I'm in my 1st semester of nursing school. Can you say "What the ...??!!!" Needless to say, its been rough. 

Not only that, I've been an active EMT for 6 years. I got my EMT-I last February and have given IVs, drawn blood, given meds, etc .. to patients already. You'd think it would be an easy transition!

Nope. As a kick butt RN said to me in clinicals today, "It's a whole different animal."

The pace, the people, the treatments are soooo different than working an EMS call. Challenging more so is the attitude adjustment. I'm not talking some ego, but I have tendency to down play my background for fear of alienating myself from my peers.

Speaking of peers, my class of 32 is really bright, quiet, moody and competitive. Sure that may be attributed to the number of females in one spot, but the dynamics are intense. I get the fact that most are out for themselves. We are doing this for the same reasons all around, aside from just a good job. Perhaps the job market or lack thereof has developed a feeling of need and the need to push one's way into the field.

From someone with a Type B personality, I feel I've got to start upping the ante for myself. I've never been a huge fan of those who step on people to get to the top, but I also don't want to fall in the cracks.

Funny how I see this coming from me. My past life included 14 years of fine dining ( a crazy mean world all unto itself) and teaching/training in martial arts for that same 14 years. A lot of transtion and a little less support than hoped.

Anyway, a little steam let off there and still a vision of a new future, as they say, "One day at a time." I just wish it would hurry up!

It's a tough transition from EMS to nurse.  You're used to have only one or maybe a few patients.  You arrive at a scene, the fire department is there, EMS is there, and maybe the police department.  At worst, it's two healthcare workers for one or two patients.  I've known quite a few paramedics that got their RN and went back to EMS.  No watching movies, or snoozing in Nursing.

I've voluteered as an EMT-B.  My husband is a unemployed ARRT rad tech, currently working as an EMS field supervisor (he's also an EMT).  He too is considering nursing, but I've told him, the same thing.  IT is a completely different animal, when you are one health care worker with maybe 5 or more patients.  You just don't have the support that you had in EMS.

I'm also going to add, yes it is different working with women.  But as someone, that worked in an all male enviroment in the military back in the 80's, that has it's pitfalls as well.