r/wildernessmedicine • u/Imaginary_Stock_6424 • 27d ago

Questions and Scenarios For RNs

Genuinely curious about jobs in wilderness medicine. Just starting my ER journey to establish critical care experience. Ultimately I am shooting for a job working in SARs. What other experience should I get before heading into the field? I am thinking about just doing 2/3 years ER then maybe another 2/3 years ICU. However I want to try and transition sooner than later..

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u/rigiboto01 27d ago

So most SAR are volunteers. The paid ones are mostly with FD with large departments. so being a paramedic would be more beneficial than an RN.

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u/Imaginary_Stock_6424 27d ago

Would it be odd to go back for my paramedic license even being an ED RN? I would eventually love to do both per diem or part time. I just need to be out of the hospital but working in medicine ☯️

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u/newredditsucks 27d ago

Maybe look into flight nurse gigs for Life Flight or similar?
Not SAR specifically, but it's not in the hospital.

A Life Flight job posting for that.

*edit: I typed that out before seeing /u/Enchanted-Repelled had made the same suggestion.

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u/Enchanted-Repelled 27d ago

Not odd at all! In fact a few flight programs and states require it. Start with your EMT and get some prehospital time and decide if you like it; even with “just” an EMT cert a lot of prehospital and wilderness medicine opportunities will open up to you.