Why?

[EMTinNEPA]

I became an EMT because it's a prerequisite to being a paramedic.

There's money in EMS? Since when?

And yes, if you care too much and become emotionally invested, you will be hurt when things go wrong and the patient dies... even if you do everything right.

 

[Barney_Fife]

I only wanted to be a face in the crowd, but I also wanted to use my life to make a difference in the life of someone else. Since I wasn't accepted to the peace corps, no really.. No, I thought it would be fun. I enjoy sitting and talking to the elderly patients that call just because they're lonely, as much as I enjoy a nasty trauma. Life's a glove, and my hand fits. Write that down.

 

[surname_levi]

im not going to lie...i want to see some crazy stuff. thats a reason i got into it. just dont confuse it with a jock personality, i take pt care seriously. but i like the real life situations, having to make quick decisions. and i learn lessons from the pt and its surroundings.

hope that makes sense

 

[Barney_Fife]

I wonder how many people expect it to be like Hollywood makes it look?

 

[Sasha]

Why? Because nursing school was full. I heavily regret my decision. I wish I would've used the time to take some sciences and math classes or something that would have better prepared me for nursing instead of taking the EMS route.

 

[EMS49393]

I like being the boss of chaos. It was also a pre-requisite to paramedic which has made me the ultimate boss of chaos. I also love a good crisis when it's not my own.

 

[Miss EMT]

I became an EMT because it's a prerequisite to being a paramedic.

There's money in EMS? Since when?

And yes, if you care too much and become emotionally invested, you will be hurt when things go wrong and the patient dies... even if you do everything right.

Wow those instructors have been lying to us all along. lol. jk.

 

[Sasha]

I became an EMT because it's a prerequisite to being a paramedic.

There's money in EMS? Since when?

And yes, if you care too much and become emotionally invested, you will be hurt when things go wrong and the patient dies... even if you do everything right.

There's money in EMS, if you're the owner of a private EMS company.

 

[Miss EMT]

your probably right. Im not worried about the money. I wouldn't be doing this volunteer if I was worried about the money.

 

[bunkie]

I wanted to be a cop.

*squeals and high fives*

Me too!

 

[Aerin-Sol]

This thread is full of "in it for the money" talk... WHAT MONEY? Want money in the Medical Field, go get your RN, PA, or MD... not your EMT or EMT-P...

I was confused by those comments too.

The class/duties looked more interesting than those of a CNA and I wanted a low-level medical certification for my short-term career goals.

 

[Barney_Fife]

There's money in EMS, if you're the owner of a private EMS company.

But you only have it till you're sued for medicare fraud.

 

[Miss EMT]

There are legal private ambulance services.

 

[Miss EMT]

Right......?

 

[EMS49393]

Right......?

Yeah... NO. It's hard to tow the legal straight and narrow when you're big concern is your bottom dollar so you can continue to pay your employees minimum wage and make the payments on your Lexus.

I'm a not-for-profit type service girl myself. I'm careful with billing and money inside the company, but it doesn't own us like it does in the private sector.

If I wanted to have a lot of money, I'd have been a millionaire, not a paramedic. Sheeesh.

 

[Achromatic]

Yeah... NO. It's hard to tow the legal straight and narrow when you're big concern is your bottom dollar so you can continue to pay your employees minimum wage and make the payments on your Lexus.

Apropos of anything else, if you own a private ambulance company, and your big concern is squeezing every last dollar out of it, and you're driving a Lexus, you're doing something (well, several things) wrong...

 

[Miss EMT]

Well I know we have some private ambulance services around here. They pretty much just do transport. So I wasn't for sure.

 

[HotelCo]

I needed something to do.

 

[46Young]

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!! Sorry, couldn't help myself. Seriously though, who gets into this job for the money??? And if someone does happen to know where the money is in EMS, please share that secret with me. I really think he is going to be sadly disappointed.

NYC 911 participating hospitals, particularly NY Presbyterian (Cornell) and NSLIJ CEMS pay well for the area. EMT's in the low 20's per hour, and medics from the upper 20's to low 30's. Just don't live in Manhattan, Nassau or Westchester Counties.

I've heard that some muni third service out in the Northwest pay very well. Otherwise, one needs to come over to the dark side (fire/EMS) to be gainfully employed. My EMS Capt, only 3 promos and 11 steps above me makes 38/hr based on 56 hours/wk plus another 13 grand in ALS incentives. This is an EMS only career track, so this is for working on an ALS txp unit exclusively. I'm sure other fire rescue depts will be happy to let you ride the box exclusively if you want. Much better pay/bennies for doing the same job.

 

[46Young]

Yeah... NO. It's hard to tow the legal straight and narrow when you're big concern is your bottom dollar so you can continue to pay your employees minimum wage and make the payments on your Lexus.

I'm a not-for-profit type service girl myself. I'm careful with billing and money inside the company, but it doesn't own us like it does in the private sector.

If I wanted to have a lot of money, I'd have been a millionaire, not a paramedic. Sheeesh.

My first FT EMS job was for a large combo 911/IFT non profit hosp. I know what you mean. Meticulous detail is given towards documentation for billing purposes, but pt care is never adversely affected for financial gain. We had no pt steering, and our 911 and IFT were two seperate divisions, so you're entire shift was only 911 or only IFT, depending on the day.

The health system realized that txp contracts with doctor's offices were quite lucrative, and is looking for more contracts to that end. Most of the IFT is between the system's hospitals. There are even contracts with towns that need a dedicated 911 ALS unit 24/7. They're guaranteed a profit per the contract. Dialysis runs were found to not be profitable, and were dropped. These strategies result in low financial stress, and allow for optimal pt care, staffing, and compensation for the employees (attracts the cream of the crop, giving pts the best talent around).