CNA vs EMT-B

[Swaggot]

So I'm not able to get any research this summer because I am just finishing up at community college and it seems no one wants to hire a CC student in their lab so I figured I would do some clinical hours instead. My first choice was scribe work but I got rejected by all the positions in my area. I was wondering if I should get my CNA or EMT-b this summer. ER techs in my area usually have a CNA and that's a job I would LOVE to do, however people on here have warned that CNA's are not worth it. Which of these two would you recommend? Any suggestions other than these two?

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[ski89]

In my experience, CNA jobs are easier to find. So while I would personally prefer EMT, I would recommend CNA since you are more likely to get hired.

 

[cherubb3]

I work in an ER and the CNAs are a vital part of our team. However, I've heard it's tough to get a job in an ER without previous experience (nursing home, floor experience, etc). I can't speak to EMT work.

 

[lifetothefullest]

EMT work gives you the frontline experience of patient care. You get to treat the patient and you are as competent as a doctor in the field (there isn't that much a doctor can do outside of a hospital). CNAs at hospitals generally can draw blood and do EKGs but their scope of practice is much more limited than EMTs in my experience. Nursing home CNAs have it even worse and it's not that much of a clinical experience.

 

[miszfifi820]

EMT work gives you the frontline experience of patient care. You get to treat the patient and you are as competent as a doctor in the field (there isn't that much a doctor can do outside of a hospital). CNAs at hospitals generally can draw blood and do EKGs but their scope of practice is much more limited than EMTs in my experience. Nursing home CNAs have it even worse and it's not that much of a clinical experience.

Um, CNA regardless of the setting (nursing home included) is a lot of clinical experience. Youre actually caring for patients. It may be in the form of activities of daily living but it is still care and those are still your patients.

and yes, CNA is easier to get a job, so keep that in mind, if you dont go to school in your home state and have to quit in the summer and reapply next summer or something

 

[lifetothefullest]

Um, CNA regardless of the setting (nursing home included) is a lot of clinical experience. Youre actually caring for patients. It may be in the form of activities of daily living but it is still care and those are still your patients.

Sorry, by clinical experience I meant patient treatment in terms of scope of practice, not just interacting with patients. For example, EMTs learn a lot more about patient treatment/diagnosis than CNAs although many CNAs learn things like phlebotomy that EMTs do not. For reason of anonymity, let's say somebody very close to me is a CNA and his/her clinical experience consists of showering people and cleaning bedpans as a daily job. If the patient becomes sick, they call EMS, which is trained to perform more life support than CNAs are (being able to recognize and treat hypoglycemia, opiate overdose, etc.). EMTs get a lot of the disease side of it - emergency treatment. So I guess it'd be more accurate to say being an EMT is a lot of exposure to emergency medicine while being a CNA exposes you to the hospital/nursing home setting.

 

[The Buff OP]

EMT > CNA cert.

You can get job as a CNA with an EMT certification.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

Clearly every EMT will say EMT and every CNA will say CNA (as is already going on lol). as someone who's done it all and then some, I'll give my honest advice as I've been on both ends for thousands of hours.

I've been a hospital floor CNA, EMT-b (volly on ambulance), ER CNA, and now ER tech using all of my certs. to be blunt, anything hospital based (i.e. CNA in this case) is infinitely more valuable than pre-hospital care (EMT in this case). I say that because nothing you learn in these entry level positions will be as important as simply developing a bedside manner and learning how to speak to people and care for them during difficult moments in their lives. Not that EMTs don't get a bit of this, but it isn't even close in comparison. To put it into perspective, the EMT will spend an hour (tops) with my patient, then they drop them off to us where I spend 12 hours with them taking care of every kind of task you could imagine. Plus, no "procedure/diagnosing" you learn will really give you any kind of leg up in med school (maybe phlebotomy), but a strong sense of how to act in a hospital and take care of patients will.

Also, the connections you make in the hospital (try to get into a teaching hospital), as well as just making sure you can survive in the hospital setting is important.

Again, as someone who's done it all, I'd vote hospital CNA for you everytime.

 

[lifetothefullest]

I've been a hospital floor CNA, EMT-b (volly on ambulance), ER CNA, and now ER tech using all of my certs. to be blunt, anything hospital based (i.e. CNA in this case) is infinitely more valuable than pre-hospital care (EMT in this case). I say that because nothing you learn in these entry level positions will be as important as simply developing a bedside manner and learning how to speak to people and care for them during difficult moments in their lives. Not that EMTs don't get a bit of this, but it isn't even close in comparison. To put it into perspective, the EMT will spend an hour (tops) with my patient, then they drop them off to us where I spend 12 hours with them taking care of every kind of task you could imagine. Plus, no "procedure/diagnosing" you learn will really give you any kind of leg up in med school (maybe phlebotomy), but a strong sense of how to act in a hospital and take care of patients will.

I love this! Thanks for your input and I definitely agree with the not being able to spend much time with the patient part in EMS. I just enjoy the procedure/diagnosing part more so than CNA daily tasks but I'm not doing it for medical school - I'm just more interested in the experience. I don't think premeds should go into these positions with the ultimate goal being medical school admission but rather just for self-betterment and to get real life experience.

 

[Swaggot]

Just curious, has anyone noticed a stigma around being a cna? I mentioned thinking about getting certified and people keep taking about how I'm gonna be a poop cleaner and just generally didn't seem too enthused

 

[lifetothefullest]

Just curious, has anyone noticed a stigma around being a cna? I mentioned thinking about getting certified and people keep taking about how I'm gonna be a poop cleaner and just generally didn't seem too enthused

TBH, I make fun of my friends for it but I know it's a really difficult job because especially in nursing homes, residents are not exactly too happy with CNAs. Sometimes they just don't want a shower, ya know? I respect them because it's really tough to deal with that on a daily/weekly basis.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

I love this! Thanks for your input and I definitely agree with the not being able to spend much time with the patient part in EMS. I just enjoy the procedure/diagnosing part more so than CNA daily tasks but I'm not doing it for medical school - I'm just more interested in the experience. I don't think premeds should go into these positions with the ultimate goal being medical school admission but rather just for self-betterment and to get real life experience.

I actually love your response in response haha. that's an important point you mentioned. in the end, DO WHAT YOU PREFER FOR YOURSELF, NOT FOR MED SCHOOL ADMISSIONS! great point also

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

Just curious, has anyone noticed a stigma around being a cna? I mentioned thinking about getting certified and people keep taking about how I'm gonna be a poop cleaner and just generally didn't seem too enthused

yeah this is why I mention hospital CNA being the key. you'll still be doing the daily care stuff, but much less of it, plus many more "cooler" responsibilities

 

[NeuResurgens]

I love my EMT cert, but you need to be in the right area to get jobs doing it. I only have the volunteer agency at my uni and all the rest of the prehospital care is paramedics in my area. If your dream pre-med job is more geared for CNA, then that would probably be better for you. It depends on your job goals.

We also have the butt wiper joke about CNAs in our area but we love them anyway.

 

[CircadianRhythm]

I'm an EMT and I recommend EMT over CNA. In the field you will have infinitely more responsibility. Yeah a CNA might do compressions during a code but the doctor is running the show. In the field it might be you directing an entire engine crew or it might just be you and your partner. You'll get on the scene of a multiple car pile up and the cops already there look to you for orders. If you drive the ambulance you will be trained to be a professional driver who can safely navigate through rush hour traffic as everyone freaks out around you at the sound of your siren. People will hand you their apneic baby and there wont be anyone else for you to hand the kid off to. You could deliver a baby, apply a tourniquet on an arterial bleeder, resuscitate the ODing college kid. The list goes on. CNA's don't have anywhere near the responsibility.

 

[NeuResurgens]

I'm an EMT and I recommend EMT over CNA. In the field you will have infinitely more responsibility. Yeah a CNA might do compressions during a code but the doctor is running the show. In the field it might be you directing an entire engine crew or it might just be you and your partner. You'll get on the scene of a multiple car pile up and the cops already there look to you for orders. If you drive the ambulance you will be trained to be a professional driver who can safely navigate through rush hour traffic as everyone freaks out around you at the sound of your siren. People will hand you their apneic baby and there wont be anyone else for you to hand the kid off to. You could deliver a baby, apply a tourniquet on an arterial bleeder, resuscitate the ODing college kid. The list goes on. CNA's don't have anywhere near the responsibility.

I love EMT for this reason - prehospital care is one of the few places a premed would have the opportunity to make actual medical decisions, even if not very complicated ones - getting a taste of the responsibility has been extremely eye opening and helpful.

 

[lifetothefullest]

I love EMT for this reason - prehospital care is one of the few places a premed would have the opportunity to make actual medical decisions, even if not very complicated ones - getting a taste of the responsibility has been extremely eye opening and helpful.

Although, I suppose if you're just riding with your Uni first aid squad, you're most likely going to be transporting drunk college students on weekends and that gets old fast. But if you're actually integrated into the community, then you get a lot more experience.

Plus, one more side note: while EMTs get a lot of credit for saving lives, CPR, delivering babies, etc., most times in the field, you'll find that all your training was really for nothing because you're only going to be transporting sick patients most of the time. It's not every shift you work on that you get a heart attack or stroke or trauma. In fact, most times you'll get a history, administer oxygen, load the patient, and transport.

 

[CircadianRhythm]

The only point I would disagree with is that the decisions you make aren't complicated, they very well could be. Like deciding to transport the stroke yourself or wait for the paramedic's incase the patient loses their airway, or do I need to rapidly extricate the severe MVA victim and potentially exacerbate a spinal injury or do I have enough time to remove them carefully etc.

 

[NeuResurgens]

Although, I suppose if you're just riding with your Uni first aid squad, you're most likely going to be transporting drunk college students on weekends and that gets old fast. But if you're actually integrated into the community, then you get a lot more experience.

Plus, one more side note: while EMTs get a lot of credit for saving lives, CPR, delivering babies, etc., most times in the field, you'll find that all your training was really for nothing because you're only going to be transporting sick patients most of the time. It's not every shift you work on that you get a heart attack or stroke or trauma. In fact, most times you'll get a history, administer oxygen, load the patient, and transport.

It is important to consider your area since EMT experience varies widely by location. You need to get an idea of local calls and see if it interests you. My uni agency doesn't have a high call volume, so I do wish we'd see more action. I hope to get a job closer to the city during my gap year so I can get more experience.

 

[NeuResurgens]

The only point I would disagree with is that the decisions you make aren't complicated, they very well could be. Like deciding to transport the stroke yourself or wait for the paramedic's incase the patient loses their airway, or do I need to rapidly extricate the severe MVA victim and potentially exacerbate a spinal injury or do I have enough time to remove them carefully etc.

Of course. I mean relative to physicians

 

[lifetothefullest]

It is important to consider your area since EMT experience varies widely by location. You need to get an idea of local calls and see if it interests you. My uni agency doesn't have a high call volume, so I do wish we'd see more action. I hope to get a job closer to the city during my gap year so I can get more experience.

Is the majority of your calls for stuff like falls/minor injuries and transporting drunk people? I'm curious as to how widespread this experience is.

 

[The Buff OP]

Clearly every EMT will say EMT and every CNA will say CNA (as is already going on lol). as someone who's done it all and then some, I'll give my honest advice as I've been on both ends for thousands of hours.

I've been a hospital floor CNA, EMT-b (volly on ambulance), ER CNA, and now ER tech using all of my certs. to be blunt, anything hospital based (i.e. CNA in this case) is infinitely more valuable than pre-hospital care (EMT in this case). I say that because nothing you learn in these entry level positions will be as important as simply developing a bedside manner and learning how to speak to people and care for them during difficult moments in their lives. Not that EMTs don't get a bit of this, but it isn't even close in comparison. To put it into perspective, the EMT will spend an hour (tops) with my patient, then they drop them off to us where I spend 12 hours with them taking care of every kind of task you could imagine. Plus, no "procedure/diagnosing" you learn will really give you any kind of leg up in med school (maybe phlebotomy), but a strong sense of how to act in a hospital and take care of patients will.

Also, the connections you make in the hospital (try to get into a teaching hospital), as well as just making sure you can survive in the hospital setting is important.

Again, as someone who's done it all, I'd vote hospital CNA for you everytime.

But have you done CNA and EMT on an ambulance, though?

 

[The Buff OP]

EMT skills:

1. Learn signs and symptoms of illnesses.
2. Bleeding control and shock mangement.
3. BVM ventilation.
4. Cardiac Arrest/AED
5. Joint and long bone immobilization.
6. Takes Vitals. Knowing what is normal for different age groups and changes when something is happening to the patient.
7. Medical assessment.
8. Oxygen administration.
9. Supine and seated spine immobilization.
10. Trauma assessment.
11. Can eat a burrito in less than a minute.
12. Can deliver a baby.

CNA skills:

1. Vitals
2. Wipe booty.
3. Fold stuff.

 

[The Buff OP]

I'm an EMT and I recommend EMT over CNA. In the field you will have infinitely more responsibility. Yeah a CNA might do compressions during a code but the doctor is running the show. In the field it might be you directing an entire engine crew or it might just be you and your partner. You'll get on the scene of a multiple car pile up and the cops already there look to you for orders. If you drive the ambulance you will be trained to be a professional driver who can safely navigate through rush hour traffic as everyone freaks out around you at the sound of your siren. People will hand you their apneic baby and there wont be anyone else for you to hand the kid off to. You could deliver a baby, apply a tourniquet on an arterial bleeder, resuscitate the ODing college kid. The list goes on. CNA's don't have anywhere near the responsibility.

First time the whole fire crew looked at me on how to proceed next, I was like....what me? lol

 

[NeuResurgens]

Is the majority of your calls for stuff like falls/minor injuries and transporting drunk people? I'm curious as to how widespread this experience is.

Surprisingly drunkenness doesn't factor in as often because most of that occurs off campus, and our jurisdiction is just on campus. We do get a lot of ground levels and other minor injuries, and we also have a lot of orthopedic calls because lots of people do intramural sports on campus. We also cover all campus events, which is typically where we see our more interesting calls/arrests because you see more than the normal student demographic.

 

[Swaggot]

I'm an EMT and I recommend EMT over CNA. In the field you will have infinitely more responsibility. Yeah a CNA might do compressions during a code but the doctor is running the show. In the field it might be you directing an entire engine crew or it might just be you and your partner. You'll get on the scene of a multiple car pile up and the cops already there look to you for orders. If you drive the ambulance you will be trained to be a professional driver who can safely navigate through rush hour traffic as everyone freaks out around you at the sound of your siren. People will hand you their apneic baby and there wont be anyone else for you to hand the kid off to. You could deliver a baby, apply a tourniquet on an arterial bleeder, resuscitate the ODing college kid. The list goes on. CNA's don't have anywhere near the responsibility.

You convinced me to take emt classes this summer

 

[CircadianRhythm]

First time the whole fire crew looked at me on how to proceed next, I was like....what me? lol

A paramedic told me the first time he was the first on the scene of an MVA without a preceptor he looked to his partner and said "call 911!"

 

[GatorsKW14]

So I'm not able to get any research this summer because I am just finishing up at community college and it seems no one wants to hire a CC student in their lab so I figured I would do some clinical hours instead. My first choice was scribe work but I got rejected by all the positions in my area. I was wondering if I should get my CNA or EMT-b this summer. ER techs in my area usually have a CNA and that's a job I would LOVE to do, however people on here have warned that CNA's are not worth it. Which of these two would you recommend? Any suggestions other than these two?

I started as a CNA on the medical/surgical floor and then transitioned to ER technician because I worked in the ER as a scribe and they were willing to train me. As an ER technician, I do IVs, blood work, EKGs, Foley catheters, wound care, splints, and participate during codes (CPR, inserting IVs, hanging fluids, etc). The experience I have had as an ER technician has been incredible. I can't say much about working in the field but I'm sure that I would love it too. Being a CNA on the nursing floors is extremely mentally and physically exhausting.. At least at my hospital. I will have up to 14 patients and half of them or more are total cares (incontinent and requiring constant diaper changes, unable to feed themselves, confused and trying to climb out of bed). The only more interesting thing that I SOMETIMES (not even every day) get to do is bloodwork.

Yes, I have developed my bedside manner and had meaningful moments while working as a CNA, but the knowledge and confidence I have gained as an ER technician is so much more significant. Also, being able to communicate with stressed out patients and family members during emergency situations will prepare you for any bedside situation you may have. Once you know how to talk to family members that just lost a loved one in a car accident or a patient who just found out he is having a massive heart attack, you can have any conversation.

 

[GatorsKW14]

yeah this is why I mention hospital CNA being the key. you'll still be doing the daily care stuff, but much less of it, plus many more "cooler" responsibilities

You must have lucked out at your hospital then. At mine, I do just as much butt wiping as nursing home CNAs... There is nobody else to do the butt wiping besides me lol. The "cooler" responsibilities are reserved for the nurses since CNAs are not certified to do very much.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

You must have lucked out at your hospital then. At mine, I do just as much butt wiping as nursing home CNAs... There is nobody else to do the butt wiping besides me lol. The "cooler" responsibilities are reserved for the nurses since CNAs are not certified to do very much.

as a CNA I did things like phlebotomy, blood glucose checks, vitals, EKGs, etc. as most of my work, with the occasional wipe grannies butt when needed (some days more than others).

obviously I've loved my years as an ER tech much more than anything else, but that wasn't a choice. between just EMT-b or CNA I believe the bedside experience as a CNA will prove more valuable than the riding experience. to each their own though, everyone can decide for themselves.

...and lets be real, the medic or CC are really the ones making the decisions, not the basics. and I made 3x as much money as a CNA then basically any EMT-b paid position I've ever heard of (no exaggeration). gotta pay the bills too

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

But have you done CNA and EMT on an ambulance, though?

I've transported drunks who **** all over themselves a bunch of times, does that count?

 

[GatorsKW14]

as a CNA I did things like phlebotomy, blood glucose checks, vitals, EKGs, etc. as most of my work, with the occasional wipe grannies butt when needed (some days more than others).

obviously I've loved my years as an ER tech much more than anything else, but that wasn't a choice. between just EMT-b or CNA I believe the bedside experience as a CNA will prove more valuable than the riding experience. to each their own though, everyone can decide for themselves.

...and lets be real, the medic or CC are really the ones making the decisions, not the basics. and I made 3x as much money as a CNA then basically any EMT-b paid position I've ever heard of (no exaggeration). gotta pay the bills too

I did all of those things too but they accounted for 3 hours out of my 12 hour shifts (I have an hour to do my vitals & glucose checks 3x per shift)... The rest was passing trays, bed baths, diaper changes, etc. I'm sure it varies by hospital but I don't want the OP to get the impression that being a CNA is more glamorous than it really is. I probably would not have had such an awful experience if my hospital was better staffed. I would actually have the time to talk to patients, instead of running around frantically, trying to make sure everything is done and all my patients have clean diapers. Unfortunately this seems to be a problem at a lot of hospitals.

I agree that EMT-b is not the best option money-wise. The reason why I brought up my ER technician experience is that both a CNA and EMT-b license could lead to an ER technician job depending on the hospital, and I think that position is the best of both worlds.

 

[Doctor Dream]

So I'm not able to get any research this summer because I am just finishing up at community college and it seems no one wants to hire a CC student in their lab so I figured I would do some clinical hours instead. My first choice was scribe work but I got rejected by all the positions in my area. I was wondering if I should get my CNA or EMT-b this summer. ER techs in my area usually have a CNA and that's a job I would LOVE to do, however people on here have warned that CNA's are not worth it. Which of these two would you recommend? Any suggestions other than these two?

Sounds like you've already made up your mind, but figured I'd add my thoughts as to why I chose CNA over EMT. Note that everything I'm saying goes back to personal preference.

1. CNA can be crazy, but it's an easy job to learn. I'm already taking full time classes, MCAT, etc. I didn't want the added stress of having to know how to properly immobilize someone with a spinal fracture, trauma assessment, etc. Sure it's cool to know, but I'll probably learn about it in med school so it's whatever.

2. I prefer working in more relaxed environments

3. Job availability. Like others have said, CNA job is easier to find.

4. CNA's have a different kind of patient exposure that EMT's don't get. EMT's might disagree but this is true. When you walk in a room and a lady is desperate for help because she's covered in BM, and you're the one that has to clean it out of her netheryaya, you really can't get more up close and personal than that. There's definitely a bedside manner you have to develop that's different than an EMT, like @DoctorLacrosse mentioned.

5. I'm interested in primary care, and to me, CNA is more similar to primary care than EMT. You establish a relationship and trust with your patients after working with them for days, you converse and learn things from each other. The bedside manner comes in again here. If I become an FM doc and have to examine a woman for possible genital herpes, it'll be easy after being a CNA, because I've been up close and personal hundreds of times.

6. There's a little stigma, but that doesn't bother me, even as a male (most CNA's are women). I'm not doing CNA work my whole life. A lot of female patients love male CNA's actually.

 

[Swaggot]

as a CNA I did things like phlebotomy, blood glucose checks, vitals, EKGs, etc. as most of my work, with the occasional wipe grannies butt when needed (some days more than others).

obviously I've loved my years as an ER tech much more than anything else, but that wasn't a choice. between just EMT-b or CNA I believe the bedside experience as a CNA will prove more valuable than the riding experience. to each their own though, everyone can decide for themselves.

...and lets be real, the medic or CC are really the ones making the decisions, not the basics. and I made 3x as much money as a CNA then basically any EMT-b paid position I've ever heard of (no exaggeration). gotta pay the bills too

I thought CNA's almost always make minimum wage to like 12/hr max. How much were you making if you don't mind me asking? Did you do your training at a private company? Also what is a CC? Sorry for all the questions but you're giving me second thoughts about going emt haha.

 

[CircadianRhythm]

...and lets be real, the medic or CC are really the ones making the decisions, not the basics. and I made 3x as much money as a CNA then basically any EMT-b paid position I've ever heard of (no exaggeration). gotta pay the bills too

That's not true. Perhaps if you are the driver with a paramedic partner but I work on a BLS only unit. Often the EMT will be the highest medical credential on a call until transfer in the ED.

 

[Doctor Dream]

CNA skills:

1. Vitals
2. Wipe booty.
3. Fold stuff.

I laughed for like a minute at this I think I saw this on the cover of my book for CNA class

 

[GatorsKW14]

My base rate as a CNA and ER tech is $14.50 but I also get shift differentials which bump it up quite a bit. I make more money hourly for working nights and weekends, for example. My hospital also has incentive pay for coming in extra since we are so understaffed, which is base rate+1/2+$5 so it's $26.75/hour. Not sure if other places do this but it's pretty nice.

 

[Swaggot]

My base rate as a CNA and ER tech is $14.50 but I also get shift differentials which bump it up quite a bit. I make more money hourly for working nights and weekends, for example. My hospital also has incentive pay for coming in extra since we are so understaffed, which is base rate+1/2+$5 so it's $26.75/hour. Not sure if other places do this but it's pretty nice.

Damn that's crazy pay for how little training is required! Do you think that is typical though?

 

[Doctor Dream]

Damn that's crazy pay for how little training is required! Do you think that is typical though?

Depends where you work, but if you're just doing CNA work (no ER stuff), you'll be somewhere between 8-12$/hr probably. I work on a vent unit as a CNA and make $11.50 or something. We get paid a little extra because the vent unit is more technical than a regular nursing home.

 

[GatorsKW14]

Damn that's crazy pay for how little training is required! Do you think that is typical though?

I'm not sure. There are CNAs that make less money than me because they don't have a Bachelor's degree and CNAs that make more than me because they have 15 years of experience. The lowest I have heard is $12.50.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

I thought CNA's almost always make minimum wage to like 12/hr max. How much were you making if you don't mind me asking? Did you do your training at a private company? Also what is a CC? Sorry for all the questions but you're giving me second thoughts about going emt haha.

hahaha damn, I never realized how spoiled we are in NY until I read all these posts on wages. as a hospital CNA I started at $20 an hour, and as an ER tech I now make ~$25 an hour now, + time and a half for OT/incentives... aka how I managed to survive in college

 

[GatorsKW14]

hahaha damn, I never realized how spoiled we are in NY until I read all these posts on wages. as a hospital CNA I started at $20 an hour, and as an ER tech I now make ~$25 an hour now, + time and a half for OT/incentives... aka how I managed to survive in college

Wow for that money I would love my CNA job too lmao

 

[Doctor Dream]

I'm not sure. There are CNAs that make less money than me because they don't have a Bachelor's degree and CNAs that make more than me because they have 15 years of experience. The lowest I have heard is $12.50.

You should point out the fact that you work in an ER. Even $12.50/hr is unheard of, at least where I live. Normal salary is around like 9-10$/hr for a regular CNA.

 

[GatorsKW14]

You should point out the fact that you work in an ER. Even $12.50/hr is unheard of, at least where I live. Normal salary is around like 9-10$/hr for a regular CNA.

$14.50 was my starting pay as a medical/surgical CNA. I wasn't hired as an ER employee initially.

 

[Doctor Dream]

hahaha damn, I never realized how spoiled we are in NY until I read all these posts on wages. as a hospital CNA I started at $20 an hour, and as an ER tech I now make ~$25 an hour now, + time and a half for OT/incentives... aka how I managed to survive in college

 

[Doctor Dream]

Wow, all of you make a crapload more than I do!!

 

[GatorsKW14]

Wow, all of you make a crapload more than I do!!

The cost of living here is really high so I'm assuming that they are trying to account for that. Plus it is a for-profit hospital that is part of a huge chain so maybe they are a little more flexible with their spending.

 

[Doctor Dream]

The cost of living here is really high so I'm assuming that they are trying to account for that. Plus it is a for-profit hospital that is part of a huge chain so maybe they are a little more flexible with their spending.

That makes sense. I live in a small rural town in the Midwest, that helps explain large discrepancy.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

yeah my cost of living is astronomical here as well, which I believe is why we make so much. plus my hospital system is known for high wages for various reasons I can't complain

 

[The Buff OP]

as a CNA I did things like phlebotomy, blood glucose checks, vitals, EKGs, etc. as most of my work, with the occasional wipe grannies butt when needed (some days more than others).

obviously I've loved my years as an ER tech much more than anything else, but that wasn't a choice. between just EMT-b or CNA I believe the bedside experience as a CNA will prove more valuable than the riding experience. to each their own though, everyone can decide for themselves.

...and lets be real, the medic or CC are really the ones making the decisions, not the basics. and I made 3x as much money as a CNA then basically any EMT-b paid position I've ever heard of (no exaggeration). gotta pay the bills too

My ICP lets me run calls, yo (I'm a volly). I get my practice done and they do the PCR. #winning

Edit: I learn to be really compassionate riding on the ambulance, wether they really need someone to care for them or they are faking some ****, I will be there showing compassion.