"Where Do We Go From Here?"

[emtlady76877]

I agree EMT's don't know everything & my question is to the one that posted before you where did you say you got to be a paramedic in 12 weeks? Where I am going it takes close to 2 years to get my A.A.S. degree as a paramedic not that i'm complaining I want to learn everything I can.

[Dustdevil]

...where did you say you got to be a paramedic in 12 weeks? Where I am going it takes close to 2 years to get my A.A.S. degree as a paramedic not that i'm complaining I want to learn everything I can.

Good for you. Then do not even boggle your mind worrying about 12-week paramedic schools. But there are plenty of them, everywhere. Most of the large, urban fire department run EMS systems in the country are based upon short, 3 to 6 month paramedic schools. It's always been that way. Hasn't changed in 37 years in Southern Kalifornia.

[emtlady76877]

That is how long it takes to become an EMTB and California is not spelled with a K

[VentMedic]

At one time I worked at a hospital. A friend of mine became Director of Nursing and I was talking with him and he had an idea that he shared with me. He was wondering how well having a Paramedic working in-house in different dept.s. He called the position a "Patient Care Tech." With the qualifications I had I would work in one dept. then another when some extra help was needed. One day I worked in Respiratory, the next I might work in Phlebotomy, another day I might work in patient transport. At first I stepped on some toes. Like some in Respiratory. didn't like the fact that I could entubate and they couldn't, or in phlebotomy I could draw ABG's and they couldn't. Also with phlebotomy I proved that I could hit veins on patients that were very difficult. It wasn't that I was better at it, it's just that when you are in the back of an ambulance you get use to hitting a moving target and you get experience at using large bore IV's. Even though their seemed to be some jealousy in some of the departments, I got along with co-workers for the most part. I did have some supervisors try and write me up for little piddly crap that didn't amount to anything and they tried to run me ragged, making me hustle all over the hospital. It was not uncommon for me to work in several different depts. during some shifts. But the job only lasted about five months. It was sort of experimental at that time. They decided to stay with the old system.

Paramedics and EMTs only compare their jobs to others by "skills". Pulling a tube out or drawing blood are "skills". They can be taught in a few minutes or a couple of hours. It is the knowledge that goes with these "skills" that counts. Most critical care RNs and RRTs work off of protocols and don't have to wait for a doctor to spell it out for them. But then, even the phlebotomists are now required to have 150 hours for a certification now in some states. Many hospital labs now prefer Paramedics not draw labs in the field due to errors in drawing and labeling.

If you look at the job description for nurses and RRTs, they want education and knowledge. I can not even begin to list what I can do as individual skills in the hospital. In EMS as a Paramedic it is listed on a couple pieces of paper.

More than likely you were paid far less than a lab tech or a resp therapist and the department heads were threatened.

You are comparing people with 2 (entry) - 4 - 6 years of college to someone with a few months of "training"? These professions saw long ago that the "knobologist" or "skill monkey" was not the way to professionalism. The insurance companies and legislators saw it that way also. Don't insult the professions that saw the way of their initial errors and got over them to advance their status in the medical world.

I started as an OJT in Respiratory over 25 years ago. I had to eventually get first an Associates degree and then a Bachelors in Cardiopulmonary to maintain ICU status. I don't care who draws the ABG as long as they are properly trained in the "skill". But, when it comes to making acid-base corrections either by some buffering med or adjusting a ventilator running Nitric Oxide, there should be someone with some education and specialized knowledge tweaking the knobs.

If a certificate paramedic wants to become an RRT, they will need another 60 to 76 hours (2 years) of college.

Most RNs and RRTs like their specialties and don't constantly whine about wanting to be "paramedics". When I am working in EMS on a helicopter, I am more limited as a paramedic then I am when working specialty transport as an RRT. My RN partner on HEMS can do everything I can do as a Paramedic and is still happy to be a nurse. His BSN and 12 years of ICU/ED experience definitely comes in handy also.

HCWs licensed in Radiology, Radiation and Nuclear are a whole realm of education, licensures and specialization that in no way would I want someone with just a "skills" mentality performing any of these specialized procedures on me or any of my friends and family. Luckily their professionals organizations see it that way also and have educational standards to close the loopholes allowing unqualified wannabes into their practice.

So brag about all the skills you want. But if you don't have the book learnin' and knowledge to go with them, what is your real value?

[CBEMT]

California is not spelled with a K

It is the intent is to make obvious one's complete and utter disgust with same. :wink:

[Dustdevil]

That is how long it takes to become an EMTB and California is not spelled with a K

Get real. There are two week EMTB schools in Kalifornia. Just because your school dragged two weeks of training out over several months does not somehow elevate the overall status of Kalifornia EMS. It takes almost four times more training to cut hair in Kalifornia than it takes to be a paramedic, so don't get too full of yourself.

[DwayneEMTP]

What ever happened to Captain?

[JPINFV]

That is how long it takes to become an EMTB and California is not spelled with a K

Link 2 Life would be a perfect example of a program offering an accelerated (and over priced) EMT-B course. http://www.link2life.org/pricing.asp#EMTon...SSESFOR19992000

[ccmedoc]

...So brag about all the skills you want. But if you don't have the book learnin' and knowledge to go with them, what is your real value?

:thumbright: :thumbleft: :cya:

edit: I thought it was spelled with a K. Looks better that way..