A paramedic to RN bridge program is a course of study that will get you out of the ambulance into the field of nursing quickly. Your experience in responding to life-threatening, hectic situations is extensive, and the medical field certainly recognizes your skills and dedication as highly valuable, which is why these accelerated programs are available online and at campuses near you.
Straight talk
You might need to work double time on this career path because there will be a demanding coursework ahead of you.
If you are currently working as a paramedic, talk to the college or program advisor to help you plan out your schedule to comply with the academic requirements and clinical training you will need to cover.
Are You Up To It?
If you had several semester credits in college or if you have completed a degree, then you will need those credits assessed in a nursing school for accreditation and proper counseling.
As paramedics, you were not required to finish a degree, although the training was rigorous before you were allowed to practice.
So the chances are you would have to find a bridge program to help you cross the career path of a paramedic to a registered nurse.
These bridge programs have many advantages: they widen your range of practice, increase your earning capacity, allow you to quickly complete the program, and start a promising career as a registered nurse.
Your to-do list will be quite long, but first things first.
There are online and in-campus programs designed for paramedics to transition to a career in nursing, although online schools are not quite that many.
When choosing schools and programs, make sure that these are accredited by agencies and organizations authorized to conduct accreditation, such as the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
How long is a paramedic to RN bridge program?
When you have decided on your school and program, you may request for advanced placement in an associate degree program in nursing.
With credits from your paramedic training, a paramedic to RN bridge program will take you between one to two years to complete.
This is one of the shortest routes that can help you make the transition to your new career.
You might also want to consider other options, such as a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in nursing.
Got your prerequisites met?
To be admitted to the program, schools generally require that paramedics must have completed a program for Emergency Medical Services accredited by the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program (CAAHEP) within the last 3 years.
Usually, a documented 1000 hours of paramedic experience is required if the training program was completed more than 3 years ago.
Complete general education requirements must have been completed. If not, then comply before enrolling to the program.
Some universities will require a GPA of at least 2.5 computed from your training coursework in the paramedic program you completed.
From your previous academic record, some courses will be credited as part of academic requirements for the associates degree in nursing.
A Microcomputer Literacy course, for instance, may be credited if taken within the last 5 years. Science courses are usually credited if taken within the last 5-7 years.
Bridge program courses
The bridge program typically requires 64-70 credit hours.
The course titles will include medical science subjects, such as Human Anatomy and Physiology, General Microbiology, Pathophysiology, General Psychology and Human Growth and Development.
It will also have language and other minor subjects, such as: English Composition, Public Speaking and Interpersonal Communication.
Majority of the subjects will be nursing majors and transition courses, such as LPN IV Therapy, Adult Nursing, Maternal and Infant Nursing, Critical Care, Issues and Trends in Nursing, and several nursing electives.
Taking the paramedic to RN bridge program online shouldn’t be too arduous, but pursuing a nursing degree does require a great deal of your time and persistent hard work.
Is it worth it to become an RN?
Absolutely, the advantages of becoming a registered nurse far outweigh those enjoyed by paramedics.
RNs work in hospitals, private clinics, and doctors’ offices providing primary health care services. The normal working hours for RNs is forty per week, and they usually earn an average salary over twice that of paramedics.
A paramedic, being an emergency responder, leads a relatively stressful and fast-paced atmosphere; on call 24/7, with long waits of complete inactivity interspersed by rapid bursts of intense action.
So, it’s never too late to consider advancing your career. You can shift into a less stressful and fast-paced work preference, through any of the baccalaureate or advanced degrees in the field of nursing.
Time required to finish RN program
Typically, it takes between 18 months and 4 years to finish an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program in nursing, after which you have to take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination or NCLEX.
Indeed, it takes months of painstaking hard work and studying before anyone can be licensed to practice nursing.
Anyways, you can take the NCLEX more than once, although you are not allowed to practice as a nurse until you shall have passed it.
What other degree programs are there?
Always bear in mind that completing the kind of degree you want, requires a lot of hard work, time, resources, and dogged commitment.
The choice of degree from baccalaureate to Ph.D. depends on how strong-willed you are in pursuing a career that could spell your future.
So, here are the four types of degrees, their qualifications, and their earning potential, as well.
Associate Degree aside, of course, from the Paramedic to RN program the associate’s degree is, by far, the fastest route to become an RN. It takes around two years to complete the program.
Bachelor’s Degree although a bachelors takes 4 years to become a registered nurse, this degree prepares you for leadership positions in medical and health facilities, clinics or hospitals. You can be assured of much higher pay rates.
Master’s Degree from a bachelor’s degree you can pursue a special type of RN called advanced practice nurse (APN), where you can specialize in the various fields of nursing. This requires a master’s degree in nursing, though. This is a good measure for career advancement and which allows you to increase your earning capacity as well.
Doctorate Degree completing a doctorate degree in nursing is no small feat. Nonetheless, it would certainly get you the juiciest, top nursing positions to boot. Aside from being a nursing practitioner, you can become a complete educator, administrator, and researcher as well.
I hope this information about a paramedic to RN bridge program has been helpful.