EMT-B vs. Medic wage UNFAIR

[BushyFromOz]

:? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :?

Dude! NREMT, way outta line mate, totally uncalled for. I think you might have mis-interpreted the tone of Oz' post mate

[JPINFV]

NREMT

2 points.

1. Paragraphs. It is MUCH easier to read long posts that aren't just a single block of text.

2. Patient care is nice, but food and shelter is more important. True, medicine at any level is a poor way to get rich, but you still have to be able to support yourself. If you can't pay your bills than it doesn't matter how good of a provider you are.

[Dustdevil]

IDon't get me wrong, I value my partner whether he is a medic or basic.

You really need to get over that. Soon. :wink:

[Stretchermonkey]

Wow, this is interesting.

Over here in good old Blighty, the emergency ambulance service is a part of the NHS. The NHS is a non-profit making organisation. An individuals salary is based firstly on their level of qualification, which will place them into a pay band. Within that pay band there are levels which increase annually. So someone in pay band 5 for 1 year, will not earn as much as someone in pay band 5 for 3 years. The bottom of band 5, will be slightly higher than the top of band 4. If you're in band 4, the way to get into band 5 is to increase your knowledge and skills framework (KSF).

I think this works well, because the person with the highest qualifications will ultimately be held responsible. For example, the ambulance technician with 20 years experience can not give Atropine to a pt presenting with a symptomatic bradycardia. That essentially makes his life easier. However, the paramedic can give the Atropine, because he has learnt why to give it, how to give it, how it will work on the pt, and perhaps more importantly, when not to give it. Therefore he has the ultimate responsibility.

Now please don't get me wrong on this!! There are far too many people in EMS who belittle their colleague's who aren't as academically qualified as they are...they are arse's!! This, I believe, is because an experienced technician can look at a patient and quickly work out that that this pt is big sick and needs to get to definitive care post haste. Whereas the new paramedic may not pick up on this due to a lack of experience, and spend an undue amount of time on scene performing assessments or techniques on the pt that are really not appropriate, and ultimately delaying the pt's definitive care, and potentially the outcome.

So yes experience & time served does count, and should be rewarded. However, so should the person with the higher qualifications and ultimately the responsibilty. If it all goes tit's up, and you find yourself infront of the coroner, if you're the paramedic that is ultimately going to be held to account and left holding the ball, you should be paid additionally for taking on board that responsibilty.

[OzMedic]

You really need to get over that. Soon. :wink:

Very brief Dust, I thought you may have been drawn into more than that as comment on this subject! :wink:

[Dustdevil]

Haha!

Good call! I was actually all set to post a literary masterpiece here, but then I realised it had all pretty well been covered.

[hugopreuss]

A paramedic should of course get higher compensation than an EMT. Longevity versus education may play into the compensation argument, but let's get real here...paramedics carry more responsibility and liability and as vocational training goes, attend more classes and go through more training than an EMT does by far. One would not expect for example that a front line firefighter, even with many years in service, would be compensated at the same rate that a fire chief, presumably with a degree, working for the same service, would be compensated at. Most union contracts that I'm aware of for example, whether IAFF, NEMSA or other EMS unions, echo that reality. In addition, one must also consider the actual economic worth of an EMT versus a paramedic in a specific geographic area. In most EMS markets, there are less paramedics than EMT's available, linking the issue to supply and demand and one could safely argue that this is a common theme throughout other professions and vocations (A lawyer will always experience higher compensation rates than a janitor).

[shira_emt]

I read NREMT-Basic's reply and I totally agree with him/her (cut me some slack, I'm new to this site lol). At my old company (i was there for almost 5 yrs) brand new EMT-I's would walk in making the same as I did and their ink wasn't even dry yet. Now keep in mind we didn't make much, heck our medics only made 10 an hr. But we mananged. It would make me sooo mad that they make the same as I did. After all the dedication I have given that company. So I think experience and dedication should be rewarded by a raise. And I agree with nremt-basic about the years of experience. I would much rather work with a basic that has been doing this for 25 years than work with a brand new medic. It seems to me that new medics haven't found their.........well own way of doing things. The new medic's I've worked with all to concerned about telling the pt. "I'm a paramedic" that actually treating the pt. They are so full of themselves. Maybe it's just the medics in Ohio, lol.

I just wanted to say that I agree with NREMT-Basic.

[emtpsaveu911]

Stretchermonkey Posted: If it all goes tit's up, and you find yourself infront of the coroner,...

i think i found my new signature line

[LasVegasEMTI]

$12US = $15AU :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Ok I'm just picking myself up off the floor here...

Let me get this straight; EMT's and Paramedics get paid that :?: :?: That’s insane! Robbery if you will! You poor people! *Hyperventilates* I admire your commitment to humanity!

Here in Vegas we make even less than that Timmy...

I do have to say, I CHOSE this city, I CHOSE this job, and I ACCEPT the pay (or lack thereof). It doesn't mean I am happy or satisfied with it, or that I don't plan on furthing my career in medicine otherwise... but this life is what we create it to be! If you don't like it, change it or move!