# ?'s about WEMT classes



## gregoryjoel82 (Feb 1, 2009)

Pertaining to the WEMT, most schools i've looked over qualify you for only WEMT-B. So, hypothetically, when I get my EMT-I in a few months, and I get certified for WEMT-B, how do the certifications affect each other? Would I only be able to practice ALS in urban settings and BLS out yonder? How does it work...?


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## Aidey (Feb 1, 2009)

It depends on your job and your physician sponsor as far as I know.


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## silver (Feb 1, 2009)

there are also WALS classes

but it all depends on what the medical director lets you do.


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## firecoins (Feb 1, 2009)

Is WEMT-B a recognized cert by your state?

If your a paramedic and you are employed in  wilderness environment, you do ALS.  If your an off duty medic and your in the wilderness, you do BLS.  WEMT-B or WALS not withstanding. I don't anyone who carries arouns ALS drugs and a monitor out in the wilderness. It is a little hard to do ALS in the wild if you have no ALS equipment.

here is a wilderness medicine site.  Maybe it has the answer your looking for. Less than a week until the conference. 
http://www.wilderness-medicine.com/


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## BossyCow (Feb 1, 2009)

jodangre said:


> Pertaining to the WEMT, most schools i've looked over qualify you for only WEMT-B. So, hypothetically, when I get my EMT-I in a few months, and I get certified for WEMT-B, how do the certifications affect each other? Would I only be able to practice ALS in urban settings and BLS out yonder? How does it work...?



Depends completely on your state regs. My state doesn't recognize WEMT so it's a nice extra cert but doesn't buy you much. Your EMT-B cert is the one that counts and the Wilderness stuff is an adjunct to it.

The agency you work for  will determine the level of your practice. We have a private ambulance company that is ALS but when one of their guys got his EMT-I they said he was still an EMT-B as far as they were concerned and didn't want him starting IV's or Airways, even if there was a medic in the rig. I think it had more to do with their insurance than his cert. 

But the point I want to make is your practice and your skills will be determined by the agency you work for, the region you work in and what their protocols are.


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## daedalus (Feb 1, 2009)

You will not preform BLS or ALS in the wilderness without medical direction. The certifications will not interfere with each other. You will be mandated to practice to the standards of your EMT-I training when you are working as an EMT-I. I would reckon that there is no line of employers waiting to hire anyone with just a WEMT.


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## WarDance (Feb 15, 2009)

I've heard that if you get a WFR and an EMT you are called a "WEMT."  I am on a mountain rescue team and that is what other members have done.  But it seems like, in our protocols at least, that the WEMT can't really do anything more than just an EMT.  The WEMT might be able to clear a spine and that's about it.


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## chute43 (Feb 16, 2009)

I think sometimes, people forget where the national EMT and paramedic standards come from. The DOT, the department of transportation so things that occur in the wilderness aren't under their control. Local medical direction can though, but from the best of my knowledge this is pretty rare. I worked for four years in Yosemite as a professional rescue technician, part of that time I was an EMT-1, our medical director allowed us to push subcantanous EPI for anaphylaxis. By doing so he basically accepts responsiblity for my actions. In a world of litigation, I think it will be harder and harder to find MDs willing to put their professional careers on the line for EMTs to "practice" in this type of setting. We were obviously hours away from help so only two of us were actually signed off. 
   The wilderness courses basically add to your mental and psychomotor tool box, of how to use your scope of practice to the most benefit to the patient. I have been a paramedic in california for 6 years, have over 3000 patient contacts, I have worked as a medevac paramedic for federal fire agenices during the wildland fire season. I actually want to attend a wilderness als course, just to challenge myself, and see what I can learn. It really won't change what skills I can perform if those skills aren't in my scope of practice or I have permision from a physician to perform them, either on line or off line medical direction.
   Many people become cert hogs and the WFR became a cert for many to pursue. It is an excellent cirrculum and course but remember, know your local protocols, and if possible carry a set with you, just for reference and if verbally challenged you can back up your actions with the written word of your medical director.

kary


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