For Rid and Dust (and any other medic/rn's out there)

[fireflymedic]

I am curious if you pursued your RN through a transition program or if you did the full course for schools going back through the anatomy, physiology, etc. I am looking at the options available to me for continuing my education, and as I would eventually like to move into a more critical care setting, I feel obtaining my RN would be the next logical step in progression. What I am curious though, is if you felt you got as adequate an education in the accelerated medic to RN programs or if you felt that the full course is of more benefit. I have all the pre-requisites down that are needed, though it has been approx 3 years since I have taken anatomy/phys/english/math/etc. What are your thoughts on this as some input would be appreciated.

[chbare]

Fire_911medic, it's hard to say. I was an EMT-B when I went to nursing school, so I did not have the benefit of paramedic school uner my belt. I know several paramedics who have turned to the dark side. The medics that went through a traditional RN program said they actually learned allot about health care as a whole, and how to appreciate health care from point of injury/illness through the entire health care spectrum. Of course you get a pretty fair amount of nursing care plans, butt cleaning, and the nursing process, not exactly cool guy stuff. However, nursing home patients have an extensive amount of pathophysiology, so it's all what you put into your education. I have a couple of friends who have done a 1 to 1 1/2 year transition program.(net based) You do allot of self study and get limited clinical time. Be careful about net based programs, as allot of them are not NLN accredited. This may cause problems with obtaining a license in other states or working in the military as an officer. I dont know about doing all of the core prereq courses over again. If you are strong in the subjects you should do ok. You may end up doing allot of research, writing allot of papers, and doing allot of presentations in nursing school, so good english and writing/research skills are a must. Know how to properly refrence materials. (APA and MLA depending on your school)

Hope this helps.

Take care,

chbare.

[MedicRN]

I'm with chbare...........

Having spoken with a few of the local 'transition' RNs, I'd recommend taking a complete course - ADN or BSN (your choice). They are feeling like a lot of information wasn't covered as it should have been - information/knowledge that was assumed from paramedic education. Talk to your local transition RNs and get their opinions. Like chbare said, make sure the program is accredited. Also check with the state about their pass rates.

PS..... I was a medic for 8 years, when I chose to complete a full ADN program (had/have no desire for a BSN.......).

[Ridryder 911]

I personally, went through a transition program, however; I had worked mainly in hospital setting as a Paramedic for 12 years prior to entering. I only suggest such programs if you have experience in hospitals or diverse medical background. You are only going to save a semester taking a transition route.

I agree, with going the full route, as well as I highly recommend the BSN or BSc route. You will really appreciate it later instead of returning like I did years later financially and time wise. The door it opens is wider and more prosperous in EMS and Nursing. There is nothing wrong with ADN, however, like Paramedic it does have its dead end.

Word of wise, be sure nursing is really what you really want to do... please note * it is different from what one expects and definitely different from EMT or any EMT training. Some call it a "calling".. I really can't argue, if it is for the money, I suggest a different route, there are definitely better financial careers. Look around, if possible follow some nurses, to be sure this is what you want to pursue.

Let me know if there is anything I can assist, and good luck in your career.

R/r 911

[Dustdevil]

Agree with the above. You're only going to save a semester with a transition programme. If your only goal is to get a diploma, then that's no big deal. But if your goal is to get an education, then you are screwing yourself out of a very valuable semester. There really was very little in nursing school that I already knew from field EMS. Only my hospital experience (military, ER tech, and respiratory therapy) helped me in nursing school.

It seems that you are not fully informed as to what a transition or accelerated program entails. You still have to take A&P and all the other same prerequisites. There is no getting around that. The NLN won't allow you to test without it. And the A&P you got in paramedic school was a joke. Basically, they just cram the nursing content in at a faster pace because of the assumption (erroneous in my opinion) that most medics already have enough of an advanced medical understanding to grasp the curriculum faster. You will very definitely suffer for that lack of an extra semester. When you graduate, you will take longer to become a competently functioning nurse than you would have with a traditional education.

You said you are looking to continue your education. If that is the case, then why would you seek a shortcut? If it is about education, then obviously more education is the answer. If you don't have significant hospital experience, I don't recommend transition programmes. And even if you do have such experience, you are still shorting yourself the benefit of more education and experience.

And I disagree that nursing is a "logical progression." It's not progress. It is change. Completely different professions. Nothing wrong with changing. Damn few people can stick out the streets for 30 years to retire, so it's a good move. But it's still just a change, not a progression. Consequently, it is wise to make it a fresh start with a complete education, not a "progression" of paramedic education.

[fireflymedic]

Dust,

I believe there was a misunderstanding there. I completed my course through a college program, therefore I went through the same anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, math, medical terminology as did the nurses. I hold a Bach degree in emergency medical care/fire science, and have completed that through a college rather than a fire department type course. I believe there was some misunderstanding as to that. I am not looking neccessarily for a "shortcut" as many of my previous credits would apply to the program, as there were multiple nursing students in those classes with me. What I meant was as far as clinical type experience, the good and bad how they compared and if you felt like the web based program or accelerated type programs provided an equal education or if you felt attending the classes in person at a local college gave an advantage. I am looking to further my education as I realize more and more that EMS does have its limitations as a career, especially if you are physically unable to do the job any longer. Nursing however, provides more options for a person from ER to patient education. I am not looking to short cut my education, but simply to decide which would be the most beneficial for me allowing me to still work full time (as I need the health insurance) in addition to going to school. I am exploring the web based programs as an option as well as the traditional setting. Thanks for the advice.

[chbare]

Fire_911medic, I agree with Ridryder 911, you will do ok if you have a diverse medical background with allot of in hospital experience. I still think you need to be very careful regarding net based programs. I think your best clinical experiences and instructor feedback that facilitates learning will come from a traditional type of nursing program.

Hope this helps.

Take care,

chbare.

[Dustdevil]

Ah! I am clearer now. Hmmm... okay so you have A&P and whatever prerequisites are required for nursing, but they are too old to transfer? Is that the problem? It seems that if they were too old to transfer for the regular program, they would be too old to transfer for the transition program too, no? That is the way it works here. :dontknow:

Simply having a course on your transcript and actually having the knowledge at your ready disposal are two different things. That's for sure. I have a degree in Biology and I can't remember ten percent of it because it was simply too long ago and I don't use it. I intend to re-take both semesters of A&P and Microbiology over again simply because I recognise that I need the refresher. It would benefit you to do so too if you want to be all you can be.

But anyhow, about the transition thing, you can become a nurse either way. And eventually, with practise, you will become just as good a nurse either way. I just don't want you thinking that anything you have done as a Paramedic will make a difference in that process. It really won't. You won't be repeating or relearning anything in nursing school that you have already had. Nursing is a whole 'nother deal. You will miss out on at least a semester of experience and educational reinforcement with a transition that will take you time to make up in practise. But you're obviously a smart person with the capacity to learn and excel, and the desire to always continue learning too.

Either way will work for you. All other factors being equal, I would definitely spring for that extra semester and get a full education. It's not like you are in a hurry to leave EMS right now. You have no need to retire from the field immediately. The best way to go would be traditional, getting all the education you can. But if for some reason the bureaucracy will take you significantly longer to do it traditionally, and you have an immediate need to move out of EMS, then take the shortcut and then immerse yourself into practise and becoming the best you can be. You'll do fine. Just a little slower to adjust to clinical practise. But you will immediately be a much better medic!

Either way, good luck!

[fireflymedic]

Thanks Dust,

It is not that I neccessarily want to leave the EMS field, I simply want to move forward in a different capacity, and in order to do either ground or air critical care transport, you are more marketable and competitive having both a nursing and medic as opposed to just one or the other. I am quite content where I work now, and intend to stay here all through the program. I am fortunate to work for a service where I am quite happy. It's a shame more people don't have that luxury. Thanks for the little army quote "be all you can be" hehe. It's all good. I believe I will probably end up going the traditional route and retaking courses even though there is only three years between, by the time I apply and am accepted, chances are it will be around 4-5 years old, and that is longer than I would like as well. Thanks again for the advice.

[Spock]

I know little about those web based nursing programs but I was always under the impression that you had to get your own clinical experience. That would be a very large drawback in my mind. You need solid classroom education and good clinical experiences to succeed as a nurse.

One option you may have fire 911 medic is the second degree program since you already have an undergraduate degree. In these programs you earn a BSN in a short time (12 to 16 months). You do not have to take anything but the nursing classwork and clinicals are 4-5 days per week. It is full time. There are usually quite a few prerequisites that are completed prior to entry such as nutrition, A&P, microbiology, etc. I was a paramedic and had a BA and MEd when I entered the second degree program at Duquesne University in 1992. It was a good program and I felt I was well prepared to function as an RN upon graduation. I was hired directly into an ICU as a GN which was unusual at that time. My background as a medic helped.

One word of caution is that some nursing instructors don't like medics and will give you a hard time. I also agree with Ridryder that nursing is different than EMS so do some investigating before making a commitment. If you choose nursing be prepared to do many things you'd rather not during your education and do it with a smile.

Somebody mentioned nursing and the military. I was always under the impression that you needed a BSN to serve as an officer in the military. It wasn't always that way because my mother was a Navy nurse in World War II and she was a hospital trained RN. She was discharged as a Lieutenant JG.

Good luck.

Live long and prosper.

Spock