions without necessarily having a deeper understanding of whats occuring and why, and with little to no thought to the longer term repercussions. Maybe this can be a benefit on some 911 calls because EMTs arent burdened by too much information and thinking of a thousand what ifs, and can just focus in on the important things at hand, but I dont think its the way Nurses do things.

As for what other schooling you could take that would be more beneficial, I guess it depends on the area you live in and whats offered. Phlebotomy and ECG training are two things that would probably help give you a head start on Nursing school and help you get a hospital job. Or maybe take some additional A&P.

Abigail612 · Jun 28, 2012

If you can get it paid for and you think you can swing it then go for it! It won't hurt you and it may look good to have it on your record. Another thing to think about for school is may be phelbotamy, as a nurse you may need to draw blood, plus at least were I live they usually make more than most CNAs and EMTS !