What kind of money do EMT's make?

[GAmedic1506]

In a capitalist society, supply and demand determine wages. Most EMT-Is in Georgia start in the high 20s to low 30s, which is equivalent to what most people with four-year degrees start at.

[bub]

I'm not sure who that was aimed at GAmedic, but if it was aimed at me, that's OK; I like honesty. The reasons you mentioned are why I'm looking into becoming a firefighter. Start around 30k and still have other time to do other things and make pretty decent money.

[hfdff422]

Some places you do have to have a minumum of EMT-B to put in an application to a fire department. As for the money, well- it is entry level money for entry level skills, just like every other job. If this is what you want to do, then pursue it and further yourself with education and experience.

[rbooker]

It would be nice if we all had as much education as an RN too.

Once that happens, our prospects will be much better. Problem is, the vast majority of EMTs and medics don't want that.

Here in Oregon you are now required to get an associates degree before becoming a paramedic. they go to school for at least 2 years. Paramedics can do more than an RN and can work off standing orders. All the nurses i know have to ask before doing anything. Nurses work in very controlled environments and have multiple resources for back up, not the medic. paramedics work in very bizarre and dangerous places at times. The pay is like night and day. Paramedics and EMTs do get a lot of training so that statement don't fly.

Now before the nurses of this group jump all over me i'll add this. Our medics are all critical care flight medics. they fly with an RN when one is able to go, otherwise they do it on their own with another medic or EMT. They fly all the time and still make a fraction of what the nurse does.

I'm not bashing the nurses, it's the system that has it screwed up.

Gone are the days of the "Ambulance Driver"

another two cents worth

[Ridryder 911]

Here in Oregon you are now required to get an associates degree before becoming a paramedic. they go to school for at least 2 years. Paramedics can do more than an RN and can work off standing orders. All the nurses i know have to ask before doing anything. Nurses work in very controlled environments and have multiple resources for back up, not the medic. paramedics work in very bizarre and dangerous places at times. The pay is like night and day. Paramedics and EMTs do get a lot of training so that statement don't fly.

Now before the nurses of this group jump all over me I'll add this. Our medics are all critical care flight medics. they fly with an RN when one is able to go, otherwise they do it on their own with another medic or EMT. They fly all the time and still make a fraction of what the nurse does.

I'm not bashing the nurses, it's the system that has it screwed up.

Gone are the days of the "Ambulance Driver"

another two cents worth

Paramedics are like nurses, they too have to have an order before they do anything as well. It is called protocols. The problem is this ...."Paramedics and EMTs do get a lot of training so that statement don't fly."... You are right therefore they do not get good pay ! Again folks.....There is a MAJOR DIFFERENCE between TRAINING and EDUCATION ! When we get Paramedics educated and quit using that 10'th grade Paramedic book... until then we can not discuss or compare salary issues. My trash-man works in hazardous areas and environments, even more so than most Paramedics, should we pay them extra?... One has to have more than simple excuses of attending a 1500 clock hour course and a couple of cert classes to justify pay comparison. It is too easy to become a EMT and Paramedic...period. If it was not easy, there would be more pay, less leaving the field, and the market would not be flooded as it is.

R/r 911

[rbooker]

so what started as one person asking about the pay turns into nurses against Medics. My apologies if i started the fight but all i was doing was comparing and as usual some people got their feelings hurt and wouldn't you know it, they were nurses, go figure. Yes you are right about the protocols but my point was this, they don't have to ask each and every time they do something. We go out in the field and do what needs to be done, within protocols of course, no mother my I needed here. I sit in the ER and watch the nurses ask the Doctors if it's alright to give something for a headache all the time. We get along great with the ER nurses here and they admit to us there are a lot they can't do that the medics can.

I've known some really bad nurses and I've known some really bad medics. real life is each group gets trained and educated and then after that it's up to each person to stay current. Nurses have been around way longer than EMTs and have progressed just as the EMTs are trying to do now, pay wise i mean. Am i to understand you believe the market is flooded with medics?

I see by all the neat little letters after your name that you carry the CCEMTP, guess what, so do our medics. The only thing that gets you your larger salary is the RN that you carry, not the Paramedic. :shock:

I'm not here to upset your world so cool your jets. You have your view, i have mine. Mine is right of course

[whit72]

I'm sure education has has a lot to do with it, the driving factor however is demand. Nurses make the money they make due to the demand. You become an RN in a little over 2 years. Does that justify them making 40 to 50 dollars and hour I doubt it. When you get into the per diem realm forget it the money is astronomical.

I have a couple of friends both of who are RN's one has an associates degree the other a BSN They make basically the same money. Because hospitals are not concerned with their education level, they both have an RN after their name. The demand is high in my area for nurses. The hospitals compete by raising the starting wages, sign on bonus's, etc.

I also have friend with a masters degree in social services and works in the field, he makes roughly 40,000 a year as a supervisor for the state. That's six years of education. Why because the field is flooded, they can pay a recent graduate 12 hr.

So education might determine earning potential, but demand also plays a major role.

[rbooker]

whit72

that is a very good point

[Ridryder 911]

so what started as one person asking about the pay turns into nurses against Medics. My apologies if i started the fight but all i was doing was comparing and as usual some people got their feelings hurt and wouldn't you know it, they were nurses, go figure. Yes you are right about the protocols but my point was this, they don't have to ask each and every time they do something. We go out in the field and do what needs to be done, within protocols of course, no mother my I needed here. I sit in the ER and watch the nurses ask the Doctors if it's alright to give something for a headache all the time. We get along great with the ER nurses here and they admit to us there are a lot they can't do that the medics can.

I've known some really bad nurses and I've known some really bad medics. real life is each group gets trained and educated and then after that it's up to each person to stay current. Nurses have been around way longer than EMTs and have progressed just as the EMTs are trying to do now, pay wise i mean. Am i to understand you believe the market is flooded with medics?

I see by all the neat little letters after your name that you carry the CCEMTP, guess what, so do our medics. The only thing that gets you your larger salary is the RN that you carry, not the Paramedic. :shock:

I'm not here to upset your world so cool your jets. You have your view, i have mine. Mine is right of course

First, I did not get my feelings hurt. It takes more than a post that was not understood on the point, I was making. Since you are new, I will inform you. I left ER as a full time RN to work in the field again full time (Paramedic for 29 years, and RN for 17). First, you assume I make more money as a RN, when actually I make more money as a Paramedic. In fact if you were to compare salary per year, many make even more than nurses. Second, sounds like your ER need some standing orders as well. Most ER's have standing orders, so they can deliver routine care without interrupting the Doc. Busy ER's do not have time for obtaining orders for routine med.'s, IV's, lab, x-ray's.

My main point on the education issue is most Paramedics are trained, not educated, again most EMT's apparently do not know the difference (hence the problem). Even stating the clarification, apparently does not work, as I was attempting to point out. Most Paramedics do not have an educational degree (B.S., B.A.) but have the same expectation of having the same pay and benefits, of those that do.

Yes, the market is flooded with EMT's and medics. If one was truly to do a comparision, you will find there are several thousands of EMT's that graduate every 16 weeks, that will never ever be employed or used as such due to over abundance of EMT's. Yes, there is a "so-called" shortage of Paramedics, yet; if you were to look at where there shortage is to be stated, they usually have a turn of employees already. So no I don't see or believe the Paramedic shortage myth..

If an administrator really wants to pay and offer a proper employment package, he will have more than plenty applicants.

Even with the high demand of nurses, many even claim there is no shortage of nurses too. Rather, many choose not to work as one. The same may be true for Paramedics. I know locally here we crank out about 100 to 150 Paramedics every 6 months, for 200 EMS services... again no jobs. I know of 2 Paramedics that work at Lowe's, 1 at Wal-Mart, and 1 that delivers the bread to the hospital.. all waiting for a place to work at. The law of supply and demand, should be enforced

Yes, nurse went through this before... and it took them over 200 years, to correct it.. so let's not re-invent the wheel, and hopefully we can do this is in a shorter time period.

R/r 911

[hfdff422]

Nurses with a 2 year degree getting $40-50 per hour? around here that would only be justified for a 4 year degree with a specialty.

I don't think that anyone is saying that it is nurses versus medics. I certainly would prefer the education of a nurse over the standard (non-college) paramedic courses when it comes to my provider having the knowledge to effectively treat me. If I am stuck in a vehicle or having a cardiac arrest in my home, then a medics training is geared directly for that and would be more useful, but that is where the advantage ends. Nurses (with a proper 4 year degree) have a more vast knowledge of physiology and the ability to apply that to their treatment of their patients. As for asking the doctor for permission or waiting for instructions- thaty is simply because the doctor is there and the point is to provide "definitve care"( there is a thread on definitive care already so revive that to debate that issue).