emt-i

[Asysin2leads]

Am I the only one on Gods green earth that believes the thing that best prepared me for paramedic class was my Anatomy and Physiology course? Look, I hate to break it to anyone, but none of the skills we do are that hard to learn. Sure, it takes practice, but so does juggling.

Working at the EMT Basic or EMT Intermediate level only proves you have the ability to make it to work, get to a call, and not get fire by the powers that be. Passing a college level science course means you have the mental ability to handle complex tasks, break down information, and also, get to class on time and turn your work in diligently. Now, I ask you, who is better suited for paramedic class, the guy who got a 4.0 in biology, or the guy who has been tear assing around town with lights and sirens for the past 10 years? Unfortunately, for most people in the profession, the latter is the answer. EXPERIENCE IS GOOD. TRAINING IS GOOD. KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION IS BETTER.

[becksdad]

Asys, I have to strongly disagree with your position that EMT's only provide warm bodies to staff trucks. EMT's in the service I work in prove a lot more than just being able to get to work on time, get to a call, or not get fired. Most of my colleagues (and myself) can certainly handle "complex tasks and break down information", and most of my colleagues are educated and trained beyond typical BLS parameters.

We attend classes provided by college instructors with impressive qualifications. These classes include Anatomy & Physiology pertaining to cardiology, pulmonary systems, CNS, etc. Also included is pharmacology. We strive to understand physiology of different body systems and how our interventions affect them. We train alongside paramedics, we test at ALS level (although our scope of practice prevents us from performing ALS skills). The benefit here is that we understand what is going on with our patients, we understand and can effectively anticipate interventions that our Paramedic partners will perform.

I do agree that most skills applicable to pre-hospital care are easy to learn with practice. We are offered IV certification, and while it is not mandatory, most of my colleagues take advantage of any additional training and education. Most of us are capable in intubation, although we do not perform this in the field. Most of us strive to comprehend EKG tracings. Many of us self-educate in many areas pertaining to the art and science of pre-hospital medical practice. Most of us strive to constantly improve our assessments and appropriate interventions. Many of us have very good instincts when it comes to assessing and treating patients. I include myself in that class of EMT's.

While we EMT's do not yet have the education that Paramedics attain, we do strive for excellence and ever improving patient care. For various reasons, many of our aspirations to certify as ALS providers has been put on hold. Personally, I have practiced at BLS level in 2 different states for some years (although it is only in the last 4 years that I have made it a career). I anticipate my education as a Paramedic beginning in a few months, and I hope that after I certify and practice ALS, I never forget that there are many excellent EMT's out there. By the way, I do not have a degree, but I have quite a few college credits, and my GPA is 4.0. Anything less than an "A" of 90% or more upsets me. So I think that I have the intellect to grasp intricate concepts. Many can claim the same.

I try not to take the poor perception of EMT's personally, because I know my capabilities, and I also think that we EMT's are responsible for our own reputations. Mediocrity is epidemic in all fields, and EMS is no exception. I know mediocre Paramedics as well as EMT's. I only ask that EMT's are not generalized as useless. Many of us are excellent and necessary providers of pre-hospital medical care.

[becksdad]

Oh, by the way, I do agree that the Intermediate certification is a bad idea, and lowers expectations of our profession. Personally, I want to be the best I can be in this field, so I will go for Paramedic, maybe more after that i.e- nursing, PA, or ARNP. I don't know. But I won't go for the lowest standard that will get me ALS priviledges.

[Asysin2leads]

becksdad, I never said EMT's were useless. What I was getting at was the misconception that someone needs X hours of work at the EMT-Basic level before they should be allowed to move on. Working as an EMT, beyond a certain point, does not make you better suited to become a paramedic in my opinion.

The misconception comes from the fact that people think that learning to work in the field is some kind of mystical power that only a select few people hand picked by God can achieve after years of practice. The truth of the matter is that learning to work in the field is indeed challenging, but its not as hard as some people make it out to be. Advanced Calculus, Organic Chemistry, Quantum Physics, those are hard things to learn. Working in the prehospital care setting? Challenging, but not impossible.

This has been an ongoing sticking point with me, the whole kind of firewall that has been placed around this profession by people with their own personal agendas, denying people entry into their chosen field by overexaggerating the day to day challenges of EMS, and going overboard with the 'weeding out the weak'.

There are, I believe, a lot of people out there who would make excellent paramedics but have either gotten scared off, given the brush off, or just plain thrown in the towel and said "I've had enough" because of this attitude, and dammit, we need to end this crap once and for all. Medical school, nursing, even Physician's Assistant, they like to see a little background in the field in medicine, and a lot of prospective students volunteer at hospitals to fulfill the demand. So be it with EMS. But I ask you, how long is someone who has the intelligence, drive, and determination to become a paramedic, supposed to work at the BLS level before they are allowed to move on? 5 years? 5 years of near minimum wage salary? 5 years of splinting and taking blood pressures? How many good people would you lose in those 5 years? How many losers who somehow can afford to live on minimum wage would make it through those 5 years? EMS needs to wake up, and start recruiting from the field of professional minded invididuals, not people who spend their time watching videos in their parents basement and answering pager calls.

:protest:

[Dustdevil]

Excellent points from both of you!

The posts on this page right here should be required reading!

:thumbright:

[becksdad]

Asys, thank you for expanding on your views. I can whole heartedly agree with the points you made in your last post.