What is Professional EMS?

[Asblikkie]

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.

In that case thank you. I agree and in that sense I do think volunteering is a deed we can do without.

[spenac]

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:

You are so right.

Oh yeah and genetics is a neat discussion. I do hope that wages have progressed by the time your daughter makes the leap.

[soccer35]

Professional EMS is EMS that is not part of the fire department

Part time is not professional

Imagine if the ER nurses and Docs worked one week/month/shift in the ED, then the next as janitors or in the cafe

[Christopher.Collins]

....

Imagine if the ER nurses and Docs worked one week/month/shift in the ED, then the next as janitors or in the cafe

You joke... but thats why our Level II trauma center was downgraded to a Level III. The surgeons and surgical staff didnt want to be on call at night.

[Rescue0ne]

Professional EMS is EMS that is not part of the fire department

Part time is not professional

Imagine if the ER nurses and Docs worked one week/month/shift in the ED, then the next as janitors or in the cafe

You are SO right. This is one of the issues my county is dealing with right now. We currently have an oversight commission in place to regulate the various agencies, which are all seperate entities. A plan is in motion to "strip" the FD & Rescue ambulances and unite them under an "EMS Authority".

Like you said, part-time is not professional. What if I was a stripper part-time? That's certainly not my profession. Even if I was an MD or DO, and only worked in that capacity part-time. That still wouldn't be my profession. I'm a medic. That is my profession.