Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and registered nurses (RNs) both perform meaningful work that saves lives; however, RNs can do many things that EMTs cannot. RNs also work with patients over a longer period of time. 

EMTs provide treatment from the time they arrive on the scene to when the patient is transported to a hospital. RN often care for patients from admission to discharge, which can range from a few hours to several days or more. 

If you’ve been craving something more for your career, you might consider making the switch from EMT to RN.

Concordia University Irvine’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is designed specifically for career switchers who want to accelerate their path toward a nursing career. 

Your experience as an EMT can prove helpful for becoming acclimated to the clinical environment. At our ABSN Learning Sites in Irvine and Rancho Cucamonga, California, you can go from EMT to nurse faster than you’d think. Our ABSN students can earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as few as 15 months.

Before you make the decision to pursue a nursing career, you should learn more about the differences between EMTs and nurses and the advantages of switching to nursing. Then, explore the career pathway and learn what to expect as you navigate the transition.

EMT vs. Nurse: What’s the Difference?

EMTs and nurses both provide essential healthcare services, but have different scopes of responsibility. As an EMT, you can:

• Assess patients and provide basic emergency medical care, paying particular attention to patients’ airways and breathing
• Clean the ambulance and equipment, replacing used medical supplies after each call
• Respond to calls for help, which may take you to patients’ homes, workplaces, nursing homes, or accident scenes on roadways or elsewhere
• Transport patients between healthcare facilities
• Transport patients to emergency departments and provide patient documentation to ER staff

EMTs and other emergency medical services (EMS) staff work with patients for only a brief time, providing the stabilizing and life-saving care needed while patients are en route to the hospital. 

In contrast, RNs typically work with patients for a longer time, depending on their nursing specialty. Like EMTs, RNs can provide basic emergency medical care. They can also handle the following responsibilities, which EMTs cannot:

• Administer non-emergency medications and other treatments
• Administer vaccinations
• Assess and manage patient care
• Collaborate with physicians
• Coordinate care of the patient
• Educate patients and caregivers on post-acute care
• Establish patient care plans
• Teach patients how to manage chronic medical conditions at home

Why Transition From Being an EMT to Nursing?

Even though life as an EMT is rewarding, it can still be challenging. Unfortunately, given their significant responsibility and in-depth training, EMTs are notoriously underpaid. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for an EMT was $41,340 as of May 2024.

EMTs clearly face many challenges. They are at a higher risk of compassion fatigue and burnout. They work long hours with little scheduling flexibility due to understaffed departments. What’s more, about 60% of EMS practitioners surveyed stated they work two or more jobs to keep the bills paid despite the long hours they put in on their EMS teams.

If you’re struggling to stay afloat as an EMT, you might think about making the move from EMT to nursing.

Benefits of a Career in Nursing

There are many potential benefits of switching from EMT to nurse, not the least of which is the significant jump in pay. According to the BLS, RNs made a median annual salary of $93,600 as of May 2024, more than twice the median annual salary for EMTs during that time.

Furthermore, RNs enjoy the following:

• A high job growth rate
• Opportunities to pursue career advancement, including both clinical and nonclinical roles
• Opportunities to work across a broader range of settings, including schools, specialist offices, and home health agencies
• The ability to choose from a wide range of nursing specialties, including pediatrics, oncology, and pain management

How to Change Careers From EMT to RN

If making the switch from EMT to nurse is the right career move for you, it’s time to start researching your nursing degree options.

1.Research Your Nursing School Options

While state requirements vary, EMTs are not typically required to have a degree. Instead, they must complete an approved EMT-Basic certification program and may later complete an EMT-Intermediate certification program. If you do not have prior college education, you’ll need to apply to a traditional BSN program, which takes four years to complete.

If you do have a bachelor’s degree in any non-nursing field or at least 65 college credits, you might be eligible to apply to Concordia University Irvine’s ABSN program. Our program will put you on the fast track toward a nursing career, enabling you to graduate in as few as 15 months after the completion of any prerequisite courses.

2. Earn a BSN

After navigating the application process and receiving your acceptance letter, you’ll earn a BSN through a combination of didactic coursework and hands-on experiential learning. At Concordia University Irvine, you can choose from online or in-person coursework to suit your lifestyle and learning preferences. 

The hybrid program, which incorporates online learning with hands-on labs and clinicals, is offered at the Rancho Cucamonga learning site, while the on-ground, entirely in-person program is offered at the Spectrum Campus in Irvine.

Regardless of your chosen program, you’ll attend in-person nursing skills and simulation labs at your program learning site and complete a series of clinical rotations at nearby healthcare facilities. These hands-on learning experiences will help you adjust to your new role in the clinical environment and develop advanced nursing skills.

3. Obtain an RN License

As an EMT, you’re already familiar with the rigorous nature of healthcare certification exams. Expect to spend a significant amount of time studying for the NCLEX-RN. Try to answer at least a few practice questions each day and take one or two full-length practice exams in the months leading up to your test date. When you pass the exam, you can obtain your state-issued RN license.

4. Choose a Nursing Specialty and Apply to Jobs

As a licensed RN, you can begin applying for nursing jobs that align with your chosen nursing specialty. Some former EMTs who make the switch from EMT to RN decide to continue working in emergency medicine, such as in emergency departments, trauma centers, and urgent care centers. 

Others crave a different work environment, and there are many possibilities to choose from. For example, you might consider looking for RN jobs in:

• Dermatology
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology
• Obstetrics
• Oncology
• Physical rehabilitation
• Plastic surgery

After gaining clinical experience as an RN, you can pursue a graduate nursing degree and higher-level nursing jobs.

Advance Your Career With Our ABSN Program

Ready to take your healthcare career to the next level? Concordia University Irvine delivers a values-based curriculum that teaches our students to become compassionate, caring, and competent nurses who provide holistic care to their patients’ bodies, minds, and souls. You’ll graduate in as few as 15 months, fully prepared to take the NCLEX and succeed as an RN.

If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 65 college credits, you may be eligible to enroll in our ABSN program in Irvine or Rancho Cucamonga. Choose from online or in-person coursework and benefit from personalized attention from our student success counselors.

Contact our specialized admissions counselors today. Our team will put together an individualized plan for your application process.