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.
I'd keep it. As someone mentioned about only the paramedic being worth keeping, not true. In my area, there isn't any RN to Medic bridge. They are seen as two different areas and require starting from the ground up, which I kinda agree with. And two, the flight service in my area likes dual certification of RN and medic, but they only require RN and EMT-B
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.
Depends on the state. In PA,an RN with EMT-B cert can become a Pre-Hospital RN, a state specific cert. PHRNs do ground and air transport, prehospital and critical care.
Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.
Depends on the state. In PA,an RN with EMT-B cert can become a Pre-Hospital RN, a state specific cert. PHRNs do ground and air transport, prehospital and critical care.
IL also has Pre-Hospital RNs, though the standards for such are actually set by the EMS regions and not the state.
Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
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...
um, you need your emt-b to get your -p & why wouldnt it help w/ ED employment..if it was used, it shows you have the ability to critically think, in barebones fast paced unpredictable situations...
Depends on the state. In PA,an RN with EMT-B cert can become a Pre-Hospital RN, a state specific cert. PHRNs do ground and air transport, prehospital and critical care.
same here...in IL
IL also has Pre-Hospital RNs, though the standards for such are actually set by the EMS regions and not the state.
um, you need your emt-b to get your -p & why wouldnt it help w/ ED employment..if it was used, it shows you have the ability to critically think, in barebones fast paced unpredictable situations...
Some EDs might not care too much about the EMT-B ... prehospital and in-hospital are like apples and oranges -- some areas of overlap, but pretty different overall. Having an EMT-P (or EMT-I) might get an applicant a bit more traction in terms of employment, though, for the more advanced knowledge and skills that usually come with higher levels of certification.
Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
Some EDs might not care too much about the EMT-B ... prehospital and in-hospital are like apples and oranges -- some areas of overlap, but pretty different overall. Having an EMT-P (or EMT-I) might get an applicant a bit more traction in terms of employment, though, for the more advanced knowledge and skills that usually come with higher levels of certification.
true.
sidenote: i thought ur avatar was a picture of a cherub until i looked closer idk why hahah
Specializes in ER, Trauma, ICU/CCU/NICU, EMS, Transport.
Just saw this thread and am going to post reply to a couple of points.
To keep the EMT credential: HECK YES! You NEVER know what may come down the road or if you ever decide to progress to EMT-P you'll already be in the door. Besides, it VALIDATES a certain skill set. In my region where they don't hire new grad RNs into the ER any more (they have exceeded the allowable percentage of new grads) something like an EMT cert at least shows you've done "some" patient care before.
Even with my full time job as a nurse practitioner I STILL keep my EMT-P for a couple of reasons:
1)In the past, I worked with the EMS training division teaching EMT students; as a card carrying EMT-P, it gave me the credibility in the eyes of the students, I wasn't just some "nurse" teaching them, I was "one of them"....
2)I enjoy my ALS skillset; in my current NP position I don't get to use them but seldomly - so working 1-2 shifts per month as an EMT-P for a local EMS provider allows me to keep up with the "fun" and "cool" stuff and it keeps me VERY VERY VERY appreciative of the work EMS does as we see it from the nursing side of the fence. It fosters a better relationship between ER and EMS when they know that I am "one of their own"; again, reputation and credibility at play here.
3) It's not much to recert and keep up your CECH's. YES, for the most part, if you are using CECH's applicable to Emergency NURSING, it should carry over to your CECH's req for EMT
4) Even if you NEVER use it again, by keeping it renewed, you should NEVER have to take that stinkin national registry exam-hell process again!
ObtundedRN, BSN, RN
428 Posts
I'd keep it. As someone mentioned about only the paramedic being worth keeping, not true. In my area, there isn't any RN to Medic bridge. They are seen as two different areas and require starting from the ground up, which I kinda agree with. And two, the flight service in my area likes dual certification of RN and medic, but they only require RN and EMT-B