So you are just providing a taxi ride to the hospital for the definitive care?
Providing poorly trained providers is not acceptable. The people that live in rural areas of this country should not be treated like third class citizens just because some who want to do EMS do not take it serious enough to get properly trained and educated.
Why is it so different? RNs and RRTs must find a school to attend for at least two years. MDs still must go to at least 12 years. Why do those in EMS whine about attending a 3, 6 or 12 month program? If you don't want to make the commitment, step aside and let those who want EMS to be a profession do the job. Those that insist on this "oh woe is me whacker mentality" are doing EMS a disservice as well the community they supposedly serve.
BTW, some states do provide paid ALS to even those that live in BFE.
OK, this is my last post on this one as there is no need to hash this out and beat a dead horse. You continually fail to realize that I am not supporting this concept. I don't have to post in a conservative manner on this forum as I do not own it. I post as well not from my attitude but from personal experiance and observation.
Since you edited the last post and deleted the statement "You are too young and do not have enough education to be determine what the people in your community deserve for health care and EMS." Lets give you a little bit about my background. I have been in EMS 30 years now. I ran my first EMS call June 5th, 1980. I have 2 degrees. One a BS and one an MBA so I have a little education. I have been an EMT since 1980 and a paramedic since 1986. I have ran a few calls in my life with lets say around 30,000 to be conservative. I have been an Administrator so I have an idea of what a community wants and in fact demands. I am also a State Certified EMS instructor. I have mostly worked metro municipal EMS in my career but have worked rural volunteer as well as private services. I have been around the block a time or two.
I grew up in a rural area. The closest ambulance was 25 miles from where I lived and it was staffed by a paid on call staff. If there was an EMS call in my rural community there was absolutely no assistance available until the ambulance arrived with an average 30 minute arrive time. No first responders, no nothing. The people in this community were not affluent. Most made minimum wage or just a bit better. They could not afford to take time off work and drive a conservative 60 miles one way to the closest EMS training program. A concept like this would of been a life saver in a situation like this. If fact a similar program was administered to the volunteer fire department there. So, instead of sitting there for close to 30 minutes watching your dead family member lay on the floor you had someone there to help you within a few minutes. Sure, they weren't the best trained but you had some help. As I said, in some situations these classes are great. In situations where the goal is to pump out patches they aren't and I would never support them.
You can not condone someone for taking such a class though. As said before, many who enroll in these classes do so as it is their only option. Some just don't know any better. And yes, some do it for the easy way out. These are easy to spot and are easy to get rid of. Why would you say that if they did this they should not even attempt a class? What if it was the only option? Then also, why would you stigmatize this person and not take your experience and skill and mold them into a competent provider at an advanced level? You are missing the entire point with your "My way or the highway" attitude. This is the mentality that heaps the stigma on EMS which must be bad where you live and work because we don't have that where I live and work.
My philosophy is to help anyone advance that I can. That is why I choose to be a preceptor. I hold their hands and let them take baby steps. Usually it works but sometimes it doesn't. I have had students from accelerated programs (not this accelerated, but close) and have seen many go on to advanced levels of care with the experience they receive in the beginning. Why don't you look at the glass half full instead of half empty and do your duty that the EMS Oath dictates to help others be it a patient or a fellow provider. It makes the shift a lot more relaxed without the negativity. I do truly see where you are coming from and to an extent agree but I know what You have as well as I is just not possible for many. It is our job and responsibility to assure that those that did take this route are competent and productive. It is our responsibility to convince them to seek more credentialed training opportunities. Not ostracize them. That is how this industry succeeds and advances.
