EMT-B/EMT-P crews

[Tigger]

I'm reminded of the old adage, "Paramedics save lives, but EMTs save paramedics." From my experience, working in the B/P setup keeps a paramedic closer down to the earth. For example, why intubate a PT when a BLS King Tube will secure an airway for PPV just as effectively and save the PT some time in the ICU? The majority of my PTs need an ALS assessment but can be treated with a BLS intervention and I think paramedics forget that sometimes.

Can you cite something to back up the bolded statement?

The "EMTs save paramedics" adage is at best, hogwash. I thought it was true when I was a new EMT, then I went to paramedic school and realized how little I knew in comparison. Paramedics don't just suddenly forget the basics.

The artificial distinction between ALS and BLS is silly. It's medicine. Provide the least invasive treatment needed. Sometimes that's something only a paramedic can provide. There isn't some sort of sliding scale.

 

[VentMonkey]

The artificial distinction between ALS and BLS is silly. It's medicine. Provide the least invasive treatment needed. Sometimes that's something only a paramedic can provide. There isn't some sort of sliding scale.

This is one of the better analogies I have seen in quite sometime to describe modern day EMS as we know it.

 

[BobBarker]

Let's see, a transporting FD that uses their own RA's, only has two, and uses LAFD for backup, rules out County and anyone else who has private ambulance transport, rules out Verdugo system....Culver City or maybe Beverly Hills?

Let's just say it's one of those cities
Great friendly medics, but when the same units go to a stubbed toe as a heart attack/arrest, therein lies a problem

 

[StCEMT]

Can you cite something to back up the bolded statement?

The "EMTs save paramedics" adage is at best, hogwash. I thought it was true when I was a new EMT, then I went to paramedic school and realized how little I knew in comparison. Paramedics don't just suddenly forget the basics.

Hey, I do too save my medic partner....all of like 30 seconds to prep an IV!

In all seriousness though, I agree. Not to devalue a good EMT partner, but I don't save them, I just work in conjunction with them. Medic school helped a ton in working ALS though, even if most of what we do doesn't need ALS interventions.

 

[Handsome Robb]

How do my partner and I along with every other ambulance in my county function without an EMT around to save the two of us? It's a wonder we don't kill more people!


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