Whats in an Age? An Opinion: Open for Discussion

[Arizonaffcep]

So, you did your paramedic degree then all of a sudden became the senior practitioner on the ambulance?

No...it was 2 day latte when the medic on one shift quit, and I got thrust into the roll...although I will admit, it was a good challenge.

[firedoc5]

But that was wrong. A person should not expect to get the promotion just because of how long they have been around. At 33 the person could have better education and enough experience to bring positive changes rather than old guard doing the same way its always been done.

I didn't say it was right. It's just what happened. I'd say that up to about ten yrs. ago, there were still some hurt feelings and discussions on it.

One thing I will say is that there does needs to be a balance between education and experience. I've known some 33 yr. olds that had more experience than guys 25 yr.s older.

And you are so right about the "old guard" doing things the same way. But in many FD's, they hang on to tradition(s) are reluctant to change. I'm all for tradition, but you have to move ahead also. When I got on full time in '89 I was thrust right into that change and the reluctance to change. Maybe that's one reason the Chief and I didn't exactly hit it off, ever.

[p3medic]

This is the age break down for my EMS agency for Paramedics:

<24: 0

24-29: 1

30-34: 3

35-39: 12

40-44: 18

45-49: 14

50-54: 17

55-59: 5

>60: 0

[firedoc5]

This is the age break down for my EMS agency for Paramedics:

<24: 0

24-29: 1

30-34: 3

35-39: 12

40-44: 18

45-49: 14

50-54: 17

55-59: 5

>60: 0

I don't know the actual numbers, but I can guess-timate that at one time our highest number of Paramedics would have been in the 22-35 age range when I worked for a private amb. service.

When I got on the FD it was probably 24-30, with only a small few a little older (45-50)

[crotchitymedic1986]

My only question is: whose responsibility is it to unbuckle him from his infant-car-seat when you guys arrive on calls ?

[firedoc5]

My only question is: whose responsibility is it to unbuckle him from his infant-car-seat when you guys arrive on calls ?

Ouch :violent1:

Come to think of it, I really can't say much. When running with my first vollie service I was made Crew Chief within the first seven months. I started the day before my 18th birthday (the State gave me the one day). But of course at the time I covered 3/4 of the schedule, and was always the one to rely on when someone couldn't be on call when scheduled. And I can honestly say that I saw a lot in those seven months for a one unit station.

[toutdoors]

Age is sometimes nothing more than a number.

It is the ability of an individual to gain the education, learn the strategies, and tactics, know their medical protocols, maintain an open view of the big picture, determine what you have, what you will do (or not do), and what resources you have, and what resources you will need. Then you need to pull all or some of this together, deliver the orders to those assigned to your command, and be right.

Some of the deciscion making can be taught in the class room with power points, and "roundtable" discussions on presented scenarios in still photos or better yet, video. When your abilities to draw upon all of your assets, (education, training, experience) allow you to effectively, and efficiently make quick and rational deciscions with little or limited immediate knowledge of the entire situation without you "freezing" up, then you are ready to be the leader of a small group of people that will be put into some sort of harm's way. This is more the fire side of me speaking out here, for the simple reason I feel that being the officer of a fire company is of great responsiblity to my crew, department, and the citizens that we serve. Don't get me wrong, I am not taking anything away from the non fire medics out there, or the field supervisors in medical services.

Doug I agree with you in the aspect of what the Corps taught us about fire teams and young leaders working with a small group of individuals. The one thing you need to remember is that the way you train combat Marines is different than the way you train firefighters or medics today. Sadly, it is a kinder, gentler arena that we must work in.

Cfaulk, I don't question your ability as a paramedic. If your service is worth a darn, and they trust your abilities, than good for you. I think that what we are talking about is more along the lines of a leader in this sense is a person who is responsible for a crew of 3-4 people, such is the scenario you will find on your fire rigs, not really on the ambulance. If you are working in a busy ALS service, you may very likely have more experience with small MCI's (3-6 pt MVC's) than a 35 year old medic with 10 years of service in a slower service. In this sense, if the two of you were to roll up on a school bus of 20 kids vs an SUV MVC, than you may be a more competent medical branch officer who can initiate the triage, and determine the treatment staging area, set up for vehicle staging, and ingress/egress routes of the scene as well as think of what additional resources are needed. Where the older medic would not have had as many opportunities to develop these skills by working in a slower service where there were very little if any incidents that could not easily be handled by his rig and maybe one additional crew. This is where you would have the experience advantage over the other medic, but he would the age and "time in service" upper edge on you.

Now if you want to ask who would be a better supervisor if there was a 22 y/o and a 42 y/o medic, with both of them having only two years on the street; I would say that in this instance the 42 y/o SHOULD be the more qualified person. (providing they are not a nitwit) The simple reason is that here the age issue might come into play for the simple reason the older medic has more "life experience". Sometimes this goes a long way into being a good leader or supervisor, other times it does not make a difference at all. So I say again, sometimes age is just a number.

[Timmy]

I’m 19 and after 3 months of mixed class and practical I get a patient load when I work in the hospital (4 shifts a week). My training requires me to work 40 hours a week in the hospital on 3 month rotations with one 9 hour shift of class per week and 3 week blocks of residential school at certain intervals. I’m also allocated with an RN at the start of each shift but take on my own patient workload but need to be supervised when giving medications or performing an invasive procedure.

This is different to being our in an ambulance, fresh out of class and working alone or with a first aid officer on the streets. I’ve always got backup seconds away and work with an RN for most of my shift.

In Australia to become an RN or paramedic you are required to under take a 3 year degree, within this course you are provided with a sound theoretical knowledge and spend time on clinical placement working in the real world. Once you’ve done your 3 years and get a job you’re employed as an undergraduate student for one year, in this year you work with/supervised by a senior clinician from either profession and your knowledge is assessed in real situations. By the time your ready to be a sole practitioner your at least 23. You can’t just pass your degree and be sent out willy nilly as the senior practitioner.

[wtalada]

In the company i run EMS with we have a simple system and it 's approved by out insurance in PA Ambulance 18= to drive and pratice and 21 to drive the paratransit van. in my oppinion and i know oppinions are like assholes... but a person who has completed their precepting properly is fit to command a small scale incident such as a two car MVA but a large scale incident involving other agencies should be left to the more experianced crewmember due to the fact that young pepole are usuly new and haven't gotten a chance to see the local customs.

[firedoc5]

Like my old grandpappy said, "It ain't the age, but the mileage".