EMT-B and ED work

[Wolverine 11]

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Hi,
I live in the rocky mountain region and am really wanting to work in the ED after securing my EMT-B. I've just started classes. I've seen job postings that require 6mo -1yr fieldwork for work in the ED dept. I don't want to waste time/money answering the phone at an ambulance service for 6 mo. I'm a nontraditional student and am wanting to get medical experience quickly but in the hospital. I'm wondering if I want to keep looking at job postings/calling around to see the requirements to get into the ED... What else can I do with this certification in the hospital?

Looking for proactive solutions. Thanks.

 

[VisceralFlame]

An idea for you is to start volunteering at the ED now. When you get your license and are ready to get a job, it'll be a good foot in the door. I volunteered in the emergency department doing patient transport for a year and then when I got my EMT license, it was easy to get a Patient Care Tech position straight out of class. Might be an option you want to pursue

 

[Great White Buffalo]

I did EMT-Basic then volunteered for 2 years with the American Red Cross. We had an active FAST program that provided first aid for school, community and state wide events (marathons, fairs, football games). Great way to actually be of service and get experience. Beats answering phones.

 

[Stephanopolous]

Apply anyway and call ahead to speak with your prospective interviewer. Mention your EMT-B class and strong desire to work in the ED. Job postings tend to have a generic/pre-stated qualification set but exceptions are made for the right candidate sometimes.

Source: Chief scribe x 4 years with experience interviewing, hiring, and training individuals for ER scribe positions.

 

[Wolverine 11]

Thanks everyone. Feel more inspired. I think I'll continue with the basic training. Maybe take advice and look for volunteer opportunities in the the ED now and try and get my foot in the door. Pursue employment afterwards for tech positions and/or just find a place to volunteer with.

Stephanopolous
I've searched for scribe positions and have come up short with findings. How do you recommend attaining a scribe position? Cold calling ED HR? I know some locations have specific training programs for scribes.... I haven't found that in my location.

 

[mehc012]

Thanks everyone. Feel more inspired. I think I'll continue with the basic training. Maybe take advice and look for volunteer opportunities in the the ED now and try and get my foot in the door. Pursue employment afterwards for tech positions and/or just find a place to volunteer with.

Stephanopolous
I've searched for scribe positions and have come up short with findings. How do you recommend attaining a scribe position? Cold calling ED HR? I know some locations have specific training programs for scribes.... I haven't found that in my location.

Er, no.
If you can't find a scribe company in your area, chances are there are few (if any) scribe programs around. Google your area + scribe, likely something will come up!

 

[Stephanopolous]

If you try and search scribes in my area only one program comes up, which isn't the one I'm part of. Briefly, many times scribe programs are set up by a third party company, and then the logistics and day to day things are taken over by the physician group, or, the third party group that started the scribe program isn't around, etc.

The short of it: the best way to find out if hospitals/clinics around you use scribes, is to call them directly and ask. Don't call the main hospital number because often times the person answering the phone won't know. Call the ER/floor/main office that you're trying to ask. I'm not suggesting you cold call to get a job, only to inquire if they have scribes. After that, you can find out how to apply and submit a resume for the position. I train my scribes on site at our hospital but I know of many programs, run by third party companies, that train the scribes prior to them starting in the ED.

 

[Hayden19]

An idea for you is to start volunteering at the ED now. When you get your license and are ready to get a job, it'll be a good foot in the door. I volunteered in the emergency department doing patient transport for a year and then when I got my EMT license, it was easy to get a Patient Care Tech position straight out of class. Might be an option you want to pursue

X2 but with my CNA (my hospital requires CNA/EMT for the ER) + on the job training (EKGs, splints ext)

 

[frosted_flake]

The ambulance is fun! 🙂
I have some friends who do both ER and ED tech and they said that as an EMT you have a lot more autonomy when it is just you and your partner on the ambulance. However, they are two completely different worlds!

 

[Pacna]

Thanks everyone. Feel more inspired. I think I'll continue with the basic training. Maybe take advice and look for volunteer opportunities in the the ED now and try and get my foot in the door. Pursue employment afterwards for tech positions and/or just find a place to volunteer with.

Stephanopolous
I've searched for scribe positions and have come up short with findings. How do you recommend attaining a scribe position? Cold calling ED HR? I know some locations have specific training programs for scribes.... I haven't found that in my location.

Don't pursue scribe work. I do this now, and it's not going to use any of your EMT training.

 

[mehc012]

Don't pursue scribe work. I do this now, and it's not going to use any of your EMT training.

Pursue Scribe work because it's awesome, but be aware that it won't use any of your EMT training.

 

[Kj1023]

I have been an ED scribe for about one year and I have friends who are EMTs. The EMTs have spent significant time in the ambulance and then started working as a scribe because they felt they hit their "ceiling" with EMT. The two jobs are very different, so if you're interested in getting a more diverse ED experience, try the scribing. It's such a great job and you create great personal relationships with the doctors, I love it and will always recommend scribing for anyone who wants to go into medicine eventually.

 

[Dr Turkelton]

I don't know what it is about the scribes I know but they all act like condescending jerks towards EMT's and ED techs. Scribing seems to give certain people giant ego's for some reason.

OP: Get on a transport company now and look for a 911 job, way more fun than ED tech. You could always work as a scribe then volunteer on a rescue squad too, which is what I plan on doing in a few months.

 

[mehc012]

I don't know what it is about the scribes I know but they all act like condescending jerks towards EMT's and ED techs. Scribing seems to give certain people giant ego's for some reason.

OP: Get on a transport company now and look for a 911 job, way more fun than ED tech. You could always work as a scribe then volunteer on a rescue squad too, which is what I plan on doing in a few months.

That's a shame...I respect the hell out of most of the EMS people I've met. They have far more experience than I could hope to, and they are able to directly help patients, which I cannot.
I can see it trickling down from the physicians, though. I have been told multiple times not to put in what the EMS says, trust their assessment, make sure I phrase it as 'EMS reported xyz' . I always take it as 'we are legally required to do our own independent assessment, let's try to start it without bias' , but I could definitely see people taking it otherwise. Actually, I would imagine that a lot of scribes' interactions with all other members of the healthcare team would be strongly colored by the physicians they work with and their attitude towards other players. After all, it's who we work most closely with, and many of us like to see ourselves sitting one seat over in our imaginations. It's too bad, really. This is the golden opportunity to see how doctors are viewed by their coworkers in a way you won't get when you're the MD instead of someone to talk to in the break room. I've learned a lot about what kind of physician I hope to be just from hearing the tone in the nurse's voice when they discuss who's on that day, or the raised eyebrows everyone gets when the doc is looking the other way (not to mention, of course, the open respect people have in conversation...but it's important to get all aspects, not just the expected conversational ones).