EMTHopeful14

Thank you all for your words of wisdom. It's nice to hear from people who actually have the experience. It looks like I have a lot more research to do. One thing I have researched though is the RN and BSN options. I have been advised by some to go ahead and get my BSN, and the University of Memphis offers a nice RN to BSN program that to be honest I'll most likely try to get into. My short term goal is to get my RN license and work from there. More of a small steps kinda goal. Thank you all again for taking the time to respond. And I have to say I have a deep respect for you all, I may not know much about EMS, but I know it's not an easy job.

I guess I should clarify. I'm not completely set on being a flight nurse. I understand that there's more to it than just the education I'll have before I would be able to do something like that. And I don't even know if it's something that I truly want to do, just an option. I'm not going for my bachelor's in nursing, I'm going for my RN, which is a 2 year program. Also, in order to have a job and be able to survive during nursing school I will be going to EMT school, I figured that having a job in the medical profession would not only give me a little bit of experience, but also help me decide if working in the ER or not is something I'd want to do. Right now I see myself as a blank slate, I want to soak up as much experience as possible and learn as much as possible. In a few years time I may decide that I don't want to work in the trauma unit but I'd rather work in the cancer unit, or the maternity ward, or anywhere else. But I feel that in order to make those decisions I would best serve myself by getting out there and experiencing it all. And while I'm sure that all the states are different, I haven't done a lot of research into what exactly it is that i can do once I finally get out of nursing school. I was going off of what the EMT professor at my school told me (about the flight nurse and trauma nurse). Honestly, nursing is just something that I really want to do. I may be a newbie and have high hopes for my career, but forgive me, I'm almost 30 years old and finally discovered something that I can do for a living that I will actually love. And I am confident that the career path that I have chosen for myself is what I want to do and will be successful in. Thank you for the advice.

Thank you so much for the advice The current plan is working as an EMT for 2-3 years. The flight nurse is really just one of the options I've thought about. I have been told that I also have the option of trauma nurse with the qualifications that I will have. I still have a few years though to get it all figured out, I haven't even begun to work in the field so I know I could change my mind a couple times between now and then on what exact field I want to work in.

I'm obviously new here. I found this site by searching the forums for a decent (and cheap) watch that would work for EMS. I haven't started the EMS program yet, however this summer I will be taking classes. I'm from the Memphis area and quit my job of 10 years (in accounting/IT) to go back to school for nursing. I'm getting all my prereq's out of the way this semester and want to take the accelerated EMT program offered and hopefully work my way through nursing school, and if all goes as planned be a flight nurse when I get my RN license. I have to say, I have never been more excited about a career, just hope I'm up for the task. Oh, and a completely random question... tattoos, do most places ask that you keep them covered? I have one on my wrist and one on my arm that sticks out a little through my short sleeves. Cover sleeves are cheap so it's no big deal, and I understand the need for professionalism, I just didn't know how it was for most companies. Thanks for reading my randomness.. I tend to ramble on when I'm excited.