Paramedic a good job?
Is being a paramedic a good job? Do you need a bachelors degree? What else can you tell me about them? Is their job hard?...i think its interesting being a paramedic but i don't kniw much about them...can anyone tell me things about them pleeaaaase?
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It varies. I've been burnt out before and had to quit the field for six months. Working in a hospital is easier and working on the helicopters or as a critical care transport medic is tough mentally. I know of at least four medics who became burnt out. Private EMS may run you till you are so sick of the work.
Honestly? It's good but it's not as fun as some people make it out to be. There's a lot of drama involved in private EMS and a lot of people are scumbags that you don't want them touching another human being who have managed to get their EMT card. On fire departments, it's a lot better because it's busier most of the time. It really depends on what department or company you are with.
You may be able to do a ride along with a fire department, but they probably will say no due to liability reasons. I know of two people who rode with a lifesquad during high school, but I think it wasn't allowed.
A lot of the paramedics in my area end up becoming nurses. The flight programs and mobiles prefer the RNs to have at least their EMT. They can be picky about this because there's a school here who has a paramedic to RN bridge class that's a year long (you go all 3 semesters in a year).
You'd make more as an RN because they make 23 dollars an hour as a new RN. In the hospital, I make 18 dollars as a paramedic in the ER. The critical care medics make about 20-28 dollars an hour based on experience. In the private ambulance company part of my hospital, I make 13 as a new paramedic, but I usually end up making time and a half because I go into over-time due to my hospital shifts. As a non-hospital medic, I would have started out at 10-12 depending on how badly the company needs medics. Fire departments vary so much in terms of how much they will pay you. There are departments an hour away who will pay you 10 dollars and you have to have your medic and firefighter card whereas my fire department pays the full time staff around 23-25 dollars an hour starting out. It depends on how well funded the departments are.
It really depends on what you want and how willing you are to work for what you want.
As far as schooling, RN is the toughest and the Bachelors degree is what you should go for. There are no Paramedic to Bridge programs which are only 3 semesters which are worth a damn and will not get you a decent job. Don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise since it is just crap. The prerquisites to be an RN take at least 1 year or almost 3 semesters.
As far as the "EMT" requirement to do flight for RNs, that is a mere formality which the EMS world has used in an attempt to control nurses. EMT is a first aid course and many states allow RNs to take the abbreviated version. Many states also allow RNs to challenge the Paramedic exam or take a two week bridge course to it. RNs have extensive college level courses in pharmacology, A&P, microbiology and pathophysiology which are not required to be a Paramedic so it is not a big stretch for RNs to enter any field they wish. Paramedics however are very limited due to the votech style certificate for training. The Paramedic is usually an add on cert for firefighters and not really much of a career by itself. RNs who do have the Paramedic cert still work under their RN license on flight. The Paramedic cert is just an additional certification to show a little training in a different area. But, many places train the RNs as advanced providers using the education and experience they already have.
Also, I really suggest you see if you meet the requirements to even consider being a firefighter which is where the career is for Paramedics. Private companies don't last and offer very few benefits for the long run.
No degree is required. You can get the EMT cert in about 3 weeks (110 hours) and the Paramedic cert in a few months. It should take less than a year.
To have a decent career as a Paramedic you should consider being a firefigher. Private companies do not offer much of a career.
Some places you will run many calls but very, very few are emergencies unlike what you see on TV where every call is "life or death". Most places you will spend much of your time hanging out around the station watching TV, playing on the computer and sleeping. EMS usually stands for Earn Money Sleeping.
@Kacey,
You just repeated what I said about Paramedics and the fire department. Does that mean you don't know SH#t about EMS?
If you're under 18, find a Fire Explorers group. They will take kids from outside of their district. My son is in one in a neighboring town. Once you turn 18, try to find an apartment in a town or city that takes volunteers for the fire department. Most volunteer departments or combinations will pay for your fire cards and EMT cert even if they do not transport. Some departments will also pay for your paramedic but want a commitment of five years of where you stay on the department as an active member for five years.
talk to your local fire department. my boyfriend is a paramedic and he luvs his job but its hard. buddy doesnt know **** about ems. its not earn money while you sleep.