ABC News says we are ambulance drivers.

[CBEMT]

Who is the "national governing body" of this profession? The national registry of EMTs.

NREMT does not "govern" anyone. Not even the ones that have NREMT certification.

You can't even call them the national certification body for EMS, because quite a few states and thousands of providers don't have NR.

[firedoc5]

NREMT does not "govern" anyone. Not even the ones that have NREMT certification.

You can't even call them the national certification body for EMS, because quite a few states and thousands of providers don't have NR.

One problem I had was that IL has their own registry, or you could be cert with NREMT. But when I went to LA, they didn't have a state registry. They were only NREMT. This had been about 11 yrs. ago so it might have changed since then. At that time I was only state certified and there was no reciprocity between IL and LA. And I was facing having to take the entire class again if I wanted to be cert. in LA. Unfortunately I didn't stay in LA long enough to pursue it any further. A couple of years later I did move back to LA but didn't try to get certified. It was a three ring circus. At one time, prior to '83 I think, if you were IL certified, you were automatically nationally certified.

So it does depend on what state you are dealing with.

[siren_man]

I know I'm new here but I hear some of this every day. I'm referring to the " we all need college degrees" crowd. its usually someone young who is in college for something else. I have been in Emergency Services for 23 years and I have not run into a situation where a college degree would help at all. don't get me wrong I'm not anti-degree I just don't see how it can improve our situation as a profession. look at Fire services, they have a great deal of recognition as " heroes" and I'm not sure but most Firefighters don't have degrees. how DO we improve our situation? I'm not sure and I have spent allot of time talking to allot of people and thinking a great deal about it. I'd gladly listen to anyone who can give us some idea what we can do. Bobby

[csr]

I'm not nor have I ever driven an ambulance.

I became a EMT-B whle working at a state prison. As a Corrections Officer/EMT-B I handled medical emergencies among inmates and staff. We had a medical department on the prison grounds. Transport to area hospitals was handeled via a private ambulance service.

I served as a volunteer with a non transport VFD. I drove the department rescue truck or my POV to medical calls. I never drove an ambulance.

I worked as a paid city firefighter/EMT. Transport was done via a private ambulance service. I rode in the back of ambulances to assist the paramedic a hand full of times.

I worked a short time for a city EMS service in the Communications division as a 911 operator. Never set foot on any of their ambulances.

I currently work in an industrial setting. I give out immodium and bandage booboos and have employees pee in cups so I can send off samples to the lab. I treat burns, crushes, cuts and even the occasional car or motorcycle crash. I use a company vehicle to respond to medical emergencies on our site and though it's loaded down with BLS gear it's certainly not an ambulance. We use it to transport non emergenct patients to the local ER. For serious stuff we call the local private ambulance service.

I am certainly not an ambulance driver.

[Just Plain Ruff]

You're comparing apples to oranges.

"Nurse" is a general umbrella including LPNs and RNs. "EMT" is a general umbrella including Basics, Intermediates, and Paramedics. Calling an RN a nurse is not an insult, and calling a <http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/results.php?searchTerm=paramedic&submit=submit>Paramedic</a> an EMT should not be considered an insult either. You're operating under the assumption that EMT means EMT-Basic (or Intermediate), which simply isn't the case.

Look at the site you're on now. EMT City. Who is the "national governing body" of this profession? The national registry of EMTs. I just don't understand why there's stigma attached to the "EMT" title...despite popular belief, "EMT" is not a level of certification. It is many, including <http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/results.php?searchTerm=paramedic&submit=submit>Paramedic</a>.

You misread my intention(not hard to do) but if you read it again I said that the RN would not appreciate being called an LPN but they are both considered Nurses. I never said that the rn would be upset about being called a Nurse. I specifically said a RN would dislike being called a LPN or compared to an LPN.

[VentMedic]

I know I'm new here but I hear some of this every day. I'm referring to the " we all need college degrees" crowd. its usually someone young who is in college for something else. I have been in Emergency Services for 23 years and I have not run into a situation where a college degree would help at all. don't get me wrong I'm not anti-degree I just don't see how it can improve our situation as a profession. look at Fire services, they have a great deal of recognition as " heroes" and I'm not sure but most Firefighters don't have degrees. how DO we improve our situation? I'm not sure and I have spent allot of time talking to allot of people and thinking a great deal about it. I'd gladly listen to anyone who can give us some idea what we can do. Bobby

Almost every healthcare profession, except for a few that are still considered "techs or assistants" and many of them have more than 1000 hours of training, require a minimum of a two year degree.

I got my EMS degree in 1979 in Florida where most of the community colleges already had 2 year Paramedic degrees established. Back then being a female with a paramedic certificate and able to pass the fitness test was all that I needed to get a job with almost any FD. Speaking Spanish was also worth a few points. I would have been even more perfect if I had gotten a degree in Fire Science to go with the degree in EMS. At that time EMS was still relatively new and really had a good chance to keep up with the other professions, including nursing, that were just getting their start at being recognized with professional status. Many people thought the Paramedic would also be required to have a two year degree by 1985.

There are now more degrees at all levels for Fire Science than EMS today. Actually, I do have a lot more respect for the FF or anyone that takes their profession serious enough to continue their education. At least in the FDs there is an education motivation with a career ladder for promotions.

Unfortunately the "hero" thing has been creating problems in the past 5 years as there are many applying to the EMS and FF services that want to be a hero and not a medical or FF professional.

[PatrickW]

You misread my intention(not hard to do) but if you read it again I said that the RN would not appreciate being called an LPN but they are both considered Nurses. I never said that the rn would be upset about being called a Nurse. I specifically said a RN would dislike being called a LPN or compared to an LPN.

I understood that, my point was that referring to an RN as an LPN is not like referring to a Paramedic as an EMT, because the latter is accurate. EMT is an all-encompassing umbrella for the different certifications, so being a paramedic and being called an EMT should not be considered offensive or inaccurate. Sure, "paramedic" is a more accurate term, just as "RN" is a more accurate term for an RN than "nurse", but that's just the way it goes. Now, if someone referred to you as an EMT-Basic, then you'd have a complaint.

[AnthonyM83]

I'm referring to the " we all need college degrees" crowd. its usually someone young who is in college for something else. I have been in Emergency Services for 23 years and I have not run into a situation where a college degree would help at all. don't get me wrong I'm not anti-degree I just don't see how it can improve our situation as a profession. look at Fire services, they have a great deal of recognition as " heroes" and I'm not sure but most Firefighters don't have degrees. how DO we improve our situation? I'm not sure and I have spent allot of time talking to allot of people and thinking a great deal about it.

Around here, it seems to be the old timers who are pushing the college degrees, I'm assuming because they've been through the whole process and have a better perspective to tell us what is needed.

FD has different problems than EMS does. EMS is trying to gain a place in the medical community. No way it's going to do that without a degree. FD isn't trying to gain a place anywhere...they can live off of the hero thing...that gets them enough money in most places.

The most valuable things from a bachelor's degree is developing critical thinking skills, culture/worldly knowledge/self-presentation, and basis for future degrees/training.