Question re: becoming an ER tech...

[BostonEMT]

I'm a 24 year old EMT in Boston (hence the name) who will be going back to school in the next year. I currently work for a private service but desperately want to work as an ER tech at one of the bigger Boston hospitals.

I've heard mixed things about how much one can expect to make and how easy or difficult it can be to be hired. I only have about seven months experience working as an EMT but I am very good at my job, very rarely find it challenging, and am going back to school for an undergraduate biology degree with the intention of eventually becoming a practicing clinician (possibly PA but obviously that's a long way off). I am curious if my lack of experience will make it difficult for me to be hired as a tech. Do the bigger Boston hospitals (MGH, BMC, B&W, BI, Children's) only hire techs that are paramedics or do they hire basics as well? What's the best way to impress upon them my desire to be in the ED? Is this just one of those things -- like so many others in life -- where persistence almost to the point of annoyance pays off? Anybody here working as an ER tech? In Boston? Any and all replies appreciated and thank you in advance.

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[DallasMedic]

I'm a 24 year old EMT in Boston (hence the name) who will be going back to school in the next year. I currently work for a private service but desperately want to work as an ER tech at one of the bigger Boston hospitals.

I've heard mixed things about how much one can expect to make and how easy or difficult it can be to be hired. I only have about seven months experience working as an EMT but I am very good at my job, very rarely find it challenging, and am going back to school for an undergraduate biology degree with the intention of eventually becoming a practicing clinician (possibly PA but obviously that's a long way off). I am curious if my lack of experience will make it difficult for me to be hired as a tech. Do the bigger Boston hospitals (MGH, BMC, B&W, BI, Children's) only hire techs that are paramedics or do they hire basics as well? What's the best way to impress upon them my desire to be in the ED? Is this just one of those things -- like so many others in life -- where persistence almost to the point of annoyance pays off? Anybody here working as an ER tech? In Boston? Any and all replies appreciated and thank you in advance.

I can speak coming out of the Dallas region that as an EMT, I was hired as a Patient Care Attendent for the ER but everyone calls you a tech.

 

[Paramedic22]

Hey there BostonEMT! Bean town represent! I too am from the greater Boston are and am pretty sure that Mass Gen, and BMC have career buttons on their websites. Although I am sure they don't list the starting salaries (which I am sure are kinda low) they should list the qualifications and requirements! Stay wicked safe out there!

 

[igcgnerd]

I had 5 or 6 months field experience, did a 100 hr tech internship, phlebotomy certified (cus they want all the techs to draw blood for the nurses whenever possible out here in the boonies), and started working for a nursing registry at the same hospital I did my internship at. Out here due to what is "designated as nursing duties" they don't hire paramedics for these positions because we can't do IV's.

 

[Eddie]

I had 5 or 6 months field experience, did a 100 hr tech internship, phlebotomy certified (cus they want all the techs to draw blood for the nurses whenever possible out here in the boonies), and started working for a nursing registry at the same hospital I did my internship at. Out here due to what is "designated as nursing duties" they don't hire paramedics for these positions because we can't do IV's.

Paramedics can get lines. Are you meaning as a basic?

 

[igcgnerd]

I meant that in the ER's I have worked at they specifically hire EMT-basics because, starting IV's are defined as part of the nurse's job. If a paramedic was hired, they would be practicing within the scope of a basic because the nurse's unions have the hospitals hog tied in defining what specific tasks are nurses only at least within the hospital.

 

[Druggernaut]

That's variable depending on where you are. At my hospital, they teach you on IV insertion after you've been there a few months, even if you're a basic or a CNA. The scope of practice doesn't really apply. Most of the things I do on a typical day weren't covered at all in EMT-Basic class, aside from putting someone on oxygen, bandaging, and CPR.

 

[Eddie]

I meant that in the ER's I have worked at they specifically hire EMT-basics because, starting IV's are defined as part of the nurse's job. If a paramedic was hired, they would be practicing within the scope of a basic because the nurse's unions have the hospitals hog tied in defining what specific tasks are nurses only at least within the hospital.

Oh, gotcha.

 

[leviathan]

I meant that in the ER's I have worked at they specifically hire EMT-basics because, starting IV's are defined as part of the nurse's job. If a paramedic was hired, they would be practicing within the scope of a basic because the nurse's unions have the hospitals hog tied in defining what specific tasks are nurses only at least within the hospital.

Wow...at most of our hospitals here, the nurses would be buying you dinner if you took care of all their IV starts.

 

[jbar]

I meant that in the ER's I have worked at they specifically hire EMT-basics because, starting IV's are defined as part of the nurse's job. If a paramedic was hired, they would be practicing within the scope of a basic because the nurse's unions have the hospitals hog tied in defining what specific tasks are nurses only at least within the hospital.

depends on where you are. In Colorado EMT basics can take an add on class and be certified to start IVs. Lots of EDs use them because it is way cheaper to
hire an EMT than a paramedic. They are also so short on nurses that it frees up nurses to give drugs and take care of patients. Sorta a waste to tie up RNs starting lines, getting the patient changed, drawing labs etc.

 

[MedicFL]

Down in FL is an EMT completes extra training they can start IV's if there medical director approves. Not alot of systems use them in the ability but by statue they are allowed.

 

[Siggy]

Looking at the replies I think people are missing the point that a prehospital scope of practice mean nothing in the hospital enviroment. A hospital, if they want to and aren't bound by the aformentioned "Nurse Practice Act" type laws, can take a certified first responder and have them start IVs after appropriate training. It doesn't matter what the EMS medical director, EMS statue, or EMS system allows providers to do prehospitally.

 

[deleted6669]

er tech scope of practice is highly variable.
when I was an er tech in the 80's in california my scope of practice was basically rn scope minus abg's and foleys. I started iv's, pushed iv meds, gave subq epi, etc as well as running the lab and normal tech type duties. when an rn called in sick I covered for them.
this was a 4 bed rural er with a fairly low volume but as is the case anywhere we got good stuff occassionally like rattlesnake bites, codes, bad mva's, etc
I was an emt-1a(now called emt-basic) and got some on the job training that allowed me to challenge the state of ca medical asst requirements and be dual certified. around 1988 I took the emt-d class and got credentialed to use the new fangled aed's.