In Your Opinion, What Is Holding USA EMS Back?

[emtsteve13]

Police station

Fire house

Ambulance ________ building???

EMT, Paramedic, Volunteer, Paid ?

How can we aspire to be treated equal with fire or police if we don't even consider ourselves equals amongst one and other?

Maybe EMP?

Emergency Medical Practitioner or Provider

Number one need for EMS to move forward ?

Accountability!

In actions, attitude, appearance, education, and skills, both individually an by organizations

[WANTYNU]

… I'm talking a full on, nationwide, awareness campaign. A media blitz. TV commercials, magazines articles, newspapers, internet, billboards,etc. And get some famous people involved. The Hollywood types love "pet" causes and often need our help. Start contacting all of those who have been helped by EMS and get them on board. Sounds expensive? It will be. But just like anything else, it takes money to make money.

This is the point in my previous post when I stated “How much is it worth to you”. When you ask why is this not happing?

Look in the mirror; we are responsible for our fate, as it obvious no one else knows or cares.

I could say put pressure on management, but once in the driver’s seat, your priorities change, including keeping costs down, an inexpensive replaceable work force is key to that mission.

Although we may think our skills and knowledge came hard earned, the public does not know and therefore cannot understand. If you have a patch on your arm, stethoscope around your neck, and drive an ambulance, you are just the same as the next crew, regardless if it says volunteer or paid, EMT or Paramedic, it’s one day or 10 years old.

So again I ask, how much is it worth to you?

In addition to the degree program I proposed a few posts back, I would like to include another mandatory 3 hour class. It would include:

1. the history of EMS

2. an overview of healthcare professions

3. how medical legislation works

4. how to stay informed about medical legislation that affects EMS rather than the glaring general headline makers

5. how funding and benefits are lobbied for and by whom, why and for who

6. local, state and federal taxation structure and funding for municipal, county and private

7. how medicare and private insurances provide reimbursement

8. how national medical organizations fit into the various professions

9. what role unions actually play in professional healthcare

10. the dilemmas, of both the insured and uninsured, to accessing the U.S. healthcare systems

My EMT class had items one and two…

The rest you’ll find in just about any economics 101 course at a local college, ahh talking about that degree thing again, this costs money and time which until there is a publicly perceived need for EMS practitioners to have a college degree, will not be required or funded.

IMHO

As Always,

Be safe.

WANTYNU

P.S.:

A public education programme geared towards separating EMS from "public safety"...

Dust, for most things EMS I usually am in agreement with you, however I don’t understand your point here. I feel professional EMS is part of the public safety “response group” that any municipality should have available for its citizens, in the same light as PD or fire.

In your view why are we not part of public safety?

-w

[spenac]

MoneyThanks Ruff for putting it so well in another topic.

[Chief1C]

Ambulance _________

Garage?

We keep them in the end of the fire station, between the ATV and the Restrooms.

[JakeEMTP]

Garage?

We keep them in the end of the fire station, between the ATV and the Restrooms.

Must be a pain in the ass having to move all that equipment all the time. But at least it's shiny.

[tinman694]

How about Ambulance Flight Pad?

(Like the hover cars on the Jetsons?)

Volunteer Flight Medics anyone? Anyone?

[firedoc5]

How about Ambulance Flight Pad?

(Like the hover cars on the Jetsons?)

Volunteer Flight Medics anyone? Anyone?

Pick me, pick me, I never get to go! I've got the vest and everything.

[USCISMEDIC]

WOW... a great topic, but one that parallels those other ones with the pitfalls of discussing politics or religion. You just cant get all to agree.

I would like to offer my opinion... given my nearly 30 years of EMS experience that includes volunteer, paid, EMT, Paramedic, Instructor, hospital based, helicopter, chiefs etc etc. I have developed a bit of an opinion like most other type "A's in the business....

As an industry and/or profession we have come a long way... but clearly not far enough. Much like other "professions" such as nursing, we have had rocky start due to being poorly organized, poorly led (at the state and federal levels), poorly educated (going back to the poorly organized), and often poorly funded.

We have a range of "providers" that go from the guy (or gal) who has a 24 hour first-aid and CPR card set that just drive to the very experienced and over-educated Flight Nurse/Paramedic/PHD/etc. We have volunteers that provide service up to 100 hours a week to highly paid FT professionals that work 40 and no more!

I realize that I am preaching to choir and stating the obvious, but without setting the stage i would not be able to use it all in my opinion.

First and foremost, it is not work arguing when it comes to the battle between whether or not we should have volunteers. It is a loosing battle to try to just have paid professionals. That does not mean we should not have standards that are close those that paid persons often have to meet.

The second and a very serious one is the fact that EMS personnel must understand where they stand in their own shop before they try to compare themselves or get parity with nurses etc. EMTs with 120 hours of education must stop asking for equal pay to a nurse, police officer, or FT Fire Fighter. Paramedics must follow that lead as well.

EMS as an industry should develop its own pay scales and industry standards. One simply cannot compare 120 hours of class to 4000 hours of class not to mention the differences in competencies and responsibilities. Yes,,, we can all start IVs better that any nurse (or at least most) and most paramedics can out intubate the average ED doc. That does not change the fact that we have different chosen roles and responsibilities and educational requirements.

With all that said, where do we need to go and what do we need to do to push EMS a little farther forward...

A two side approach -

Lessen the negativity (as mentioned above) and increased self regulation with clearly defined missions, educational requirements, and standardized certifications or licensing.

A national approach that addresses the clear issue of uniting EMS into an industry standard. To date, the only industry standard to emerge is that people need some form of oxygen and eventual transport to the hospital.

We must stop EMTs from thinking they are paramedics or nurses and we must stop paramedics from thinking they are nurses or physicians. We are who we are and we must accept it. We must accept the fact that EMS as a whole cannot gain professional status across the board until there is an educational requirement. And yes... we may have to suffer the pain of knowing that the minimum may be a BA/BS for a paramedic who wants to "practice". We must accept that there will be areas that are served by volunteers. Though I do agree that we should not EVER lessen our standards just because they dont get paid.... after all it was their choice.

I apologize to anyone I may have offended... that is definately not my intent. This topic will be a hot one for many many years.

[spenac]

We have volunteers that provide service up to 100 hours a week to highly paid FT professionals that work 40 and no more!

I apologize to anyone I may have offended... that is definately not my intent. This topic will be a hot one for many many years.

Nice long first post. Thanks for the input. Where are there high paid Paramedics/EMTs? I'm one of the better paid that is not a fire based and I have to have part time work.

If you read enough of my posts you'll see that I do not agree with all your statements. Thats why I left your final sentence because I absolutely agree with it being a hot subject. Sadly all these debated issues that we can find no common ground on will be the death of EMS as we know it and we will be out of a job or hobby.

[JakeEMTP]

100 hrs a week volunteering? Don't they have other jobs( or a life for that matter) or are they just the ultimate wacker?

I realise that you are talking about US EMS as a whole. I am inclined to agree with the majority of your post.

It is funny no matter how many times this topic is brought up, the general consensus is always to increase education.

Excellent first post. I look forward to reading more. :thumbright: