What is Professional EMS?

[spenac]

Bump as it is being discussed and I recalled this good discussion, if you ignore the crap that was made about the OP for not including source.

[Christopher.Collins]

I havnt even gotten to reading this forum yet as Im stuck on that healthcare rapping beaver and his hoes. Id almost be inclined to take that as being racist... but of course the producers would calling targeting a specific audience lol.

[CTXMEDIC]

Since we're posting videos about our professionalism, who can forget this gem brought to us from the state of Pennsylvania?

[

quite possibly the dumbest thing ive ever seen. and people wonder why they get a bunch of wankers applying...

[Rescue0ne]

getting back on-topic...

As some of you may remember, once upon a long time ago, I was the biggest PROponent of Volunteer EMS. I had all the excuses..oops, I mean reasons, why volunteers were needed. Whether it was because of my area, or manpower, or whatever. Now, they WERE valid reasons, in my eyes. However, it still goes back to the standard line & verse...

Volunteers are not professionals. You may conduct yourself professionally as a volunteer, but this does not make you a professional.

Nurses are professionals. Doctors are professionals. PA's & CRNA's are professionals. Depending on education, Paramedics may be considered professionals as well.

Why? They are educated at an accredited institution, they are LICENSED, and recognized by the public as professionals.

Additionally, say you're a plumber, or an electrician. You also volunteer as an EMT on your local rescue squad. Your profession is PLUMBER, or ELECTRICIAN. Not as a Volunteer EMT. A profession is what we do, career-wise. What we get PAID for. Not what we do in our spare time.

Certainly, nurses and doctors volunteer their time, whether it's at a mission for homeless/indigent, or overseas in third-world countries. This is far different than hanging out at your local EMS clubhouse, swapping "war-stories", gossiping, using it as a dating service, or worse. ( I know that not all vollys do this, but it holds true for a ridiculously large part of them.)

Until the time comes when we all wear the same uniform (whatever it may be), staff the station/ambulance 24/7, are respected and recognized by the public at large as an essential, PROFESSIONAL service...then EMS will continue to be the bastard child of Public Safety (or Health Care).

As an alternative, if volunteers would restrict themselves to "rescue" services, such as SAR, Extrication, etc., and leave EMS to paid/career folks, then maybe we could agree to disagree. Maybe.

It IS true, however, that as long as folks are willing to do it for "free", then there will never be a unified movement to establish true, professionalized Emergency Medical Services at the career level. There are many arguments about this, but the fact is, my guys and girls are paid less because there are folks/agencies in the area that DO do it for "free". This is not debatable.

[Rescue0ne]

In reference to that video from PA...are they really that hard up for EMS providers that they had to resort to a crap video like that? As stated above, all that going to do is attract "wankers" who are mesmerized by the lights & sirens, and will treat EMS as if it's a video game. "Oh well, the patient died because I forgot my drug dosages & gave to much morphine. I'll just hit reset, and wait for the next set of tones, and do it all over again!"

Chalk another one up for the Anti-Professional EMS Movement.

[CTXMEDIC]

In reference to that video from PA...are they really that hard up for EMS providers that they had to resort to a crap video like that?

Yes, they are. i wonder if it brought any quality applicants on board..

[spenac]

getting back on-topic...

As some of you may remember, once upon a long time ago, I was the biggest PROponent of Volunteer EMS. I had all the excuses..oops, I mean reasons, why volunteers were needed. Whether it was because of my area, or manpower, or whatever. Now, they WERE valid reasons, in my eyes. However, it still goes back to the standard line & verse...

Volunteers are not professionals. You may conduct yourself professionally as a volunteer, but this does not make you a professional.

Nurses are professionals. Doctors are professionals. PA's & CRNA's are professionals. Depending on education, Paramedics may be considered professionals as well.

Why? They are educated at an accredited institution, they are LICENSED, and recognized by the public as professionals.

Additionally, say you're a plumber, or an electrician. You also volunteer as an EMT on your local rescue squad. Your profession is PLUMBER, or ELECTRICIAN. Not as a Volunteer EMT. A profession is what we do, career-wise. What we get PAID for. Not what we do in our spare time.

Certainly, nurses and doctors volunteer their time, whether it's at a mission for homeless/indigent, or overseas in third-world countries. This is far different than hanging out at your local EMS clubhouse, swapping "war-stories", gossiping, using it as a dating service, or worse. ( I know that not all vollys do this, but it holds true for a ridiculously large part of them.)

Until the time comes when we all wear the same uniform (whatever it may be), staff the station/ambulance 24/7, are respected and recognized by the public at large as an essential, PROFESSIONAL service...then EMS will continue to be the bastard child of Public Safety (or Health Care).

As an alternative, if volunteers would restrict themselves to "rescue" services, such as SAR, Extrication, etc., and leave EMS to paid/career folks, then maybe we could agree to disagree. Maybe.

It IS true, however, that as long as folks are willing to do it for "free", then there will never be a unified movement to establish true, professionalized Emergency Medical Services at the career level. There are many arguments about this, but the fact is, my guys and girls are paid less because there are folks/agencies in the area that DO do it for "free". This is not debatable.

Now thats a professional response.

[Asblikkie]

getting back on-topic...

As some of you may remember, once upon a long time ago, I was the biggest PROponent of Volunteer EMS. I had all the excuses..oops, I mean reasons, why volunteers were needed. Whether it was because of my area, or manpower, or whatever. Now, they WERE valid reasons, in my eyes. However, it still goes back to the standard line & verse...

Volunteers are not professionals. You may conduct yourself professionally as a volunteer, but this does not make you a professional.

Nurses are professionals. Doctors are professionals. PA's & CRNA's are professionals. Depending on education, Paramedics may be considered professionals as well.

Why? They are educated at an accredited institution, they are LICENSED, and recognized by the public as professionals.

Additionally, say you're a plumber, or an electrician. You also volunteer as an EMT on your local rescue squad. Your profession is PLUMBER, or ELECTRICIAN. Not as a Volunteer EMT. A profession is what we do, career-wise. What we get PAID for. Not what we do in our spare time.

Certainly, nurses and doctors volunteer their time, whether it's at a mission for homeless/indigent, or overseas in third-world countries. This is far different than hanging out at your local EMS clubhouse, swapping "war-stories", gossiping, using it as a dating service, or worse. ( I know that not all vollys do this, but it holds true for a ridiculously large part of them.)

Until the time comes when we all wear the same uniform (whatever it may be), staff the station/ambulance 24/7, are respected and recognized by the public at large as an essential, PROFESSIONAL service...then EMS will continue to be the bastard child of Public Safety (or Health Care).

As an alternative, if volunteers would restrict themselves to "rescue" services, such as SAR, Extrication, etc., and leave EMS to paid/career folks, then maybe we could agree to disagree. Maybe.

It IS true, however, that as long as folks are willing to do it for "free", then there will never be a unified movement to establish true, professionalized Emergency Medical Services at the career level. There are many arguments about this, but the fact is, my guys and girls are paid less because there are folks/agencies in the area that DO do it for "free". This is not debatable.

Well said. Now what about paid part-timers? If you paid the vollies $15.00 /Hr per call would that be OK?[marq=up]

[JakeEMTP]

Well said. Now what about paid part-timers? If you paid the vollies $15.00 /Hr per call would that be OK?[marq=up]

I'm not sure if I understand correctly.Well that depends. If they are receiving $15.00/hr, than no. They are paid. If they on the other hand are getting $15.00 per call, an honourarium so to speak, then yes, they are Vollie. Unless of course, you are extremely rural and it takes several hours to turn a call, then $15.00/hr per call, makes a little more sense. If that is the case however, the service should be a paid professional service.

My view on vollieism is well known here. All EMS should be paid for the very reasons the post you quoted stated.

[Rescue0ne]

Now thats a professional response.

Thank you, Spenac. I usually do try to back up my opinions with factual information. As we all know, there are those out there that are bound and determined to hold on to their little fiefdoms of volunteerism, for whatever self-serving reason they may spout off about. There ARE those who believe that they're volunteering for the right reasons...and in the past, this may have held true. It's only now that alot of us have begun to realize that all of it has held back the profession for years, me being one of them.

Additionally, I've been on the receiving end, lately, of several volunteer EMS agency leaders trying everything they can think of to keep their agency from being "shut down". In reality, they are so easily replaced. We have ALS trucks readily available, staffed by EDUCATED professional paramedics. Yet these BLS agencies feel that they should be allowed to remain operational. Why? I suppose because it will leave a gap in their lifestyle? Who knows. Additionally, who cares? I have hobbies that are non-EMS related. I'm sure they can find something to do with their sudden influx of spare time. Either that, or go to school, become a paramedic, and apply for a paid position.

There's just too many people in Volunteer EMS that are in it for themselves, not their patients, nor their community. This is MY main reason for opposing Volly EMS. That, and the fact that, for some reason, my daughter is bound and determined to become a paramedic when she graduates from high school. I really would like for her to be able to earn a living wage in the field of EMS, if that's what she insists on doing with her life. Personally, I'd rather her get her BSN, or go Pre-Med, but she's hard-headed like her old man. :roll: