EMT-I's..........should medic's worry?

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DT4EMS

Kip Teitsort, Founder
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Now that Missouri is leaning toward adding the EMT-I there has been some discussion among EMT-P's about job security. For those of you that work in states with "I's" have you seen trucks with an EMT and an "I"? IS there a real worry for the medic, or is it a push to make more medics move to Critical Care?

What do you think?

What have been your experiences?
 
my company hires "I's" and they do put them on with the "B's" hell, they even hire ECA's where i work, and put them on with anyone. i feel secure in my position tho, so im not worried. i just got promoted to B-shift Supervisor too, so im excited.
 
From what I've seen around here, there isn't that much of a problem. The way they are staffed is an EMT-B/Paramedic, EMT-I/Paramedic, or Paramedic/Paramedic.

I think it will be an advantage in that the paramedic doesn't have to take every patient that has an IV or needs one, but is not being administered drugs or any other ALS level care.
 
having a little knowledge of als is a boost to it's usage imho....

~S~
 
Shame Missourri, is considering this. Of course most states are really phasing out Intermediates and placing the curiculum into the basic.. so you have an advanced basic EMT.... as well, as soem states have the EMT/I with cardiac training. The problem with this is management is getting a Paamedic for intermediate pay..this short changing the medic, the system, and the patient.

be safe,
R/R 911
 
Here are my County's stats:

64 Fire Service EMS Agencies
27 Community Ambulance Agencies
1 MedEvac Service (SCPD/UHMC) (2 helicopters)
2 Hospital-based EMS Services

comprised of approximately

2,200 EMT-Bs
4 EMT-Is
550 EMT-CCs
200 EMT-Ps
150 CFRs

They're not big fans of EMT-I's. Neither am I, because they can't do much. Around here, while CC's outnumber P's, the P's aren't threatened by us... most places won't hire CC's. But the CC track is great for me - I can do almost everything a P can do here (no crych's) but I have slightly fewer standing orders - so I just get on the radio more often - but with my full time (and then some) career, I couldn't get through the 10 month or 18 month P courses... but the 9 month CC class was do-able (although I didn't sleep and I didn't have a social life - working 80hrs a week and doing 8hrs of class, 12 - 24 hours of clinicals a week.

PS - Each year in Suffolk County there are approximately:
104,000 Emergency Ambulance Responses
12,000 Advanced Life Support Interventions
500 Automated External Defibrillation Interventions
 
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Actually in PA an "Advanced EMT" is proposed under the draft proposal of the EMS Act of 2006. Not sure if you had the opportunity to read or comment on this document, but the new provider level, "Advanced EMT" and some other wording is taken direct from the National EMS Scope of Practice model.

I think it is a great possibility that in PA you will see an intermediate care provider enter into the field. The PEHSC (Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council) stated that a main area of improvement most recommended is in the area of creation of an intermediate care provider. If you look at the scope within the National EMS Scope of Practice, an Advanced EMT would be permitted to perform a good many ALS modalities.... if in fact that scope is followed.

From memory a few of the Advanced EMT skills were IV's, Glucometers, D50, Narcan, Epi for anaphylaxis, NTG, ASA, beta-2 agonist, and a few others which I cant recall. I know cardiac monitoring wasnt apart of it however nor was intubation. Cant remember of a duel-luman type airway was in there or not either.

Im a fan of EMT-I's, I think a time has come for ALL ambulances to provide some form of ALS care and EMT-I's make this a possability, make it feasable, and better for the pt. Also improves efficiency with care when a paramedic is on the call.... just my opinion.
 
ResTech,

If you're referring to the new Scope of Practice for EMT's, then the multi-lumen airway is an EMT-Advanced skill. They're recommending that EMT-Basics NOT be allowed to Combi-Tube a patient.

The EMT-Advanced is really a misnomer. It is essentially the same as the EMT-Intermediate with a new name attached.
 
2,200 EMT-Bs
4 EMT-Is
550 EMT-CCs
200 EMT-Ps
150 CFRs
Click to expand...

geez, sounds like a mighty loney few I's down there....:(

~S~
 
Well, the County stopped training I's because around here they can't do a lot - IV, no cardiac monitoring, very limited meds (D50, ASA).
 
I still won't have anything to worry about. You can't just make an EMT-A, with the experience of a 7 year paramedic over night. My job is safe.
 
Being an EMT-I, in 2 of the 3 services work for, the majority of the time, I'm the highest trained tech in the truck. In settings like that, I think I's are pretty valuable. If a pt presents that absolutely needs a medic - we call one. It's not that big a deal. That said, I doubt I's are going to be putting medics out of a job anytime soon.
 
If the I's are going to be "99's" it is cool..... if they are going to be "85's" - stupid.

As far as an I as an ALS provider... not a bad idea...
 
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