EMT Basic in High School?

[Kiwiology]

Hey the average Paramedic book reads at an 11th grade level so why not let them take Paramedic in high school too?

I think maybe first aid/CPR/AED or First Responder is fine but anything that allows entry-to-practice should be restricted to the higher education/post-secondary system.

[spenac]

Hey the average Paramedic book reads at an 11th grade level so why not let them take Paramedic in high school too?

I think maybe first aid/CPR/AED or First Responder is fine but anything that allows entry-to-practice should be restricted to the higher education/post-secondary system.

Actually Bledsoes Paramedic is 11th grade level. The others are about 8th or 9th grade level.

[P_Instructor]

Online is not for everyone, especially not for anyone looking for an easy diploma/certification.

Good cross section of reply and I thank all of you. I do agree with online not the way to go for easy diploma/certification. You have to be totally committed either with this style or classroom. For further info, the online style is hybrid meaning you still have face-to-face sessions for skill practice/competency/evaluation.

[emt11]

I'm on both sides of the fence. I had several high school students in my EMT-B class who had to wait a month to take the state test because my state requires EMTs to have a high school diploma or GED. All passed with the exception of one and this person had no business being in the class. The class was sponsored by our FD and since the high school students were members of Junior FF program the department couldn't say no to the one student. But since he didn't pass, this weeded him out of the EMS system. You can't touch a patient if you can't pass the test.

[FormerEMSLT297]

I'm sorry, I do not understand. It is O.K. for an 18 y/o medic, in O.I.F. to provide medical treatment to some of the most horrific blast injuries, possible, but not ok for some 17-18 y/o to see a car wreck ?????

I took my EMT when I was Senior in HS, and I think it gave me great insight into the EMS/pre-hospital field.

I went on to Join the Navy, become a Corpsman, Paramedic, 9-1-1 Dispatcher, and then a LT, in the busiest EMS system in the US.

I find it a little odd that people would post, "I did it when I was 17, but I think the age needs to be raised".

I think @ 1-18 young people are maturing, and finding themsevles, having an EMT card, helps them learn to deal with, STRESS.

AKA LIFE.

Edited October 17, 2009 by FormerEMSLT297

[Eydawn]

I have mixed feelings on this topic. To give you a sense of where I'm coming from, I started as a first responder at the age of 16 with a local venturing crew. We did a lot of standby support at Boy Scout events as well as other public events, and we were also given the opportunity to shadow in a local ER and ride along with one of our advisor EMTs on a 911 ambulance. I thought it was cool as hell. I was very interested in medicine, and this experience helped draw my interest further.

Here's the pros, as I see it: You get in early, and you learn early on whether or not this field is for you. You are younger and stronger, and have better reflexes, which is always a plus. Exposure is always a good thing. You can develop some very good habits, as you are malleable and impressionable. You can also develop bad ones if you don't have good mentorship, just as it is in any other field.

Here's the cons: 16 is way too young to be on an ambulance. I'm lucky that I had a good mentor to guide me, but in all reality I was a liability. I didn't see it then, but I surely see it now. I don't regret having done the program, but I wouldn't have let me do it if I were my parents. There's a reason the program has been discontinued. I'm not the reason, but some of my age-mates were. You really don't know how much you don't know at the age of 16, or even 18. It's very easy to buy into the hero-mentality at that age- all of us wanted to do something amazing, and damn, riding in the ambulance can't get much more heroic!

When you're that young, it's very exciting... which can be distracting. Getting into EMS that young and not pursuing a degree traps many at the Basic level for years to come... you're making decent money (better than you would at most entry level jobs in my area), you're doing something interesting, why would you invest in a degree? There are exceptions to this rule, as I can name some younger paramedics who are excellent at what they do. But most of my compatriots from that crew dicked around at the Basic level for a whole lot longer than they should have.

I also know that emotional and intellectual maturity vary by age, but there is a reason we have the age of majority. I know that I was much more adept at handling myself and difficult situations at age 18 than I was at age 16, and I know that I am eons beyond that point now at the age of 23. I also recognize that there's a whole lot more for me to learn, and that there is a lot that I simply just don't understand.

Also, think about the fact that many companies refuse to insure a driver until they are 21... it's not just because 21's a pretty number, it's partly because statistics show that younger drivers have more accidents. You need time to gain driving intelligence and experience, just as you need time with many other skills. I would not be comfortable allowing me at age 17 to drive an ambulance... and I have always been a very cautious driver.

With all due respect to FormerEMSLT297, I would have to argue that the military is a whole different world. Most people are forced to grow up fairly quickly when they enter the military, and it is a very positive experience for many of them. I would say that an 18 year old who has been conditioned properly by the military is better suited to take care of blast injuries and the trauma of war than an 18 year old civilian who's just barely out of Mom's house. There's a system of accountability and personal development in the military.

But, I would also argue that the military molds people too quickly in some ways, and doesn't give them enough of the emotional and cognitive tools to deal with the horrors that they see. There's a reason that PTSD and other mental illnesses are so prevalent in returning veterans. I really wish that our armed forces would step up to the plate and provide better mental health care. I see it in my cousins, I see it in a coworker of mine... and if there weren't such a stigma against receiving mental health services, our returning soldiers would be better off. As it is, many of them suffer needlessly and find it difficult to near impossible to re-integrate fully into civilian life. But that's a whole different can of worms!

Bottom line: I would say that it doesn't matter if someone is in high school or just graduating, but they must be at least 18 prior to entering EMS. I also don't think kids should be on the ambulance. It's too risky on a variety of levels. I also think that this wouldn't really be a problem if EMS education were more similar to traditional professional or academic education, as that provides you a minimum of 3 years to develop and reach an age where you can be insured as a company driver... ;-)

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[emsaly]

I think you all have good points. I would also agree that I think it should be decided on a case-by-case basis. I would say 16 might be too young to actually work as a full-fledged EMT, but FR might be a great start. Some people at 18 are young adults, others are still kids.

I myself am a young EMT. I started class at 17, but didn't get certified 'til I was 18. I think it may have been a bit different for my situation than some as I was exposed to things from an early age that many kids don't have to deal with (divorce, death, childcare, 3rd world country living, teaching position, ect.) and I believe that probably helped along the maturing process by quite a ways. This was my dream and I believe it's one of the best things I've ever done. All that being said, it's not been easy for me. I've been exposed to much that has really made me wonder what I'm doing. Much of it has been very emotionally dificult, but it has been a good learning experience to work past. It's made me think and forced me to deal with things I probably would have never faced in the same way if not for some of the experiences I've had on the ambulance.

My co-workers (mostly middle-adged) treat me with respect and as an equal and I believe that helps me in turn to want to act respectful and as an equal. We have another young EMT on our service and, from my observations, they are as skilled (if not better) than some of our older and more experienced EMT's.

So what I'm saying is not in the defense of all high school students being allowed to be certified, but to be open-minded to the idea that some of us can do it and it may turn out to be beneficial to not only you, but us.

[NRPinNEPA]

Absolutely, 100%, emphatically, never-been-so-sure-of-anything-in-my-life, definitely NOT.

[Timmy]

I teach first aid skills to high school students through a program called party safe. In a nut shell we have a presentation that is delivered by police, medical, youth workers and fellow youth who have something to say/experience in the related area. We focus on safe partying, the effects of drugs, what to do if something goes wrong etc. The police talk about legal issues, the youthys present on drugs and there effects, we have a lady who presents quiet an emotional speech about losing her son in quiet a horrific car accident due to drugs and then I present on what to do if it all goes wrong.

There's plenty of practical interaction, powerpoints and movie's, a little theory, a lot of listening and the occasional tear.

I'd really like to think what we present to these kids will hit home, unfortunately more ofern than not it doesn't. If one kid takes it in and manages to 'save a mate' than the message has gone through.

I have no issue with kids wanting to learn advanced first aid under the appropriate supervision of a competent clinician. As for being responsible for providing clinical care, save that for university placement.

[cosgrojo]

I naturally have some hesitation about letting anyone who lacks maturity and basic human respect, on to an ambulance... but I do not believe that these traits are age-based. I have seen just as many immature and horrifically incompetent 30 year old new EMT's, as I have seen 18 year old ones... actually I have probably seen more of the 25-30 crowd than the 18-20. I think that it all comes down to the individual. If the class was good enough, and hard enough, it would weed out the ones truly not committed to the job to begin with. I say let them through, let the class, and then the job sort them out. I wouldn't let anyone under 18 practice care on a patient though... strictly for legal purposes. Wouldn't want to have someone who does not have the legal rights of an adult, make decisions about patient care. If you can't sign my refusal form... you can't provide care... bottom line.