Basics and Intermediates ONLY No more BLS 911 ambulances?

[brentoli]

Im not really sure what i meant by that, i was half asleep when i posted it, it made sense at the time i swear! :?

What i think i was getting at is that people who support BLS emergency ambulances cite clinical conditions such as those listed in order to justify their existance, but the examples given are hardly emergent conditions that didn't warrant a 000 call to begin with. Kind of makes it a senseless argument from my twisted perspective

-5 to me, i still make no sense :?

Minus 10 for incorrect punctuation.

[BushyFromOz]

- 10 for getting off topic

[brentoli]

- 10 for getting off topic :D

-20 for self moderation. 8)

So. Should all 911 calls be ALS/ALS trucks.

[spenac]

Really the only 3 reasons given for keeping myself as an EMT-I and all the EMT-B's on the truck are:

1. financial - Why should money come before quality medical care? I thought EMS was about the patient.

2. toothaches, etc,- These calls need first to have ALS on them in case they are symptoms of a more serious problem that a BLS provider would miss. If not then the ALS crew should be able to educate the caller as to when to call 911 and deny them transport, but again thats another topic.

3. experience - I wish I had the education prior to getting all the experience I've gotten. It would have been less stressful and would have been better for all the patients I have learned on.

So basically all of you that have fought to keep me as an EMT-I and EMT-B's on 911 trucks have done is prove there is no need for us. Patients deserve better, that is the bottom line.

[HellsBells]

I agree, there should be a definate push made for all units to be ALS, with at least one paramedic. Having dual Medics would be great, and actually in the system I work in that used to be the norm (medics, or at least EMT medic students were the only hires). However, with the recent economic boom and influx of people to our province that practice has fallen by the wayside and there are a lot more Paramedic/ EMT units here now, which quite honestly I don't have a problem with.

I think, however there is a slight advantage to Paramedic/ EMT units in Canada, as our EMT's are roughly equivalant to EMT-I in the USA. We also have EMR (EMT-B)Level , but in order to bill as an ALS service there has to be at least 1 paramedic, 1 EMT on car; so there is very little co-mingling of basics and medics.

[spenac]

HB, so in Canada it is still an unequal service. Really there is no justification for not having 2 paramedics on board all 911 ambulances.

[tator55]

Tator, financial reasons aside, is it still a waste of money?

WHAT? Your question makes no sense.

Its my belief that ALS QRS is a much more efficient use of resources.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

This thread is another example of why this job (read as: not yet a profession) is so terribly frustrating. We cant yet agree on the type of service we should offer, let alone be able to come to a collective and reasonable conclusion.

We are our own problem.

[tator55]

What better use?

On a run where they are actually needed.

[spenac]

On a run where they are actually needed.

Thank you for proving my point. You have proven that an EMT-b or EMT-I have no business deciding who needs ALS. So hurry go get your paramedic before the law changes.

Have all trucks respond with 2 paramedics. Maybe with all Paramedic staff they would be able to deny BS transports thus more than saving enough money to cover the extra cost. Plus with time and education people would learn that hey you can put a bandaid on yourself thus lowering call volume.