Any Paramedics here

[rmabrey]

I recently urinated away 4 years of school as a computer science major, cause I don't see myself sitting behind a desk. I plan to go to school to become a paramedic. My question is, What are paramedics making, not that it matters cause Im gonna do it anyweay, but I keep hearing different numbers, I eventually want to work LIFE FLIGHT.

 

[POC]

Go Nursing. Pay is better, hours are better, they fly on helicopters too. MUCH more you can do with a Nursing License than a Paramedic Certification.
I'm in a small rural area, but the medics here make somewhere in the $14-$16 range. I started on the floor at $20.
True, EMS is more exciting, when you have something to do. Lots of days our guys (and gals) sit around with nothing to do. And usually when it rains, it pours. I was on the Vol. FD up here and we did EMS too, BLS non-transport, I was a Basic EMT, so we didn't do a whole lot, but it was exciting.

Also, do you get car sick?!?

From someone who's looked at both sides of the fence,
Patrick

 

[Bill of Rights]

Medic here, 24+ years of EMS, and no, I never worked with Johnny OR Roy (and if you say "who?", I will beat you to death with my cane! )
It depends a LOT on where you work what you'll do. If you're hospital-based, you'll see a fair amount of stuff in the ED you'll never see on the road, but the tradeoff is that you're also likely to do lots of transfer work. Ditto working the bird: They get some fantastic training, I hear, but the majority of the use of that training is on interfacility transfer, not on scene flights. You would do VERY well to get in touch with Rotor Talker here on INGO.

Feel free to PM me for more, if you like, but either way, I wish you good luck in your career, wherever it may take you.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[LPMan59]

and you will get to enjoy all the medicaid people- people who dial 911 for a papercut because they need a band-aid or just a ride to a doctor's office. thanks LBJ!

 

[IndyMonkey]

poop, can you deal with it?

 

[Rotor Talker]

Go Nursing School.....

I've been in this game now 32 years, as an EMT, off and on with volunteer fire departments and EMS Services. I spent 10 years as a Primary Instructor, and 7 as a Paramedic at Wishard in Indianapolis.

I've been with Lifeline just over 5 years, if you want to get into this biz, go to Nursing school. Much better pay, benefits and career opportunities. If you want to go the flight route, get your RN, work in an ER until you have the chance to get into an Intensive Care Unit. Spend 3 to 5 years in an ICU, ( 5 is better, you see and get do do more), then start looking at flight services.

We just finished marathon interviews for our upcoming expansion (Lafayette and Muncie) I think we interviewed like 60 some people for 22 slots, these were the big things we looked at was ICU time. Three years is just on the line, would mean you've been an RN for 4-5 years. Yeah it's a long time, but when you consider the experiences and education you receive both in the classroom and at the bedside/ on the floor, it all pays off.

My time at Wishard Ambulance was priceless, but I'm also paying for it with my back troubles as well, so it balances out. If you are young enough and looking for a long term career, Paramedic sounds neat and all, but go Nursing School, you won't regret it.

Feel free to contact me with anything else, Good Luck!

 

[redneckmedic]

I play one on TV... does that count?

Nursing school is a good option, but my warning is this...you will not be able to find a job. For the first time in history this country isn't hiring RNs and I don't think Obamacare is going to help that. My mom is a RN, my sister, my wife, and 3 of my best friend's/wives. Its a great field... once you can crack into it.

EMS doesn't pay worth a crud but the hrs are fantastic. And it really isn't that self rewarding either. I do it for the babes .... --->

 

[Indy317]

I recently urinated away 4 years of school as a computer science major, cause I don't see myself sitting behind a desk. I plan to go to school to become a paramedic. My question is, What are paramedics making, not that it matters cause Im gonna do it anyweay, but I keep hearing different numbers, I eventually want to work LIFE FLIGHT.

Make your decision carefully. If you can do some programing, like my relatives, they all make good money only working 40-45hrs/week. They almost always have weekends off, unless they want to flex their time. They can also work from home, or any computer they can long onto. They also all make good money. The reason I am telling you this is simply because you might decide that being a medic isn't all it is cracked up to be. If I were you, and you could find a good computer job, do that for a while. Don't buy a home, get an apartment at a reasonable rate, and find a place located in a volunteer FD area. I would highly suggest working as a volunteer FD, to see if you like the job. One guy I work with did a program through Franklin Indiana. Don't have to live there, just show up for work. They put him through firefighter certification and he already has EMT certifications. He was working PT with Rural-Metro prior to doing the fire thing. They don't make much from what he told me, at least for Wishard and Rural Metro. Obviously if you work as a volunteer, you don't get paid anything. This guy was 18 or 19, so obviously it isn't that hard to at least get into working as an EMT part-time, paid or otherwise. From what it sounds like, Wishard is always looking to hire, and I bet other places are as well.

By the way, if you open to moving out-of-state, or anywhere, there is a guy on some medic forums who is constantly advertising for the Boise, ID area. I guess there is mandatory over-time given how they work their shifts, plus optional over-time as well. Pay isn't great, but it isn't bad either according to him.

Good luck.

Go Nursing. Pay is better, hours are better, they fly on helicopters too. MUCH more you can do with a Nursing License than a Paramedic Certification.

I agree. I know someone who went from a bank to Ivy Tech for nursing. Only took two years for what I believe is a two year degree. Now has a good nursing job. Plus, almost all the colleges and universities (at least the ones in Indy) offer a four year degree part-time option for full-time nurses who hold an associates degree.

 

[Cam]

EMS for 17 year and a Paramedic for 14 here. I also teach Paramedic courses for going on 10 years. I have a little different position on the Nursing vs. Paramedic route to take. I believe alot of it depends on what you are wanting to do. Nursing does, in fact, make more money. But I disagree with what someone earlier mentioned in that you will get to do more. Nurses are taught less assessment skills in school. To put it simply, to be good at patient care at any level, a person must have the ability to know what "sick" looks like. Nurses typically don't come out of school with this ability, while most Paramedics do. As far as skills go, there are some more things a Paramedic can do that RN's cannot. (but you will be paid less for this ability....for now.)

If you are interested in being a Paramedic, go for it! Be patient as there are some things in motion to help our "lower pay than nurses" dilemma that makes people want to either take the nursing route, or guide others away from EMS. We need more people in this field so jump aboard! (also as Redneckmedic mentioned, the nursing shortage is over. I also work at a hospital as an EMS Education Coordinator when I'm not at the FD and can count on one hand the number of nurses we have hired in the last 8 months.)

Are you an EMT now?

If you have specific questions, shoot me a PM and I'll be glad to help you.

 

[Mokkie]

How old are you? I worked as a EMT-D and firefighter for 11 yrs. My wife worked as a EMT for 13 yrs. I dont know everything but if you are going to be a paramedic you might want to get your EMT cert. first. You will learn a lot and it will help when going to paramedic training Like I said I dont know near as much as a lot of guys and have been out of EMS for quite a while. There is a lot of good tips from the guys on here. No matter which field you decide paramedic or nursing Good luck and God bless. There will always be a need for people in EMS.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Medic here, 24+ years of EMS, and no, I never worked with Johnny OR Roy (and if you say "who?", I will beat you to death with my cane! )

Oh man you just brought back memories. I got involved in EMS in 1985 and got my EMT in 1988. I think I was subliminally influenced by that show since I watched it religiously when I was a kid.

I never went past EMT-B mostly because it was never a career for me, just a useful certification and job right out of HS and part time off and on since, but if I could sell my business I have considered going on and getting my medic cert. Most of the emergency medicine I do has more to do with wilderness than street, so that's been my focus.

 

[E5RANGER375]

I will trust the full scope of skills from a paramedic more than a nurse anyday. so in plain english: If im seriously injured, GIVE ME A PARAMEDIC!!!!

Also on the street, nurses and doctors have no real authority.

PARAMEDICS, EMT's, and even a CERTIFIED FIRST RESPONDER can tell a doctor or a nurse to shove it and get the heck out of the way on a crash scene if they want. sometimes its not smart to do so, but sometimes it is. On the street, Paramedics and EMT's are the KINGS!!!!

not trying to belittle nurses or doctors, because i respect most of them too. my wife was a paramedic before she was a nurse.

 

[rmabrey]

i considered nursing but these days a two year degree in nursing is basically no degree. My current college does offer a four year but its really hard to get into and my GPA is.......well if it was golf just call me Tiger. Ivy tech offers paramedic science now and while in the process of earning the degree you do become a certified EMT should i choose to quit at that point (if the fire department gig works out I will probably do so). I know I can make a considerably larger amount as a programmer but I would rather be happy making 25 k than miserable making 40K. But hey that's just me

 

[LawDog76]

My wife took the Paramedic course through IVY Tech. You do earn your EMT-B then your EMT-A throughout the course. So if something happened in your life were you couldn't finish the course right away, atleast you could walk away with a EMT Cert for the time being. Back to the pay, the wife got hired onto Care Ambulance in Indy stating at $15.54 an hour, IIRC. I know it was in the $15 area for sure.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I've been in this game now 32 years, as an EMT, off and on with volunteer fire departments and EMS Services. I spent 10 years as a Primary Instructor, and 7 as a Paramedic at Wishard in Indianapolis.

I've been with Lifeline just over 5 years, if you want to get into this biz, go to Nursing school. Much better pay, benefits and career opportunities. If you want to go the flight route, get your RN, work in an ER until you have the chance to get into an Intensive Care Unit. Spend 3 to 5 years in an ICU, ( 5 is better, you see and get do do more), then start looking at flight services.

We just finished marathon interviews for our upcoming expansion (Lafayette and Muncie) I think we interviewed like 60 some people for 22 slots, these were the big things we looked at was ICU time. Three years is just on the line, would mean you've been an RN for 4-5 years. Yeah it's a long time, but when you consider the experiences and education you receive both in the classroom and at the bedside/ on the floor, it all pays off.

My time at Wishard Ambulance was priceless, but I'm also paying for it with my back troubles as well, so it balances out. If you are young enough and looking for a long term career, Paramedic sounds neat and all, but go Nursing School, you won't regret it.

Feel free to contact me with anything else, Good Luck!

I have known at least one guy that started out as an EMT and is now an ER nurse, one of his buddies is a flight nurse.

For the cost of EMT school if it was me I would do that so you can wrok as an EMT while going to school or something.

Getting on lifeline is cool but like said above be a paramedic and or ICU for a while first......... you will only see the worst of the worst...... you have to learn how to block it all out.

If I could go back and do everything all over again I would probably be a flight nurse now..... just can't go back to school for another 2-4 years...

 

[Prometheus]

i considered nursing but these days a two year degree in nursing is basically no degree. My current college does offer a four year but its really hard to get into and my GPA is.......well if it was golf just call me Tiger. Ivy tech offers paramedic science now and while in the process of earning the degree you do become a certified EMT should i choose to quit at that point (if the fire department gig works out I will probably do so). I know I can make a considerably larger amount as a programmer but I would rather be happy making 25 k than miserable making 40K. But hey that's just me

If your planning on having a family 25k is pittance...

As to the 2 year nursing degree, it's gold. You get the same job as someone with a 4 year degree. Sure you make a buck less an hour and management is harder to get into BUT considering so few Nurses have a 4 year degree, most hospitals will pay your tuition to get your BSN while you are working for them.

To be a EMT-P you must have a EMT-B first. Basically in the time it takes to get your EMT-P you can be a ASN/2 year nursing.

To me it's a no brainer. I left FF/EMT to work in the OR. To many emt's/medic wind up with such major back pain they need surgery if they make a career out of it. No thanks. Also you can work a lot longer as a RN then you can as a medic.

Think about it this way, when you are 55 do you want to leave the medic scene and go to work as a door greeter at wally world or do you want to keep working as a Nurse?

Also, with your applied computer science classes you are probably a good way thru your pre-req's towards ASN or BSN.

You go the medic route and change your mind in a few years and all those classes will be lost.

Apply yourself and get a degree (in something). Don't lose all of it. In your early 20's things look a lot different than when you are in your 30's with a family.

***I'm not trying to discourage people from being a emt or medic but reality sucks. If you're going to be single your whole life, by all means go the Emergency Services route. It was a helluva ride when I was young and single