EMTs, a little help?- I need a job

[Freakingzooming]

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Hi,

I did a search on this and I couldn't find a conclusive answer but I've just been certified by National Registry and licensed in the state of Illinois so I'm good to go, just need help finding a job as NREMT-Basic... where could I start? Does anyone have any advice, tips, numbers?

I called the state department of health and they told me they couldn't really help. I live in the downtown Chicago area and was looking to maybe be an ER tech or transporter.. or pair up with a medic.

 

[VPDcurt]

I am a certified EMT-B as well (congrats on that) but I never got a job using that certification. However, I talked to many people that have pursued such an option. They all contacted private ambulance companies. In CT, one of the companies that many went to was Aetna - I'm not sure if that is national though. They usually paired them up with a paramedic or they started out transporting stable patients from one hospital to another. good luck.

 

[Laur]

Hi, sorry for intruding on the post with a question of my own. I was wondering...when I'm done with school, I wanted to try getting into the whole EMT thing. Is there some sort of EMT school or program I can sign up for now? Or does anyone have some website or source I can look into? Thanks alot.

 

[Freakingzooming]

Hi, sorry for intruding on the post with a question of my own. I was wondering...when I'm done with school, I wanted to try getting into the whole EMT thing. Is there some sort of EMT school or program I can sign up for now? Or does anyone have some website or source I can look into? Thanks alot.

i took my course at long beach- www.schoolofemt.com

Keep in mind this is cali and it's 4 weeks... I was doing my AMCAS at the time too... not good to pair stressful all nighter class with writing essays on why you want to become a doctor.. but it was good fun and I learned a ton.

 

[stoleyerscrubz]

Aren't you able to use those creditionals to get a paid job as an ER Tech? perhaps that is an alternative.

 

[47534]

Did you check or try posting on the EMS forum? Perhaps they can better help you there. Congrats on the EMT-B, but unfortunately I don't think there are many positions for basics in the Chicago area (same for most large cities, I think). I think they mostly hire ALS providers so you probably wouldn't be able to get a job unless you were a paramedic. But definitely do check out the ER tech position as posted above. Good luck!

 

[45408]

Aren't you able to use those creditionals to get a paid job as an ER Tech? perhaps that is an alternative.

Yep. That's what I'm applying for with my EMT-B right now. I got one of the staff physicians in that particular ER to write me a quick LOR. I hope it helps!

As for the OP - you can work for many/most private ambulance companies, emergency rooms, or some other companies hire EMT-Bs as a sort of "first aid officer" for large companies.

 

[Mumpu]

You can get a transport job with one of the private ambulance companies. Don't expect to find any 9-1-1 work unless you go to a rural or volunteer company. Most 9-1-1 carriers in large cities will make you work in transport for as long as a year to get experience and prove yourself.

ER tech may be your best bet (and sure beats transport!).

 

[subtle1epiphany]

i took my course at long beach- www.schoolofemt.com

Keep in mind this is cali and it's 4 weeks... I was doing my AMCAS at the time too... not good to pair stressful all nighter class with writing essays on why you want to become a doctor.. but it was good fun and I learned a ton.

Freakingzooming I just finished at School of EMT
When did you go there? I took the night class that finished on August 19th. Did you have Steph for your instructor?
You find a job yet?

 

[Freakingzooming]

Freakingzooming I just finished at School of EMT
When did you go there? I took the night class that finished on August 19th. Did you have Steph for your instructor?
You find a job yet?

hey subtle1epiphany- Yep, night class and all. Took it a day after my graduation (u of chicago), ended July19th or something like that, took the National registry test a week after and got licensed here. great class, steph was awesome... a little intense at times but oh well. did you have joe, angel, and mark (crazy intense too) as skills instructors?

are you in college now? doing the summer back at home, take class and work as EMT in college plan? I need a job, hence the thread. was looking for Chicago EMTs to hook me up with some numbers.

 

[seethrew]

Hey...

I worked as a volunteer Basic and Intermediate EMT in New York State - as you know this stuff is quite regional but I may be able to give y'all a little advice.

To be an EMT-Basic:
Look for courses at local community colleges. EMS degrees are usually associates, although some places have Bachelors (rare). SO thats why you find those classes a CC's unless you take them from some expensive private company. I recommend talking to a local volunteer agency - I had ALL of my training fees covered by NY State because I volunteered, then used the certs to work.

To get a job:
There are a lot of EMS websites and journals. JEMS (Journal of Emergency Medical Services) is one good magazine. These places sometimes have listings for ambulance/transport jobs. Commercial websites - Rural Metro is pretty ubiquitus around here. I worked for a small company through a tertiary care hospital as a Basic. Hospitals in the NE tend to pay better, and have benefits vs. commercials. ED tech, patient care tech, nurses aide, cna, hha, are all good ways to use your cert, but may require additional training. Some camps want EMT certs to be medical directors - like Boy Scouts. Special camps for kids with problems - health or social, love EMTs. I had a friend who worked as an EMT in S. Africa when studying abroad and saw a lot of crazy things - you could go abroad. If you are really daring they pay a ton to go to IRAQ.

Just out of curiosity I did an online search for Illinios EMT Basic wanted and a bunch of jobs popped up - try that!

I learned SO much in my experience. Don't expect to get paid very much in $$$ but you'll get a lot of in the trenches type material to work with.

PM me if you've got any questions.

Hope this helps.
-s

 

[subtle1epiphany]

hey subtle1epiphany- Yep, night class and all. Took it a day after my graduation (u of chicago), ended July19th or something like that, took the National registry test a week after and got licensed here. great class, steph was awesome... a little intense at times but oh well. did you have joe, angel, and mark (crazy intense too) as skills instructors?

are you in college now? doing the summer back at home, take class and work as EMT in college plan? I need a job, hence the thread. was looking for Chicago EMTs to hook me up with some numbers.

yeah, steph was "freaking" incredible!
mark was awesome too.
i just finished last week and passed the LA county exam yesterday.
i'm hoping to find an ED tech or telemetry tech position since i also took the EKG/Arrhythmia class there, which was really informative and interesting. but hey, i guess an ambulance company would beat mcdonalds, i mean at least i'd be able to use my cert and make a difference.

 

[Gutierrez001]

I work as a ER TECH at mount siani hospital in Miami Beach, It pays pretty good and they teach alot more than EMT school did. You can work for a private ambulance but it probably one of the most boring jobs out there becuz all you do is move PT. Plus working in the ER you will see alot of good stuff.And working with so many different doctor its a great place for LOR😀 .But you must also know its alot of work and most likely you will get the nite shift when you get hired.(7pm-7am,which i think it better to work nite becuz you see more trauma, and during the day its more like a clinic with fever, cough,etc.) I have never been to Chicago but , i think its about the same or close to it and you'll probably get paid more than me becuz its a bigger city.(Pay rate is $15/hr)

* Know that some nites you'll have nothing to do but drink coffe and joke with doctor and nurse to kill time, BUt some nite it is seriously hell becuz you'll work your whole entire 12 hour shift*

 

[ShyRem]

In Colorado, every hospital has an EMS department. No, NOT ER, EMS. They handle things like continuing education and protocols and stuff like that. Get hold of them and find out when their CE's are, and then go to them. You'll be in an entire room full of EMS-junkies who are full of information (like where to start, who's good to work for, who's hiring, who pays best, where you learn most from, best partners, best protocols, etc...).

Keep in mind every state is different, and every system is different. Here we have hospitals that say ER Techs *must* be EMT-I or above, we have ambulances that only hire paramedics or PAs, we have hospitals that put EMTBs to work doing more than CT transports down the hall, and we have ambulances that work mixed pairs (basic & medic) on every rig. Also, check out your certification requirements. I'm a paramedic, but to get a job as a CNA I have to take a 40 hour class (8 hours of which is CPR, 8 hours of washing your hands..no kidding..) and being a paramedic does NOT waive that requirement.

Also, get your IV cert (if it's separate in your state), and you can look for a job as a phlebotomist. Not very exciting, but you'll be able to get a line on a gnat and network besides. Could open some doors for you. Good luck.

 

[Mumpu]

I used to work as a CNA at the one and only Denver General. It's a great experience because you will never fear scut work again in your life (you are at the very bottom of the food chain) and you get good patient care experience, but boy, what a horribly unthankful job.

 

[ShyRem]

Mumpu, I used to be a medic for Northglenn Ambulance... took many a patient to DG. Great place, but I don't think you could pay me enough to be a CNA there (or anywhere, for that matter) EEEEUuuuuwwwwwww!

 

[45408]

I'm guessing this would be the thread to ask - as an EMT, do you think I could apply for this position as an urgent care assistant? I'm not a CNA/PCA, but would I know enough overlapping material to do this job? Here's the actual description:

Job Description
Requires excellent communication skills to perform a variety of duties in delivery of outpatient care. Nursing student or medical office experience an asset. Completion of first nursing program skills course or state certification as a nursing assistant and 25 wpm required.