Nate

As much as we believe that, it is sad that it goes on. Now I'm seeing nurses who leave their patients in filth because that is the CNA's job in their eyes. :roll:

You just described the area with in Houston.

Does ETMC own them? I know that ETMC provides the entire "package" to cities/counties.

:shock: trusting cops?

When I'm working for the city service we are required to be in the back because the EMT-Basic that drives us is a volunteer and we (the paramedic) are paid. So if the city is going to pay for a paramedic to be there, then they expect that paramedic to be in the back all of the time. Which I have no issue with, we don't typically spend 24 hours running every minute of the day. When I'm at the private service it is similar yet different. The theory is that should a call come in that warrants an ALS response, it is the duty of the paramedic to examine the patient, and should they rule that the patient does not need ALS interventions they are free to leave (as we are squad based) and the BLS ambulance will transport. I'd say that a good 90% of all calls I'm dispatched on, I ride into the ER. I just don't really want to risk it, so unless it is something like clogged g-tube, stubbed toe, isolated minor trauma, etc... I will ride the call. For the trucks that have paramedics on them, they are expect to ride every call into the ER with the exception of the types of calls listed above. I don't see that it is with holding my basics from learning and getting experience. They are still in the back with me, they assess the patient, they are often quizzed on the call afterwords, and they play an active role in the patent's care. This is done to set us apart from other services, and like I said above; it is there to make sure the paramedic rides every MVC, every sick call, and every other call that could go either way. The actual policy is that "highest certified level" will ride the call to the ER as a result of a few bad paramedics and EMT-Is that thought they didn't need to be on calls. One of which was an EMT-I who made an EMT-B ride a chest pain call. She was fired for doing it, but that was after the fact. The policy is here to prevent such incidents from happening. After all, this EMT-I had never done this before, so who was to know that this was going to happen. The only paramedics that have truly complained about running the calls were usually the ones who would try to off load everything on their EMT-Basic (and they don't typically last very long).

Dignity > * Sorry, just playing with you. I've done a few LD trips (several hundred miles) and I've had patients who messed themselves. I have no problem cleaning them (usually have to get the medic driving to pull over and help me). I've had a few paramedics tell me they would never do that, and had a few medics who were driving me who refused to help. IMHO, leaving someone to lay in their own sh*t is just as bad as with holding care. If you look at what a nurse does and you look at what a paramedic does, you can't really argue the pay difference. I typically don't spend my entire shift with patients, where as a nurse does.

Personally, I think there is more to pay that attracts me to a service. Some of the things I look for as paramedic before I would go to work for a service are the following: How is the service ran. Where does their funding come from. Upper management and supervisors background and education. Does the service pay for CE, does the service provide in house CE. Do they require those extra certs beyond ACLS. How happy are the workers. What do the employees look like when they aren't around management. Level of trust management and employees have for each other. Does the service welcome change, do they change their protocols as new advances in medicine are made. Checks and balances of the service. Those are just a few of what I look at, but it has surprised the people interviewing me when I actually respond to their "do you have any questions for us" comment. I like to tell people that when you apply for a job, you are interviewing the company/service as well. So what I'm getting at is, what kind of service would you want to work for, and what kind of service can you provide realistically. You can pay me $80,000 a year, but if I'm still in the dark ages as far as protocols, work with really bad co-workers, and have to sleep in a station that has more problems then Anna Nicole Smith, I don't want to work for you.

Along with flight-lp, I have thought about a similar type agency for the Houston area. More along the lines of how nursing agencies work. I never really got past the thought though. The big problems I see (at least with my area; Houston), is quality. Not every service is the same, not every service uses the same SOP's or protocols, not every service has the same insurance requirements, and you can't drive the rig until your on the companies insurance policy. So you would have to get a set of "pre-approved" providers for each service so they could clear them to drive their trucks, make sure they know their protocols, etc. I personally wouldn't want to have to try to remember a bunch of services protocols. However, if you are the sole provider of medics to the county, I guess you can get the protocols along the same lines and get the medics "pre-approved" to drive the rigs. Last you have the issue of trust, I for one don't know to many services around here that would be trusting of an agency to provide staffing for them.

Eh, never really had a problem finding or showing someone where rehab was.

Okay, I mean services like mine where that isn't the case. We don't get to dump anything, we ride it all.

The number one reason why I couldn't be a nurse..... I don't really want to clean another man's ass.

Truth is that if the return rate on 911 calls was higher we would go to dual paramedic trucks, but since it isn't...we stick with EMT-basic drivers to assist the paramedic, and the paramedic is always in the back. In Texas it is very hard to get on a dual paramedic 911 system because every paramedic wants to be able to go call for call.

Didn't even notice the difference, mine are the old M and they still say Texas Department of Health on them. Also the patch is outlined in blue instead of black like the new ones.

I like mine:

I know of one that was missing a leg, but that wasn't her downfall...it was her lack of an ability to give a d*mn about anyone but herself.

So you didn't pass the test did you?

I have to say that you might be better off attending the EMT-Basic class, taking the advice of your preceptors, instructors, and trusted friends. You should evaluate your situation, after all we can't not tell you whether or not it is a good idea since we don't know you. Generally there are people I have came across who I was kind of glad they stayed at the EMT-B level, and others that I have urged to go onto Parmaedic school. It just depends on how well you grasp the material, how much time you put into the course, and how quick you learn. :wink:

Now you just need to send me your logo and I'll make you some really cool t-shirts, make good under shirts too.

Why not form a municipal tax based fire service that provides coverage to all of the residents...OMG...imagine that!

If it was state law then I guess I would have too. I agree with Rid, we can make the ambulances safer.

I actually didn't think there was another doctor there that had as much freedom as Red. I do wonder if they will name the ER after him after he passes.

It doesn't mean that she might not be able to help you. She might not be able to help on that call, but maybe one day when your in need she will be the one that remembers that EMT on that one day who was nice to her and thanked her for her help and let her assist him. We had a guy with a similar situation, he blew a nurse off that he thought was "dumb." Then he went to nursing school, became a very good nurse, but could never make charge nurse because the nurse he blew off was over the hospital. What goes around, comes around. I work 911 for a city service and have never found the reason to be flat out rude to someone. The line I use the most is this; "sir, could you please go with this officer/EMT/firefighter so that he can get your information for the report?" It gets them out of my ambulance, it frees me up, and it doesn't leave a bad taste in their mouth.

I've gotten use to being awake most of the time, however we are allowed to sleep when ever. After breakfast we usually watch a movie and nap, then in the afternoon we will take care of any duties that weren't already done, and then we try to crash around 2200. Generally our station duties are minimal as we tend to keep a really clean station.

I've never had to be a "dick" when I was on at the city. There is a nice way of getting your way when you need it and doing it with out being rude. Just use really big words they don't know.

Why would I have a run report on myself? Not to mention I'd be better of treating myself then letting my co-workers have revenge.