A call to arms! EMT-B's defend yourself!

[JakeEMTP]

Wow! Is anyone who is a basic starting to think this is more a site for Paramedics than for EMS as a whole? I come here to learn (I am in Paramedic class) but I get the feeling that basics are unwelcome here. I can't help but wonder if the new members who browse the forums see this thread and wonder the same. It would be great to get back to the sharing of knowledge this site was so well known for than the nastiness it has become. Sad.....

No, it is not a Paramedic only site. You said it yourself, you come here to learn and share ideas. When someone asks a question and doesn't receive the answers they desire, then to quote my partner " it's on! " as they try vehnimately to defend their position.

When I first joined here I wasn't even a basic. I took my share of hits, but also learned a great deal. Presently, I have one semester left in medic classes. My choice was to improve as your's was, and others are capable of the same thing. To be happy with the status quo is wrong. We should all strive to be at the higher end of EMS, if not for our sakes, how about our patients?.

Please stick around ladyemt51_2000, I look forward to sharing learning experiences with you and learning from them.

I agree with Whit (again? ), an online forum shouldn't be taken to personally. Diversity is what makes EMTCity what it is.

[brentoli]

Wow! Is anyone who is a basic starting to think this is more a site for Paramedics than for EMS as a whole? I come here to learn (I am in Paramedic class) but I get the feeling that basics are unwelcome here. I can't help but wonder if the new members who browse the forums see this thread and wonder the same. It would be great to get back to the sharing of knowledge this site was so well known for than the nastiness it has become. Sad.....

No, in fact I think more basics need to be here. I wish more basics were here. It is not a basic trashing site, it is a site to enrich the profession, basics included. If someone is taking offense to this, GOOD, maybe it will inspire them to become better at their job, in their education, and career.

Thank you for bringing up a very valid point ladyemt.

[speedygodzilla]

ladyemt51_2000 wrote:

Wow! Is anyone who is a basic starting to think this is more a site for Paramedics than for EMS as a whole? I come here to learn (I am in Paramedic class) but I get the feeling that basics are unwelcome here. I can't help but wonder if the new members who browse the forums see this thread and wonder the same. It would be great to get back to the sharing of knowledge this site was so well known for than the nastiness it has become. Sad.....

I believe others who just want to be EMTs may feel unwelcome and unappreciated. Not every one who goes into EMS wants to be a Paramedic. I look forward to going to paramedic school in less than a year or so but I don't believe that everyone who gets their basic has to get their Paramedic. I encourage getting further education, but it is a personal decision as some may just want to be a basic.

[dropdeded]

Im not "defending" myself as an EMT. I see no need for that.

Im an EMT. When I began a second career in EMS I decided to do the "Basic" thing for 5 years, then continue on with Paramedic school. I was a transfer b*tch for over a year, I worked a rural 911 system for a couple years and now Im in a pretty busy metro system. I hear some say "why waste your time". Well, Im NOT wasting my time. Im enjoying what Im doing and learning, and I sincerely convey this to those around me, coworkers AND employers. The company I work for pays for and pays while attending Paramedic school. I just passed on the class starting in the near future and was respected for my decision, although dissapointment was also expressed ALONG WITH THE RESPECT. The next opportunity will be in January and I told my employer I would accept it then, just two months shy of 5 years.

Im not a kid and I do take EMS seriously. I have and will continue to take positive things from this site when I can, but I would like to say that YOUR opinion of my choices mean very little to me personally.

Have a good day

Ed

[Dustdevil]

Regarding the above statement, EMT-B's do not provide a level people would not get, services need to do what is best for the community and not just keep themselves afloat. I am a basic, I work with a BLS service. If tomorrow I got called and told they were selling out to make a regional ALS service, I would start looking into medic school more seriously. I wouldn't mope and whine about how "Medics need EMT's to save their ass." or how "unfair" it would be.

And this is exactly why you are respected by the medics here, while others are not. You have the intelligence and vision to see the big picture, and you have the self-confidence to progress and excel.

When people will be able to make a living (maybe even good living) being an EMT. Like nurses. But this dream reform is not happening any time soon.

So, I will continue to volunteer as Basic and provide the limited care that I can. And I will try to further my education in EMS field as time and family allows.

I knew it! A volunteer! Hey... you wanna know why you can't make a living as an EMT? Because of people like YOU! If it weren't for you, there would be a paying EMT job available (don't bother to argue the point, unless you just enjoy looking silly). As if we didn't already know this, YOU are your own worst enema. Unfortunately, you are hurting the profession more than you are hurting yourself. And this is why you are not respected by the medics here. Despite a few really intelligent comments here -- you're obviously not a stupid man -- you just don't seem to get the big picture.

I also mention, 30+ years ago, a lot of smaller ambulance operations fought NYS DoH on the requirement that at least one EMT be involved in patient care in the back of the ambulances. Their reasoning was, cost of the training, time commitment of the training, versus their call volume (figure the organizations that perhaps never got more than 2 or 3 calls A WEEK took this line). They just wanted to continue using American Red Cross First Aid, and ARC Advanced First Aid, trained personnel.

Plus 10 for the most original and relevant point of this entire thread! :thumbright:

Tis true, folks. This is not a new argument designed to run off EMTs. It is an argument older than modern EMS itself, and it is designed to progressively improve the profession as a whole. Those who stand selfishly territorial over their "right" to stay a Basic are standing dead in the way of progress at the most crucial time in EMS evolution. Congratulations! You're ruining the very profession you claim to want to be a part of. You wouldn't even think of arguing that Red Cross first aid is good enough for EMS, but you don't have any problem arguing that an EMT-B with not much more education is just fine. You wouldn't even think of arguing that Red Cross first aiders could take your job, yet you don't have a problem arguing that you should take a paramedic's job. And I am absolutely sure that, if you ever become a paramedic, you'll be whining about how you ought to be able to be an RN without "all that book learnin" too. The cycle never ends. There is no cure for retardism. You can't educate them. You can barely train them. They simply have to be weeded out.

[Scaramedic]

Damnit!!!! Damnit!!! Arrrrrrgh!!!!!!

I've been on this board for too long, Dust is actually starting to make sense to me!!!

I can actually see his point about volunteers...

Do you see volunteer garbagemen?

Volunteer meter readers?

Volunteer Mailmen?

Yet somehow the city/state/feds find the funds to cover these expenses? How do they do it?

They have no choice, no one is willing to volunteer to do those jobs. If there was lines of people wanting to "help their communities" by delivering mail for free they would probably be willing to not hire when people retire. They would decrease their paid workforce since they have volunteers to do it.

Ugggh I am getting old and grumpy!!!!

Peace,

Marty

[Timmy]

I pretty much haven’t read most of this but I have come to the conclusions that America Has Problems :wink:

I think you need to hug it out guys!

[Michael]

I think you need to hug it out

Whoa there, Fella! Do you have a permit for that? This is America, y'know.

[zippyRN]

<snip>

Who do you believe to be the more capable ALS provider:

The paramedic that responds to 20 calls a day, 5 maybe which are true ALS where an intervention is warranted.

The paramedic that responds to 20 calls a day, All which require an ALS intervention.

There is a place in EMS for both the paramedic and the EMT.

every call an ALS provider attends recieves an 'ALS level intervention' -i.e. patient assessment and examination by an ALS provider...

once again the debate has become intervention centric rather than considering the global skill set of the provider this becomes very noticable when one considers systems which use Higher education prepared Paramedics ( e.g. more and more of Canada, Oz and the UK) or Post-graduate specialist practitioner RNs (i.e. Dutch / Scandinavian systems ) as the ALS provider on ambulances ...

[zippyRN]

Damnit!!!! Damnit!!! Arrrrrrgh!!!!!!

I've been on this board for too long, Dust is actually starting to make sense to me!!!

I can actually see his point about volunteers...

Do you see volunteer garbagemen?

Volunteer meter readers?

Volunteer Mailmen?

Yet somehow the city/state/feds find the funds to cover these expenses? How do they do it?

They have no choice, no one is willing to volunteer to do those jobs. If there was lines of people wanting to "help their communities" by delivering mail for free they would probably be willing to not hire when people retire. They would decrease their paid workforce since they have volunteers to do it.

Ugggh I am getting old and grumpy!!!!

Peace,

Marty

garbage men, to quote an old yorkshire saying - where there's muck there's brass!

meter readers - utilities are businesses and it's in their interest to make sure that they bill for what they do ...

mailman - again it's business delivering letters and in populous areas there's money to be made from providing the service ...