Paramedic to RN Programs: Online or On Campus?
If you, like many other burned-out paramedics, are considering becoming a registered nurse, you probably have some good reasons. Two of the most common reasons paramedics choose to become RNs are better compensation and reduced on-the-job stress. When it comes to compensation, a typical base salary for paramedics will run about $38,000 per year or less, depending on experience and location. To earn this salary, paramedics must work between 45 and 60 hours per week, and the working hours are inconsistent and unpredictable. Compare these figures with the average salary for RNs: about $55,000 per year or more. RNs also enjoy more regular hours and the work is often less stressful.
So now that you've decided that a career switch makes sense, it seems the only question left is: what education track should you choose?
There are essentially two educational tracks for paramedics who want to become RNs. You can get on the waiting list to enter a traditional campus-based nursing program, but once you get in you will probably find it impossible to keep your job as a Paramedic while in nursing school due to the difficulty of fitting your shifts around your school schedule.
On the other hand, you could take advantage of your existing education and experience and choose an accredited online Paramedic to RN Bridge Program which not only lets you skip the waiting lists to start right away, but is also self-paced, which means you can earn a living in the process because you can study whenever and wherever you have the time around your current work schedule.
Paramedic-to-RN programs are a fairly new phenomenon in the history of nursing education. These programs evolved in response to two pressures: the modern tendency of career-switching and the nursing shortage.
"We are going to be short a half-million nurses nationwide by 2011," explained Dr. Ricki R. Garrett, executive director of the Mississippi Nurses Association (MNA), as quoted in The Mississippi Business Journal (April 20, 2009). The shortage has encouraged nursing schools to create innovative solutions that allow would-be nurses to attain certification more quickly--like Paramedic-to-RN programs.
Yet these programs are not without their critics. One paramedic who asked fellow members of an online forum to recommend a good Paramedic-to-RN program was sarcastically told, "It's called nursing school. Seriously, you and any patient with whom you come into contact would be better served if you enrolled in traditional nursing program....the education involved in becoming a paramedic doesn't really translate well into nursing programs."
A commenter on the EMSVillage.com forum had a similar opinion. "My wife looked into the bridge courses but decided that it made more sense to take take a two year RN program based on the advice of several ER nurse friends....I think that the bridge course will not make you as hire-able compared to a nurse that has a degree from a traditional nursing school."
This is one situation where the popular wisdom should be taken with a HUGE grain of salt.
Perhaps that was true somewhere in the past when the very idea of a Paramedic-to-RN Bridge Program first came into being, but here's a news flash - accredited Paramedic-to-RN programs are routinely available at top-tier campus-based nursing schools and also through an accredited online format. Nurse Managers who hire for critical care units and ER's are thrilled to hire the grads, and as far as anecdotal evidence goes, former paramedics who chose the Paramedic-to-RN route have positive outcomes to report.
"My paramedic background came in useful time and again during my training to become an RN," says one recent graduate of an online Paramedic-to-RN Bridge program. "I have friends who chose to go the traditional route and we all ended up looking at the same kinds of job offers, so I felt that I was just as prepared as anyone. The only difference is that I graduated sooner and will be spending less time paying off loans than my friends will."
One nurse manager at a critical care center reports that nearly 20% of the staff have some paramedic training or are former paramedics. "The diversity of experience on the floor means that everyone has something unique to offer," she says. "We have nurses who are transitioning to become paramedics as well as the other way around. I think the online Paramedic to RN program does a fine job of making sure that students are taught the foundational skills. We certainly don't have any bias towards one educational path over another when we are hiring new grads."
So which educational track should you choose? Things to weigh in the balance include the amount of time you're willing to spend in school, how much money you can afford to spend, and your long-term career goals. Compare campus-based Paramedic-to-RN programs and the online Paramedic to RN Bridge Program to get an idea of the course work and clinical requirements.
There is no right or wrong choice, so don't let yourself be swayed by others preconceptions or judgments about the best way to educate yourself. Whatever educational program you decide to pursue, you can be sure that your paramedic training has given you an excellent foundation on which to pursue your nursing career.
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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[...] the Paramedic-to-RN Transition: “Trauma Junkie” Online Paramedic To RN Degree Program Paramedic to RN Programs: Online or On Campus? Why Take an Accelerated Paramedic to RN Online Program? The Online Paramedic To RN Bridge Program [...]
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