How to improve EMS professionalism

[Asysin2leads]

Ooooops, this was a double post originally. Damn computer. I'm going to go see if my local volunteer computer repair squad will come on over. Ohhhh....right.

[Eydawn]

Ok. So we've got some more ideas coming out of this... across the board standards. So does this mean we want to move away from privatized EMS? Or do we want to keep privatized or 3rd service EMS, but make everyone conform to the same protocols?

Thoughts?

Wendy

CO EMT-B

MI EMT-B

[AZCEP]

Everyone educated to the same maximum standard, then allow local medical direction decide how much limit should be placed on their providers.

An associates degree for BLS providers, with possible inclusion, prior to entrance into an ALS program. The result would be higher entry level education, more dedicated providers entering the workforce, clear rationale for higher wages, and--here's the clincher--if you want to go somewhere else, your program will have met the curriculum standard, and you wouldn't have to take anything other than a protocol familiarity exam.

Geez, and it only took 8 pages to get back to education levels. :roll:

[WelshMedic]

[EmergencyMedicalTigger]

Unfortunately Asys's comments are all too true in many cases. Most instances I've seen of unprofessionalism were on scenes with volunteer agencies. I've seen several good, well-trained medics and firefighters leave volunteer departments b/c they expected professionalism from the other members. Sadly, they were crucified for standing up for professionalism against the 'good ol' boy' system.

[WelshMedic]

As you can see from my profile, I'm a bit too far away to be able to comment on the volly v. professionals debate. Volunteer EMS doesn't exist in my neck of the woods. However, I do still think it's to the detriment of everyone's working relationship if blanket statements are made upon subjects that one has no personal experience of. Asys doesn't know anybody in the company involved and still choses to make offensive statements about how they do their business. That's my point here, not whether there's an element of truth there.

I have a friend somewhere in the Eastern United States who's been on the receiving end of this sort of old boy politics within a volunteer organization. As it happens, I don't think volunteerism has a place in EMS, there's just not enough accountability or skill retention.

Have a good day all.

WM.

[Asysin2leads]

Welsh, you have to understand where I come from to before you judge how I make statements. It has been my experience, that almost without fail, when someone makes a post criticizing professional medics, ("Your response is typical of a medic") and overly dramatically making it seem as if volunteers are the thin line between chaos and order in the prehospital system, they are part of the small, close minded, deluded system that is a detriment to the professionals in EMS, volunteer or paid.

[Asysin2leads]

Damn double post again. Maybe if I call in as my computer being on fire the volunteer computer repair squad will show up quicker.