How are EMT-Basics treated in your region?

[nymedic9999]

Out of curiosity I want to hear from people how the treatment of EMT-Basics varies from region to region. For example do you come from a region that has faith in there Basic techs or a region with an abundance of ALS techs and little faith in its EMT-Basics.

 

[chaz90]

Quite well in this area. BLS protocols aren't the most aggressive, but they don't need to be. They have full discretion to cancel ALS response after they arrive on scene, frequently transport 911 calls alone as BLS, and are able to request ALS on anything they want. Pay is darn good for BLS in the area with 911 calls only, stations with no posting, and low call volume in areas for those that want it. IFT EMT life in southern DE is a different story, but what else is new?

 

[emt11]

Until about 6 months ago(when more and more EMT students were doing 3rd rides and getting out there on the street), heads would start rolling and the sky's would darken when someone said they were a Basic. Now that the state is (unfortunately) making new EMT students take NREMT for Basic then finishing class for the AEMT and then taking the AEMT registry(it's stupid, I know, and yes they really are making people take registry twice). Also note, unless your in very rural area's, you won't find work in this state as a Basic. I'85 and AEMT is the minimum for nearly every service and at that level you are considered BLS. Only a Paramedic is classified as ALS in GA.

 

[Mariemt]

Very well. It is almost unheard of to have a paramedic on a squad at all unfortunately. We are rural Iowa and mostly volunteers. I have a much larger squad and we are lucky enough to have 4 medics.

The basics are treated with respect and kindness. The doctors love us as do nurses.
Our scope has been expanded a bit to allow a few things by MD.

 

[Bullets]

Quite well in this area. BLS protocols aren't the most aggressive, but they don't need to be. They have full discretion to cancel ALS response after they arrive on scene, frequently transport 911 calls alone as BLS, and are able to request ALS on anything they want. Pay is darn good for BLS in the area with 911 calls only, stations with no posting, and low call volume in areas for those that want it. IFT EMT life in southern DE is a different story, but what else is new?

Pretty much this, our protocols are standard NREMT but we have just changed the SMR protocol in my town to reduce its use.

 

[medichopeful]

We're treated well!

 

[unleashedfury]

EMTs here are treated fairly well.

ALS is for the most part abundant however as a intercept for BLS Most paramedics treat the EMT's with respect and if you show your confident in your skills and provide great detail of your assessment you'll do fine.

If you prove to be a sub par EMT rely solely on ALS to get all your assessment completed including vitals or just lazy. You'll be treated fairly poorly

 

[Tigger]

Depends on the agency and area really. P/B is the predominant 911 staffing model in Colorado. Well regarded and progressive ALS services generally expect a lot out of their EMTs. Getting certified and then hired by such an agency is the first step. I have six-months two a year to get through well over 100 checkoffs, from basic EKG interpretation to med administration, to mapping. EMTs are also expected to play an active role in assessments and are trained accordingly. My agency wants its EMTs to be able to both take care of basic calls and be a good assistant to the paramedic.

At the same time we cover five volunteer fire districts with first response EMTs. Very few of them have any interest in going above and beyond, and there is little in the way of oversight or QI. As such, they are treated far differently. It's not a volunteer vs. paid thing, it's a quality of care thing. Some of our volunteer providers are excellent and are treated as such but they are sadly in the minority.

 

[yowzer]

Depends on who you work for. Private ambulance? You're scum. FF/EMT? Walk on water, get to take part in all the cool studies, etc.

 

[TheLocalMedic]

Well, EMTs are a dime a dozen around here, and they get treated accordingly. Often not a whole lot of respect, and if you work for an IFT company you are generally the laughingstock of the county and are expected to be able to fake a blood pressure and not much more.

A lot of this disrespect stems from the low standards EMTs are held to in this area, and the fact that the EMT puppy mills churn out thousands of young, exuberant but inexperienced students every year. The IFT companies prey on new EMTs, hiring 18-22 year olds with no experience and then crushing their souls within a year so they leave EMS feeling burnt out. Unless they are in the 911 system, EMTs generally never stick around long enough to gain much experience, which contributes to the general culture of inexperience and drooping standards of care.

 

[DitchDoctor77]

I have to say these threads referring to the negativity regarding Non-Emergency EMT providers is really disheartening. I've been an EMT and in EMS for 25 years. My time has been spent in 911, Hospital ER, Non-Emergency, as well as Management. Now I'm far from naive and yes several private for profit EMS companies in my state and area have been busted by the Feds and many are pretty shady and cut corners. I also know this, in my company I have a diverse group. Several 911, several non-EMTs, and several less experienced EMTs. Our trucks are licensed by the state and inspected every 3 years just like 911 services. My providers do assessments and vitals (cause I know if anything happened to a patient in my teams care and they have to go to the ER the first thing the nurse or doctors going to ask is "What happened just prior? And "What were they're vitals?") on every Patient and complete state EPCRs just like 911 services. In our area the amount of "True emergencies" equals maybe 5%. This mean 50% are lights and siren to scene and out of that 50% 10% is a lights and siren to a medic rendezvous. Then out of the 10 of those maybe 2% are lights and siren to the hospital. The other 45% are no lights no siren to scene and to the hospital. ISNT THAT THE SAME AS A NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORT? The only real difference is we know when are calls are. We also do events that can have serious injuries such as auto racing, equine events, football games and other events. Our company welcomes new EMTs... Why? So they can learn and hone their skills taking vital signs, patient assessments, communication skills... In a non rushed, non critical time so when they have to rush they know what they're doing. EMTs who call us losers, not real EMTs, or scum need to realize we took the same test, work on the same licensed BLS units, follow the same protocols, use the same EPCR programs, and are there for the same reason... THAT PERSON WHO NEEDS CARE!!!! At least that's why I get up every day and that what I teach my team members.... Thank you for listening... Sorry to vent.

 

[toxik153]

Well, depends on the region for me. I have noticed in region 1 (for ex.) nurses and hospital staff are 65-70% disrespectful or just treat us like ambulance drivers instead of EMT's (trained medical professionals) and the other % as EMT's speaking to us about the patients hx and dx, any tx's they received and the patient status.

In region 2 its the opposite, about 80-90% of the nurses and hospital staff are very helpful and respect us as EMT's, not that we're medical gods but, you catch my drift. Almost all patients like us, they see us a lot and really do appreciate what we do.

I work with an IFT company and sadly some FF guys look down on us, even though we all took the same damn test and have the same damn license...we aren't up to par, supposedly.

 

[JETKONI]

A lot of this disrespect stems from the low standards EMTs are held to in this area.

I come from a Law Enforcement background and experience, took EMT to challenge myself by cross training. In my observation is lack of self inner personal confidence, and once again, based in my opinion, it is how one carries himself, with respect and knowing how to wear the integrity of any badge. The camaraderie in the field of EMS, lacks. And what I hate the most is when one wears the uniform like a slob (w/ ketchup stain on his badge) I have meet EMTs that are top notch and they know how to handle themselves professionally, and takes pride of the badge that they wear. (This is based in Santa Clara County)

The standard is there.. It is the individual that ruins it for everybody.

 

[TheLocalMedic]

I come from a Law Enforcement background and experience, took EMT to challenge myself by cross training. In my observation is lack of self inner personal confidence, and once again, based in my opinion, it is how one carries himself, with respect and knowing how to wear the integrity of any badge. The camaraderie in the field of EMS, lacks. And what I hate the most is when one wears the uniform like a slob (w/ ketchup stain on his badge) I have meet EMTs that are top notch and they know how to handle themselves professionally, and takes pride of the badge that they wear. (This is based in Santa Clara County)

The standard is there.. It is the individual that ruins it for everybody.

How true. There really is something to be said about having a professional demeanor and appearance. And looking the part is half the battle.

But experience is what builds the confident demeanor of EMTs, and where I'm at the BLS IFT EMTs are categorically inexperienced, young and undereducated. Paramedics, once they have gone through their didactic and internship, must still go through a "ten call" process when they are hired where they must prove to an FTO that they can appropriately handle and treat at least 10 ALS patients. EMTs, on the other hand, only have to pass a didactic period of training. Why don't EMTs have a field training portion where they must "intern" with a 911 provider to show that they can act appropriately as an ALS adjunct? I believe that EMTs would benefit greatly from a pseudo-internship.

 

[Tigger]

How true. There really is something to be said about having a professional demeanor and appearance. And looking the part is half the battle.

But experience is what builds the confident demeanor of EMTs, and where I'm at the BLS IFT EMTs are categorically inexperienced, young and undereducated. Paramedics, once they have gone through their didactic and internship, must still go through a "ten call" process when they are hired where they must prove to an FTO that they can appropriately handle and treat at least 10 ALS patients. EMTs, on the other hand, only have to pass a didactic period of training. Why don't EMTs have a field training portion where they must "intern" with a 911 provider to show that they can act appropriately as an ALS adjunct? I believe that EMTs would benefit greatly from a pseudo-internship.

My AMR operation has a month long fulltime academy followed by a two to three months of internship. It's out there.

Even the six shifts I got at my current place as an "internship" with the binder of check offs to complete was beneficial.

 

[PFDEMT]

Depends on who you work for. Private ambulance? You're scum. FF/EMT? Walk on water, get to take part in all the cool studies, etc.

SOOO funny.
i work sno/king and if your not medic one then your a trashy piece, unless your with a dept that sponsors m1.

 

[O2andDogs]

It's been a while since I have been active on this board, but this topic caught my interest as it is extremely relevant to my current situation.

I was trained as a basic in Western Washington State. In that area (King County Particularly), the protocols and the attitude are very pro-medic. In the urban areas, there is not even really an option for intermediate training. Basics are either firefighters or run private ambulance. The protocols basically boil down to O2 and vitals. You will never use a lot of what you learn in class, and they tell you that.

I have since moved to rural Virginia, and I now run with a volunteer squad. Basics are treated with respect (provided they are deserving of it, of course). Training here is free, all the way up to paramedic, and good squads encourage their members to get higher certifications. Protocols are very aggressive, and allow basics to perform some skills that would normally be considered pretty intermediate. The community attitude is "Can you help me? Awesome, I like you!" Generally, someone in trouble doesn't care what letters are after your name.

 

[alexandermpd]

Sometimes we have the super hero medics that decide to treat basics like they don't deserve to be on an ambulance

 

[Handsome Robb]

My county requires a minimum of I/P staffing. So we don't use basics except for special events.

 

[CentralCalEMT]

My county, for 911 units, uses exclusively B/P staffing with the rare exception that two medics end up on a shift together. BLS units, which are exceedingly rare to begin with (only 1-2 for the entire county) run transfers only. Nobody except for several medics with a paragod complex seem to look down at EMTs. I always try and treat my EMT well. Most of the EMTs at my company ask lots of questions and try and further their knowledge base on a daily basis. There is absolutely NO reason to look down on an EMT who is trying to do their job well.

Now, if I see an EMT who clearly doesn't respect himself or herself such as a dirty wrinkled uniform not tucked in, unzipped boots, unshaven, rude demeanor, or otherwise generally sloppy, I am not going to respect them. It is not because they are an EMT, it is because they are not holding themself to the high standard that EMS should hold itself to. I would feel the same way about another paramedic, a firefighter, a cop, etc who does not have self respect. Respect is earned, not given, and most of the EMTs I work with have earned my respect, and I would trust them to have my back on even the most serious calls.