PCP to LPN/RPN - Brigde Course

[OttawaVFF]

Just courious if there is a bridge course for paramedics who thereafter may want to peruse a career as a Practical Nurse? Would you have to start all over again in College or is their a bridge course?

Thanks for your help!!

[unglunk]

I applied to be an RN, already PCP trained, and they said my previous training would have no bearing on my RN training; you have to do the whole deal. I'm not sure about LPN, but why would you want to even pursue LPN? I think you would find it extremely boring compared to what you're probably used to.

[OttawaVFF]

I applied to be an RN, already PCP trained, and they said my previous training would have no bearing on my RN training; you have to do the whole deal. I'm not sure about LPN, but why would you want to even pursue LPN? I think you would find it extremely boring compared to what you're probably used to.

Actually I am not a Paramedic, just trying to determine which way to go.....My heart is saying paramedic but my brain is telling me Nursing....Can I get your insight on the two?
Thanks.

[unglunk]

Oh i see. I apologize, as i clearly misunderstood the question.

Honestly, if i could go back in time and choose a different career path, i probably would have. I don't want to say that EMS has been a bad experience so far because it hasn't. When i first started in 1999 the money was horrible, benefits were appalling, but i was never happier with my work environment. I work in SK where almost everything is privately owned as far as Ambulance services go, and i think you have to be a bit of a prick to be an owner as a prerequisite lol; i have worked for one very outstanding guy out of 4. It didn't matter though because people got in to it and stayed with it because they felt good about themselves, self respect will carry you for a long time, more so then money ever will. We used to be a very tight group as EMT's and Paramedics in SK when the finances weren't there, and now it sems like things have really gone south. The money now is quite good, benefits are decent and patient care is outstanding, but having said that, the people and sincerity just doesn't seem to be the same. In my experience, people i have worked with were always trying to out do you, as opposed to sincerely working with you to help the patient at hand out in their time of need, so i have grown a little cynical with the system, at least here in SK; I used to love the job, hated days off and couldn't wait to get back at it, but now i still like it but look forward to days off more then days on. EMS, at least here in SK has spent so much time trying to prove to Joe Blow public that they are not just Ambulance drivers, but rather highly trained important components of the health care system, that they have forgotten, at least in some ways why they got in to it in the first place, and have placed their focus on recognition which has taken away from the sincerity of their care, at leat in my experience and opinion.

The Rn's i have met seem content with what they do; they like the stability, warm cozy work environment and the fact that they get to play skillwise, but for the most part, the Doc holds the final responsibility for the patients outcome and a lot of the RN's i have spoken with seem to like that. I think if you can get in to nursing, go for it. It's a great job with all sorts of things you can branch off in to. It seems you are far more marketable as a nurse when it comes to employment too, and the reward is as good as the paycheck, so not a bad deal. You can always take a part time PCP course after you're a nurse, and this will be a far easier transition then taking your RN while working as a PCP to pay the bills.

As far as LPN's go, they are a very useful important component of the health care system and i would never say otherwise. I will say that a lot of the LPN's i have come accross feel very unappreciated and wish they had gotten in to nursing from the RN standpoint. Healthcare is very thankless at times and if you never get told you're appreciated it can really hurt your self esteem; remember what i said about self respect and how important it is.

One group that truly seems satisfied with their occupation and contribution to the health Care sytem is your Lab Techs, X-ray Techs etc. Check out all of your options, but at the end of the day do what makes you happy. I would love to be an x-ray tech.

I have been a dad since i was 16, got married at 20 and had to grow up very fast. The truth for me was that i wanted to get a Physed degree in 1999, but couldn't commit to a 4 year degree based on my circumstances, and when EMS presented itself to me, i thought it was a realistic option and a career slowly moving in a forward direction. I really educated myself on it at the time and found that turnover was huge, but jobs were everywhere, it could be rewarding and i could support my family on it, so here i sit telling my story 9 years later.

I hope this helped and let me know if i can help you with anything else.