Should I Maintain EMT-B with new RN?

edogs334 · Sep 1, 2011

Unless you want to get back into EMS in some way, shape or form- (eg- volunteering or working part-time on an ambulance) or want to do flight/transport nursing, it may not be worth re-certifying. The only reason I kept my certification current when I wasn't on the ambulance was because I knew I wanted to: a)work on an ambulance again someday (in addition to being an RN); and 2)Because I want to get into critical care transport nursing. So I would say don't re-certify unless you have some sort of definite purpose for the certification in mind. I mean, if you're going to practice in the ER, it might serve you well to keep current on what EMTs and medics are doing in the field. A relevant analogy would be not re-certifying as a CEN if you haven't practiced (as an RN) in the ER for years and don't plan on going back. Same thing- why would you re-certify if the certification is no longer relevant to your practice?

MidnightAzalea · Sep 1, 2011

The critical care transport does sound intriguing... hmm!

sillywilly · Sep 1, 2011

I think you should keep it, you went through the effort to get it. I have kept my phlebotomy license active even though I have my LVN license and am working on my RN license. Besides, you never know what will happen in the future. It is easier to keep it active than to retest.

andreasmom02 · Sep 1, 2011

If may help if you ever want to be a flight nurse as the above poster said....

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Sep 1, 2011

I've been an EMT-B (NREMT) for several years. My current license expires 3/12, though I graduate from nursing school 12/11 and hope to take my NCLEX 1/12. I work as an ED Tech right now and plan to continue on as an ED nurse. I'm usually a "the more certs the better" person, but I'm not sure how useful this particular license would be.
Is it worthwhile to maintain my EMT-B? Would my nursing classes count towards EMT CEUs? I wouldn't mind re-testing, though I'd rather not have to go that route.
Thanks!

I'm an EMT-B and RN and keep my EMT cert active because I still volunteer as a first responder with my local fireco. The cert is really of very little benefit with respect to nursing however, it is not hard to keep it active, at least in my state which does not require re-testing, only CEU's. Again depending on your state, you nursing courses may count however, they prorbably won't amount to much - I got 6 CEU's for 18 nursing credits and never bothered asking after that. We can do our CEU's on-line and that is actually easier than filing the paperwork to get credit for nursing classes.

Keep you job as an ED tech and try to leverage it for a nursing job. Most of my graduating class from 2 years ago have not been able to find jobs but of those who did, nearly all were working as techs or CNAs at the hospitals that hired them as RN's.

JosefVernon Hodgkins · Sep 1, 2011

Absolutely! Good work in getting EMT-B.

I look at EMT's as 'healthcare officials, in the field.' You should be proud of that.

-Joe

P.S. Nursing will be much different as your career evolves. However, would you throw out your high school diploma? I know I never would, I learned so much there.

badphish · Sep 1, 2011

flight nurse would benefit from current PARAMEDIC cert, not EMT-Basic. and a new Nurse is not going flight anytime soon. Our state requires dual cert for flight nurses.

so unless you are volunteering at the local fire station i see no benefit.

and yes I am keeping my Medic cert.

MidnightAzalea · Sep 1, 2011

If I wanted to eventually get my medic, would it speed things along to have my EMT-B or would it just be an RN-medic bridge program?

Editorial Team / Moderator · Sep 1, 2011

Depends on what is available in your area -- is there a local RN-medic bridge? From what I've seen, most bridges require EMT-B as a basis for enrollment anyway ... might as well keep it if you can. I keep my NREMT-P because I plan on being back out on a medic unit sometime soon ... I miss it!!

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2011

i would keep it, im keeping mine. its not like a major effort to maintain it, and yes like someone said you need it to continue on to get your medic cert, &&&& keeping also shows that you have prehospital experience which is a good jumping off point once you have enough ER hospital experience and want to go into flight.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Sep 1, 2011

I'd say to keep the EMT certificate. It shouldn't be too difficult to maintain and should you wish to bridge to Paramedic, it may actually make your transition easier or it may be a requirement by your county/state to be able to challenge the license. If you let it lapse, you may have to take the whole course all over again in order to be considered qualified to challenge... It won't help in flight (need to be a Paramedic for that) and it probably won't help with ED employment either. Not a bad cert to have...