Now, if we could just get you to work on your spelling....... a-s-s-u-m-p-t-i-o-n-s
You got me! No excuse, I was working as Supervisor and on a truck and was typing in between calls and business.... as they now say..."my bad".
I used to think you were an intelligent person, I used to value your opinion, and I used to look forward to reading your replies, but now, not any more, I simply cannot believe you wrote this, have you forgotten where you came from?
you once were a EMT-B as well, you have to start from the bottom to get to the top, that is how skill and mastery are learned, from the bottom up, and this is true in everything, you don't start out a master carpenter, you start by building treehouses and bike ramps as a kid, see the point here?
wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you always learn the basics first, the people with more knowledge are the ones that teach and share their knowledge with you, and if there is no one to teach, then no one will learn, therefore, those people with greater knowledge; more is expected from,
you have a lot of letters behind your name, and someone had to "show you", so please do not look down on those of us who are young into our journey, I am not just an EMT, I am a damn fine EMT, as one of my instructors said,
and I will be attending Paramedic school after I complete my Fire cert. I did not get this far in my journey without people to "show me" I cannot learn this alone, and there are things that some of my FF/Paramedic friends can teach me that I could NEVER learn in a book,
you can also be like that for someone, imagine all the experience and knowledge you could share with the "young ones" if you just softened your heart a bit and remembered, all of us start from the basics.
God Bless
As a veteran healthcare provider and educator, I have used many methods to attempt to change attitudes. In the past I used the "softer" approach and it has not worked. The new younger generation appears to have to have the more direct "in your face approach". Many will not respond unless they are motivated to change things.
I know I have irritated many on this forum.
Good! I do not so much care for one to see my exact point but to really
think! Now, I hope you look and go beyond go past what you were taught and have been exposed to. Again, look beyond your box! Examine other successful health care professions that have increased their role in patient care & outcomes, increased standards as well upward growth.
Again, I have seen and studied many different approaches of EMS, not just in patient care but again as a
whole system. In the way many of those in EMS do not approach or ever look at. Yes, patient care should be our utmost important goal, but just only one part and we should be looking towards ways that will developing and producing the best for not just the patient care, but the system as well.
As Vent describes, we come from a different generation. I can tell you it was an exciting era; we where just coming out of the "ambulance driver" mode to oh they are just a "technician" phase to WOW they are educated and actually know what they are doing! Yes, as Vent described this is something we fought hard to overcome. We wanted more and we knew that they only way to do this was to keep striving for better and more improved standards. This meant more education. We looked at other professions and examined & seen that their role was increasing in patient care, they were getting recognition in the form of respect from peers, patients and pay with benefits. We too wanted the same. We knew the only way to do so was change in our system and that was going forward through a formal education.
One can be the "best" the "greatest" EMT, Nurses Aide, or Environmental Technician (Janitor) but it still does
NOT change the current curriculum or the way you were taught. Nor does it change the limitations of this position because of the poor requirements and again the poor associated curriculum. Again, just because one has mastered this entry level does not make them or allow them to provide the needed and required care for the critical or those requiring emergency medicine.
Again, I do wish readers would quit taking such statements personally and out of context. Again my opinions are based upon the "system" and the education or lack of in that system. EMT's should evaluate that their training was
only the tip of providing care. Anything less would be considered non-medical, and with this minimal training, one does
NOT have the education and knowledge needed to evaluate how EMS and details of what patient care should be delivered. Again using my analogy; one would not ask a nurses aide on how & what the nursing profession should consist of. Nor what type of interventional therapy methods should be sought also what type of educational standards should be in place. As one, I can assure you they probably would listen and then inform you that you lack the required knowledge to see the "whole picture" as well lack the educational and clinical background needed to make such decisions. Which would be only correct. I feel the same only being that being in the EMS profession.
Many fail to understand
the only reason we ever had multiple levels was we were in the infancy of a profession. It was NEVER meant or intended to keep such lower levels. There was not many zero to Paramedic programs. In fact my practical testing was evaluated by specialized physicians in those areas because there were not Paramedics to evaluate. Yes, I took and became a NREMT Basic test after my Paramedic course. The NREMT Paramedic test was not developed until the early 80's. We naturally assumed the education process would continue upwards and the lower levels would finally be phased out or be abolished. Not ever considering we would or even want to continue to remain in our infancy mode. Don't believe me? Look other countries EMS systems. They took our ideas and proceeded and built upwards where we failed and did not.
Unfortunately, we have continued to install the same propaganda that is taught in almost all EMT courses. The same thing we have been doing now for nearly forty years. We want to encourage and motivate students therefore; we do install a false doctrine that they actually represent more a medical provider than they really are. When in fact, it should be stressed and emphasized over & over that they are
just the entry point of the profession and have very limited knowledge in providing care to a patient. Again, just a little above first aid. Does this mean that position is less important or not have weight?
No. Again the role needs to be changed. In reality the Basic EMT is just one part of EMS (albeit an important part a very small part) and definitely not the role as an expert in care or the system.
How much emphasis was placed in your training that your primary role was just to stabilize them until further help arrived or was it taught for you to be able to treat and transport the patient? Well, if your instructor was following the curriculum, it would be the later.. Again, not the fault of the instructor or student or even the text, rather the system. Yes, the current system needs to be eliminated and revamped. Apparently what we are doing is failing and will continue do so until it is changed.
I ask how much were you taught in your EMT class about EMS as a system? How much discussion of professionalism was taught, billing and compensation issues, what legal topics was covered, rules of certification processes versus licensure, managing personnel, and of course EMS research and development? Was this topic covered in one hour, one class, one semester, one year, four years...more?
See where I am going?
