Starting Paramedic School..

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So I'm going to start EMT-B school in Jan hopefully. Then go to intermediate. Then Paramedic. Anything I should know?

Things I do know:

- I'm a CNA, so I've been around horrible wounds and patients bleeding out

- I know CPR and know what a critical patient is all about

- Though I've heard of people I have helped dying from things like blood clots due to surgery, I have never seen a dead person

- I watched the show Recruits: Paramedics and it really got me geared towards the Paramedic field.

Things I'd like to know:

- How much does an EMT-B make? EMT-I?

- Are the first two classes hard?

- Do I need to be an EMT-B for a year before EMT I?

- I know a lot of people can dramatize their job. As a CNA if someone asked about becoming a CNA I'd give them all my horror stories before my good ones. Is Paramedics VERY stressful? On shows people are usually taking injured patients out of cars slowly to not injure them, the paramedics walk to their patients rather than a 60mile an hour sprint, they do resuscitate people but there's not 100 people calling and screaming for everyone to do this and that like something on a drama show where a patient comes in in critical care and the doc is talkin about this, nurse about that, etc etc. Give me the truth. I gots ta know!

Thanks all :)

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I'm not a EMT of any kind but my boyfriend is in an EMT-B program right now & will finish in December. I don't know how much EMT's make in your area, you'd have to Google that one.

My boyfriend has been out of school for years & he is doing so well (he has a B average). His teacher told him not to go back to back getting the EMT-I then EMT-P, get some experience first. At least 6 months to a year. I hope I helped & good luck! :)

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A site geared toward EMT/Paramedics would be of more use to you in answering your questions. While there are some here (myself included) who are/were EMT's, you'd get many more responses and accurate info from an EMT specific site. :)

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A site geared toward EMT/Paramedics would be of more use to you in answering your questions. While there are some here (myself included) who are/were EMT's, you'd get many more responses and accurate info from an EMT specific site. :)

True Pixie but I trust this site more than others. There are some very good people in the very deep know here and I'd like to get their opinions as even nurses know about paramedic things a good amount of the time. Though because they only see them when things are going bad they aren't always fond of them, haha.

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I am an RN, but have been disabled for about 7 years and want to go back to work. I was going to take paramedic course to brush up on skill set. Having a difficult time getting hired. I don't want to give up my career. Any suggestions anyone?

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

Well being an RN & paramedic are two different beasts. I don't think you will be able to get hired as a paramedic because you are a RN. You would have to go through the schooling to become a paramedic.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
Well being an RN & paramedic are two different beasts. I don't think you will be able to get hired as a paramedic because you are a RN. You would have to go through the schooling to become a paramedic.

Not necessarily. I know in some states if you are an RN you can test out of a lot of the paramedic curriculum, and get your paramedic certificate faster than most. A classmate of mine from nursing school did this. He works as an RN, but also works on an ambulance as a paramedic. It would be important for you to know in your state how RN and paramedic scope of practice differs, and to stay within whatever scope you are working in at that time

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