Back to work!

[Mark K 2]

I got hired as a registered nurse by an ambulance service ten days ago. The day after hire, I was thrust into a paramedic refresher course (I've never been a paramedic, per se) and have to complete an advanced cardiac care course online. This is in addition to orientating to the department. My mind is mush with crammed information. Somewhere along the line, I accidentally passed the hands-on portion of the cardiac care course without even trying.



Today, I am in an EMS uniform for the first time in five years. I've discovered that my old undershirts are too small and my quick-zip boots are too tight. Apparently, I'm larger than I used to be.



It's nice to have a job, but I'm nervous as hell because many of the medications have changed and the procedures are different than before. The old dog/new tricks thing may be true after all.

 

[Bill V]

Congrats, and good luck!!



Since your "mind is mush", I'll forgive you for using the non-word "orientating".

 

[gary s]

congrats & good luck :haveabeer:

 

[Robert Caffyn]

Way to go Mark!! Congrats on passing your boards. I sent my money in last week, so I should be hearing from them in a couple weeks. Have fun "mush brain", mine turned to Jello two weeks ago and poured out last week! There ain't no room left. Good luck, Bob

 

[rod denton]

congats

u can doit ....i m still looking 3yrs and counting >good luck

 

[Richard L]

Congratulations Mark, Hope everything works out for you and that this is a good sign that the economy is slowly starting to turn around.



...Rich

 

[Mike Dziubina]

Congrats. I still ride EMS too.



Curiosity only - you said you got hired as a RN by an ambulance service...do you also have an EMT cert? IIRC you were an EMT in the past. If not I just want to know how that works...again - curiosity only, congrats. When I started EMS we were at just under 2k calls/year, this past year (8years later) we almost hit 5k calls. sure is picking up in my area

 

[Mark K 2]

In Wisconsin, RN's can function to the full extent of their licenses on ambulances. What the generally gets interpretted as is to the level of the ambulance service as defined by the department's medical director. In other words, I function as a paramedic. No ambulance service would allow just any nurse to function as a paramedic. I, for example, took a paramedic refresher course, ACLS, and Critical Care Paramedic upgrade course. The basic EMT skills were learned years ago. I'm also required to take the basic EMT refresher course every other year (as do the paramedics).

 

[Mike Dziubina]

Thanks. That's interesting. It is amazing how different EMS, or even healthcare in general, is across the US. Good luck, stay safe.

 

[Todd Z]

CONGRATS !!!!



Todd Z

 

[Les]

:supercool:

 

[TomT]

Congrats Mark K. ACLS is always changing and hard to keep up with. Glad I'm retired and don't have to anymore.