ABC News says we are ambulance drivers.

[HellsBells]

ABC news has insulted us all. I for one DEMAND satisfaction. I hereby challenge ABC news and all its affiliates to a duel. Perhaps pistols at dawn?

[Richard B the EMT]

ABC news has insulted us all. I for one DEMAND satisfaction. I hereby challenge ABC news and all its affiliates to a duel. Perhaps pistols at dawn?

One, I doubt it is gonna happen, and two, the challenged party chooses weapons and location, if I remember the dueling protocols, d'Artagnan. I even asked Porthos.

[Lone Star]

One, I doubt it is gonna happen, and two, the challenged party chooses weapons and location, if I remember the dueling protocols, d'Artagnan. I even asked Porthos.

Bravo, Richard!

If one is going to resort to the ceremonies of the civilized, one must also abide by the protocols thereof.

[Lucky~13]

Bravo, Richard!

If one is going to resort to the ceremonies of the civilized, one must also abide by the protocols thereof.

I say we get drunk, kick their ass, make fun of their mommas, set flaming bags of dog doo on their porch, and pee on their lawn!

[volntrEMT]

Since all levels of EMS (EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, EMT-Paramedic) all contain the common title "Emergency Medical Technician", it's logical to refer to them as EMT's. Only those who are suffering from an over inflated ego MUST be labeled by distinction.

Even your college courses are broken down in this fashion, so it stands to reason that the National Registry will also use the 'lump grouping'.

You don't see doctors going through this 'chest thumping, degree waving' amongst themselves, to make sure that the public is well aware of who the top 'doctor level' is!

Could this be part of the reason that we're not viewed as 'professionals'?

How many times have you seen or heard of a doctor getting bent out of shape because they weren't addressed by some title that reflected their specialty? Podiatrist Smith, Cardiologist Levenstein, Proctologist Green, Orthopedist Thompson, Neurologist Malik, or Proctologist Sharpton? You dont! They have moved on from this petty 'stand out from the crowd' mentality and realized that they're all doctors, just as we are ALL EMT's!

*DISCLAIMER* By putting names and specialties together, I am in no way implying that certain ethnic, racial or gender groups are more predisposed to certain specialties. These were just simply the first name I could think of as well as the first specialties I could think of to illustrate my point!

I personally think that as soon as we stop this 'I'm more important than you are!' mentality, we may have just taken a huge step toward being recognized as the professionals that we are!

Let the fireworks commence!

Bravo!! You make a fantastic point!! Very well said!!

[medic_casey]

Hmmm...

Well, I agree that the term "ambulance driver" is somewhat demoralizing, but I also agree that it is a useful term for the lay public. For them, firefighter and police officer are easier concepts around which to wrap their brains...though it shouldn't be this way. :roll:

And I don't necessarily agree that paramedicine needs a 2 year degree...what are you going to call yourself then? EMT-A.S., for associate in science degree? C'mon, you know that sounds ludicrous. Besides, in order to get your paramedic, most reputable courses require you to have a semester of A and P, either together or separately, as well as other coursework. Basically, you have an AA due to the requirements to get into the prerequisites.

For better or worse, I do call myself a paramedic. Why? Well, maybe it is partly ego, partly because I like the sound of it, or partly because I feel I've earned the right to separate myself due to the rigors of the course. It DOES NOT mean I think I'm better than someone else, though I'm certain there are some out there who embrace the "paragod" notion. On the contrary, I look up to those whose certifications are "lower" than mine because more often than not, they've seen more and done more than me...I respect them and their skills and without question, wouldn't be as good a paramedic as I am without them.

[JakeEMTP]

Honestly, if all we had to worry about in EMS was what the lay public call us, I'd be ecstactic.

[Dustdevil]

And I don't necessarily agree that paramedicine needs a 2 year degree...what are you going to call yourself then? EMT-A.S., for associate in science degree? C'mon, you know that sounds ludicrous.

Wow, you're really overthinking this. Yes, what you are saying is indeed ludicrous. But the concept itself is not that difficult. If an AAS becomes the requirement, then it will be the standard, so there will be no need for a new title. They will be the only paramedics, and we get rid of the "EMT" part once and for all, so the public will finally actually understand what the title means.

Besides, in order to get your paramedic, most reputable courses require you to have a semester of A and P, either together or separately, as well as other coursework. Basically, you have an AA due to the requirements to get into the prerequisites.

Wrong. A degree is not just a random accumulation of semester hours. It is a focused education. It is a testament to a level of maturity and professional commitment that most never achieve because they either don't have what it takes, or else they simply don't have that serious commitment to the profession. If your school is just giving out sheepskins for a given number of hours, your school sucks.

[Veronica]

Ok..I didn't write this, but I wanted to post this as a reply to this..the author is listed at the end.

Standing in chest deep water,freezing rain falling and stinging as it hits the

exposed parts of my body. Holding her head above water to keep her from drowning until rescue could get there to cut her free---

BUT I'M JUST AN AMBULANCE DRIVER

Comforting a 89 year old woman who just watch me and my partner cover the face of her husband of 64 years as he lay dead in their bathroom floor---

BUT I'M JUST AN AMBULANCE DRIVER

On scene at an mva with mom trapped upside down in her car and her dead sons body laying on top of her without a second thought for my own safety I crawl into the wreckage to take C-spine control and calm the frantic lady---

BUT I'M JUST AN AMBULANCE DRIVER

Called away from my just prepared meal to respond to the middle of B.F.E to a house with no numbers,no porch light on,nobody waiting to signal us in and they bitch because we took too long only to find out the patient left P.O.V ten minutes ago...so we smile and walk away from the verbal lashing only because we are

JUST AMBULANCE DRIVERS

Standing in the middle of the street at midnight on the wrong side of town trying to patch the holes and stop the bleeding of a 19 year old shooting victim with the occasional bullet wizzing past our heads we never break stride because this kids life is in our hands---

BUT I'M JUST AN AMBULNCE DRIVER

Doing chest compressions on a 16 year old girl who decided this life was more than she could take.Her family screaming at us to help as though we are the ones who did this to her. Her lifeless body flailing about as the tube goes in and IV's being started, my arms and back burning from the pain of 30 minutes of CPR never once giving up, hoping she would make it through and over come whatever lead her to this bad decision----

BUT I'M JUST AN AMBULANCE DRIVER

Death is all around me and still I go home to live my life

I get kicked, hit, spit on, bled on, puked on...

I look into the eyes of a lifeless child at 7am and by 8 am I'm holding my child a little tighter and they know nothing about what happened.

I have hundreds of hours of classroom time years of in the field experience

I have challenged death and won

I've helped the helpless

I've neglected my family for yours

I find comfort in complete chaos

I eat cold meals if I eat at all

I work with no sleep for days at a time

I miss birthdays,holidays and school functions

I put myself in harms way for a total stranger on a daily basis

ALL BECAUSE I AM JUST AN AMBULANCE DRIVER

CHRIS INGLE AMBULANCE DRIVER/EMT

[kyemt26103]

AS an old timer ambulance driver always ticked me off, but these butt heads who think it takes a degree to save lives really piss me off ,lonestar nailed it.