EMT-Cardiac looking for ways to move around

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RICollegeEMT

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I know I've posted here before, and its been a while however I figured that I would give you fine folks a question that maybe a few of you could jump in on.

I am a Rhode Island licensed EMT-Cardiac.

My scope of practice allows me to do 95% of what a paramedic can do-- minus the chest darts, crycs, NG tubes, and digital intubation-- plus a few quirky rules on meds (ie: I can bolus it, but can't drip it)

Anyway I was wondering if there was any way to challenge the exam for another cert level so that I can move around as opposed to being stuck in my small state.

I'm not above taking an "upgrade course" or exams. I just don't want to sit through an entire EMT-P class!

Obviously this is going to require someone whose familiar with the good old EMT-C.

Thank you folks
 
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Fair warning first man...This is not the place to get sympathy as you look for a quick and easy shortcut. Most here, including myself, believe the US paramedic certification is a skillset that has an enormous scope with way too little real education. Any attempt to increase your scope or "become a paramedic" on paper without going through the laughably minimal educational requirements as they exist is likely going to be met with extreme derision. Most of us are huge proponents for increasing educational requirements for existing levels.
 
I'm not familiar with Rhode Island's EMT-Cardiac course, so I might not meet the qualifications you mentioned, but let's have a go at your question anyway -- you know, medic to almost-medic.

It looks like an EMT-Cardiac course requires about 250 hours total. Why is that important? Because that's about a fifth of the average U.S. paramedic curriculum. It might surprise you to know we spend about 999 of those 1000 extra hours on topics other than "chest darts, crichs, NG tubes and digital intubation."

Still, I can understand why you might not want to take an entire EMT-P class. I mean, think of all the time you'd have to spend learning stuff, including some of those "quirky rules" you mentioned. That's no fun.

Yes, you could probably find a bridge course somewhere. Look for companies that offer tree-surgeon-to-trauma-surgeon programs, or vocalist-to-anesthesiologist.
 
Tree surgeon to trauma surgeon sounds fun! I mean I could always specialize in trimming any unnecessary limbs! hahaha

No no I get what you guys are getting at, I mentioned the "95% of paramedic" bit as a "informational starting point". What I was getting at was more of challenging an Intermediate 99 type license.

And btw mgr22, you're quick to hop on the "I did 1000hrs of school work so I'm superior" boat... You realize that the Cardiac program relies on the "use your head" model right?! I once watched one of your "Medics peeps" almost defibrillate an SVT patient.. who'd have thought that little syncy button was important?! Or how about the medic student who canulated a tendon and proceeded to give d50 into it despite the patient yelling bloody murder. Common sense says Cardiac 1, Medic 0. Don't get me wrong, we've got idiots too, but my point has been made. You give me a sarcastic answer, expect a sarcastic response.
 
In all likelihood you will need to sit through a complete paramedic program. You might be able to challenge the aemt/intermediate level, but that's about as high as you're educated.
 
TransportJockey said:
In all likelihood you will need to sit through a complete paramedic program. You might be able to challenge the aemt/intermediate level, but that's about as high as you're educated.
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Now this was useful. How would I be able to go about challenging such a test? If you've got any info on that.
 
RICollegeEMT said:
Now this was useful. How would I be able to go about challenging such a test? If you've got any info on that.
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Call the National Registry. They're the final word on what you can or cannot test for if you wanna be able to move.
 
RICollegeEMT said:
And btw mgr22, you're quick to hop on the "I did 1000hrs of school work so I'm superior" boat... You realize that the Cardiac program relies on the "use your head" model right?! I once watched one of your "Medics peeps" almost defibrillate an SVT patient.. who'd have thought that little syncy button was important?! Or how about the medic student who canulated a tendon and proceeded to give d50 into it despite the patient yelling bloody murder. Common sense says Cardiac 1, Medic 0. Don't get me wrong, we've got idiots too, but my point has been made. You give me a sarcastic answer, expect a sarcastic response.
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Because there is incompetent medics out there you think your admitted less training should suffice?
You sure they taught you how to "use your head"?
 
RICollegeEMT said:
Tree surgeon to trauma surgeon sounds fun! I mean I could always specialize in trimming any unnecessary limbs! hahaha

No no I get what you guys are getting at, I mentioned the "95% of paramedic" bit as a "informational starting point". What I was getting at was more of challenging an Intermediate 99 type license.

And btw mgr22, you're quick to hop on the "I did 1000hrs of school work so I'm superior" boat... You realize that the Cardiac program relies on the "use your head" model right?! I once watched one of your "Medics peeps" almost defibrillate an SVT patient.. who'd have thought that little syncy button was important?! Or how about the medic student who canulated a tendon and proceeded to give d50 into it despite the patient yelling bloody murder. Common sense says Cardiac 1, Medic 0. Don't get me wrong, we've got idiots too, but my point has been made. You give me a sarcastic answer, expect a sarcastic response.
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I think you completely missed his point.

The paramedic education (while still too short) is not about skills. Yes, you might be able to do many of the things that a paramedic can do, but you do you know when and when not to? Do you know how treatments work so you can apply them to non-traditional presentations? I have no idea, but the EMT-C education is exceptionally low.

Also, you made no point at all with you little vignettes about paramedics make errors that you saw. Congratulations, you saw mistakes. I would still rather a paramedic treat me or my family than an intermediate type person that thinks skills define the providers. If there is ever an example of "you don't know what you don't know, this is it.
 
RICollegeEMT said:
Tree surgeon to trauma surgeon sounds fun! I mean I could always specialize in trimming any unnecessary limbs! hahaha

No no I get what you guys are getting at, I mentioned the "95% of paramedic" bit as a "informational starting point". What I was getting at was more of challenging an Intermediate 99 type license.

And btw mgr22, you're quick to hop on the "I did 1000hrs of school work so I'm superior" boat... You realize that the Cardiac program relies on the "use your head" model right?! I once watched one of your "Medics peeps" almost defibrillate an SVT patient.. who'd have thought that little syncy button was important?! Or how about the medic student who canulated a tendon and proceeded to give d50 into it despite the patient yelling bloody murder. Common sense says Cardiac 1, Medic 0. Don't get me wrong, we've got idiots too, but my point has been made. You give me a sarcastic answer, expect a sarcastic response.
Click to expand...

No problem with sarcasm -- start whenever you like.

Meanwhile, let me ask you a question, without any sarcasm: Do you think those "medic peeps" of mine made those mistakes because of their education -- i.e., is education to blame for mistakes?

Another question: Do you see any up-side to education? If so, do those advantages necessarily end at 250 hours?

One more question: Do you think you have any advantages over basic EMTs in your practice? Why?

You posted here looking for advice. The best I can give you, although not necessarily the advice you want to hear, is to consider the possibility that knowing more is better than knowing less, and knowing more takes work.
 
You say you don't want to sit through an entire paramedic class. Why not? You'd be head and shoulders, more than likely, than the rest of the students. Challenging exams has pretty much gone the way of the dodo. In the past, you could challenge the NREMT-P and/or the RN boards (in some states). Too many people failed; I know, I worked with some. I was an EMT-Cardiac in VA years back and could have challenged National at that time. I sat through the entire paramedic course (7 months, twice a week). We went to a medical school where we had great instructors- nurses, doctors, PA's. We got graduate level A&P, pharmacology, etc. If you want to move up, as others here have said, go to paramedic school.
 
I don't know about the EMT-Cardiac, hasn't been in my area since.... (before I was born?), but from what I have seen in my area with other intermediate-type providers if they want to stay in the field they go for their medic, and most regret not doing it sooner. They had a lot of the paramedic skill set, but still learned a lot with skills, and didn't have the knowledge base. If you want to broaden your options, your best bet would be to take a medic program. Some may offer advanced standing where you can challenge what you think you know (i say think, because a lot of the people I saw having the most confidence weren't able to challenge out), and get a break on skills practice/testing, and possibly get rotation hours cut.

Also in the bit of out-of-state employment searching I've done, everybody is much more inclined to hire a nationally registered paramedic.
 
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