Paramedic

[quack_a_tack]

Is anyone on here a Paramedic? I am thinkin about going into this field, and was hopin someone could give me a heads up on what to expect, classes and such. PM me if you had rather. Thanks for any input.

[merlebo05]

Most paramedics I know really really enjoy there job, but for whatever reason it seems they all move on to other stuff later after several years at it?? I do not think the pay is quiet what it should be for the job that they do. If its what you want to do go for it man!! Go to your local paramedics office and hang out with them and learn exactly what they do and get there scoop on the job..

[H20 Fowl]

You will have to get EMT-Basic first. That will take One year (use to be 1 semester) Also A&P 1&2
All of your basic collage classes. Then the paramedic program will take about 2 years. Im doin it now and will be honest with you. IT AINT WORTH IT!!! You can be an RN in a shorter period of time and make ALOT better money..

If you have any more specific questions just ask. I will tell ya all I know..

[quack_a_tack]

They are offering an advanced course up in Memphrica its one semester of EMT then one solid year of Paramedic I&II in Tennessee. That is of coarse after you have A&P and your basics, I already have my basics. I just think being a nurse would be to slow paced for me. That is my reason for wanting to be a Paramedic Seems to be more fast paced. I have also thought about trying to get my X- ray Tech degree and working the trauma unit at the Med.

[levi127]

I went through it all and everything at Southwest TN CC. They do have crash courses where you take a whole yr class in a matter of 3 months. Its 1 day a week I believe for about 8 hours a day. I didnt take this class. It is more for fireman trying to be licensed in EMT that have the time and luxury of plenty of time to do the course. Then your already on the force so it makes it easier in a way.
When I took it all about 7-8 yrs ago you didnt have to have basics or anything. You walk right into EMT intro (1 semester) EMT basic (1 semester) EMT 1 (1 year) EMT 2 (1 year) Then you take your registry, which is a pain in the butt. You can make it with EMT basic onto the force somewhere. Only difference in basic and 1 is you are allowed to IV someone really. Then you get a little more in depth when you get into 1 on different things.

Word of advice to anyone. You either can take it or not. Weak stomach or anything you can hang it up. I was going through it and my clinical was horrible. I was assigned the one that a school bus lost control in Memphis and went off a overpass. Some of the kids didnt make it. Well we had about 10 people on clinicals that day in our class and when we showed up to class the next week, it was only 3 of us left. People dropped the course the very next day. It is alot harder when you see kids hurt or dealing with them rather then a crack head OD on something.

2 things I live by and experienced both.
-Never give CPR without the mask over the person. Even if you are look listening or feeling, keep that joker on them. Had one throw up hormel chili on me when I was listening to them face to face.
-Also the ambulance is not bullet proof. It has items in it that go boom and will blow the doors plum off the back if hit with a bullet. Best thing is to run like heck from the vehicle. We showed up to a crime scene before the police got there and the people that shot the guy didnt want us to save him. Well they started firing at us and we went to running. Closest thing was the ambulance until we realized the bullets were going straight threw to the other side. Then the oxygen tank come flying out the back doors when it was struck.

[LODI QUACKER]

[SkippyJ]

Basic is a semester. Medic is now a AA degree and with the length of school it's gonna take you to get your Medic license,(with prereq.'s) you might as well go get a nursing degree and a hell of alot more money!!!!!

And the reason you you see people moving on is they get burned out. I know, I've seen me do it. The rewards, when you get them are great. Having a child's parents come to you and thank you, recieving a card in the mail telling you how much your appreciated, breathing life back into a child,......... etc.

BUT....getting up at 3 in the morn to go get Lakreesha cause her "haid bees hurtin" and KNOWING that before you can do you paperwork in the ER that she gonna bees out the side door down at the corner store get her a "40". Or for Jamal's tooth ache, cause all he wants is a ride into town, or the 19 yr old with 4 kids, about to POP with #5, and waits till the last min. to call cause its "FREE" if you do it, and announces that she's HIV right about the time #5 pops out, watching the ER Doc have to tell the mother and father than just ran into the ER that their teenager was killed in the car wreck you just worked and watching their world cave in....etc. etc. etc. I could go on for hours. Then you throw in a good dose of child abuse, neglect, burnt up, broke up, getting spit on, swung at, cussed, drunks.............

Some folks do it all their career and my hat's off to them. I last 7 yrs and THANK GOD, it was my part time job while off from the Fire Dept.

Oh yeah, I was 0-36 on full codes.

[macy]

Man I've been a glorified taxi driver aka paramedic for 13 years. It was great at first before I had a family. Now It SUX!!!!!!!!!!!! First off no one calls EMS when they are having a good day, feeling good, or to spread good news. It is all negative all the time!! Yes like someone said you will get that call at 3 am that a 21y/o's head has been hurting for 3 days and now wants you to take him to the hospital so he doesn't have to wait in the waiting room. Then you have the bad stuff!! the friends and family that you have to pick up that have been in a very bad accident with a drunk driver and they not make it, while the drunk is not hurt at all and doesn't even know what is going on. You have all of the nastiest houses to go in and the smell in those places are unexplainable!! Then you get into the money part. When you become a paramedic you have reached the top of the food chain. Unless you go into management, but the jobs there are very few. Now it takes about the same amount of time to be a paramedic as it does to be a RN. If you become a RN you can move on and upgrade exp. nurse practitioner, nurse antithesis, and so on. As for as a nurse being slow paced. I have a number of friends that were paramedics that went back to school to be a nurse and now work on a helicopter. They love it!!! And it is not slow. Unless it is raining. LOL. But my suggestion would be to looking into everything you could and try to do something that would make you and your family happy. Cause all the money in the world don't mean squat if you ain't happy!!!!

[jacksbuddy]

My brother is one, and he lives there in Cleveland. I'll PM you his phone number.

[quack_a_tack]

I apprecaite the input guys, I have weighed all the nursing, x-ray tech,and for now I think paramedic is what I wanna do right now. I can go back to school later and continue my education if I see fit. I can and have dealt with most everything that has been stated, of course this could change later in life. I think this is a good choice for me. I appreciate all your fella's input and opinions.

[paraduck]

I have been a Paramedic since 1994. Loved it and hated it. I worked for a company where we spent the whole 12 hours in the truck parked on the side of the road. This gets old real quick. I would change it though I had many great times while working on the ambulance. About 3 years ago I took a bridge program and became a RN. I still keep my Paramedic lic up. The pay is much better as a RN and there is many more options. If you become a paramedic just keep in your mind there is not many that retire from this as a medic.

[quack_a_tack]

If ya don't mind me askin what all did it take to do the bridge into nursing, thats kinda what my thoughts have been to be a medic for 6-8 years then maybe try and branch off.

[quack fiend]

8 yrs as a paramedic, now 8 yrs as an ER RN---FORGET EMS!! It will DESTROY your back, plus all other reasons already mentioned.

[lilwhitelie]

I can tell you to pass on xray.... NO JOBS!!!!!

[quack fiend]

There is no "bridge" into nursing from EMS, other than maybe your prerequisites like A&P, etc. You'll be starting over from scratch, like I had to. I'll implore you once more--GO for the RN!