ABC News says we are ambulance drivers.

[jimwall63]

just a quick note to say who cares what people call us as long as we respond when we are called.I volunteer to serve the community and help people.yes i drive an ambulance and yes i am a EMT-I but when someone asks I say I volunteer on a rescue squad.I am not in it for the glory or titles just to help people.If you want people to call you by your title the educate the public on the titles until then just respond with a smile and ask how can i help you?

[coni]

I agree names can make a difference BUT so be we are doing good patient care and the hospitals we go to know were paramedics or emts thats what matters! we as a profession are responsible for the names we are "called" i just give people a friendly reminder what i do and can do. i to have a degree....in paramedicene but docent give me anymore than my counter parts! someday we'll be a profession and get what were due! but being ugly is not doing us any good. man you all have me in a good mood ! doesnt that sound like a good girl trying to break up a situation

[Richard B the EMT]

I sometimes call myself an "Ambulance Tech," but that is the Cocktail Party definition, again.

Veronica, I apologize for some of my rude colleagues, that was no way to respond to a first time posting person. Some of them don't like things sugarcoated, and that one, admittedly, was a sugarcoating. Incidently, I see it quite often in EMS circles, and once as a wall poster for sale in the OUR fire/EMS catalog.

Welcome to EMT City, by the way. Don't let some of our colleagues, including me, make you think you either cannot or should not post anything, just accept that sometimes no matter what you post, they'll argue with you. Sometimes they will argue with you, even when they agree with you!

[Dustdevil]

Another good argument for making a nursing degree an entry level prerequisite for paramedic training and EMS practice. Then we wouldn't have these identity problems.

[WANTYNU]

I think my last post needs some clarification; I did NOT mean a name (title) is important as in “Call me Paramedic SIR!” (However ask a Doctor if their title is important…).

I meant that our identification is as a SERVICE that provides prehospital emergency medical care and not just a taxi with lights is what is important.

Paid vs Volunteer is a separate subject, but is important to the folks that make a living as providers, (as I’ve stated in previous posts).

Personally I think we should all be called Medic’s, as that would be easier for the public to understand.

As for what level of service we as individuals can provide, that is up to us to identify and understand.

-w

[Amytxn4]

GROWLS loudly...lots of hours of learning on top of many years of experience. This is 2008...not 1960's.

[Dustdevil]

GROWLS loudly...lots of hours of learning on top of many years of experience. This is 2008...not 1960's.

Ummm... if you are still measuring your education in terms of hours, it's nothing to be bragging about. The Vietnamese nail technicians down the street have more training than you.

[Amytxn4]

Dustdevil, I'm only talking about having education should have a better title than ambulance driver which equals to no education in public.

[Dustdevil]

Dustdevil, I'm only talking about having education should have a better title than ambulance driver which equals to no education in public.

Yes, but that is the problem. About three quarters of us really have no education to speak of.

[WolfEMT007]

Tack on the numerous hours of continuing medical education, drills, updates, changes in protocols, and god knows what other training depending on where you are an EMT (basic, intermediate, medic, or critical care). not only that, consider also that you must do these things whether you are a professional or a volunteer. I don't think it matters whether you have that college degree or not as far as public perception. waive the degree all you want bottom line is that the lay person has NO idea what training or how much work is involved in becoming and remaining an EMT at any level. I've been referred to as "the nice nurse", "doc" and any number of other titles including "hey you" depending on the person and situation. I've also been asked why I wasn't in school on a school day (hey the poor lady was very elderly and I'll admit I look younger than I am). No matter what the media calls us as a title or what the public thinks our title is, we are still expected to care for our patients to a certain level of training - your patient doesn't care as long as you come. You could be the volunteer who is usually "just an ambulance driver" with first aid and CPR but you will be viewed as an EMT Professional of any level as long as you present yourself as such.

Kudos and good luck to those who want to become Paramedics and are Medics. I've even known a few medics who became nurses and vice versa. I could see requiring a degree if you want to make this field your career but not if you're volunteering. I won't do it as a career but I do enjoy volunteering, there is time commitment and something different to do, but it is the kind of giving to my community I enjoy and the camaraderie is a great bonus. Try to get someone to volunteer as a Paramedic and not as a lower level of care EMT and you won't be able to, either because the agency they ride with is not approved to that level of care by the supervising agencies of the area or because the Medic doesn't want that kind of liability if they are not being compensated - I wouldn't blame them either. And depending where you work I don't think EMT's are paid enough for the services they provide and the education that you have to have and the crap you have to put up with. I've known a few Medics who have had to take second jobs to support family but that's for another thread...

I have had people ask me what training is needed and what the differences are and what kind of things do you have to do. The best anyone can do is explain the difference and educate those that are interested in knowing. We as a society give the media too much credit and therefore too much power over what we see as the truth - they sell papers and gain ratings on chaos (and mis-information and omission if information) they've created. I've told people I'm an EMT and they usually ask What is that? I tell them what it means and the response is usually "oh, so you work in an ambulance, right?" They are not totally ignorant, just mostly ignorant. What do I do? I ride ambulance. Do I drive too? Yes I do. Do I take care of people? Yes I do. Do I like doing this? Yes I do. Can I explain? Yes I CAN!