I'm looking into getting my EMT cert this summer. I'm hoping to break into the hands on aspect of the medical field to see if I have any desire to try for medical school. I've heard that I should be able to get a job as an Emergency Room Technician with just the cert. Anybody have any experience with this or other hands on type *paying* jobs? I don't need to make a fortune, but would like to be able to make roughly what I do now (~$13 per hour).

My other big question is getting credit for the class. I've seen some schools offering the classes which usually amount to 6 credits. I've pretty much decided that it would be stupid if I didn't take one that could apply towards my degree. I'm in a Minnesota state school if that helps. Anyone have any experience with which types of institutions offer credit for their courses and how difficult it is to transfer them?

These things vary a lot by state and by region. In my area, most ER's are not interested in hiring someone who isn't trained to start IV's, which around here means an EMT-Intermediate or Paramedic. In a few states, EMT-Basics do IV starts, yours might be one. Or, alternatively, they may hire you for other tasks. In most ER's, as a tech, you'll either be working the desk/answering the phone, or emptying the trash / cleaning up patients. The first gets you no real patient contact, and the second is just drudge work. This can still be educational, as you'll get to see many aspects of patient care, but in the end, you are there to work, not learn.

In addition, $13/hr would be slightly optimistic for my area, for an EMT-B. Here, you expect to see on the order of $7/hr - $10/hr, with Intermediates and Medics seeing $11/hr - $15/hr. But your mileage may vary. Do yourself a favor and look at the 'Employment Opportunities" section of some local hospital websites. They may be vague about wage, but they'll at least tell you what training level they are looking for.

If it turns out a tech position a) isn't available, or b) doesn't pay enough to change jobs, consider some alternatives. The most time effective option would be to find out if you could 'shadow' an ER doc, though this can be hard to set up.

A second option would be to join a local volunteer rescue squad. Your time will be unpaid, but the work is fairly interesting, and it gives you an overview of many aspects of patient care. It's also a chance to see how you handle being in charge of your own patient. Finally, a volunteer squad might offer to pay for your EMT class.

Finally, as an EMT-B, you could likely find work with a transport ambulance agency. Personally, I find this work soul destroying, but it might pay the bills, and will give you some medical experience, though probably less than any of the other options.

Sorry for not getting back to this thread quickly.

Anyway, a lot of the info I was going off of came from my uncle who leads the local ER nurses or something similar.... I think I'm just going to have to take the advice to start looking at openings and question hospitals about requirements, pay, duties, etc...

I am taking a course in the fall to get my certification as an EMT-B.

There are several groups that work around our area that if you volunteer eighter 8 or 16 hours a month- they will pay for First Responders certification. Some will continue to pay for classes every year as long as you continue volunteering with them. If you can't find one of these groups- usually the fire department or police department does it too.

Awesome, thanks.

I've dealt with the red cross and first responder class before. Unfortunately couldn't accomodate my schedule.

Can I ask where you're taking it? My time lines have changed somewhat and I'm thinking about taking a class this fall and trying to have it fit in with my normal school schedule, get credit etc...

I actually found out about a 3-week course at HCMC.
October 15 - November 2. You also do a 8 hour clinical with this course.


I have spent a lot of time talking to people that are currently EMTs, people who
are first responders and people that have taken this course. This seemed like
the best course to take given the course time and the cost.



http://www.hcmc.or...crefresher.htm#emt

I just got my EMT-B ticket and I recommend seeing if any local ambulance services run a class through their business, it is the best way to go, that way your ride times and all that fun stuff is taken care of.



as for some EMT-B's being able to start IV's, that is not true, No EMT-B can start an IV, they can prepare ACLS for BLS teaches B's to assist with I's and P's, but they are not allowed to administer anything via IV. That goes for all states, im 100% sure.

I've met tons of Emt basic's who got Er tech jobs, if they need you to do iv's they can teach you...

I did my EMT through the local college several years ago. It was in Los Angeles county.

I'd highly suggest doing the EMT course for anyone who's interested in the medical field. I'm actually working towards my RN degree right now, but going EMT first was a great step for me.

I did some work in the ER out there for a while, which was phenomenally interesting. You gain SOOO much experience in the ER, and workin a rig tends to be pretty slow alot of the time. Most of the ER tech (EMT's working in the ER) positions in LA county are pretty tough to get into though.
LA's scope-of-practice is miniscule compared to some of the surrounding counties, and even compared to most other states.

Most other states, the state-level test covers you to work in the whole state, and the National Registry (NR) test covers you overall, and you must pass both tests in order to start working.
In California though, you have to pass a test for each individual county that you wish to work in, and the NR besides that.

So since I'm in Kern county now, my LA cert wouldnt work, so if I want to work out here I'd have to retake the state test for Kern county, since they have differing scope-of-practice. It's kinda annoying.

Photo, re:

as for some EMT-B's being able to start IV's, that is not true, No EMT-B can start an IV, they can prepare ACLS for BLS teaches B's to assist with I's and P's, but they are not allowed to administer anything via IV. That goes for all states, im 100% sure.

It depends on the specific parameters for scope-of-practice for a given area. EMT-b's in the field can *prepare* IV's but not administer them.
The scope of what EMT's are allowed to do in an ER as an ER tech though are usually more advanced than what field EMT's are able to do, based on the current doctor's standing orders, and other certifications you may have gained for working in the ER.
The specifics of it all are kind of a mess, but the rules are different everywhere; though the standard scope for EMT's in the field are as you mentioned it.