PVCC offers paramedics chance to transition to RNs

Janice Semmel, December 2011
Copy Editor

For the first time this fall, Paradise Valley Community College offered paramedics who want to become registered nurses a fast track into the Nursing Program with the Paramedic-to-RN Transition Program.

This program differs from the regular Nursing Program because of the paramedics’ certification and their experience in the health field, says Nelly Peterson, PVCC nursing faculty. “We’re just helping them to transition to a different discipline.”

Photo by Janice Semmel

Nelly Peterson, PVCC nursing faculty, and her class of 10 paramedics observe a simulation at the Cowden Center at John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital during the first semester of the Paramedic-to-RN Transition Program offered at PVCC.

Instead of starting the Nursing Program in January and completing the Block 1 and Block 2 classes in the spring and fall semesters, paramedics enter the Paramedic-to-RN Transition Program in fall after acceptance into the program.

 Paramedics complete NUR102 and NUR103, Nursing Process Transition and Nursing Science Transition, respectively. If students pass the HESI Maricopa Nursing II Exam with a score of 800 or higher, they become eligible for entry into Block 3; otherwise, they enter Block 2.

They also need to complete a pharmacology requirement, according to the Advanced Placement Information & Application Packet for Paramedic Applicants.

Amy Pisula says, she spent a year as a paramedic to transition to nursing. She completed all her prerequisites at Mesa Community College, but missed the medic bridge in summer and then came to PVCC.

A waiting list exists in the Nursing Program.

“Oh yes,” says Peterson. “Right now, we have, at least my understanding from the last meeting last Friday (Oct. 28), was at least two, two-and-a-half years to the waiting list.”

Currently, PVCC only admits nursing students once a year in January, says Peterson. “So (PVCC is) not like any other colleges, where they can go every semester and have a fulltime program.”

As Peterson teaches the 10 paramedics in her class, she discusses with them the differences between the roles of an RN versus the roles of a paramedic. She says some things they perform as paramedics only nurses or personnel with special training do at the hospital patient’s bedside. The students need to distinguish these roles so they don’t get into trouble with their licenses.

“I always tell them,” says Peterson, “’If you have an RN after your name, and you’re working as an RN, you have to know what your scope of practice is.’”

Krina Reineke, a paramedic with the Phoenix Fire Department, and Steve Reichert, a paramedic since 1996 and a paramedic with the Scottsdale Fire Department, want to remain paramedics and pursue nursing careers.

Reichert says his schedule as a fireman allows him to fit in nursing on his days off. He says PVCC has a great program and his goal is to graduate by Christmas 2012. Both said they found out about the program through Valley fire department promotions.

A paramedic for two years and working for Southwest Ambulance, Ben Phelps decided to enter the program to further his patient care and his career in health care. Eventually he plans to do both and to work in the emergency room.

“They can handle complex scenarios,” says Peterson. “They are used to that as paramedics, but what they really missed is the basic nursing skills, how to use a bedpan,” she laughs.

“They are a good group,” she says. They plan to volunteer for everything since they don’t know anything about nursing, so she tells them, “make sure to be open for all of the learning experiences.”

Peterson promotes using simulations to teach students since they don’t have all day to make bedside decisions. They experience simple to complex scenarios, so students learn to make decisions, but they also make mistakes in a safe environment. During the simulations, Peterson assesses and evaluates students individually and as a group. She makes the patient improve or deteriorate, and Peterson asks the students for their strategy and evaluation of the situation. She says as a group, they learn from each other.

With the completion of the new, state-of-the-art Health Sciences Building in August 2012, Peterson says, student simulations can be videotaped with their consent, and they can preview their performance and critique it, much as a football team evaluates its plays in a game.

Many of the paramedics want to practice in the emergency room, but Peterson says, they become exposed to the specialties in Block 3 and Block 4 and some may change their minds. In Block 3, they learn about pediatrics, obstetrics and the medical surgical floor while in Block 4, they experience intensive care, emergency room, psych nursing and mental health.

When they graduate, students receive an Associate in Applied Science of Nursing degree. Once they receive that degree, says Peterson, they apply to take a licensing exam required to become an RN.

Peterson says, many, diverse opportunities exist for RNs such as a medical surgical floor nurse, an operating room nurse, a critical care nurse or an ER nurse. If RNs pursue higher degrees, they can advance to nurse practitioners, nurse educators and administrators. She says at PVCC they encourage students to pursue higher degrees, and many of the current students plan to go for their bachelor’s degrees. 

Paramedic Laura Lamond says, she decided to take the PVCC Paramedic-to-RN Transition Program because it eliminates the two-to-three year wait for the nursing program, she’ll receive better pay and opportunities and she likes the hospital environment.