Emt-i

Sasha

Sasha

Forum Chief
Messages
7,667
Reaction score
11
Points
0
What exactly is an EMT I allowed to do, that an EMT can't? Down here we only have B's and P's so I was generally curious as it came up in a discussion I was having with someone yesterday about how EMT-B's should recieve more training and be able to do more skills on their own.
 
Check out the stickied posts at the top of this section. im sure you can find it there.
 
Or not. I'm looking for a general explanation of what EMT-I's can and can't do that sets them apart from EMT-B's, not the scope of practice for each state, links to each state's EMS office nor information on the duty to act.
 
in ma:

i's can start lines, however they can only run crystaloids(no meds)
they can intubate and insert ng/og tubes for decompression post intubation

thats pretty much it. -i trucks dont carry monitors, or any drugs above the bls drugs.
 
It depends on the level of intermediate and location. An EMT-I (or any other intermediate level between basic and paramedic) scope and education can vary wildly between states, and even locations inside of a state.
 
One of the few things Florida has done right is NOT allowing the Intermediate level.
 
VentMedic said:
One of the few things Florida has done right is NOT allowing the Intermediate level.
Click to expand...

Bravo Florida!!!


its on its way out in ma. not by state mandate, but by the availability of the course. most emt schools arent teaching it. off the top of my head, i can only think of three -i courses in ma and by all reports they are underenrolled almost everytime. its my guess that within 5 years, there will be no more new -i's in ma.
 
KEVD18 said:
Bravo Florida!!!


its on its way out in ma. not by state mandate, but by the availability of the course. most emt schools arent teaching it. off the top of my head, i can only think of three -i courses in ma and by all reports they are underenrolled almost everytime. its my guess that within 5 years, there will be no more new -i's in ma.
Click to expand...

The availability should be expanded, EMT-I should become a pre-req for medic with 6 months field experience.
 
i realize that as an emt i, you have a certain amount of personal attachment to the rank. i know a few i's and they all feel the same way as you, so you're not alone. unfortunately, pretty much the entire national ems community disagrees.

lets take our situation. we both work(or in my case, worked until recently in the boston metro area. how many services in this area use i's? and i mean actually use them, not just hire them and let them work as basics or as a driver for a p/i truck. not very many. western ma and even real southern mass sure. maybe they get to work as an i. start a line once or twice a week, tube maybe twice a year(and thats being generous).

lets face it, except in rare situations, -i's around here dont really do much in the way of actual als patient care. theres no actual practical evidence supporting your purposed pre req.

i personally think you should have experience in the field before going to medic school. not so much for the medical knowledge you gain, but for the actual experiences. by that i mean being face to face with the dead and dying, working 24 on 24 off, being in a truck for 16 straight hours with a partner who only know of two food groups, taco bell and dunkin donuts. all of the many facets of ems. these are things you cant be told, you actually have to do them. i know id persoanlly be pissed to find out that i hated my chosen career after 2 years of schooling and at least 8 grand in tuition.
 
bstone said:
The availability should be expanded, EMT-I should become a pre-req for medic with 6 months field experience.
Click to expand...

I agree. I was a B, then an I and now a P. When I was taking P class, there were some students that finished B, had a few weeks off and then were in the P class. Zero street experience other than clinicals. They struggled and at least one didn't finish the class.
 
flhtci01 said:
I agree. I was a B, then an I and now a P. When I was taking P class, there were some students that finished B, had a few weeks off and then were in the P class. Zero street experience other than clinicals. They struggled and at least one didn't finish the class.
Click to expand...

How many people with "experience" didn't pass the class?

KEVD18 said:
i personally think you should have experience in the field before going to medic school. not so much for the medical knowledge you gain, but for the actual experiences. by that i mean being face to face with the dead and dying, working 24 on 24 off, being in a truck for 16 straight hours with a partner who only know of two food groups, taco bell and dunkin donuts. all of the many facets of ems. these are things you cant be told, you actually have to do them. i know id persoanlly be pissed to find out that i hated my chosen career after 2 years of schooling and at least 8 grand in tuition.
Click to expand...

So? There are plenty of other careers that require a much longer initial educational process prior to actually working and finding out if the prospective professional enjoys the career or not. Why should EMS maintain lower standards just because some people don't have a realistic (or, even worse, develop an unrealistic view in Basic class) view of the profession?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
experience, ok. as ive said in this thread and many other times, im ok with that idea. my flag is firmly planted in that camp(for different reasons, but that irrelevant).

but intermediate as a requirement? thats just pointless.
 
KEVD18 said:
experience, ok. as ive said in this thread and many other times, im ok with that idea. my flag is firmly planted in that camp(for different reasons, but that irrelevant).

but intermediate as a requirement? thats just pointless.
Click to expand...

Utterly disagree. Intermediate as a pre-req would help train and weed out those who can and cannot preform invasive procedures, handle total stress and actual emergencies. It's easy enough to transport, but try starting a line on someone who is in V-Fib while your partner is charging the paddles. That is a real test. Intermediate makes it a reality.
 
And I've always stated that with proper educational standards (which EMS doesn't come close to having. Consider, for example, that when I took the MA exam on Saturday it asked me for the definition of "unprofessional") field experience wouldn't be needed as a prereq. Doctors and nurses don't require work at a lower level to show dedication or get experience afterall.
 
JPINFV said:
And I've always stated that with proper educational standards (which EMS doesn't come close to having. Consider, for example, that when I took the MA exam on Saturday it asked me for the definition of "unprofessional") field experience wouldn't be needed as a prereq. Doctors and nurses don't require work at a lower level to show dedication or get experience afterall.
Click to expand...

That is only true due to the fact that doctors have a minimal of 5 years of clinical experience (2 in med school, 3 in residency) and nurses up to a year before they are allowed to be fully involved in their occupation.

Requiring Intermediate before medic would provide for a similar situation to doctors in residency. It's an excellent idea and should be immediately implemented.
 
Of course those professions still require getting an education prior to clinical training. You can't compare a 110 hour course to their educational requirments.
 
well its a theory. i thinks its bunk, but everybodies entitled to their opinion.
 
bstone said:
That is only true due to the fact that doctors have a minimal of 5 years of clinical experience (2 in med school, 3 in residency) and nurses up to a year before they are allowed to be fully involved in their occupation.

Requiring Intermediate before medic would provide for a similar situation to doctors in residency. It's an excellent idea and should be immediately implemented.
Click to expand...

No.

Nurses are getting clinical experience as nurses. Doctors are getting clinical experience as doctors. EMT-I is a completely different position than EMT-P. Paramedics should get experience as Paramedics. And they often do. I rode as a third rider for a significant amount of time until they felt I was ready to move up, at which point I rode with another medic. It was only until I had a significant amount of experience that I was allowed to ride with a Basic partner.
 
So what you're saying is you do not believe that mandatory clinical experience should be required before going to medic school?

Many professions have this requirement. PA is one of them. You must have clinical experience before becoming a PA. Many of them are former medics.
 
bstone said:
Requiring Intermediate before medic would provide for a similar situation to doctors in residency. It's an excellent idea and should be immediately implemented.
Click to expand...

No. Doctors are Doctors when they enter residency. EMT-Is are NOT Paramedics.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top