Interview With a Flight Nurse

A long form interview with Wes, a flight nurse and the founder of XShear about his journey from EMT to Paramedic to Flight Nurse.

[@austinmuncrief252]

VERY good point. “A-D-D or trauma junky” i started with nursing, passed the entrance exam and talked with my cousin who was two years into the nursing program. We spent a couple hours talking about what the nursing program was about, As well as everything he had been learning. I found my self sitting there just not very excited.. i had always wanted to go into nursing. My mom was an ER nurse at a level 1 trauma center, i would love the stories she comes home with, the school didn’t excite me. Someone said to me “i could see you as a paramedic” i also had no idea what went on inside an ambulance. I started to do some research and found out that EVERYTHING that excited me with nursing was literally a paramedic. I enrolled into my basic. Loved it! Enrolled into AEMT, loved it! Just finished my paramedic. Absolutely LOVED/ hated it. Lol HUGE jump from AEMT but so worth the knowledge.

[@tykenneth1]

I’m nervous. I’m in my last year of the nursing program. At the end of the day, I want to find my way into flight nursing. But I just know I’m going to be working some far less desirable roles in the mean time until I earn my Stars and Stripes. I often wonder if I should’ve stuck it out in the EMS program (MFR certified)

[@alfe1402]

That could be interesting. Nurse vs Nurse Practitioner NP vs Physician Assistant Physician vs Surgeon Type of Nurses

[@AbyssalTenacity]

NP vs PA is definitely seems muddy for the US; curious!

[@sfctapia4529]

NP makes autonomous medication decisions. PA follow MD

[@stephenwilson115]

@@sfctapia4529 In practicality, that differs state to state. For PA in states I'm aware of, the most restrictive is a case review session with your endorsing MD semiannually. A lot of states don't restrict scope for PAs either, leaving that to your endorsing MD. Most states (again that I'm aware of), also require a collaborative practice agreement with a supervising MD and limit prescribing authority, thus providing no more autonomy than PAs. The biggest difference in my opinion is international recognition. If you have an interest in working for MSF, or doing other intl work, NPs will at least be recognized as a professional nurse. PAs aren't as recognized internationally. Outside of that, there aren't huge differences state side.

[@Station7Jason]

To be more specific, APRN vs NP

[@trevorlahey4201]

@@sfctapia4529 You sure buddy?

[@maxM38383]

I just got my EMT- B certification a few days ago and my ultimate goal is to become a flight medic so perfect timing for this video. Thanks for all the insight and knowledge. I also happen to carry X-Shears and I love them.

[@TheOutlawMan]

I carry x-shears, too. I have had exactly ZERO opportunities to use them in the field 😂 Nobody tells you you're gonna get thrown in inter-facility and non-medical transports when you're still a fresh EMT.

[@heavy_duty4158]

I love this channel you are the reason I am going into the medical field

[@Connor_cwj]

Same

[@TheAustinHewlettOfficial]

I plan on being in the Marines as a Sniper. I'm 14 and Love America!

[@TheAustinHewlettOfficial]

My biggest Problem is that I cant take EMT Basic in High school. I think itwould be an Amazing skill to have!

[@colinmorrow6214]

That’s a bad reason to be in the medical field

[@heavy_duty4158]

@@colinmorrow6214 I mean not the only reason one of many

[@3500kn]

Been using the XShears for about a year now and god dayam they're awesome! - Australian ED RN

[@Creamydreamy05]

This couldn’t have came out at a better time for me! I’ve recently decided to go out and do some ride alongs with local agency’s with the goal of getting at least my emt through our local Heath service agency. Watching your videos along with other creators and podcasts have shown me ems is the right path for me for now at least! Thank you for not only the BADASS videos but for what you do for the public, I really look up to ‘gold collar’ workers like you guys.

[@emmadean6559]

I have been looking for this type of video for ever! Thank you!!

[@topcat2935]

Much respect to Sam and Wes. I'm just a civilian with First Responder training. I don't think I will ever reach your levels, but I definitely have XShears on my wish list. They are so much better then what came In my first aid kit!

[@security29]

Respect just across the border from Port huron Michigan, stay safe out there, and keep up the great work

[@Doc_Egan]

Great stuff as always! Thank you for this. I'm a Hospital Corpsman and am deciding what to do when I retire. This helps because I'm am considering both routs and want to do flight medicine. This was so helpful. Thank you both!

[@gabrieletutino3045]

I bought XShear last month. They’re perfect! Thank you Sam, great Interview Wes. Good jobs guys!!! Greetings from Florence, Italy!

[@anabellekeller5851]

thank you guys for this interview! i learned a lot and answered questions i didn't even know i had!

[@mattyb811]

Sam! Thank you so much for this video!!

[@DbM313]

As someone out of Metro Detroit Area looking to get into Critical Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine. Currently a EMT-B. Looking to fly and looking to dual as well with R.N and Medic. Originally wanted to be a FF/Medic and now wanting to grow more. This video came as a perfect time

[@travtrav20]

This is my passion! I’ve flown with EastCare in Greenville NC and VCU in Richmond VA! I LOVE IT! IM AN LPN WORKING ON MY RN. YOU RARELY HERE FLIGHT NURSES TELL THEIT STORY LIKE HIM. AWESOME! AWESOME VIDEO...

[@stevenmoring8228]

Travis, that is great! When did you fly for VCU in Richmond? I was there for almost 14 years.

[@Itsurklegrue]

Thanks for appearing on the channel Wes! I Used to work at where you started as a medic, now I'm at a different location, but still run with wmac. Very cool and inspiring to start at the same place and see you in a hems job now!

[@XShear]

Thanks Tanner! I appreciate you checking in! -Wes

[@joepicone5136]

I happen to work for a fully cross traines company (meaning ground and air) Love X shear and absolutely loved this conversation!!

[@learnshareevolve1842]

Great discussion! Thanks for this presentation!

[@stevenmoring8228]

Great video. Good quality. I was a flight paramedic for almost 14 years and I think this video does a good job of hitting things well. Strong work.

[@XShear]

Thanks Steven!

[@SimpleFitNurse]

This is a great and interesting as an ER nurse

[@darkspectro100]

Inspirational. Starting by LPN next year.

[@longviewstud26]

Merry Christmas and great videos

[@brendanniernberg1189]

Congrats on getting into the job!

[@FriedChickenBlowout]

Well done guys. I've been in healthcare for 27 years, starting as an EMT, then paramedic, and as an RN for the last 15 years. Nice well rounded conversation on the subject. Now that I've been on the nursing side of things for so long, I'm looking to get back to working as a paramedic for experience of it, so I enjoyed the video.

[@bettysmith4527]

I am hoping to eventually get the heck out of nursing and go back to EMS full time!!

[@sianchandler725]

This answered a ton of questions. Thank you!

[@PrepMedic]

Glad it was helpful!

[@hyfrovoxojuice]

it’s sad that paramedics and emt get paid so little for all the stuff that they do

[@microcolonel]

As they gain sophistication, the certifications will split and the pay will improve for those practicing with more sophistication.

[@jimmyssnowremoval1075]

Sad to for the police, fire, security, corrections and Emts. Cause there risking the life, safty and get paid so small. With some places can’t get a promotion cause of many reasons, personal or professional. I.e. some people can’t afford it, some don’t believe they could grow, don’t have time to work and go to school. Professionally some places don’t see it in employees for them to grow, can’t afford them to leave or afford then to send them.

[@jayraymond9707]

Credentialism at work.

[@_will.i.am_]

i work for AMR and it’s mainly the private companies. the lack of pay in a fire dept makes up with the benefits and pension

[@johnresino3752]

as a emt finishing nursing school this gives a great perspective, answers a few questions I've had about the horizontal fan Van's. also how would you carry thos x shears in scrubs? I haven't found a great way yet but love how light and strong they are while on the non fan van.

[@firstlookpro7282]

Great talk! Thanks for the vid James!

[@PrepMedic]

Who is James?

[@firstlookpro7282]

@@PrepMedic I thought that was your name? Sorry man!

[@TheKeKe313]

I'm a paramedic nurse too... I love seeing other dual licensed healthcare providers like me! 😊

[@coover65]

Is that very common in the US? Quite a few Australians doing paramedicine come out of Uni with a double degree in Nursing. It's not uncommon here for registered paramedics to make more money than registered nurses.

[@SrManMuffin]

What and where do you work for?

[@coover65]

Interesting video. In Australia a flight nurse generally works on aeromedical retrievals like Life Flight where they fly Australian patients from surrounding countries like Vanuatu, PNG and Indonesia to hospitals at home, or RFDS staff. RFDS will fly for a few hours to get to a patient in remote areas. Our equivalent of "Flight Nurse" is a "Flight Paramedic". Flight paramedics are usually Critical Care Paramedics with aeromedical training and work on either volunteer helicopters or ambulance service helicopters or ambulance fixed wing aircraft. No doubt similar drugs and skills are used in the US as here.

[@lukecrew1214]

I start nursing school in January. Finished my EMT -B last year with Austin Community College to get a feel for medicine. I am definitely nervous to go. I am 31 and my adult life has been spent in various aviation careers. It would be awesome to eventually mesh the two experiences together with flight nursing.

[@joshuabradford65]

Hey Luke, I also started Nursing school this past year( funny enough also have background in the aviation industry and am 31 years old) and it's definitely a lot to grasp! Good luck in your studies man.

[@Dlennox40]

To piggyback off of that. I got my emt-b about 2 years before I started nursing (wanted to do FF/PM when I started college). It will really help, it didn’t help all at once though, there were still a lot of new things to learn my first semester in nursing school. So far I really like it and I’m glad I made the choice I did. 2 more semesters left!

[@biancanunez8801]

Good luck! I’m currently in the paramedic program at ACC. I want to branch over to nursing after that!

[@lukecrew1214]

@@biancanunez8801 I was looking into their bridge program. Currently doing Chamberlain University in San Antonio. I've heard ACC has a really amazing nurse program too.

[@lukecrew1214]

@@Dlennox40 Almost there, It's the final countdown....

[@blakey666]

This was a super interesting video, thanks Sam. Here in Ontario we do have flight nurses, however they typically only work on Medevac planes. Typically in HEMS, you have 2 critical care paramedics on the flight, or at least one critical care paramedic and one advanced care paramedic. I know it's different in other provinces, but that's the way it works here. Also in Canada we don't have EMTs, just Primary Care Paramedic (Level 1), Intermediate Care Paramedic (Level 2), Advanced Care Paramedic (Level 3), and Critical Care Paramedic (sometimes called Level 4).

[@stevenmoring8228]

Blake, great point. They have talked about labeling the same in VA. It is confusing to a lot of the public what the difference is between EMT and Paramedic and it may be beneficial to unify our profession under one name.

[@alsitte]

what a great interview

[@tonihopson335]

I began my medical career in the 1980’s as a basic emt. Bridged to paramedic and year later went on to nursing school. Most of my career has been interesting he icu and also flight nursing

[@jojohann1737]

Great video, sad it has so little views, really an underated video

[@PrepMedic]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sfctapia4529]

Sam and Wes I think you guys are tip of the spear High Speed Guy's ❤️😎🇺🇸

[@willking9763]

looks like you lost weight, you look in very good shape mate! loads of love from the UK

[@albertparecolobrans5397]

Awesome video! Just a curiosity, in Spain we don't have paramedics, in the ALS units we have an EMT and a nurse specialised in emergency (4 years of university degree + 2 years of specialisation in emergency care), and ocasionaly we run wth a doctor. Not better or worse, just diferent systems and maybe some diferences in the nursing training!

[@canadaman301]

They are very few and far between, but some agencies in the US do deploy nurses on ambulances in the field. Look up LA county fire's NP program.

[@isaiahrizner196]

What would you recommend for a Lower back IFAK case/bag? I am not always wearing long pants and frequently wearing shorts, so an ankle IFAK is not ideal for me.

[@Someactualguysname]

Hey, PM student from the Netherlands here. Love your channel btw keep it up! :) I know it’s kind of irrelevant to the video but what’s your stance on the limited scope of practice in the ems scene in the US? Compared to here in the Netherlands where we have a nurse based ems system where every ems provider is a specialised nurse who then did another year traineeship to transfer tot he ambulance service. And then we have the MMT (mobile medical team) that brings a physician to most of the really critical scenes. Or even compared to the UK system where they have a 4 year degree to get started. Is that something that reflects in the field and does the (possibly) more limited scope of practice ever cause issues? Very curious and haven’t been able to find any good resources for it. Thanks ;) love your stuff and love what you’re doing! Keep it up :) You’re my example!

[@tylerlane4587]

Dude that’s pretty crazy 👍🏻 I didn’t know they did that in Europe

[@microcolonel]

I think the primary reason that basic qualifications for medics here are more narrow, is that population density varies a lot in this country. I live in a state where there are whole counties that have almost no EMS availability, because there simply isn't enough demand to cover the cost of the service. My state is one of the most challenging for an ambulance service, having the lowest population of any state, and the landmass of Colorado. Of course, different regions and services have different experiences of this tradeoff, but compared to Nederland, it is much more challenging to require that level of training.

[@microcolonel]

I think the net result of a huge range of population density in the U.S. is that there are a lot more different levels of prehospital medicine, all the way from civilian training (often required in curtain types of workplace) to very highly trained professionals, and everything in between. The basic qualifications are low because we need more people in more trucks, and the most advanced qualifications are probably higher than anywhere else, where demand is high for that.

[@Connor_cwj]

Please do a video on quick crics or nebulisers please it would really help me

[@redactedname5038]

Aircare? Thats in my area. They landed their chopper for us during my medic school. They're really cool peeps.

[@carlosr.9469]

Good stuff brother!! I'm an ED RN/ EMTB looking to get some medic xperience. Creighton on the radar✊🏽👊🏽

[@vandingo4574]

Holy shit what a small world. My mom was a Flight Nurse for West Michigan AirCare which is the same place this guy works. She flew on the Eurocopter Dauphin 2 which was the predecessor to that helicopter shown at the beginning of the video. #N365WM. Her callsign was November 29. Wonder if this guy might've known her. Used to love swinging by the hangar as a kid and playing around in that beautiful aircraft.

[@TheOutlawMan]

November 29! That's my birthday. Cool

[@skymoosic]

Awesome!🙌🏻

[@redwhitebluepatriot6174]

They are a great Medical Helicopter company

[@liamhilt1822]

Thank you for this.

[@renegade7493]

Really awesome with this amazing guess. ( camera at times a little shacky)

[@akulahawk]

I have done both EMTP and ED RN as well. I would say that these are different professions with some skill overlap, and in some cases, considerable overlap. The training/education for both is different and being good at one won't necessarily make a person good at the other. I think a good starting point for these is to describe your generic new grad from each. The paramedic new grad has been purpose-built to deal with immediate care of patients, be it trauma or medical stuff. They learn a lot about a little area of medicine. They have a decent knowledge of emergency "stuff" and in a code run with and by new grads, I'd rather have paramedics run it than the nurses. Nurse new grads are built as a generalist. They've learned lots, but it's little bits of a lot of areas of medicine. Their advantage, though, is they have a lot of education via prerequisites going into their profession and thus they've learned HOW they learn and therefore they can begin the OJT into becoming a specialist nurse relatively easily. In my particular instance, I pretty much had all the RN prerequisites done (inadvertently) going into my paramedic program so I had a much better foundation for learning all the stuff I needed as a paramedic. I knew that I didn't have the skill-set for long-term care of patients but I could see what was needed and utilized the overlap of skills to hopefully set up the patient for easier care later. Later on as an RN in the ED, I understood what and why the medics were doing what they were doing. It still amazes me that I (and they) could get so much done in so little time! My advice to people about the professions is pretty close to what's in the video. You need to know your personality. That being said, if you want to be a paramedic, DO IT. If you want to be a nurse, DO IT. That means sure, be an EMT or CNA and get some experience doing BASIC patient care. You'll get to know if doing hands-on patient care is for you. Once you decide on your end goal, skip being a paramedic if you want to be a nurse. It'll just slow you down. If you want to be a paramedic, don't do nurse. That'll REALLY slow you down. Either way, do the nursing prereqs first and early. That education base will be invaluable. If your end goal is flight care or any other specialty transport team, YOU are your own best reference by becoming an expert at what you do and being actually nice to people. You build your own reputation by what you do and how you treat others. EMS is a very small world. Critical Care Transport (flight/ground) is an even smaller world.

[@jacobgroves5919]

Hi! My name is Jacob and I am currently a junior in high school. I really want to be a firefighter paramedic and I have done quite a bit of research in different paths that will get me there. After watching your videos I have a couple questions that may help guide my decision process. A local college offers accredited fire and ems certifications that I need in my state. I really want to jump in straight after HS and start working and then get my bachelors later on. I was wondering, since your in the process, what is it like working full time as a first responder while getting a college degree? Would you recommend getting a four year degree before getting into the fire service? I really hope you see this and can respond, you have been a huge inspiration for me. Thank you! (I would also appreciate comments from anyone with insight on this topic)

[@bettysmith4527]

Hi Jacob! I worked on an ambulance, first as an EMT while attending a full time two year Paramedic degree program, and then at a full time Associates degree Nursing program, and finally again when I went back for my Bachelors in Nursing. Working full time can be done easily working a fire job or ambulance job, as long as you are not at a super busy station, most fire and EMS folks work two 24 hour shifts as well so that leaves plenty of days free. I would recommend, if your parents are ok with it, getting your EMT while you are a senior in high school (not sure if you have already graduated or not at this point), and try doing some volunteer or junior FF work so you can see what it is like and to get a better idea for the FF requirements in your area! Best of luck!!

[@joelmadden6585]

Hey I know this is one of the dumber questions but is there a pay difference between flight nurse and flight medic? If so what are they generally?

[@XShear]

It varies so much by location and company. There are medics in some areas making more then nurses in others. But typically RN does pay a bit more then medic in the same system. -Wes

[@windwaterstone]

Ha, I bet I've launched Wes on some scenes back when I worked in the SW MI zone, now in flight myself but as a medic. WMAC is awesome. What a funny small world. The financial consideration is huge. If EMS has more financial possibility more would do it, cause lets face it, it's more fun. But alas I'm considering the RN route for the further options. And for me, in HEMS already and with zero interest in fire side of things it feels like the end of the rope.

[@mourindvanpapuan2202]

Hi from West Papua

[@dulcineamartinez6993]

This is my goal. I want to be a Flight Nurse.

[@SrManMuffin]

Motivated to start my career in EMS. I have a GI bill that I’ve been thinking about using for nursing. But I know I would like being a paramedic way more, with the goal of one day being apart flight ems. Any tips?

[@bettysmith4527]

I would say take a basic EMT course and find a service that does 911, that will give you a good ideas as to whether EMS is for you.

[@ffireball88]

At my old (volunteer) fire department, my captain (in charge of the ems company) was a paramedic but worked as a RN. Also, what's your advice for someone who maybe doesn't want to go straight to paramedic and wants to go from basic to advanced or intermediate first? (Asking for a friend)

[@PrepMedic]

Don't do it man. In my opinion AEMT is throwing your money down the drain.

[@mike30680]

Some states require it. Here in GA If you do tech colleges you have to go EMT to advanced to medic. I skipped medic and just went AEMT to RN

[@mayatantuwaya4165]

i spent 4.5 years getting a bachelors in animal science and just got started as an EMT at the age of 22. ultimate goal is to get into flight nursing. am i starting too late?

[@Brad210UIW]

Damn I'm in Brownsville 😳

[@maddiefitzgerald2712]

What is the flight nurse schedule like? I know he mentioned 24 hr shifts any other info?

[@maddiefitzgerald2712]

Thanks

[@kiliellwallace1112]

aye Sam what advanced training can a EMT take?

[@PrepMedic]

Paramedic 😂

[@c_h_r_i_s_t_c_o_r_e]

Fuckin love my x shears, great video thank you for the info

[@XShear]

Thanks! -Wes

[@railfangeorgemurphy1124]

I live in Michigan

[@happylego2597]

Please suggest me how to apply flight Nurse.im so interested to work flight nurse

[@betoc6123]

interview with a Pararescue men

[@williamzinckgraf2389]

Thoughts on Medics with their Bachelor's?

[@PrepMedic]

The more letters the better 🤷‍♂️. I’ll be graduating with mine this summer.

[@SuperHockeyman44]

Sam! Please say something about the ATF Brace Ban. You have a ton of viewers and we need comments to be sent in! We need 80,000 comments people! Currently at 15,000 by the date of this comment 12/23. Freedom and liberty

[@heavy_duty4158]

Out near me we have mercy flight nys

[@bettysmith4527]

Nursing sucks, but it has more opportunity and def more money, but paramedics have more autonomy and the job is way more fun if you are doing 911 work! My opinion is do whichever intrigues you more!! I am an RN and a paramedic (paramedic first), and I would give my left leg to be able to stay working as a paramedic until I retire, but the non fire 911 jobs are just not there, there are a few, but the pay is a disgrace!! Touching on the associates degree to be an RN, that is being phased out in many states as far as getting a job, especially as a new grad, and while still acceptable in some hospitals, many are requiring ADN prepared RNs to get their BSN within a certain time period, so if you want to become an RN plan on four years of schooling!

[@Idahomie]

Count on at least 3.5 years to be a well rounded Associates. 18 hours of credits per semester and having lots of unhealthy stress is can be devastating to realize that that's it the beginning of of stressful life for a beginner nurse. Any nu program is rigorous w tough classes. Stretchinging out a program allows you to take time to retain what you learn, not just just cram and regurgitate. I've seen alot of burn out when folks rush-thru'...alot of resentment in retrospect'. Working with unhappy resentful nurses/ caregivers can be a horrible and dangerous way to 'make a living'.

[@PrepMedic]

4 years for an associates? To each their own man but 60 credit hours should not take you that long, even if you are doing it part time.

[@RogerMoto420]

@@PrepMedic 2 years of pre nursing + 2 years of nursing school = Associates of Nursing

[@stuntops]

Interview a stunt rescue team. let me know i have someone!!!

[@meidamx]

Get some.

[@cmanleyspy]

Word of advice for all of you asking whether you should go paramedic or RN, go RN.

[@evandolloff6665]

Nice video 🥶🦍

[@Harusalee_life]

Nurse=cool job Flight thingy=super cool job Flight nurse=Badass

[@redwhitebluepatriot6174]

I see this helicopter all the time.

[@homesteadishdad]

X-Shear > Raptors - fight me

[@jamesevans938]

why is it common for nurses to be on hems instead of doctors in America here in the UK its always a paramedic and a doctor its very rare for a nurse to be on a helicopter and when it does happen its always a paramedic a doctor and a nurse

[@XShear]

I'm sure there's numerous reasons for this. We do have a number of services in the USA that fly with physicians but like you say many are with a nurse and a paramedic. It might be because the financial model requires the cost savings, it also may be due to many of the HEMS transfers in the US are a combination of patient acuity and long transport distance, these require critical care but not necessarily the expertise of a physician and the primary benefit to the patient over ground transport is the speed of the helicopter. At my company all our Flight Nurses are dual licensed as paramedics. We work very closely with our physician medical director who also works as medical crew and often have Emergency Medicine residents as crew as well. -Wes

[@jamesevans938]

@@XShear makes sense if hems in America are mailnly used for transfer and since hems in the uk known as air ambulances are mainly about bringing a intensive care unit to the patient and helicopters are really only used to bring the doctor and critical care doctor to the patient in a reasonable time as they are either dispatched out as the initial ambulance is dispatch since a paramedic will be in the control room looking at each 999 call to see which call might need a air ambulance or the ambulance crew on scene might request a air ambulance so its really about bringing the hospital to the road side and the doctor really being there to administers advanced drugs that paramedics cant carry or in extreme cases perform surgery on the 'roadside' in 60% of the calls the patient doesn't even go to hospital by air since the helicopter is mainly transport for the crew since it normally 1 or 2 critical care teams for a large area so going by care would take a long time however the patient will go by air if they need to go to a specialist centre that could be far away for example i remember from a documentary a patient had very serious burns and the air ambulance crew knew that a standard hospital would have just transferred him any way so they flew him to a major burns unit the other end of the country

[@PrepMedic]

US helicopters still get called to scenes routinely. They are not just transfer birds

[@XShear]

@@jamesevans938 it’s certainly not all transfers we do frequent scene responses like what you describe as well. But it’s true HEMS is not typically utilized for physician deployment like it is in the UK. However in most cases we do bring a higher level of care to the patient, for example blood products, video laryngoscopy, medication induced intubation with paralytics, and additional surgical procedures.

[@jamesevans938]

@@XShear i didn’t mean that you didn’t provide a higher level of care to patients in however in the U.K. if you have to compare nurses and paramedics then it’s paramedics who can provide a higher level of care hence why hems is crewed but a paramedic and doctor but I’m guessing in the us nurses can provide a higher level of care than paramedics

[@lloydrigney7476]

PURO 956

[@jamesbridges7750]

Sam- " I always tell them to go Paramedic!" Hahaha who dropped you on your head? No real progression as a medic in most places man, just get those golden handcuffs on working 90hrs a week while your family life suffers. Way more states have RN to medic bridge programs( some of them are literally only a couple of months long) . Nursing Boards are very jealous of letting medics shift into nursing roles .Saying this as a former medic- You deserve a butt whopping if you even think about working as a medic alone/ first- think about your family ,suck it up play hero as a side gig.

[@carlosr.9469]

Absolutely 💯, especially as you get older. 12 hr shifts, 3 days a week in California over 100k easy. Plenty of time to raise family, play hero, 2nd job, teach, go to school, pick up OT, coach, Fly. 👊🏽👊🏽

[@funkytomtom]

Absolutely DO NOT go paramedic. Paramedic is a dead-end unless you just want to be a medic. Nursing pays better and has infinitely more options. And if you go flight, you're doing literally *the same* job except getting paid more to do so. Source: flight medic.

[@TheOutlawMan]

I'm not a medic yet, but it seems like the only dead end is what you apply to yourself. Nobody's forcing you to stop pursuing education.

[@funkytomtom]

@@TheOutlawMan Sure, yes...but you're not set up on any accredited educational pathway like a nurse would be. Medic isn't recognized or useful for anything except...being a medic. Of course we could speak of intangibles, of which there are many, but you can get those in many other ways.

[@HeritageCast]

We need to modernize medicine. And that starts with abolishing EMT, RN, and MD. And only have Physician. Meaning everyone goes into Basic Medicine Acute and Outpatient, And everyone becomes a Basic Physician. And then you specialize in Surgery, Urology etc. After the revolution this is what we have to do and end the nonsense...

[@PrepMedic]

That’s a no from me dog. You have no idea the time and money it takes to be a physician. My wife has 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of medical school, is in year3/4 of residency and still has 2 years of fellowship after this. You need levels of care, specialists and technologists to effectively care for the population.

[@HeritageCast]

@@PrepMedic Essentially my idea is reducing into one single Physician skillset where everyone gets basic Paramedic even our Doctors of Education lol. So when the next crisis kicks off, everyone can take vitals and treat patients.

[@1234KeithB]

@@HeritageCast 🤣

[@Balbinix123]

I hope you are joking because this is just too funny.😂

[@semen.j.6131]

Flight nurse🤣🤣🤣

[@medic2807]

Skip RN. Go PA. Or med.

[@Metalignant]

Wait, so in the US you don't need a BSN to be an RN? That's wild. In AU we have enrolled nurses and registered nurses. EN is an 18m diploma, RN is a 3 year bachelors. There are some older RNs who were hospital trained kicking around (a vastly better way to train nurses IMO) but 90% of Aussie RNs nowadays are uni trained

[@darylc6669]

There is already a large nursing shortage here in the US, and making a 4yr bsn a requirement would only worsen it. Also in the US the bsn doesn't really get you much more nursing training just more college courses.