My son began his career as a paramedic firefighter. When he was 20 years old, he had a cathartic experience: He had a patient die due to a rare condition that he had never heard of. He swore that day that he would never lose another patient because of something he didn’t know.  He became taking as many classes as he could.

Within 6 months, he became certified in Critical Care. Another year, and he was an RN as well as a medic. He quit firefighting and began doing flight nursing, transporting patients all over the world. Two years later, he earned his BSN. By his 25th birthday he began working in the ED and within a year was the charge nurse for his shift in the ED.

Then he got serious.

He got board certified in trauma nursing AND critical care. The first in the county to do both. He was the nurse in charge of trauma nursing for a level 2 trauma center, while at the same time being put in charge of training for his hospital. All before he was 30, supervising and training people who were decades older.

Now 32, he is a Nurse Practitioner specializing in Emergency Medicine. The medics and nurses love him because he remembers where he came from- he isn’t some kid right out of college, he knows what it is like to do their jobs.

The doctors respect him because emergency medicine is what he knows best. There are procedures that he has taught that many of them have only read about in text books.

The shift he is on has a doctor and a PA who specialize in family medicine, and they defer true emergencies like intubations or cardiac arrest to him.

That is where the worry comes in. Because of this, he is highly sought after for viral pneumonia, meaning that he will soon be headed to New York City to help with the crisis. I worry for him, even while he looks forward to making a difference.

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3 Comments

Jess · April 5, 2020 at 7:13 pm

The best will be expected to run to the problem. I'll pray for their safety.

Jonathan H · April 6, 2020 at 4:58 pm

For a high need position with long hours, the job offers I've seen aren't great – for example, $50 an hour plus housing for a skilled medical worker is little if any more than regular pay many places…no wonder they are having trouble getting help!
And, of course, the fact that they are being arrogant jerks doesn't help either… it makes me glad that I'm a long way from NYC.

Divemedic · April 6, 2020 at 5:03 pm

I just got an offer for New Orleans for $4000 a week plus room, board, and travel as an EMT-I. That is less than they were offering paramedics ($5000 a week). I am a paramedic, but I can work at a lower certification level. I won't be, though. I'm sitting this one out.

NYC was offering $7,000 a week.

My son will be getting $15K a week

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