T-minus 9 days for Alberta "take over"

[tniuqs]

I dunno, man. I don't see many people moving. People in EMS seem pretty reluctant to relocate. Everybody wants to be a hometown hero, not a mercenary for hire. Generally speaking, whatever they pay where they live is what they accept because they want that badly to work as a medic. And isn't the cost of living significantly better in most of AB than in other provinces?

WRONG cost of living is way higher, well except for Hongcover (BC)

If you saw my heating bill alone you would freaking fall over.

And WRONG ... you think I was just visiting in Texas ... Ha Ha I was applying for jobs !

WRONG ... I am a Mercenary Health Care Worker, hell all Our Canadian Trained MD's work in the US.

cheers

Heres another interesting point. A lot of paramedics in alberta work for two or more different services. This might prove to be interesting for the province as they try to work out what applys as overtime. If you work for another AHS "service" on days off from your full time job, should you be compensated with overtime since you work for the same employer? Furhermore, if that said person quits, then the province loses and just one, but the equivalent of 1.5 or 2 employees.

And Hellsbells makes a damn good point .. and how about the Paramedics moonlighting in industry .. we are Legislated there No Medic... No worky ... OH+S man says and they have a bite better than there bark.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE the TRUE POWER of properly organized Professionals ... hey we didn't start this we were forced to ... comply.

[Dustdevil]

Medics on integrated services are jumping to Fire side like rats jumping ship.

Whoa... wait just a goddamn minute here. The firemonkeys aren't being forced into the same stupid deal as everyone else? WTF?

Edited March 25, 2009 by Dustdevil

[tniuqs]

Whoa... wait just a goddamn minute here. The firemonkeys aren't being forced into the same stupid deal as everyone else? WTF?

YUP:

Bucket Fairies are Public Safety/ Cross trained Paramedics are now classified Health Care Workers .. the F/F are jumping ship because they want no part of this newly reclassified "health care restructuring" can you blame them ? I can't, they are way ahead, really.

Appears that Integrated services will be far more stable AND one get's to hold a mattress down on night shifts, just let the IHAS's guys and gals do transfers cause they get paid crap, and who cares ... really.

JAB!

The reason and why the leap is not rocket science .. the IFFA is the biggest Union in North America, government will not screw with them, hell, we are the EMS dumb asses and just as like Bryan says we lack solidarity.

cheers

ps got a spare bed ? I can cook ! but no nookie ... LMAO.

Edited March 25, 2009 by tniuqs

[Dustdevil]

Bucket Fairies are Public Safety/ Cross trained Paramedics are now classified Health Care Workers

So, are they not regulated by ACoP just like every other medic? Does this mean that fire medics are not healthcare professionals? Does this mean that healthcare professional is determined by your employer, and not by your education, licence, and job description? This just really isn't making a damn bit of sense to me.

[tniuqs]

So, are they not regulated by ACoP just like every other medic? Does this mean that fire medics are not healthcare professionals? Does this mean that healthcare professional is determined by your employer, and not by your education, licence, and job description? This just really isn't making a damn bit of sense to me.

Dust:

Yes ACoP regulates Paramedics, (even those that are cross trained) and EMTs and EMRs, if you chose to stay in health care (only) your new employer and paycheck has become the AB government, private service, municipal, hospital based or Fire based.

Some integrated services are embracing this and some integrated services are saying "well there's the door" ..... and good luck with that.

Best part is this Dust :

This just really isn't making a damn bit of sense to me.

Me either, thats the whole freaking point !

[a_shane2_go]

Hate to be the one to brake my own rule. But i've HEARD the intergrated services are mostly staying to municiple control under provincial funding but have 18 months to 24 months before they are seperated and EMS is run by AHS.

If anyone knows from an integrated service please comment!

[Dustdevil]

Yes ACoP regulates Paramedics, (even those that are cross trained) and EMTs and EMRs, if you chose to stay in health care (only) your new employer and paycheck has become the AB government, private service, municipal, hospital based or Fire based.

Sorry, but that didn't really make any sense to me either. Can someone break that down for me?

[albemt]

Sorry, but that didn't really make any sense to me either. Can someone break that down for me?

When the province takes control on April 1, each city, town or what ever has what ever ambulance they have and they tell them how many of them are staffed. Well those ambulances now have to be staff at all times and are under the control of the province, so if that ambulance is needed else where then they will move it to cover the area. This is a problem for fire services as most will have there cross trained members doing dual jobs they are there to work fire and ambulance. So if you pull one of the fire bases ambulances out of town to cover another town then they are short 2 firefighters.

So the province told the intergrated services that they needed to ask their paramedics/emts do they want to be ems or fire. So alot of the guys are goin fire

[kevkei]

Sorry, but that didn't really make any sense to me either. Can someone break that down for me?

Basically with the transition, it will go one of three ways (but really two)

- direct delivery (by Alberta Health Services) where they take over existing providers (City's of Edmonton, Calgary, Private's etc)

- contract delivery - where services are contracted to provide EMS. If the City of Edmonton would have contracted, staff would have remained with CUPE for at least 2 years or the duration of the contract to provide service.

Where integrated services are being exempt is that AHS is contracting with said municipalities to provide EMS. Bascially AHS is paying the integrated services and they run and employ how they see fit, but with AHS oversight. Until their actual employer changes, they remain with the same bargaining unit.

The oversight by AHS has been you can't use EMS to augment fire, which is why the hiring numbers are up. Strathcona 20, plus 2 more, St Albert 24, Leduc 16, Lethbrige 16+.... The rules are being more clearly defined.

As for people jumping ship to integrated services, I did and have the benefit of controlling my destiny, not what is directed by AHS, the Gov't, etc. I still get to be a Paramedic, I get to stand back and let the dust settle and then decide what I want to do for the next 15 years. Is it the best scenario? No, but at least I'm in control.

One other point, don't assume that after the 2 year contract period that all integrated services will give up nor will AHS automatically take over service delivery. Unfortunately, the reality is the integrated services were the ones that wanted to keep delivering but all the other major players wanted to give it up. An no, it's not a money maker here. Our City council had to increase our budget $250000 to hire additional staff, this resulted in a tax increase to the taxpayer.

Just my 2 cents worth.

When the province takes control on April 1, each city, town or what ever has what ever ambulance they have and they tell them how many of them are staffed. Well those ambulances now have to be staff at all times and are under the control of the province, so if that ambulance is needed else where then they will move it to cover the area. This is a problem for fire services as most will have there cross trained members doing dual jobs they are there to work fire and ambulance. So if you pull one of the fire bases ambulances out of town to cover another town then they are short 2 firefighters.

Until all dispatch is consolodated, you won't see much of this. There will be more regional cooperation but I don't think you will see much of units being drawn our of an integrated area to cover somewhere else. Really, they don't know because they still have no idea of what the system(s) will look like or how they will run.

So the province told the intergrated services that they needed to ask their paramedics/emts do they want to be ems or fire. So alot of the guys are goin fire

This isn't totally true. Nothing is changing for me here at the moment or even in the near future. We have been directed that it will be status quo, with some modification of duties (if you are on the ambulance, don't expect to do an interior attack). What AHS said is that the resource needs to be capable of responding to another incident within 90 seconds. Even this is going a bit far as we have the staff and resources to man up to 5 units. We only have a contract to provide 2 full time ambulances.

[tniuqs]

The oversight by AHS has been you can't use EMS to augment fire, which is why the hiring numbers are up. Strathcona 20, plus 2 more, St Albert 24, Leduc 16, Lethbrige 16+.... The rules are being more clearly defined.

Kev:

1- Where are they going to find all these dual trained FF/Paramedics and I believe EDM and FMM is hiring too, which ups the numbers ... I dont think anyone in AHC has done the math ... HellsBells made a terrific point.

2- If they do find enough Paramedics it will be at a sacrifice from the "RURAL" areas hence decreasing the level of care to other important Albertans where ALS is making a bigger difference in positive outcomes.

(hey everyone wants greener pastures, cant blame them really)

3-And really no clear answer from Liepert on exactly HOW paramedics can improve scope and provide care for the community ... find a open clinic on a saterday night ... in Edson or High Level ?

BRB

my Sheep is needing a popcorn for this movie.

Baaaa !