Pre EMT-I Class

[Richard B the EMT]

Someone suggest a few EMT textbooks?

[paramedicmike]

CHBARE has it right. You just don't know what you don't know. And it's that multi-layered not knowing that seems to be influencing your resistance against what you're considering to be irrelevant education.

The counter arguments you offer are also irrelevant to the the overall point of education. The point isn't to focus on all the individual aspects of a particular course and apply them broadly (like your example of chemical bondings and cardiac arrest survival rates). The goal of these particular courses is to make sure an individual understands the individual components of a subject while, at the same time, increasing one's understanding of the larger picture within that field of study. Being able to broadly understand the big picture of a subject like chemistry can allow application of those individual components when it comes to certain patient care activities.

Moving on from there, paramedics *do*, in fact, both diagnose and prescribe medication. What do you think you're doing during a patient encounter? You're conducting an assessment, in some cases performing diagnostic tests, making a determination of what's wrong with your patient (which is a diagnosis) and prescribing a treatment in the form of either medication that a paramedic is allowed to administer or additional intervention so as to relieve the symptoms. This is the very foundation of the job paramedics do.

Now, that being said, we are not providing a *definitive* diagnosis. We can complete an assessment and make a diagnosis. Often times we're correct. But it's the transport to a hospital for physician assessment that either confirms our diagnosis as correct or reveal findings not available to us that prove our diagnosis wrong that makes paramedicine what it is.

[Richard B the EMT]

Now, that being said, we are not providing a *definitive* diagnosis. We can complete an assessment and make a diagnosis. Often times we're correct. But it's the transport to a hospital for physician assessment that either confirms our diagnosis as correct or reveal findings not available to us that prove our diagnosis wrong that makes paramedicine what it is.

Tongue firmly planted in cheek, I mention that's probably why we, the nurses, and the doctors are "practicing" medicine.

[Kiwiology]

A thorough knowledge of cardiology, acid/base balance, fluid homeostasis and regulation is essential

[chbare]

Nurses do not practice medicine.

Take care,

chbare.

[Eydawn]

Chbare- explain that statement a touch, would you?

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[chbare]

Chbare- explain that statement a touch, would you?

Wendy

CO EMT-B

It is somewhat of a tongue in cheek statement. Basically, nursing has gone to great lengths to place emphasis on the fact that nursing is a unique profession with a unique core of knowledge that only nurses possess and utilise. Many theorists are quick to point out that nurses do not "practice" medicine as nursing is distinct and separate from medicine.

Take care,

chbare.