EMT-B, CNA questions

[Verum]

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If i decide to do EMT-B or CNA training, would the classes have to be reported to the AMCAS? SUch as the grade etc or is it purely commercial ie non academic?

Which is better for clinical experience? I don't want to be stuck doing desk work which the A in CNA indicates.

Would any of you suggest doing both? What advantages could this provide over just doing one?

Thanks.

 

[Keepitclassy]

Depends on the school and institution you take the courses at. The EMT-B class at my school does not accredit you with university credit, but several nearby universities. Per my understanding, if you do receive credit hours for either of the two options, the GPA you score will go towards your AO GPA as opposed to sGPA.

In regards to "which is better for clinical experience" both are sufficient for clinical experience. However, being certified as an EMT-B will probably open much more doors and is more "exciting". You can work as an ER tech which will swing the doors wide open in regards to shadowing which is crucial for your application.

Working as an EMT isn't a bad job either. $10+/hour in most cases and if you work on-campus all you'll do is answer calls late at night to escort drunk college chicks back to their dorms (kidding, but you will undoubtedly receive those calls).

 

[Valadi]

If i decide to do EMT-B or CNA training, would the classes have to be reported to the AMCAS? SUch as the grade etc or is it purely commercial ie non academic?

Which is better for clinical experience? I don't want to be stuck doing desk work which the A in CNA indicates.

Would any of you suggest doing both? What advantages could this provide over just doing one?

Thanks.

Are you an undergrad? If so I suggest doing one. I was an EMT. Great experience. 12 hour overnight shift once a week is pretty standard on campuses, tho you can do more if its at home and youre on break. No grades reported to AMCAS for it. Plus as an EMT you get can get a cool siren if you're there long enough to speed to work, and all the local cops get to know you and let you slide when you're caught on traffic violations 😉

 

[Verum]

Are you an undergrad? If so I suggest doing one. I was an EMT. Great experience. 12 hour overnight shift once a week is pretty standard on campuses, tho you can do more if its at home and youre on break. No grades reported to AMCAS for it. Plus as an EMT you get can get a cool siren if you're there long enough to speed to work, and all the local cops get to know you and let you slide when you're caught on traffic violations 😉

What if i want to do both?

 

[COMedic2Doc]

What if i want to do both?

I'd recommend going with EMT-B. CNA is really limited and EMT will give you more job opportunities once you complete the training, i.e. an EMT can fill a Tech role in the hospital (common CNA role) but a CNA is not recognized in the Emergency Medicine arena in most cases, especially pre-hospital. EMT-B is your best option imho.

 

[Verum]

I'd recommend going with EMT-B. CNA is really limited and EMT will give you more job opportunities once you complete the training, i.e. an EMT can fill a Tech role in the hospital (common CNA role) but a CNA is not recognized in the Emergency Medicine arena in most cases, especially pre-hospital. EMT-B is your best option imho.

So i can do all the things a CNA can do with an EMT-B but not the other way around?

 

[COMedic2Doc]

So i can do all the things a CNA can do with an EMT-B but not the other way around?

Yup. CNA is really simple, OJT for most EMT-Bs. Nothing against CNAs but EMT-Bs are taught a higher level of thinking when it comes to patient care. Another plus is that EMT-B training will give you the very basics in how physicians think about patients, which CNA will not (they cover nursing approaches not physician/PA approaches putting this in loose, broad terms).

 

[Keepitclassy]

Although I'm not entirely too sure as to exactly what being a CNA entails, I'm sure there are some things which are specific for that certification which can't be done by an EMT-B.

Assuming your end goal is to beef up your resume, there's no need to do both seeing as how a majority of applicants have neither of these certifications under their belt.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

Although I'm not entirely too sure as to exactly what being a CNA entails, I'm sure there are some things which are specific for that certification which can't be done by an EMT-B.

Assuming your end goal is to beef up your resume, there's no need to do both seeing as how a majority of applicants have neither of these certifications under their belt.

Not in most patient care situations that are in-hospital that an EMT cannot learn OJT (coming from personal experience with working in Tech roles in the past).

 

[Valadi]

If you want to get your hands dirty learning to save lives, go EMT.

If you want to help manage the disabled and elderly (a worthy cause as well), go CNA.

If you're an undergrad I don't see how you'd manage both.

 

[NCOldie]

As a CNA-1, you'll mainly be taking care of the elderly (hygiene and daily living activities, mainly)
As a CNA-2, you'll do a lot more and won't be limited to helping the elderly or disabled. You'd be able to administer O2 therapy, insert urinary catheter, care for wounds, etc.
It really depends on the state you're in, though. Before I received my CNA-II, I was allowed to do all that a NA-II is certified to do because I was working in a nursing home and they trained me to do it.

I am also an EMT-B. To me, this has given me the most varied patient interaction. I run into unique situations and the day to day activity isn't so predictable. Also, as an EMT-B I am qualified to do many different jobs.

I suggest getting both certifications, if possible. Because I have both, I get paid a higher wage and I believe it also gave me the boost I needed in this economy to be hired.

 

[Verum]

As a CNA-1, you'll mainly be taking care of the elderly (hygiene and daily living activities, mainly)
As a CNA-2, you'll do a lot more and won't be limited to helping the elderly or disabled. You'd be able to administer O2 therapy, insert urinary catheter, care for wounds, etc.
It really depends on the state you're in, though. Before I received my CNA-II, I was allowed to do all that a NA-II is certified to do because I was working in a nursing home and they trained me to do it.

I am also an EMT-B. To me, this has given me the most varied patient interaction. I run into unique situations and the day to day activity isn't so predictable. Also, as an EMT-B I am qualified to do many different jobs.

I suggest getting both certifications, if possible. Because I have both, I get paid a higher wage and I believe it also gave me the boost I needed in this economy to be hired.

Thanks i intend on getting both. I don't really care about the money but its always nice 🙂

 

[Jax4ECU]

Verum,

instead of pursuing both certifications, have you considered getting one of them, working at it for a while, then later pursuing advanced training (EMT-B..work..EMT-I OR CNA-I..work..CNA-II). If your purpose for participating in theses activities is to gain a better appreciation of medicine through working with patients, then it seems to me that this would be the most logical course of action. My reasoning behind this is that you actually need to use the certs to get anything out of them.

If you want to pad you resume with certifications, then pursue both certifications. If I were you, I'd pick just one because I assure you it will be difficult balancing class, research, moonlighting as an EMT/CNA, clubs, other volunteering etc.. and maintaining a personal life. Don't overload yourself, especially at first. Remember, you have at least 3 years to prepare a solid application.

 

[Jax4ECU]

Regarding AMCAS, my program was through a community college and may differ from the experiences of others. I had to submit a copy of my official transcript from the CC to AMCAS, however, I was not required to list the courses in the coursework section and my courses (initial cert and continuing education) were not averaged into my AMCAS GPA.

 

[Verum]

Verum,

instead of pursuing both certifications, have you considered getting one of them, working at it for a while, then later pursuing advanced training (EMT-B..work..EMT-I OR CNA-I..work..CNA-II). If your purpose for participating in theses activities is to gain a better appreciation of medicine through working with patients, then it seems to me that this would be the most logical course of action. My reasoning behind this is that you actually need to use the certs to get anything out of them.

If you want to pad you resume with certifications, then pursue both certifications. If I were you, I'd pick just one because I assure you it will be difficult balancing class, research, moonlighting as an EMT/CNA, clubs, other volunteering etc.. and maintaining a personal life. Don't overload yourself, especially at first. Remember, you have at least 3 years to prepare a solid application.

That's what i plan to do, get and use one at a time. CNA-I this summer to volunteer at a hospital and get the EMT-B next summer.

 

[Jarudy]

PS it's no longer an "EMT-B" or "EMT-I", just EMT and AEMT respectively.

 

[Dan1804]

PS it's no longer an "EMT-B" or "EMT-I", just EMT and AEMT respectively.

Depends on the state. We still have EMT-B and EMT-I in NY. AEMT as a general reference covers I and P here.

 

[Jax4ECU]

deleted for double post

 

[Jax4ECU]

Depends on the state. We still have EMT-B and EMT-I in NY. AEMT as a general reference covers I and P here.

likewise here in NC

 

[Username1234]

If i decide to do EMT-B or CNA training, would the classes have to be reported to the AMCAS? SUch as the grade etc or is it purely commercial ie non academic?

Which is better for clinical experience? I don't want to be stuck doing desk work which the A in CNA indicates.

Would any of you suggest doing both? What advantages could this provide over just doing one?

Thanks.

It is most likely different for every school but for my EMT-B class (I took it as part of the school's degree in EMS-P) so that was credited and graded. My CNA course I took at the same college was non-credited and pass/fail. If you have the money and time, both courses together would probably only take about 4.5 months, shorter depending on the length of the courses and whether or not you do them separately. For mine it was three months EMT-B, and 1.5 months CNA.

I would really say go with what would interest you more. If you like being out in the field, working in different environmental conditions, spending down time in a EMT station or ambulance, the adrenaline going into a bad call, or the experiencing the lull when doing routine ones..then it might be for you.

With CNA, you are not going to be sitting at desk, unless you're filling in information on your patients. You're going to be up moving about pretty much all day: bathing, dressing, feeding, transporting patients from bed-wheelchair-toilet-etc, assisting with CPR/ventilation during codes, etc.
This would be a paid position v.s. the option of being able to volunteer as an EMT.

I just finished my CNA course so I couldn't tell you how the work is just yet, apart from the short clinical, but I think both are equally rewarding.

 

[SymphonyNo4]

CNA's are the eyes and ears of the nurses. Jobs could be as varied as home health, being a sitter, or long term care.

I received my CNA certification about 6 years ago, did home health, then later got my LPN. The advantage in comparison to being an EMT is you'll get more consistent interaction with your patients - you can see first hand the spread of disease or if that wound tx is working, etc etc.

One of my first experiences as a CNA involved caring for an Alzheimer patient. I was with him for around a year and saw him through end of life cares. It was an interesting experience dealing with it & getting to know his family, and seeing how it affected them. Other assignments I had involved working with someone post stroke and driving them to appts etc, spending the night in an elderly paraplegics house (had my own room, etc) and doing cares throughout the day. Etc etc etc.

My only experience with EMTs is when I call the ambulance service to transfer a patient to the hospital (EMT-B's?).

 

[Username1234]

CNA's are the eyes and ears of the nurses. Jobs could be as varied as home health, being a sitter, or long term care.

I received my CNA certification about 6 years ago, did home health, then later got my LPN. The advantage in comparison to being an EMT is you'll get more consistent interaction with your patients - you can see first hand the spread of disease or if that wound tx is working, etc etc.

One of my first experiences as a CNA involved caring for an Alzheimer patient. I was with him for around a year and saw him through end of life cares. It was an interesting experience dealing with it & getting to know his family, and seeing how it affected them. Other assignments I had involved working with someone post stroke and driving them to appts etc, spending the night in an elderly paraplegics house (had my own room, etc) and doing cares throughout the day. Etc etc etc.

My only experience with EMTs is when I call the ambulance service to transfer a patient to the hospital (EMT-B's?).

Very true! You'll more then likely see a larger volume of patients as an EMT-B (maybe 1 hour give or take depending on the situation) but you're not going to spend nearly as much time with them as you would a CNA.

 

[Verum]

Thanks for the help so far guys. One more question, how much hours per week is average for a CNA or an EMT?

 

[SymphonyNo4]

Thanks for the help so far guys. One more question, how much hours per week is average for a CNA or an EMT?

Can be fulltime/part time, etc.

I would look into home health companies (what I use to do). I just gave them my schedule, and they emailed me what was available. I could accept or reject as needed. The downside is of course income isn't stable and varies.

 

[Verum]

OK so i registered to get my CNA at my local red cross this summer. I am going to get the EMT next summer. How long is the EMT-B course on average? The CNA one is 5 weeks.