Wizard67 Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 What should i do: I have a copy of an email sent by our EMS captain with all the answers for the Missouri State First Responder Test. In this email the First Responder class is told to "make the answers look good" and to "be sure to get a few wrong". This EMS Captain is also a Paramedic for a local hospital. This Paramedic is also related to wealthy and powerful people in our community. After taking this 'bogus' class i didn't feel comfortable with what had occured so i went on my own (at my own expense) and obtained my EMT-B license. Should I be a 'whistle blower'? Reporting any wrong doing in fire/ems is deeply frowned up and discouraged. What would you do?
chbare Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 I think you know what you need to do if this is really the case. 2
island emt Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 You can blow the whistle if you should choose to. However the downside to this , is you may not be able to find work in the area if he is connected as you say. Can you say Pariah! Maybe a little note to him to let him know that their are folks that know whats going on would suffice to correct the action. How much cheating does one need to pass a first responder class anyway???? Sometimes the right thing is not always the smartest course of action to take !
paramedicmike Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 I think you know what you need to do if this is really the case. +100 You know what to do. Are you looking for us to talk you out of it?
chbare Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 You can blow the whistle if you should choose to. However the downside to this , is you may not be able to find work in the area if he is connected as you say. Can you say Pariah! Maybe a little note to him to let him know that their are folks that know whats going on would suffice to correct the action. How much cheating does one need to pass a first responder class anyway???? Sometimes the right thing is not always the smartest course of action to take ! Slip him a note and hope it stops? Assuming this story is correct, you would be comfortable with this course of action. We have no idea how many others have passed this way. First responder or paramedic, these are still people who are putting hands on patients.
DFIB Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 You can make information like this known anonymously. You can send a copy to the paper or city council. There are many things you can do. It obviously has more weight of you put your name and reputation behind it. It doesn't not seem that there is any question as to what is right and wrong. The question is if you have the character to do something about it or if you are going to join all the cheaters with your consenting silence. People are not cheaters because they cheat, they cheat because they are cheaters. If he is letting entire classes cheat he is also cheating in other areas as well. He is teaching a new crop of entry level EMS people that the system is a joke and you can get ahead by cheating. You will most likely do your a community a service by following your heart.
Eydawn Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Do the right thing. So you potentially lose a job opportunity in that area... do you really want to work somewhere where the system is rigged? Seriously. If you're willing to be quiet about this, what other things will you find yourself silenced over, because you are afraid? Will you stand quiet, as patients are abused, because "oh, that paramedic has such a great rep... no one would believe you anyway..." or witness improper care that is "documented away"? You know what you need to do. Do it. You have the support of a community of individuals whose ethics are some of their greatest pride, if I've read Paramedicmike, Chbare, Dwayne, DFIB and others here correctly. A job is not worth your integrity, and it sounds like you'll end up butting heads hardcore one way or another in this region, as you're not comfortable with the idea of silence... So do the right thing. Wendy CO EMT-B
HellsBells Posted February 25, 2012 Posted February 25, 2012 I agree with the above comments. If this guy is bold enough to include this in an email with his name on it, think of what he is willing to do in the dark. It is true that if this fellow is well connected, you may have some pushback. However, I'd strongly suggest you expose this to the media as well. A little bit of public heat on the issue may make the old boys club reluctant to make an example of you.
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