EMT-B calling himself a 'Medic' in Indiana

[HERBIE1]

I agree with ERdoc here. Context is everything.

In a university setting, professor and doctor are often used interchangeably, but often are inaccurate. When I teach, some of my new students call me professor, although I only have a Master's degree. I always explain I prefer my first name to be used.

Should a PhD run around a hospital and refer to themselves as doctor? No, for obvious reasons.

If someone on a plane calls for a doctor, do you think the guy with a PhD in communications should step up for the medical emergency?

I always address MD's as doctors- unless I know them well, or have worked along side them. One of our medical directors always introduces himself as Bob to every new EMS worker, but until you get to know him, most folks do call him doctor.

In mixed settings, ie with patients and/or family members present, regardless of how well I know them, I always use the title "doctor" out of respect to them and their position.

I figure these folks earned the right to at least that level of respect.

[J306]

I don't believe that this is a case of the Practitioner being mistaken for a qualification that he was not, but more of him misrepresenting himself. I see no problem with everyone who has completed PCP, ACP, or CCP training being called a Paramedic, so long as they don't represent themselves as a higher level of training than they have.

Look at doctors for example. They're all called doctors, but some have a higher degree of training than would others. If a General Practitioner were to conduct a heart transplant without taking the training to be a Cardiologist he would be misrepresenting himself, but both a GP and a Cardiologist are doctors. Why can't a PCP call himself a Paramedic when it is in his title?

Well, the point I was trying to make was that the cardiac arrest should have been led by the health care professional trained to the highest level, which in this case would have been one of the Advanced scope R.N's that the E.R. was staffed by. EMTAs/ICPs do not have ACLS training but ACPs do, so misrepresenting himself did infact misrepresent his qualifications since the nurses associated the title "Paramedic" with having the advanced skills and training.

Sure, all of the levels have "Paramedic" in the title, but unless you are willing to explain the scope of Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced care paramedic to the nurses, it is more skillful to understate your qualifications than to overstate them.

[Arctickat]

I've got a pretty simple phrase for situations like that. "It's not in my scope", then proceed to do something within my scope while someone takes over. It's not the responsibility of the nurse to know what our various scopes are, it was his to remain within them. Unfortunately this individual sounds like the type who has an Ego too big for his Character.

I would be interested in knowing if he actually did anything that was beyond his scope though. Inserting a Combitube wasn't. Administration of anticonvulsants aren't. I'm not sure what meds he was calling for or if he actually physically gave them (or a nurse did). If he didn't actually give a medication that was outside of his scope, his comments could be considered as "suggestions". It would be unfortunate if he was actually able to defend his actions successfully because he didn't actually do anything beyond his scope....only acted like a pompous ass.

Edited April 15, 2012 by Arctickat

[J306]

I thought his most bizzare "suggestion" was while the patient was in cardiac arrest he yells out "we need a catheter inserted, stat!" I do believe that he just gave the anticonvulsants, inserted the combitube and requested and stepped aside for the code drugs..I'll try and get ahold of the Emergency Response Co-ordinator to follow up on whether an outcome has been reached and let you know.

[Lone Star]

ILegally, I can perform open heart surgery but it would be impossible for me to find a hospital that would allow me to do so.

Where were you when I had my aneurysm to deal with?

[Kiwiology]

Lets y'all stop this feudin where the Great Nation of Indiana be concerned

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go and try to find somewhere that offers a right turn

[Eydawn]

I am interested as to why there is a subsect of militant DNP's clamoring for privileges that they shouldn't have. I am planning to pursue my nurse practitioner at some point in the future; however, I would never refer to myself as a doctor (if I did in fact get the doctorate, instead of the master's) and would not expect that I be afforded the same practice as a doctor.

ERDoc- got any ideas on this? What gives? Where did this come from? Is it a regional thing? I'm not hearing/seeing much about it in my neck of the woods, and everyone I know that is an NP practices quite happily as a "physician extender" in collaborative practice with an MD or DO...

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[ERDoc]

There is a small but very militant and vocal group that want to be called doctors. Without rehashing here, go over to the student doctor forums and you can see where it has been discussed ad nauseum.

[Kiwiology]

Whats a DNP?

[ERDoc]

Google is your friend.

Doctorate in Nurse Practicionering or something like that.