EMT-B Salary Question

[Gabe0725]

Being a somewhat new EMT, the answer to this question to me is totally unknown but definitely curious about the answer.

How come a EMT salary is so low?

I do understand that depending where you're working at, there may be a good amount of down time but on the other hand, you are to a certain extent saving lives & helping patients in uncertain circumstances.

Never asked this question to other instructors or fellow EMT's so I'm curious as to what answers I come across.

 

[akflightmedic]

How much do Heroes go for these days???

Surely the demand far exceeds the supply, right???

 

[MrBrown]

Because its a semi skilled position that is massively oversupplied with virtually nonexistant industrial orginisation requiring little recourse to autonomous application of clinical decision making and cognitive knowledge but rather the extremely high reliance upon simple behaviourist reaction to standardised stimuli and limited technical skill.

 

[lampnyter]

Because its a semi skilled position that is massively oversupplied with virtually nonexistant industrial orginisation requiring little recourse to autonomous application of clinical decision making and cognitive knowledge but rather the extremely high reliance upon simple behaviourist reaction to standardised stimuli and limited technical skill.

Whoa, slow down! Im too dumb too understand what all that means.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Whoa, slow down! Im too dumb too understand what all that means.

In a nutshell it means there are far too many poorly trained basics in a system with not enough jobs, and that you (an an EMT) are not trained well enough to use any critical thinking skills, can't be trusted to make your own decisions and are barely smart enough to follow a cause and effect algorithm.

In other words, it's just another disdain filled poke at American EMS from the HEMS Doc wannabe that refers to himself in third person.

Did you expect anything different?

 

[lampnyter]

In a nutshell it means there are far too many poorly trained basics in a system with not enough jobs, and that you (an an EMT) are not trained well enough to use any critical thinking skills, can't be trusted to make your own decisions and are barely smart enough to follow a cause and effect algorithm.

In other words, it's just another disdain filled poke at American EMS from the HEMS Doc wannabe that refers to himself in third person.

Did you expect anything different?

I was kidding.

 

[NomadicMedic]

I wasn't.

 

[clibb]

EMT's on salary? When did that happen? If you're looking to make money, then this isn't the field for you.

 

[medic417]

Seems search feature must have broken again as this is :deadhorse:

 

[cmetalbend]

In other words, it's just another disdain filled poke at American EMS from the HEMS Doc wannabe that refers to himself in third person.

Did you expect anything different?[/QUOTE]

Exactly what I was thinking,

 

[DrParasite]

How come a EMT salary is so low?

because EMTs accept the low salary, because many in EMS accept the need for a per diem job, because there is more of a supply than a demand, because employers realize they can offer low wages and still get people to accept the job, because the entry level education is relatively short, and many employers don't ask for anything except the basic requirements, because EMTs tend to have a lot of downtime, and because employers tend to hire newbies, and pay them newbie rates, because most places don't consider experience useful, or worth paying for (except for major systems that recognize this and pay accordingly).

 

[TransportJockey]

In other words, it's just another disdain filled poke at American EMS from the HEMS Doc wannabe that refers to himself in third person.

Did you expect anything different?

Exactly what I was thinking,

Yet it rings true on so many levels

 

[Minerva]

The pay isn't absolutely terrible. Considering EMT schooling only lasts 8 - 16 weeks, having a job that pays nearly $12 an hour isn't bad. It's difficult to find that pay in a job you didn't earn a degree in (in most cases.)
Of course, that's what I get paid in SoCal. No idea what the pay is in other parts of the country.
Gotta rely on overtime and doubletime if you can hack it to make a good living :glare:

 

[TransportJockey]

The pay isn't absolutely terrible. Considering EMT schooling only lasts 8 - 16 weeks, having a job that pays nearly $12 an hour isn't bad. It's difficult to find that pay in a job you didn't earn a degree in (in most cases.)
Of course, that's what I get paid in SoCal. No idea what the pay is in other parts of the country.
Gotta rely on overtime and doubletime if you can hack it to make a good living :glare:

almost $15 an hour in a very low COL rural TX town as an EMT-I. I manage very comfortably on just my salaried 86 hours per check. OT and holiday pay make it even nicer.

 

[medicRob]

Being a somewhat new EMT, the answer to this question to me is totally unknown but definitely curious about the answer.

How come a EMT salary is so low?

I do understand that depending where you're working at, there may be a good amount of down time but on the other hand, you are to a certain extent saving lives & helping patients in uncertain circumstances.

Never asked this question to other instructors or fellow EMT's so I'm curious as to what answers I come across.

Well, an EMT-B makes almost as much as someone who breaks rocks with other rocks as Dr. Cox would put it.. However, one of the main reasons why is lack of education. I don't want to turn this into a discussion of EMS Degrees, etc... but it has to be said, being part of a profession that requires degrees and formal education acts as a pretty good bargaining chip when it comes to salary and compensation as opposed to a 6 week certification course. No offense to those with 6 week certifications, that is just how the industry is.