Anyone with EMT experience?

[jarchie]

Does anyone have experience getting an EMT certificate and then getting a job in a hospital? If so, what was the job and how hard was it to get? Do you think this was a good route to go to gain direct patient care experience?

 

I'm looking at hospitals career websites and I don't see any jobs with an EMT requirement and I'm nervous to sign up for the course if it won't guarantee a job after! If you have NYC specific experience with specific hospitals it would be even more helpful!!

 

Thank you!!

[EMEDPA]

lots of emt jobs out there both in the field and as er techs or urgent care techs.

go into any er in nyc and ask to talk to one of the er techs, they can give you the skinny on getting a job. some places also require cna in addition to emt.

[marilynpac]

that's why I usually suggest cna. For every 1 emt that's employed, there are about 8-10 cnas that are employed.

[sunrise230]

I am going through the same thing and this is what I have learned: States vary in the rules / laws, as do hospitals and physician practices. Job titles also vary. I suggest checking with the hospitals in your area to see what their job descriptions look like for positions. (I found a hospital that will take people with EMT training, CNA cert, or MA cert for CNA jobs.) Also, some medical practices hire CNA's in addition to MA's - and with your training, you could probably do this work. Good luck!

 

Another way to investigate options, suggested by a friend: Talk with medical staffing companies that work in the Allied Health arena.

[ohiovolffemtp]

In my neck of the woods, EMT is the preferred certification for ER techs. Job opportunities depend on the individual hospitals needs at the time. I've also had a number of my students hired as "PCA's" - patient care assistants, to work on the floors. They tend to do less medical care and more assistance with meals, movement, etc.

[AlteredBeast]

EMT's inhouse get paid much better than prehospital, by much I mean an ER tech is making as much as a paramedic around here, yes the jobs are hard to get because they are so desired, and yes it counts as HCE, do it if you can. (this is based off my experience in so cal).

[paproof]

I'm an EMT in Atlanta. I got my EMT-IV certification in TN, but GA doesn't have an EMT-IV class, just B, I and P, so my certification carried over as an EMT-B. I had no experience as a dispatcher, and most, if not all EMTs in GA are EMT-Is or medics. I wanted to work in the ER anyways, so I applied (took a few rounds of interviews) but eventually I was hired and I love it in the hospital much more than on a truck. The hospital websites didn't say anything about requiring an EMT certification; most ERs seem to want nursing students, but I applied anyways and stated my case about why I feel I belonged there and didn't want/couldn't be on an ambulance. Worked out great! Been here almost 2 years.

[blburns]

Becoming an emt would also teach you clinical assessment skills that will benefit you in PA school.

[cs278405]

A lot of ERs don't advertise their tech jobs, and the name of the position varies from hospital to hospital. The best thing to do is go into the ERs in hospitals you are interested in working at and talk to some people in the ER about their tech jobs and how to apply.

[Firemedic13]

Some hospitals prefer EMT-Is for their ERs. They even get paid better than us pre-hospital people. One ER pays EMT-Is (I am not kidding) something like $21/hour before differentials.

 

Heck, my current partner worked in the ICU as an EMT-I. He was a tech. He learned a lot there, and is an outstanding partner because of it.

 

My advice is to make friends with an EMS instructor... they will know your local situation re: employment in hospital.

[normarl]

Nothing like helpful suggestions from a soon to be lawyer.

[Firemedic13]

Nothing like helpful suggestions from a soon to be lawyer.

 

I don't get what you are trying to say here?

 

If it is questioning why I am answering certain questions on the forum it is because I have nearly 10 years experience in EMS, 6 of which are as a paramedic. Furthermore I am very well acquainted with the PA school application process, requirements, etc. Also I have quite a bit of interest in healthcare law/ethics, etc.

 

Someday I hope to be able to advise PAs and physicians on legal issues related to their practices. For now, however, my advice is limited to the topics I do know something about.

[dm123]

It has been a while but when I was first an EMT, it only involved around 150 hrs of classroom and a test, kind of an advanced first aid type of thing. An EMT-P was next for me and was kind of a combination of basic life support and advanced life support with rescue training and fire training thrown in. We didn't have to man fire hoses but did use Scott Packs and occasionally, after the fire guys did their thing have to go into burnt or burning buildings. It was geared more toward outside the hospital on rescue/ambulance vehicles.

 

I would think if you wanted to work in a hospital or the like a CNA would give you a lot more lateral mobility. You could work in clinics, doctors offices, on the patient care floors, that might not recognize EMT skills.

[PAruby]

Something noone seems to have mentioned is that it depends tremendously on where you're at... I got my EMT license and worked in an ER for 4 years before moving to the truck. It taught me huge things about patient care, assessment, clinical practice, and gave me the valuable opportunity to work right next to PAs and Physicians (and NPs too)... I stayed there through paramedic school, and found it to be an invaluable opportunity to practice skills and really gain some depth of clinical knowledge not typical of EMT-B classes. Here EMT-B can pretty much do CPR and push people around on beds, but if your state offers an EMT-I or EMT-IV cert, go for that, you're job will be much less restrictive. Then, if time and energy permits, consider moving to the truck. It's a whole different world of decision making, patient care, and triage that's important to have. Keep in mind, at least where I'm at, schools seem to LOVE EMTs for their hands on patient care and decision making, but are somewhat biased AGAINST them because they typically struggle with the didactic component. Make sure your grades are good!!!