Thoughts on RNs being allowed to challenge Medic exam?

[MackTheKnife]

In my state of residence, RNs (and PAs) are allowed to challenge any level of the NREMT exam, up to and including the Paramedic exam.
As far as I could tell, no pre-hospital experience required. Meaning, a RN who's only prior training was nursing school and their current RN position, is allowed to test for their medic, and potentially become a licensed medic as a result.

I was honestly really surprised when I found this out- as an EMT who is currently in Nursing school, I've seen again and again just how different the nursing approach is from the pre-hospital approach. Not only that but this raises so many questions to me, as there is no required pre-training or EMS experience, they are allowed to just straight up test for and then become a Medic: how does an RN know how to perform various Medic-level skills and interventions that are not normally covered in nursing school? Moreso than the interventions/skills: how would an RN even learn to think like a medic?

What are y'alls thoughts on this? Is this a safety issue secondary to insufficient training requirements? Or is this no big deal as RNs (and certainly PAs) go through their own robust training? Is an RN/PA with no pre-hospital experience "safe" to operate in the field as a Medic?

(New to the forum so please delete if not allowed/ a repeat question.)

LATE RESPONSE. In Florida, until recently, an RN, PA, MD could challenge Florida PM test, IF they had a Florida EMT license. If not, no joy. I did this after nursing school and passing NCLEX-RN. I had my NREMT, got reciprocity for FL EMT, took the state PM exam and smoked it. As I understand it, FL went back to National Registry for PMs, not state test. Different ballgame. As a medic and a nurse, I am AGAINST nurses getting medic certification WITHOUT any EMS experience. They CANNOT operate like us medics independently. I was one of the first NREMT-P medics in VA.

 

[MackTheKnife]

Thanks.

Nothing there shows that it’s a dead stop two years guaranteed start to finish. There are still prerequisites to complete, then start the school…IF you get in. So to claim that you can graduate from HS. Start in the Fall and be done in two years isn’t quite accurate for the majority.

Most RN programs are ASN, not AAS.