Dustdevil

Ya know, when I first came to EMT City, I was already convinced that a two-year education should be the mandated minimum standard for an EMS pratitioner. Times have changed. After 8 months of dealing with some real loser civilian paramedics out here, I am now leaning towards four years. Unfortunately, that isn't a choice in this poll. I don't know what to say to justify my choice that hasn't already been said. It's really a no brainer for anybody actually concerned with professionalism, and not just their own selfish agenda. Of course there are the mentally deficient who will argue that some communities could not afford that, but they are really doing nothing but illustrating their ignorance. Education cures ignorance.

Listen up, young genius. If your watch has markings only on the hours, do the half hours not exist? Did Timex intend me to tell time only on the hour and not interpolate the remaining 59 minutes because there are no lines there? Use your head for something more than a ballcap rack.

Well, you gotta admit, the lifeguards' television show was a LOT better than any show EMS ever had! Plus, David Hasselhoff could kick your arse anyday. Heidi, shaved is good. It's the shaved-goatee combo that is gay. :wink:

LOL! I wasn't knocking your post! It's good to see how we are being presented in the media across the country! I appreciate you posting that! The reporter went a little overboard with his line about EMTs being trained professionals though, haha. At least the director guy didn't feed into that nonsense too badly. Good presentation, overall. The sandbox is good, aside from the death and destruction. Today was not a good day. Tomorrow will be better! Thanks for asking!

Jeeze... I'll sure be glad when this whole shaved head and gaytee... I mean GOAtee fad is over with. :roll:

The whole picture just changed. This is NOT a problem with your partner. This is a problem with your employer. They suck. Run.

Exactly. Maybe two bucks a shirt, max, and all your troubles are gone. And you don't look like a slob like all the other people who "wash and wear" their uniforms. Never had a blood stain that the professionals didn't get out, even after several days. Definitely don't give up though. This is doable. Ever seen a pair of scrubs or a sheet at the hospital with blood stains on it? Nope. So obviously, there is a way. Maybe call up your hospital laundry people, if you are bound and determined to do it yourself.

Ooops! I can't believe I totally overlooked this earlier. Minus five for posting this in the wrong forum.

I'm afraid that there is a very good chance those schools suck, and you wouldn't want to attend them anyhow. A real quality medic school takes it's admissions just like a medical school, nursing school, respiratory therapy school, PA school, or other true medical professional school. You spend a year or two completing prerequisite courses, then the best prepared applicants -- regardless of so-called "experience" -- get in. If that is not how your prospective school operates, they are a joke and are to be avoided.

You call that aggressive? Sounds pretty passive to me. Down right lethargic, in fact. :? Does sound like you are aggressive though, so good on you. You probably deserve a better employer though. Good luck!

Not one single portion of that entire post made a bit of sense. Can you break it down for us? :?

No, but hush hush. My girlfriend reads this board and she can't find out I'm not really allergic to latex, if you know what I mean. :twisted:

No, I am saying don't screw with the tones. It's not only pointless, it's dangerous. If your FTO knew WTF he was talking about, his arse would have been working the siren, relieving you of the responsibility, instead of just carping at you about it. Turn it on. Drive to your destination. Turn it off. If traffic isn't responding, too bad. A different tone isn't going to make the difference. Slow down and wait for them. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. But multitasking is a top cause of accidents in non-emergency drivers. Imagine what it does to emergency drivers. Ambulances spec'd by me have one siren control. That is a single on-off toggle switch. Everything else is for wankers.

Ha! You don't know me at all, do you? I never wear gloves. I'm allergic to latex. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it. 8)

LOL! I didn't mean you shouldn't talk to your friends about it. Just don't go talking to a judge or prosecutor. Let your lawyer do it all for you. It'll save you time, money, and a conviction. 22 March I'll be home for a week, and probably spending most of that time in the chat room, hehe! See you there!

Ah, okay. My bad. Allow me to amend. Why the heck were you playing with the siren while driving anyhow? Your FTO was right.

AK just explained exactly why you shouldn't be talking to ANYBODY about this besides a lawyer. There is a reason they call them "mouthpiece." Don't go to a judge or prosecutor or court until you are summoned with your attorney there to speak on your behalf. It's $50 bucks very well spent.

LOL! Best reply in the thread, right there! Yeah, don't let your cert expire. Multi Level Marketing ain't all it's cracked up to be at those hard-sell Amway pep-rallies. You will be back. 8)

Why the heck were you talking on a cellfone while driving anyhow? Your FTO was right.

Plus 5 for an awesome question and topic! This is what it's all about! :thumbright: Minus 5 to me for hijacking by posting this non-contributory reply.

Mike was not disputing that DCFD had single-role medics. He was merely giving you info regarding the surrounding agencies that he recommended. I have no first-hand, eyes-on knowledge about DCFD EMS, but I have never heard a single positive thing about them anywhere. Nothing but nightmare reports. If they are trying harder to recruit professional medics to run single role, that is at least a sign of some recognition that their system is broken and that they are interested in finding some way to fix it. That could bode well for the future, but I doubt it. They are neck-and-neck with Detroit for the dubious distinction of most horrible provider in a major metropolitan US city.

My "A answer" would be none of the above. Keep your day job and go directly to paramedic school, then get the job you really want. The proper course for you is dependant up on many more factors than simply what you want to do. How old are you? Are you living at home without expenses? Are your parents still footing your bills? Or are you married with a mortgage, two kids, and two car payments? Is that car a monster muddo 4x4 that gets 5MPG in the city, or is it an economical ride? Do you have a job right now that pays better than either of the options you listed? Is this job flexible enough to allow you to attend school? What's more important to you; getting a real EMS job, or getting a BLS "911" job that allows you to say you have a real EMS job? Like JP said, the reality is not near as sexy or exciting as what you think being an EMT in LA County is. Make a list. A bigger list than distance and wages. Then weigh the pros and cons objectively. Objectively is the key term here. Then, if it comes down to a close race, figure in your desire to do something more exciting as a deciding factor. But if the race isn't even close, don't be an idiot. Good luck!

That is actually a pretty good point! If you flush it, it never existed. If you give it to the stuporvisor, then you are pretty much clear, but that doesn't guarantee that all eventualities are covered, because let's face it, a lot of stuporvisors are idiots. He might just flush it too. This is kind of like the money-found-on-the-drug-dealer/patient issue. You may think nobody else knows, but how positive are you about that? And while I agree that the cops are not anxious to do paperwork on something that simple for the sake of a prosecution that will never happen (just like I don't like having to write a SOAP and a medical refusal form for a hangnail that doesn't want to go to the hospital), them admitting the stuff into their evidence room helps cover both you and the employer. Regardless of what you do, consistency is your friend. Whatever you do in this case had better be exactly what you do in EVERY case where you find drugs in your ambulance. If you start making moral judgement calls out there, on a case by case basis, you will have ZERO luck defending any of those decisions in court or even to your management. At least there is some minimal justification for doing something wrong if that is the way you always do it, believing it is right. Scenario: Idiot's family serves ski resort with civil papers claiming they are liable for their innocent child's disability. Ski resort's attorney sends response to idiot family's attorney that contains the police report detailing the drugs found with their son's fingerprints on them at the scene. Idiot's family quietly disappears. EMTs still have job. And, as always, a bigger, more important point here is that if your agency does not have a written policy covering this situation, your agency sucks!

Apparently the others here read this differently than I did, so I guess I'll just have to ask you to be clearer. Is your licence currently still suspended, or is that all over and done with? If it is currently suspended, forget it. You're screwed. EMTs are a dime a dozen. One who cannot drive is about as in-demand as veggie burger MREs on steak night at the chow hall. If it is not currently suspended, and all that is cleared up, then yes, they may still have a problem with it. Although, if they were to understand exactly what happened and why the word "suspended" appears on your 27 [cop talk, cuz it makes me feel cool], then they would probably not view it anymore seriously than they would view the two speeding tickets themselves. And, of course, just the two speeding tickets is enough that I would not hire you at your age. Your prospective employer and their insurance company are quite justified in feeling the same way. As already mentioned, your best bet is to be upfront about it so they know they are going to see the "S" word on your record, but are prepared for it with advanced knowledge that it was no big deal. Good luck!

That is correct. Two points should be clarified though. 1. ANY bachelors degree will get you LP status in Texas. It doesn't have to be EMS or Nursing. But only an EMS or Nursing Associates will get you LP status. However, when they first started the LP thing, any Associates would get you LP status. Lots of wankers with AAS in Fire Protection Technoloy and Law Enforcement running around with LP patches on. Meh... at least it's a start. 2. The so-called licence isn't really a licence. It's just a certification with "licensed" written on it to make you feel special. But yeah, all that was just a first step towards mandating the two-year degree requirement for medics. I don't see it happening anytime soon though.