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Holy thread resurrection Batman! Your assessment is totally incorrect. A paramedic does not need a basic. No hate here; however, your argument is null and void. In all my years of ER and transport experience, I never needed a basic in order to complete my job. I have worked with many basics and have never had many problems, but to argue that your role somehow ensures that I never forget basic modalities is a rather inane way of thinking IMHO. Additionally, much of what I did in the ER started with basic modalities. I never needed a basic to tell me how to to CPR or how to achieve a good mask seal and utilise airway adjuncts properly. Regarding knowing the physiology of modalities. The only cliche I can think of is "you don't know what you don't know." Unfortunately, you completely invalidate any point you may have had by talking about your on the job education. Regarding intubation; have you seen improvement in patient morbidity and mortality with patients intubated by basics? You bring this topic up, I think its fair game. Regarding your claims of being a perfusionist; if I am not mistaken, a four year degree is the entry level educational qualification, not simple OJT with a good mentor. Also, I believe one of the board exams a perfusionist must pass is a basic science examination covering topics that include advanced physiological concepts. If you are in fact a perfusionist, I would have extreme difficulty believing that you would actually take such a cavalier attitude toward the process of formal education. Do not take my comments as basic hating. You have presented opinions and are being challenged. Take care, chbare. Edit: "any" to "many."

-10 for the most ignorant post in a long time. You have completely missed the point, i wont point it out to you either. God, I'm sick of this, why did i open this thread!

"Hello ma'am, can you take a deep breth?" LOC ABC's done! Head to toe takes about 60 sec. Just because I don't check for pelvic stability on a medical patient, does not mean I forget the basics..... One thing EMT's don't seem to understand is that Paramedics do not follow flowcharts. What they see us do does not seem "complete" to them because we assess with a purpose, not repetition.

I do not want to start an argument with this discussion, so please do not hate me. I just want to clarify that without the BASICS, Paramedics can not do their jobs. It doesn't matter that you are a Paramedic if you if the basics skills are not performed. EMS is definitely a cluster f***. Each state with it's own protocols, FD, PD, and EMS can not get along, EMS can not receive respect, EMS providers are ambulance drivers, etc. When then, would we degrade each other? Yes, I am ONLY a Basic to you, but the knowledge and skills I have acquired are the most important at ANY level. Remember the ABC's? I volunteer with EMT-I's and they seem to forget the ABC's because the are I's and can start IV's. Umm.......dontcha wanna check their pulse first and maybe do some chest compressions before you start that IV there EMT-I? Ok, I bantered a little. My point is that we are all important, on all levels, because without the ABC's covered, you just might end up with a dead patient and your knowledge of D50, Narcan, and Morphine won't mean crap. I read a of these posts and I see a lot of degrading of Basics. I do not think you necessarily need the philosophy behind the techniques of some things. People are trainable. One thing that cracks me up is that I am also a Medical Assistant. I was trained on EKG interpretation. I do not know if it is at the same level of a Paramedic, but I am aware of some interpretation. As a Basic, I'm not even suppose to touch the monitor. I can also give injections, as a Medical Assistant, not as a Basic (except the epi pen). Diabetics give themselves injections, patients give them selves Lovenox injections, B-12 injections, do you think they had any kind of training? No, the nurse said, "Poke here." I was a Pathology Assistant, I performed autopsies and dissected surgical specimens. I did not always know what I was looking for, but I knew the technique. I was an on the job trained Perfusionist with the local Organ Procurement Organization. I was part of the surgical recovery team from organ donors to recipients. People can be trained. Now, I was interested and wanted to know why I was doing things the way I was doing them, so I asked questions, had a great mentor, and have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge. Now, my whole point to this is why hate on the Basics? With out the basic skills, you have a dead person, so why do you feel that you are so much better? I didn't become an EMT because I wanted to be a hero or degrade Emergency Medical Responders because I have more education than them. We are all here for the same thing and that is to help people. If we want respect from our peers and the public, we should also respect each other:-) P.S. Don't be hating on me because I can intubate as a Basic in Ohio! :-) Don't be hating on me now! I'm a newbie:-)