Looking for a clinical EMT job in Los Angeles County

[Vanenix]

Hello,

I just finished my NREMT-1 Exam and I also have my LA County EMT-1 Certificate. Also, I am currently studying Nursing in El Camino Community College. I am desperately seeking for a job in the hospital however most hospitals requires at least 6 months experience prior for employment which I am not qualify. Furthermore, I do really hate to work in private ambulances because they don't pay enough [$9-$10/hour] and there are lots of things that they ask before employment such as Driver History Record, Ambulance Driver Certificate, Navigation Test (I hate this test because I am new in California) that would not be needed on my Nursing career.
I've applied in Gerber Ambulance and I guess that I did well on my entrance written exam, and on the end they told me that I am not mentally fit to work on there company that they could experience some trouble on training me because according to them, I was shaking and nervous during my interview, and I am not a fast writer when I was doing my essay exam.
I felt disappointed to myself and regretting in getting in EMS Career.
If I knew this would happen, I prefer to study Certified Nursing Assistant or Medical Assistant and continue my career to be a nurse.
The reason I 've chosen this career is because I want to support myself to my Nursing in order for me to reach my goals.
I also want to know if Emergency Medical Technicians are qualified to work in Nursing Homes because I want to maintain my NREMT license and renew it when it expires.
Is there any easy hiring EMT-B clinical jobs here in Los Angeles that I could apply? I would really appreciate if someone could help me.
If everything fails, my last resort is that I am going to stop my Nursing career and join the U.S. Military and continue my EMS Career.

Thank you.

 

[Jon]

Hey - do you mean "NREMT-B" exam? Never seen an "NREMT-1 Exam"

Jon

 

[JPINFV]

EMT-1 is a California level, which the examination for initial certification is the NREMT-B exam.

 

[VentMedic]

EMT-1 is a California level, which the examination for initial certification is the NREMT-B exam.

50 different states and 50+ different names, levels, certs, licenses or whatever they are called in any given state as any given time which may change at any time some level wants to add a skill.

 

[Vanenix]

By the way, you guys did not answer my question and stop changing the topic.

How could I get experience if those idiot companies won't hire me?

I just got out from school and passed my board exam and they are expecting too much for me...

 

[Sasha]

By the way, you guys did not answer my question and stop changing the topic.

How could I get experience if those idiot companies won't hire me?

I just got out from school and passed my board exam and they are expecting too much for me...

Being abrasive is not a good way to get your questions answered. Catch more flies with honey.

As for your question:

How could I get experience if those idiot companies won't hire me?

Volunteer. They seem to take anybody.

I also want to know if Emergency Medical Technicians are qualified to work in Nursing Homes because I want to maintain my NREMT license and renew it when it expires.

Why don't you call around and ASK THEM? I worked in a clinic.. I didn't get the job by asking people on a forum, but calling the clinic and asking if they employed EMTs and if they were hiring.

 

[VentMedic]

How could I get experience if those idiot companies won't hire me?

Hello,

I felt disappointed to myself and regretting in getting in EMS Career.
If I knew this would happen, I prefer to study Certified Nursing Assistant or Medical Assistant and continue my career to be a nurse.

You are an EMT-1 which is a cert like the CNA. It is not meant to even be called a career.

Get your CNA and get a job doing something in the hospital. You can also get your CA phlebotomy cert which will get you a better chance getting hired in the ED or even as a lab phlebotomist which is decent money and the hours may work with your schooling if you do morning draws. It will also be great experience for your career as an RN. If you are still thinking about just the LPN route, then that also is not really a career move either.

Just get some entry level job in the hospital. Don't just rely on a cert like the EMT which carries very little weight in a hospital. Once you are in the hospital, you can then apply as an insider to a job you may like better. The hospital should also help pay for your nursing education.

 

[Vanenix]

Alright, sorry for the behavior and thanks for the help. I was so upset that they are expecting too much for me because I just got out from school with 0% working experience.

 

[JPINFV]

Hello,

I just finished my NREMT-1 Exam and I also have my LA County EMT-1 Certificate. Also, I am currently studying Nursing in El Camino Community College. I am desperately seeking for a job in the hospital however most hospitals requires at least 6 months experience prior for employment which I am not qualify. Furthermore, I do really hate to work in private ambulances because they don't pay enough [$9-$10/hour] and there are lots of things that they ask before employment such as Driver History Record, Ambulance Driver Certificate, Navigation Test (I hate this test because I am new in California) that would not be needed on my Nursing career.

They honestly don't care about your nursing career. They care about your ability to do a job which requires those things. Also using a map has little to do with knowing the area. When I was applying for jobs in Boston (and, for the record, I worked for 2 years in So Cal while working on my BS, so I do know the area, but not nearly as well as after working for a bit on an ambulance), I was still expected to know how to use a map and was tested on it.

As far as pay, there's hundreds of new basics being graduated from programs every 3 months. I definitely would not act like I'm all that and a bag of potato chips (which IS the vibe that your post gives off) when there are dozens of other applicants to choose from.

I've applied in Gerber Ambulance and I guess that I did well on my entrance written exam, and on the end they told me that I am not mentally fit to work on there company that they could experience some trouble on training me because according to them, I was shaking and nervous during my interview, and I am not a fast writer when I was doing my essay exam.

So apply to the dozens of other companies in the area.

I felt disappointed to myself and regretting in getting in EMS Career.

I thought you were a nursing student. I wouldn't exactly call taking a part time job in a field slightly related to nursing (in the same way EMS is related to being an RT, MD/DO, or other medical/health care field) a career.

If I knew this would happen, I prefer to study Certified Nursing Assistant or Medical Assistant and continue my career to be a nurse.

The reason I 've chosen this career is because I want to support myself to my Nursing in order for me to reach my goals.

Er, why didn't you choose a field that was a lot more related to nursing when you're a nursing student?

Furthermore, knew what would happen? Did you not understand that an integral part of EMS involves a motor vehicle that transports patients to the hospital and which needs an operator? I wasn't exactly like, "Damn, why do I need to get a ambulance driver certificate. Medical school doesn't require one of these things" when I was applying for work during my undergrad years.

As far as financial support, 3 ideas for funding. Stafford subsidized, Stafford unsubsidized, and PLUS loans. I hear most colleges and universities have an entire office devoted to essentially these three programs (as well as other programs for 'financial aid').

I also want to know if Emergency Medical Technicians are qualified to work in Nursing Homes because I want to maintain my NREMT license and renew it when it expires.

There are a few assisted living communities that use EMT-Bs, such as Freedom Village (word document employment ad). Freedom Village (home page) is located down in Orange County, so I'm not sure if you're willing to drive that far or what opportunities are near you. Freedom Village is the only facility that I know of that hires EMT-Bs. While I haven't exactly searched for facility work, most SNFs and assisted living facilities use CNAs instead. The skill set and training for basics and CNAs are not comparable.

Is there any easy hiring EMT-B clinical jobs here in Los Angeles that I could apply?

Hospital website->employment opportunities-> search for "emergency." Most will require some experience though.

 

[Vanenix]

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding.
Before I took my EMT class I was expecting that it would be so easy to get a job however I was wrong.
I was informed from one of my friend that Los Angeles County has the worst EMS in the United States.
The reason why I am here in EMS is because when I took my First Aid class then there was an EMT Personnel who entered our room and invited everyone to be an EMT for only 6 months.
I got excited and skipped some of my Nursing classes and prioritize that EMT-B Class.
I was thinking that time that EMT was better than becoming CNA because most CNA's are doing dirty jobs like care givers which I am not dedicated.
My goal changed and I was planning to be an EMT while working on my Nursing career.
I've also heard that if employers found out that I am studying Nursing they will give me more privilege to get a job because I am working while learning in school.

I also tried to apply in McCormick and they were asking me to take a navigation exam.
I told them that Navigation is not my scope of practice as an EMT and they should start installing navigators in there ambulances so that there EMTs wont get loss in the city.

Then, I asked how much is the starting salary, and they told me it is $9/hour.
I insulted them telling that I prefer to deliver pizza and earn $13/hour than delivering patient to hospital, and filling too much prehospital care reports if they are going to give me the California minimum wage.
Wasting 6 months on studying EMT-B just to earn minimum wage is not deserving. :wacko:

 

[Sasha]

most CNA's are doing dirty jobs like care givers which I am not dedicated to do.

What do you think nurses do?? The CNA isn't always available....

 

[Vanenix]

Some of my friends told me that CNA are like housewives or maids who cleans everything.
I don't know if it is true but when I was exposed in the Nursing home there duty most of the time is to clean patient's especially if they defecate or pee in there pants and there are less science health care skills.

They do check vital signs but it is not more advance than the EMT.
CNA does not have any skills to do endotracheal intubation like EMT does.
I might be wrong but that is what my CNA friends are telling me.

 

[Sasha]

Some of my friends told me that CNA are like housewives or maids who cleans everything.
I don't know if it is true but when I was exposed in the Nursing home there duty most of the time is to clean patient's especially if they defecate or pee on there pants and there are less health care skills. They do check vital signs but it is not more advance than the EMT. CNA does not have any skills to do endotracheal intubation like EMT does. I might be wrong but that is what my CNA friends are telling me.

EMTs don't either.. you're thinking of paramedics, sweetheart.

Really.. the dirty icky gritty stuff goes hand in hand for health care. If you don't like it, you may want to reconsider your career goals.

 

[Sapphyre]

I also tried to apply in McCormick and they were asking me to take a navigation exam.
I told them that Navigation is not my scope of practice as an EMT and they should start installing navigators in there ambulances so that there EMTs wont get loss in the city.

Then, I asked how much is the starting salary, and they told me it is $9/hour.
I insulted them telling that I prefer to deliver pizza and earn $13/hour than delivering patient to hospital, and filling too much prehospital care reports if they are going to give me the California minimum wage.
Wasting 6 months on studying EMT-B just to earn minimum wage is not deserving. :wacko:

Sorry hon, but, in LA county, as an EMT - B on the street, you are the ride for the medic and pt to the hospital. And, very FEW 911 ambulance companies have GPS navigation systems, besides, in most of LA county, you're going to have to know the area well enough to know what city the call is in to use the system.

The reason you're not getting ambulance jobs is because you are insulting the employers, and it's an job offerer's market, not a job seekers market right now anyway. Most of the hospitals, or other care facilities are going to want street experience or, at the least additional skills that they can also use. And, in a clinical setting, yes, you're going to be dealing mostly with urine, feces, and blood.... This is health care.

 

[Vanenix]

I wonder why when I took my EMT-B Class the "Advance Airway Management Chapter 37 of Emergency Care by Daniel Limmer" is part of my EMT-B Class and it was also included on the NREMT-B Exam? I've also seen some EMT-B in California has the skill to do endotracheal intubation especially for those people who work as EDT in the ER. They also trained us to do it in school, I guess that all states have different legislations.

 

[Sapphyre]

I wonder why when I took my EMT-B Class the "Advance Airway Management Chapter 37 of Emergency Care by Daniel Limmer" is part of my EMT-B Class and it was also included on the NREMT-B Exam? I've also seen some EMT-B in California has the skill to do endotracheal intubation especially for those people who work as EDT in the ER. They also trained us to do it in school, I guess that all states have different legislations.

Re-read that scope again. Your medical director (ie, for the county you work in) can apply to have it in your scope, IF THEY FEEL YOU NEED IT. In urban So-Cal, it's not necessary, you're usually within 5 minutes of an ER or ALS....

Honestly, it really sounds like you didn't do much research into what was REALLY involved in your (our) area before you basically threw everything away to try out something that sounded cool...

 

[Vanenix]

Sorry :unsure: I am a newbie

 

[JPINFV]

Before I took my EMT class I was expecting that it would be so easy to get a job however I was wrong.

It's fairly easy if you aren't too selective with your choice. If you're looking to work for one of the big 911 companies, then you're going to be up against some stiff competition. The only time I can think of in recent history that it was an worker's market was a few years ago when AMR lost a bunch of 911 contracts and Care picked up a handful. Even then, it was only at Care since they had to hire a bunch of people fast to fulfill their new contracts.

The reason why I am here in EMS is because when I took my First Aid class then there was an EMT Personnel who entered our room and invited everyone to be an EMT for only 6 months.
I got excited and skipped some of my Nursing classes and prioritize that EMT-B Class.

Very bad choice. If you're looking for a long term goal, like getting a nursing degree, then every step should be taken to get closer to that goal. You should easily have been able to take an EMT course with your other course work.

I was thinking that time that EMT was better than becoming CNA because most CNA's are doing dirty jobs like care givers which I am not dedicated.
My goal changed and I was planning to be an EMT while working on my Nursing career.

EMTs deal with dirty stinky patient too. I've had to help change/clean patients up while working on an ambulance. When dealing with elderly and infirmed patients, you will have to work with bodily fluids. It goes part and parcel with medical and nursing care.

I also tried to apply in McCormick and they were asking me to take a navigation exam.
I told them that Navigation is not my scope of practice as an EMT and they should start installing navigators in there ambulances so that there EMTs wont get loss in the city.

Are you still wondering why they didn't hire you? Once you get into nursing, try telling who ever is hiring you that you diaper changing and sponge bathing isn't in your scope of practice.

 

[VentMedic]

I wonder why when I took my EMT-B Class the "Advance Airway Management Chapter 37 of Emergency Care by Daniel Limmer" is part of my EMT-B Class and it was also included on the NREMT-B Exam? I've also seen some EMT-B in California has the skill to do endotracheal intubation especially for those people who work as EDT in the ER. They also trained us to do it in school, I guess that all states have different legislations.

You are not going to find an EMT-B doing endotracheal intubation in an ED or most other states. That is done by someone who at least holds a license not a certification. One of the reasons the job in the ED is called ED Technician is because the EMT or Paramedic cert may not be recognized within the walls of the hospital.

Trained to do intubation? How many live patients were you required to intubated during this training? Playing around on a dummy head in class is not the same.

 

[Vanenix]

Do you think the reason they denied me because I am Asian?
I heard that there are only 1.7% EMT's that are Asians in California and I belong on that category.
Sorry guys, I am still disappointed and discourage on what happened.