Need advice! FDNY career or nursing career?!

[jb811297]

Hello everyone...I need advice if you have a few minutes to spare. I am in a bit of a predicament and need some help. Over a year ago, I put an application into the FDNY to become an EMT. While going through their hiring process, I was also applying to nursing school at my parents request. Well the problem lies in that I am accepted to nursing school (a two year program) and I also have the job offer for FDNY EMT. FDNY has been my dream for a long time, but nursing will pay more. If I go into FDNY, I have career plans to move up to paramedic, then to firefighter and move up the ranks there...so I will be doing alright financially, but in about 10 to 15 years. Keep in mind that I am only 19 years old. Please help!! Nursing or dream job?!

[pacman]

If I were you, I'd do nursing. You'd be able to do more patient care than any EMT and/or paramedic can. The salary is nothing to laugh about either. Just think about whats better off for your future.

Sometimes its not only about the lights and sirens.....

....remember you can ALWAYS become an EMT-B in a month, if thats what you're into.

[Dustdevil]

After the initial few years, the pay difference isn't that great. And you stand a much better chance of actually retiring with a pension from FDNY than from any hospital job.

If nursing isn't really your thing -- and apparently, even EMS isn't really your thing -- then go with your dream. You'll kick youself the rest of your life if you don't.

Just don't ever again let me hear you say that becoming a firemonkey is a move "up" from being a paramedic. :roll:

[FormerEMSLT297]

FDNY Sucks,, their starting salary is in the toliet, i believe around 25 K goes up to 32K first year, They have successfully KILLED the quality care of EMS and made the EMT and Paramedic job an even more disposable job than it was under HHC.

Now that having been said, I would venture to say you could do both. Get on with EMS, after your academy training, get a steady night shift, and go to nursing school during the day, lots of people do it, or have done it. Then after you get that "Promotion" (and I hate calling it that) you can work the GREAT 24 x 72 schedule, and on your days off, go be a nurse.....

Ohh, and PM me if you have any questions, about one of the LEAST PROGRESSIVE Fire based EMS systems in the country, if not the WORLD.

Best of luck

Former NYC*EMS (&FDNY)

Lieutenant and Paramedic.

[ERDoc]

Please do not become a nurse if it is not what you want to do. To be a nurse you have to have compassion and be passionate about what you do, otherwise you will not be a very good nurse and you will burn out easily. You also have to be able to deal with doctors, some of who can be pretty rough. If your heart is not into nursing this will wear on you very quickly. Nursing is a career that you need to have your heart into, if you don't you are doing yourself and your pts a disservice.

Going from medic to FF is not a promotion, just a career change. One has nothing to do with the other. My opinion, you should not take the EMS position away from someone who truly wants to help people and not use them as a stepping stone. If you are not interested in EMS as a career, don't take the position.

[speedygodzilla]

I would have to go with the dream job. It is your choice not ours or your parents. You should be picking a career which you will love. Nursing is great for some just like firefghter is great for others. Sounds to me like you should go for the fire career. Yes nurses tend to always make more money but if you went in it just for that alone I would consider you a sell out.

If you still want to do nursing you can do like FormerEMSLT297 and goto school and still get your nursing after you are done with the academy. That is my plan except it is not going to be nursing for me.

good luck

[chbare]

"Please do not become a nurse if it is not what you want to do. To be a nurse you have to have compassion and be passionate about what you do, otherwise you will not be a very good nurse and you will burn out easily. You also have to be able to deal with doctors, some of who can be pretty rough. If your heart is not into nursing this will wear on you very quickly. Nursing is a career that you need to have your heart into, if you don't you are doing yourself and your pts a disservice."

That is a very good observation ERDoc. This understanding of Nursing is not well understood by many physicians. However, I would bet the same applies to physicians. I could not imagine many students make it through med school and residency without having a great deal of passion for what they do?

Take care,

chbare.

[CBEMT]

While going through their hiring process, I was also applying to nursing school at my parents request.

Well there's your problem right there.

Ps- EMTs and paramedics that use FDNY*EMS to get themselves into the FDNY are NOT treated well at all once out of The Rock and onto the street.

[KSEMT122]

It all revolves around what your passion is. From a strictly unattached point of view if you compare the two, I would choose nursing. People harp on the "Paramedic Shortage" well if you think there is one then it's 100X's worse for nursing, so you're always going to get good pay for little work... lol just joking nurses, I know they are some of the most overworked people in the profession right now. If you can get yourself to embrace the nursing dream, then go for it. FDNY is a very proud job to have, tons of politics, and not much pay for ALOT of grunt work. Go where your heart leads you my friend. I would much rather work a job I LOVE for little pay than work a job I hate for tons of pay. Of course that all depends on your family status and things like that. Be responsible in whatever you choose to do.