What Experience is More Valuable? CNA, EMT or EKG Tech

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · May 21, 2013

Any of these things are awesome jobs. EMT would be an introduction to emergency services, however, an EMT in pre hospital care and an ER nurse are widely different.

A CNA would give you a look at how patients are cared for, give you hospital exposure, and a number of hospitals want a new grad to have some Med Surg experience before specializing (that is not always the case, but often can be).

An EKG tech may not give you the exposure that you would want. It is a great job, however, it is mostly, as I understand it, just doing EKG's on people--and has no critical thinking skills beyond that.

After schooling and finding a job, I am not sure that 6 months is enough time to do it all. But best of luck!!

Jasel, BSN, RN · May 21, 2013

ED and ICU are pretty different environments. If you're sure you want to ED I would say EMT, if ICU I would recommend CNA to get a feel for assessing patients. But honestly experience from either one of those fields will be a benefit in some way regardless of what you do. EKG wouldn't help much I don't think.

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · May 22, 2013

CNA -- big advantage for NS.

Good luck!

claudianyc · May 22, 2013

Sounds like CNA offers the most flexibility and direct experience.

However, i was under the impression that there were other specialties similar to CNA that offered more specialized experience and hopefully a greater chance for job placement such as:

1. ED Tech (from what i understand it's a CNA with EKG experience? so first they got their CNA license or finished first part of nursing school and then certified for EKG)

2. Nurse Tech

3. Medical Assistant

Please let me know if these are common jobs (i would like to do it now and then while in nursing school) or if still a straight CNA certification if the best route, with goal of getting to work in ER or ICU.

Thanks so much!

calivianya, BSN, RN · May 22, 2013

Honestly, I would go with EMT with what you want. EMT is direct emergency experience, which would be VERY relevant if you wanted to work as an ER nurse. Also, they have EMTs that work as CNAs in the Medical ICU at my facility instead having CNAs. I guess they want the most knowledgeable people with the sickest patients. Not to mention being an EMT pays more, which is a huge decision factor as far as I'm concerned.

Nurse tech and CNA are the same thing where I work, and they can also be called Patient Care Techs. We don't have ED techs, so I couldn't tell you what that is, and they don't hire medical assistants at my hospital, so I'm not really sure what they do either. Lot of knowledge gaps here.

NutmeggeRN, BSN · May 22, 2013

The EMT course would be great but it is a long course and then you have to keep up your certification with MANY hours of training....you may find it overwhelming once you are in school.

And the scope of practice is very different.

Good Luck!

SusanRN82 · May 22, 2013

I'm a little biased (I taught nurse aide training for many years), but I think becoming a CNA would be best.

As a CNA, you will learn how to perform basic nursing tasks and, hopefully, get over that fear that many people have about touching and caring for a total stranger.

And when you are a nurse, you will better understand what can (and cannot) be delegated to CNAs. Even better, you will know that you should never treat CNAs badly or dump on them (sadly, like many nurses do) – always remember this… no nurse should ever be “too posh to wash”.

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · May 22, 2013

I know our ER techs - large, level I trauma center - are EMTs. I think our EKG techs are also EMTs a lot of the time. (Better pay and bennies than working as an EMT.) MAs work in outpatient settings and probably not worth the effort. Nurse tech and CNA might be interchangeable? I work on a specialized unit - burn - and we *do* have hydrotherapy/wound care techs who get paid more than regular CNAs/techs and are often LPNs might don't have to be. However, your usual "aide" duties like toileting, bathing, vitals, etc. are covered either by CNAs (sometimes) or, more likely, by patient care associates who are nursing students that have completed their first semester of school.

Don't actually see true CNAs much in acute care around where I live. They're mostly in sub-acute, SNF, etc.

avaloncar, BSN, RN · May 22, 2013

I think for nursing, CNA would be best. I was a CNA for many years prior to becoming a nurse and it helped tremendously. The other positions are great too but then again, if you can get into any of the three would it would be rewarding.

FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I · May 22, 2013

I was nurses aide and did get to do a lot of things, but I was an EMT even longer. 18 years and had a wider experience in all areas with all ages. I loved it. You would likely be able to get into an ER more quickly.

mnpetnurse · May 23, 2013

I would also say CNA as that should lead to exposure to a wide variety of patients/services, especially if you work a MedSurg unit or float. It is also a good way to get your foot in the door at a hospital so that when you do graduate you have that much more chance to get in.

Here in MN, most/all nursing programs require you to have your CNA course completed before enrolling. You don't have to work as a CNA, but most of us do. Also, here CNA and NAR (Nurse Assistant Registered) are interchangeable titles. The CNA courses here vary widely from Red Cross accelerated (few evenings a week for 6 weeks) to full semester classes at a community college.

A "Medical Assistant" has even less training than a CNA/NAR. Think receptionist, answer phone, greet patients, file charts, vital signs before dr. comes into exam room, possibly obtain lab samples.