spenac

Why can't EMSPROFESSIONAL have both? For that matter why can't we all? Where is it written you must had what you do to get a decent pay check? I do EMS because I enjoy helping people, but I will not do it free. As an EMT-I I bring in close to $45000 at my full time job. Does this mean I don't care for my patients? In my honest opinion it is not enough. I am away from my family, I as EMSPROFESSIONAL mentioned face way to many dangers for so little compensation. Jake I hate saying it your attitude that we are paid enough is what keeps the profession from actually getting to a pay scale that would entice quality people to it. With better pay people would be more willing to pursue higher education. Jake why is it wrong to want to be paid so that on my days off I can stay home with my family rather than working another job? Other professions are allowed to make a living, why can't we? The cost of living has climbed and will continue to climb. My income has not come anywhere near staying up with inflation. It is not fiscally responsible for any of us to stay in EMS. So if we take responsibility for ourselves it would mean there would be no ambulance service period, because we would all go to higher paying professions.

Here is an editorial from a politician trying to mislead the public as to what Austin EMS pays Paramedics. I have talked to them and they start you around $43000 a year and you max out way below $80000 he claims average paramedics are being paid. These crooks I mean politicians should be sent to jail for so blatantly lying. [web:61e0944847]http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/07/27/0727policepay_edit.html[/web:61e0944847] http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/e...cepay_edit.html EDITORIAL Cops, firefighters must not get keys to vault this time Austin public safety employees, highest paid in Texas, demand more. City must say no. Sunday, July 27, 2008 This city's Emergency Medical Services department's pay is also quite high among comparable cities. At some ranks, Austin EMS is first, and the maximum base salary for paramedics is about 26 percent above the average for comparable cities. That is, in a word, outrageous, and City Manager Marc Ott's negotiators should unceremoniously reject it. Ott's proposed budget, which is based on giving public safety employees the same 2.5 percent raise as other city workers, already includes serious budget cuts and fee increases. If the public safety unions get their way, that will mean even more cuts in library hours, parks employees, social services and other city functions. This time, the city manager and council must take a firm stand and fight for the taxpayers who pay for all of it. Ott has proposed a minimally smaller tax rate for 2009, but higher appraisals means property taxes will rise again. His budget closes a $25 million gap between projected revenue and spending, but that plan will disintegrate if the public safety unions again receive outsized raises. Under the proposed budget, branch libraries will have to close on Thursdays or Fridays, and the Parks and Recreation Department will be short staffed. Also, trash collection fees will rise 40 percent and water bills by 7 percent. But that picture will darken considerably if the police, fire and EMS unions continue to demand — and receive — raises above those given other city employees. After five years of public safety's 2 percent premium, there is no good argument to continue it. A recent city report found that Austin's per capita spending on the police department grew 84 percent over the nine years ending in 2006. That was twice the per capita increase of most other Texas cities. The unions are negotiating from a position of strength, however. They are powerful sources of campaign money in city elections and helped elect a majority on the council. Plus, the police department has gained new measures of respect under Chief Art Acevedo. It also should be noted that the demands the unions are making on city taxpayers won't affect most of their members, since more than 60 percent of police officers and firefighters don't live in Austin. In the past five years, the City Council has spent $53 million just on the extra raises for public safety employees. That has propelled police, firefighters and EMS employees into the top pay ranks not only in Texas but around the nation. Austin is fortunate to have an excellent police force, good firefighters and EMS lifesavers. But over the years, they have surpassed their peers in pay and benefits. This is the year for City Hall to think first of the Austin taxpayers who pick up those bills.

I should have known that a nurse would be dumb enough to fall for that old trick. :twisted: :wink:

So do you properly restrain and watch your patients? Apparently these guys didn't. http://www.edmontonsun.com/Business/WhosSu...277701-sun.html Stretcher spill sparks lawsuit By TONY BLAIS An Edmonton woman has launched a $125,000 lawsuit against a paramedic, an emergency medical technician (EMT), the City of Edmonton and Capital Health after alleging she was severely injured when she fell off a stretcher at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. In a statement of claim filed June 26, Bertha Shailer alleges she called 911 on July 3, 2006 to request an ambulance as she was suffering from nausea, vomiting, numbness in her extremities and respiratory distress. She also allegedly displayed signs of mental confusion. Shailer alleges paramedic Adrian Panylyk and EMT Roy Serrao transported her in an ambulance to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, arriving about midnight. She then claims that while waiting unattended for treatment in the hospital's emergency department, she fell onto the floor from the stretcher she was seated on. According to the statement of claim, Shailer suffered severe injuries to her head, neck, right shoulder and right arm and continues to suffer from pain and loss of motion. The lawsuit alleges the defendants failed to take a proper and careful history of Shailer from time to time and failed to recognize the nature of her condition and the risk of her falling from the stretcher she was seated on.

Just keep in mind that the areas that some say had very few questions means that person answered the first few questions on that area correctly so the comp decided they knew enough and focused on the areas that they missed questions on. This comp adaptive testing is nice in some ways. For example you happen to guess correctly on all cardiac questions at the beginning even though you had no clue. It presumes that you know cardiac and quits asking those questions. The comp test no longer does an equal % of all types of questions. Heres a discussion and on that page is a video about comp testing. http://www.nremt.org/about/CBT_Home.asp

Exactly. Longer careers. Less injuries.

So it's OK for IAFF to push in to fields that they do not belong ( see all the EMS vs Fire in the forums ). But now they cry when somebody else gets money that they want. I do not see the problem. Theses privates are not setting back fires. They are spraying retardant and leaving. They are actually freeing up the FF's to focus on stopping the fires rather than trying to defend homes from fire. Why didn't IAFF think of this? Had they done so they would be in the money. This is a business just like any other those with money get the priority sorry. If you can pay for your own protection, why not?

Bump

Thats where England is way ahead. They have ambulances that the back door lowers and you push cot onto it raise and then push cot. No lifting. Theres pics and discussion on here somewhere on a topic I started probably a year back. http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...46&start=45

Love the power stretchers. Back savers. You can still use the power cot manually, just use the red handles, if its red on stryker it makes something move. Hardest thing is learning to let it do the work for you. Stryker does have a nice newer stair chair that is also easier to get patients up and down stairs but it is a separate purchase.

Yup. In real life I'm 6'5" 225#'s with 6 pack abs. On the internet I play a 5'7" 400#'s with a 6 keg abs. It's fun being who I'm not. :twisted:

Rid do you know the particular laws you reference as I see LVN's often. Perhaps I can share those with hospitals that do that and save them some money.

Yup. I like making everybody mad by doing and saying all the things your not supposed to say. Now on those days that the tones do keep going I get treated pretty rough in return.

Online - Brad Paisley http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1...oSPCA&hl=en

At many hospitals I have seen LVN's triage. I am confident that most Paramedics would be more qualified to perform an accurate triage than an LVN. Between an RN and a paramedic in some ways I would still say the education of a paramedic is geared more towards an accurate triage than the much better educated RN. Now an experienced ER RN would probably beat the pants off a paramedic but odds are they would be in back doing patient care rather than triage. Is my ideas clear as mud?

The paramedic had nothing to do with causing this little girls death. It sounds like the doctor 2 days earlier screwed up. This little girl was so far gone she had already quit compensating, and that is an extremely late sign. This child basically was dead the minute the doctor 2 days earlier sent her home. I feel for the family and I pray I never experience burying my child. These people are still dealing with the grieving process and are looking to blame someone. They need to focus there blame on the doctor from 2 days earlier.

Honesty is best policy. On resume were you honorably discharged? If so just list that. As to interview if they ask about why you got out early explain you were medically removed but that you have since been cleared to work with no restrictions. While I say honesty is best policy it is honesty to the question asked. Do not lie but do not divulge more than what is required to answer. For example, they ask do you have any health problems that restrict your work? Honest answer is just NO, no need to explain discharge and now doctor cleared. If Doctor has cleared you you have no restrictions.

What do you do besides emergency care that the public doesn't know? We are PreHospital Emergency Professionals there for emergency's. So the education needs to focus on when to call for an ambulance. People need to learn that a stubbed toe or a sneeze are not reasons to take an ambulance away from someone with a real emergency. As to going out in public other than occassional education as above not really needed. It is not like we need to advertise our phone number. They know or will know to dial 911 in an emergency. The services that I have seen go do BP checks at the mall all seem to get more taxi calls than other services. OK thats just some ramblings of a very tired person but maybe someone will see your post and help better than.

Oh reallllllly!!!! :wink:

Well you know how admin likes playing the disappearing post game.

Wendy on the topic I started (link below) is an example of some that recieve higher than minimum education to become EMT's. http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=12764

Sounds like they are higher educated than most EMT's, sadly more than some paramedics as well as far as base courses. "The four-year program starts at in ninth grade with an introduction into health careers, said Holly Bird, mentor for the program. The students get to hear from various health professionals about what kinds of careers are available to them. As sophomores, the students learn CPR and first aid. At the junior level, the path takes the health sciences students into college-level credits for classes like applied human biology, Bird said. As seniors, students get into medical technology and are trained and certified as emergency medical technicians." [web:4152cd848e]http://www.emsresponder.com/web/online/Careers-and-Staffing-/New-Mexico-High-School-Produces-Career-Ready-EMTs/6$7943[/web:4152cd848e] http://www.emsresponder.com/web/online/Car...ady-EMTs/6$7943

Wow black and white that Fire does not want us to ever get professional medical status as they oppose higher education. Another reason EMS should be separate from fire. Dang it we are Pre Hospital Medical Professionals not anything else.

I hate fisdap. In my EMT-I and now my Paramedic we use it. We still do a paper report on all patients then after we complete that days rotation we have to stay up and enter all info into fisdap. I see the research benefits but when tired it sucks.

I actually suggested that we start requiring a pee test at the beginning of and the end of each shift. Then if you came up positive you would be sent to lab for more extensive test to confirm. Yes expensive but it would make it real tough to be a user and work for us.