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The job of a paramedic is no holiday. “They see the good, the bad, and the very ugly,” says Deborah Belgium in the Los Angeles Business Journal. “They watch children die and families grieve. They’re called to the aftermath of gun battles, car accidents and domestic rage. They’re cursed at, vomited and bled on, yet patients seldom ask their names.”
On the other hand, despite the stress, being a paramedic is exceptionally rewarding. Those who train for this important job generally do so out of a strong desire to serve others and make a real difference to human lives. It’s no surprise that at some point in their careers, paramedics often begin to consider transitioning into a related health care job that is equally rewarding: a registered nurse.
For a paramedic in search of greener fields, becoming a registered nurse is an attractive and popular option. “I loved being a paramedic, but I had pretty much gone as far as I could go,” says one nursing student. “I wanted to become an RN so I could continue helping people, and also earn more money and have a chance at growing my career.”
For a paramedic, the financial benefits of becoming an RN are tangible. A paramedic’s average base salary is around $38,000 per year, depending on the state and the number of years of experience. Most paramedics work between 45 and 60 hours a week with no consistent schedule. In contrast, an RN’s starting salary averages $55,000 per year and the hours are more predictable.
Former paramedics can also look forward to a less stressful work environment as registered nurses. Too many recent news columns feature paramedics who push themselves to the brink: one paramedic killed himself two days after trying in vain to save a dad discovered hanging from an electrical flex. Another had to be hospitalized after a breakdown. These tragedies are far too common. RNs encounter stressful situations too, but not to the extent that a paramedic does.
Probably as a result of work-related stress and challenging working hours, the national average for a paramedic to stay on the job is only eight years. Paramedics who begin pursuing alternate career paths while they still have the energy, rather than burning themselves out to no good purpose, are making a wise choice.
When you consider the prospect of more diverse job opportunities, reduced stress, increased pay and better job perks such as health insurance and employer-sponsored investment opportunities, it’s not hard to understand the increasing popularity of the online Paramedic to RN Bridge program.
There’s only one problem for a working paramedic who wants to pursue further education: how to find the time? Working long arduous shifts, assessing patients under field conditions, determining diagnoses, administering drugs, interpreting electrocardiograms and providing basic trauma life support leaves little time to attend classes on a traditional college campus.
There is an accredited online program that solves this problem by offering a fully online Paramedic to RN Bridge program that requires no classroom attendance. The convenience of online learning accommodates the busy and irregular schedules of EMS & fire service professionals, allowing paramedics the freedom to study at their own pace, while balancing work and home commitments. Online programs are also far more affordable than traditional campus-based nursing programs. Some paramedics can even qualify for tuition assistance from their employers.
Training for an RN tends to focus more on patient education and the long-term treatment of illnesses and diseases. RNs also study the pathophysiology of diseases. One paramedic who completed his RN training while working full-time says, “The biggest difference is the paramedic saves the patient for the moment. A nurse continues that care, and then tries to teach the patient about how to deal with their medical issues for the rest of their life.”
Many paramedics-turned-RNs say that the dual experiences have been enriching and rewarding in different ways. One major difference between the jobs is that only those RNs who are ACLS or PALS certified run full codes administering emergency medications and life support measures such as intubation without a doctor present.
“Probably the hardest thing to cope with as a paramedic to RN nurse was having to get a doctor`s order to give drugs that I had a protocol to give in the field, like nitro or D50,” one former paramedic comments. “Also not being able to jump to the head of a coded patient and intubate was tough.”
So is it worth it? For a paramedic, choosing to take the online Paramedic to RN Bridge program might be the best career decision ever.
“I love being a nurse versus being a medic,” continues the former paramedic quoted above. “No more picking up drunks—or their victims—off the road in the middle of the night in the dead of winter.”
Learn More About The Online Paramedic to RN Bridge Program
Paramedics earn your RN license in as little as 18 months and start enjoying better earnings, increased responsibility and authority, more job options, and far more opportunities for career advancement. Request additional information to speak with a program adviser: online Paramedic to RN Bridge program.
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