Profession or Occupation

[scubanurse]

In writing a paper for my professional development class, I just had to explore whether nursing was a profession or occupation and I thought I would pose this question to this group as well.

Is EMS a profession or occupation? This thread isn't about education, though it can evolve that way, but not in the mind-set of what's better as that's a very dead horse here. I'm more curious to see what people's idea of what a profession is versus an occupation and see where EMS would fit in there. Keep it civil

[Just Plain Ruff]

Depends on how you word it

To me it was my profession but also my occupation.

My chosen profession but my occupation (job).

[island emt]

To some in the industry: it is a job while they figure out what they are really going to do in life.

Many of these are doing it because mommy said get off you ass & get a job.

To many of us it is a profession to be taken seriously and we spend a lot of time getting the education needed to make ourselves professional Prehospital care providers

[systemet]

In order to answer this question you need to define the terms "profession" and "organisation". I would submit that while I have met many people in EMS whom act in a professional manner, we are a vocation and not yet a profession. Our barriers to entry at both the paramedic and EMT levels are quite low. We have little control over the direction of changes in clinical care, and ultimately report to EM/Cardiology.

There may be countries where the move towards professionalisation is more advanced, e.g. some parts of Aus/NZ where Bachelor's degree entry-to-practice is becoming the norm, or the UK with their consultant paramedic and paramedic practitoner roles, parts of Scandinavia where the paramedics are essentially nurse-practitioners, or the countries where EMS is provided at the advanced level by specialist physicians. I doubt anyone would argue that an anesthetist working on a French SAMU ambulance meets the traditional definition of a professional, for instance.

We talk a good game in EMS about how professional we are, but when you can become an EMT in less than six months, and most paramedics have less education than a plumber, it's not that meaningful.

This isn't a slam on the vocation/occupation, more a recognition of the opportunity for growth and transformation.

** Or a slam on plumbers, who intermittently stop my house from flooding. But if all we define professional as, is someone who makes money from a specific job, then "professional paramedic" may mean little more than "professional exotic dancer".

Edited January 25, 2014 by systemet

[scubanurse]

In order to answer this question you need to define the terms "profession" and "organisation". I would submit that while I have met many people in EMS whom act in a professional manner, we are a vocation and not yet a profession. Our barriers to entry at both the paramedic and EMT levels are quite low. We have little control over the direction of changes in clinical care, and ultimately report to EM/Cardiology.

There may be countries where the move towards professionalisation is more advanced, e.g. some parts of Aus/NZ where Bachelor's degree entry-to-practice is becoming the norm, or the UK with their consultant paramedic and paramedic practitoner roles, parts of Scandinavia where the paramedics are essentially nurse-practitioners, or the countries where EMS is provided at the advanced level by specialist physicians. I doubt anyone would argue that an anesthetist working on a French SAMU ambulance meets the traditional definition of a professional, for instance.

We talk a good game in EMS about how professional we are, but when you can become an EMT in less than six months, and most paramedics have less education than a plumber, it's not that meaningful.

This isn't a slam on the vocation/occupation, more a recognition of the opportunity for growth and transformation.

** Or a slam on plumbers, who intermittently stop my house from flooding. But if all we define professional as, is someone who makes money from a specific job, then "professional paramedic" may mean little more than "professional exotic dancer".

What a well thought out post.

The definitions we're using come from a great book I suggest to anyone in leadership/management roles True Professionalism By David Maister. Our class came up with a fluid definition that professionals seek out more information and education to better perform their job role, seeks to improve the public image of the profession, and has an overseeing and unifying body for the job.

EMS can fall into profession under this definition, except maybe for the overseeing body. EMS has NREMT, but not every state recognizes it and it isn't controlling regulations the way I think some would like.

It was just an interesting discussion and thought I would carry it to EMS.

[island emt]

The NREMT is nothing more than a test writing organization that spends it spare time lobbying politicians.

They have no authority or any other power to dictate standards or write rules or laws.

[scubanurse]

Right, that's one of the things that I think holds EMS back as a profession is no unifying body to represent and lobby on its behalf.

[paramedicmike]

The NREMT is nothing more than a test writing organization that spends it spare time lobbying politicians.

They have no authority or any other power to dictate standards or write rules or laws.

So what's wrong with being a test writing agency? They're no different from the NLNAC, the NCCPA or any of the other exam writing/certification maintenance agencies out there. National Registry exists to create a defensible exam and serve as the maintainer of the registry. And before anyone says anything about the cost to test or recertify save it. What NR charges is a joke compared to what other organizations charge for exams and recertifications.

Part of the problem with EMS is that there's no one certifying standard. States want to do things differently from their neighbors or from other states just to be different. It's silly, wasteful and holds the profession back in the stone ages. One standard. One testing standard. Move everyone to the same starting level with education (as NREMT has started to accredit educational programs for testing purposes) and we'll start to build a foundation for positive change.

I agree that EMS needs a professional association that actually works. The NAEMT exists but they're ineffective and have done nothing to promote or defend the industry. However, NREMT is not the agency to assume that role. They are a testing agency. That's it. We shouldn't expect any more or different from them.

[Just Plain Ruff]

So what's wrong with being a test writing agency? They're no different from the NLNAC, the NCCPA or any of the other exam writing/certification maintenance agencies out there. National Registry exists to create a defensible exam and serve as the maintainer of the registry. And before anyone says anything about the cost to test or recertify save it. What NR charges is a joke compared to what other organizations charge for exams and recertifications.

The PMI institute who puts on the Project management exam charges 450.00 per test unless you are a member and then it's 375 per test. So NREMT is chump change.

[island emt]

nothing wrong with them being a test writing organization Mike.

But some folks seem to think that the NREMT or AEMT are professional organizations representing the control of education or professional standards nation wide.

Neither is the NAEMSE or any of the many trade groups that portend to be in charge,

They are not regulatory agencies who decide anything.

State gas fitters exam is $250 paid to pearson & $450 to the state.