Term Used for EMT or Paramedic

[Dustdevil]

People don't know what an Emergency Medical Technician is either, though! It just ends up sounding pompous giving a long title for a not-so-prestigious job. I'll say "ambulance guy" if it gets the point across...I've tried pretty much everything.

Agreed. Like I said, even if you say you are a paramedic, people are going to ask for more information. It's inevitable. People just always ask questions when they learn you are in EMS at any level.

In a social situation, where it really doesn't matter, and you really don't feel like answering some stranger's questions about "the grossest thing you've ever seen" again, some medics will just say, "I drive a truck for the city" or something of that nature. People never want to know more about something that mundane, so it works well. If you are really looking forward to explaining all that crap, you're either trying to pick up a chick, or you're just a wanker.

It's just so pointless in most situations, because usually, you really aren't interested in explaining it all. The other person really doesn't care about the technicalities of it all, just a cool story or two. And five minutes later, they don't remember any of it anyhow.

[JPINFV]

No, I dont think it matters what the patient thinks we are, Its all about how we treat the patient. As long as he or she is comfortable and we are doing our jobs then so be it if we are EMT's or paramedics

See, then it starts to get awkward when the "paramedics" stop the ambulance so some other "paramedics" can climb on board to do special things that only "paramedics" can do. This can all be avoided by being truthful in the first place.

Of course there's two other options. We can always remove the basic level or follow the Canadian model and just call everyone on an ambulance a paramedic (PCP/ICP/ACP).

[Kiwiology]

We have one service that uses the title "Paramedic" for all EMTs and "Intensive Care Paramedic" for EMT-Paramedics.

While it is true that all EMTs are "paramedics" (ie they work outside of the hospital) some are not "Paramedics" in the industrial sense of the word - i.e. an EMT-P.

I think caution is needed to both get away from the old mindset of "driver" but must not elevate public expectation so much that it gives them a false impression of what you are able to do.

Example: Here in New Zealand we have five levels of EMT. The lowest two are equivalent to CFR+D and EMT-B but both can staff an ambulance. The media has a negative infulence in that on TV you will see EMTs and Paramedics but they often do not differentiate between the two so the public gets a distorted perception of what care can be offered. If you live in a rural area here and have say. a heart attack, the first running ambulance that will turn up will probably be a BLS unit which has no authority to do anything more than CPR, oxygen and AED.

That's not what the public see on TV, they see three or four people turn up at least one of whom is a Paramedic and adminstering advanced life support. TV does not show that some ambulances are staffed with clinicians who have no authority to deliver IVs, drugs, manual defibrillation, intubation or any of the things you see on TV.

I had a family friend who got impailed on a pitch fork (they live out in the sticks). The mother asked the EMTs if they were going to adminster some better pain relief because the entonox wasn't working. Much to her dismay, the EMT had to inform the mother that he was not qualified to deliver any drugs or fluids and they would have to wait another half an hour until the helicopter with an Advanced Paramedic arrived so that they could do it.

I am all for EMTs and Paramedics getting the proper recognition that they are not "drivers" or "attendants" but we must be careful not to give the public unrealistic expectations.

[AnthonyM83]

Like I said, even if you say you are a paramedic, people are going to ask for more information. It's inevitable. People just always ask questions when they learn you are in EMS at any level.

Right, but instead of a look of confusion and a technical discussion, there will be slightly more relevant questions that more easily allows the conversation to progress.

I'd rather get questions like "Where do you work?" Which has led to discussion on poorer areas of Los Angeles, gangs, underprivileged populations, historical founding of LA, immigration, the state of healthcare, abuse of 911 system, their dad who's a cop. Yeah, I usually have to bust out a stock answer about the "worst call", but eh.

But like I said, I usually just say "EMT. It's a level below paramedic. You have to work as a year before applying to paramedic schools." And at least it shows you're going to move up. If it's a hot girl, I'm a trauma surgeon JK (Though the standard accepted reply around here at parties seems to be "Firefighter"...the FF's in attendance seem to be cool with it and will back you up...haven't pulled that one, though)

[JPINFV]

I usually have to bust out a stock answer about the "worst call", but eh.

See, working for an IFT company, I've found the trick to answer that question. It's amazing how fast peoples' eyes glaze over when your worst call is a medical call and not a bloody trauma.

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Unfortunately, removing EMT-B's from EMS won't happen. Private ambulance companies want there to be EMT-B's so they can pay out minimum wage to an employee. Essentially an EMT-B and Paramedic team on an ambulance that aren't responding to a multiple injury call can perform the same functions that an EMT-P EMT-P team would. Why pay the extra thousands of dollars a year?

Politics suck.

[Richard B the EMT]

Just as a mention: The New York Daily News, when showing pictures of EMS personnel from the FDNY, always identify them as either "Ambulance Drivers", or (wait for it!) "Emergency Workers".

Emergency Workers?

As I have already expounded on, many times and many strings here, the FDNY does NOT utilize cross-trained Fire Fighter/EMTs, or Fire Fighter/Paramedics, even if the personnel might have the training from outside the FDNY/FDNY EMS. The pictures are also still misidentifying Fire Fighters, in their gear, by either of those titles. The FF protective gear is, color wise, different from the EMS', as the FF wear black, the EMS, that awful yellow.

At least neither of us wear the so called "Fire Engine Lime Green Chrome" (off duty, ONLY, I have a sweatshirt of that color)

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Look, you can't expect people to verse themselves in the different types of service providers.

We are the civil servants, not the other way around.

It's understandable to get a little miffed if some one in the medical field refers to you like that, because it's in their scope of practice and their obligation to learn this kind of stuff.

You can't expect civilians to all suddenly study up on the differences between all of us.