Paramedic Training Help
Paramedic Training Help
Paramedic to RN
The trip from paramedic to RN is one that almost all paramedics end up doing so, although it is a bit beyond the scope of this site, there are a few things that need to be pointed out. And the first thing that you need to know is that there are some very important differences between a registered nurse and a paramedic both in terms of their training and in what they are allowed to do. And the transition itself, although a fairly logical one, can be rather difficult. However there are some definite benefits to making the transition from paramedic to RN.
So the first thing that everyone thinking about moving from paramedic to RN knows or should know is that a nurse’s life is far more relaxed and the job hours are much more regular. But that is only the beginning because a nurse can earn up to 3 times the salary that a paramedic can make. So even if you were to compare a veteran paramedic doing over time to a regular nurse who is not doing overtime their incomes would be about the same. So, ultimately, the pay of a nurse is better and the working hours are more regular so people who are still working as paramedics do so simply because they want to be able on the front lines where their help is invaluable and where they are actually saving lives. So, even though there are certain advantages to switching from paramedic to RN there are also some disadvantages.
And if you are thinking about what one loses on the move from paramedic to RN you need to also know that some of the licenses that paramedics hold no longer apply to nurses. And it all starts with the function of the paramedic which is to do everything they can to save lives while the nurse’s job is to maintain lives. And the difference may be subtle but it is there and it means that more care needs to be put into the medicines that are provided to the patient and their interactions with other treatments he may have received in the hospital. So a nurse cannot provide the same medications that are available to a paramedic and cannot even use some of their techniques simply because, in a hospital setting, they need to be handled by a doctor. But as far as disadvantages go these are the biggest ones in moving from a paramedic to RN role.
As for the schooling that is required to make the switch from paramedic to RN, there are indeed several online courses that you could take but those will make getting a job as a nurse rather hard because, as is the case of the paramedic job no one really trusts an online diploma. So, although it is more difficult and it takes more time it is highly recommended that you take an offline course like the ones provided by Excelsior. That way you can make sure that your transition from paramedic to RN will be a smooth one and you will have a good work place.