Greetings From Central Florida

[MrB_EMT]

A well placed Monty Python quote always gets my vote! And the way to my heart is through my stomach, so chef's always get a warm welcome too!

I was wondering when someone would get that...

I have thought about going to nursing school now, however, I am not entirely sure about my final goal yet. I am sure I want to be a paramedic though, so that's the reason for the direction I am considering. Also, can you really learn too much about the field, more school will never hurt my career. All of that though is moot at the moment, first step is I need to start working as an EMT. I am putting out applications, I am sure I will get a bite soon, then I can start worrying about my education a little more (right now it's just a thought in the back of my head).

[HERBIE1]

I am going for a degree, it's just one extra semester and a couple of classes, so I will be in medic school for 2 years anyway before taking any certification exams. No matter how hard I try to justify it, there is just no possible way that I could stay unemployed through school like I did for EMT. The difference is I will be working as an EMT not a Chef, so I think it will be easier to juggle job and school. Also, I plan on getting on Orange County FD as a medic, and for them to even look at you without fire standards you need to have at least 2 years exp in the field. The ultimate plan though is the RN bridge program for Paramedics at UCF, Paramedic school and 3 years exp in the field and you start as a senior in nursing school. EMT experience counts in that equation so I would need only one year after getting my medic, and I could realize my goal of being an ER Nurse and Paramedic part of the time too.

It seems we have a common bond. About 15 years ago I was getting restless and needed a change. Before I got into this business, my only jobs were food service- worked from bus boy to line cook. Worked as a cook on summer breaks in college, and then got into this insane business. After working in EMS for awhile I wanted to find a diversion and go back to school. I took lots of classes that suited my interests- computers, accounting, writing, etc. I figured since I always enjoyed cooking I'd go to culinary school on the side. Spent a year in school, and in the meantime I met and married my wife. I knew the food service is a tough business, long hours, tons of dues to pay before you see the rewards, ie not the best field for a new husband and dad so I dropped out. Great experience, learned a lot, and the family appreciates the cooking skills. LOL

Again- welcome, and good luck with your plans.

[VentMedic]

Spenac,

I never said STOP, I said gain experience as an EMT before putting yourself and everyone your involved in through hell. Because too many people go right on through the schooling (EMT/Paramedic for A.S.) just to come out and find out its not what they expected and they dont like it. Less then a year later they either fired or quit. If he's starting a new career and taking an abrupt 90* dgeree angle, feel the water out, get the expereince and street knowledge prior to going through PM school. Because everyone knows they can make it through the school. It's putting your book knowledge to your hands and reacting to the ever changing environment around you that's the difference.

At a well organized community college program, you can get more clinical time than with a medic mill. As well, you can still work a few hours as an EMT. Other Allied Health Care and nursing students often have families and work full time besides carrying a full load. At least if one takes the right prerequisites and doesn't full around with the "Overview of the Body for Paramedics" mess for A&P, one can transfer easily among the differe majors. However, I would never recommend someone to take the Associates degree that is being offered now by the medic mills as they are a waste with credits that tranfer to nowhere.

It is also better to work as an EMT while you are learning so you actually know more about patient care. The 120 hours of firstaid does not prepare one at all for the mostly medical patients someone will see on IFTs. The sooner he can get finished with the degree, the soon he can get his name in the hat for a FF job. In Florida it is almost not worth one's time to apply to a FD if you are not a Paramedic. If you were to have a degree that might even give you an advantage since the majority of the 1000 FD applicants have a Paramedic cert from a medic mill but have never worked as either an EMT or Paramedic. Most of will continue their food service job at Burger King or mowing lawns for several years while applying every year to a few FDs rather than work on an ambulance.

[spenac]

Spenac,

I never said STOP, I said gain experience as an EMT before putting yourself and everyone your involved in through hell. Because too many people go right on through the schooling (EMT/Paramedic for A.S.) just to come out and find out its not what they expected and they dont like it. Less then a year later they either fired or quit. If he's starting a new career and taking an abrupt 90* dgeree angle, feel the water out, get the expereince and street knowledge prior to going through PM school. Because everyone knows they can make it through the school. It's putting your book knowledge to your hands and reacting to the ever changing environment around you that's the difference.

As do some doctors, They spend 8-12 years then finally get out on their own and quit, but at least the few patients they touch had someone with education. Stopping for a year or two leads to bad habits plus makes it hard to restart the education process.

[MrB_EMT]

At a well organized community college program, you can get more clinical time than with a medic mill. As well, you can still work a few hours as an EMT. Other Allied Health Care and nursing students often have families and work full time besides carrying a full load. At least if one takes the right prerequisites and doesn't full around with the "Overview of the Body for Paramedics" mess for A&P, one can transfer easily among the differe majors. However, I would never recommend someone to take the Associates degree that is being offered now by the medic mills as they are a waste with credits that tranfer to nowhere.

Valencia has a great medic program with an AS option, which is what I am doing (after my pre-req classes). To sweeten the deal there is a bridge program with UCF nursing school to as a senior in the nursing program for a BS. With 3 years exp and a medic AS degree, even 2 as an EMT 1 as a Medic, I could go for RN. That's if I decide that route...

[Dustdevil]

Also, can you really learn too much about the field, more school will never hurt my career.

No, but you can learn it in the wrong order, seriously affecting your professional development. Education is a pyramid, with each step building upon a broader foundation. Going to paramedic school before nursing school turns that pyramid upside down, making development go slower and more difficultly. Typically, nurses make great, broad based paramedic, and paramedics make mediocre nurses with limited flexibility.

And, as VentMedic said, there's a glut of fireman wannabes in CFL. There is no guaranteed job with that cert like there is with nursing.