ER Tech vs Rig Work

aaron911

Forum Ride Along
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I would STRONGLY suggest working in the ER. I work in the ER as a tech as well as the local 911 ambulance agency. So I see the best of both worlds! ha ha. If you are going to PA school the ER is a great place to work especially if you build a relationship with the MD's...(I have had MD's go out of there way multiple times to either show me an Xray or a lab result and explain a disease process which is really cool) Also your scope is expanded a lot, I get to do orthoclase splints, long term wound care, get to help the MD with really cool skills like chest tubes, pic lines, I&D's sutures... I can go on for days. And if your MD trusts you, he will let you interpret the EKG instead of tracking him down to show him. Plus it really sharpens your assessment skills because A patient will be put in a room and you are expected to hook them up to the monitor and do an assessment. Plus you get paid A LOT more ;)
 

Miscusi

Forum Lieutenant
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Respect?

I had to look up the word after reading about so much of it here... I thought respect means to hold in high esteem, have proper recognition, acknowledgment, etc....

but when you people here say respect, means something else, like better working conditions, career advancement, and stuff like that...

I thought EMS was being DISrespected somehow and I didnt know ! LOL
 
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Vetitas86

Vetitas86

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Considering EMS by and large are considered little more than ambulance drivers...

I think that entails not getting the proper recognition.
 

Pavehawk

Forum Lieutenant
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Considering EMS by and large are considered little more than ambulance drivers...

I think that entails not getting the proper recognition.

How can we as a profession expect OTHER people to respect us when we constantly fight among ourselves, smack talk, disparage other people in the business, whine about nurses and doctors being "unprofessional compared to us" and devote a thread as to who's Med-Peen is bigger, ED techs or field medics.

Perhaps when EMS people start to respect others and ourselves AND act accordingly we will start to get some in return.
 

SliceOfLife

Forum Crew Member
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How can we as a profession expect OTHER people to respect us when we constantly fight among ourselves, smack talk, disparage other people in the business, whine about nurses and doctors being "unprofessional compared to us" and devote a thread as to who's Med-Peen is bigger, ED techs or field medics.

Perhaps when EMS people start to respect others and ourselves AND act accordingly we will start to get some in return.

Indeed. But it's not just limited to our industry. You should hear cops talk about other agencies, town, city, state, corrections, jail, gov cops, environmental police they all bicker about who is the real deal.
 
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Vetitas86

Vetitas86

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Amen to the above. I know plenty of cops who play the whose Richard is bigger game, so to speak. Jursidiction and whatnot (which is punny, when you think about it).

Point being though, the bickering is in every industry. It's not a matter of "why can't we all just get along," its a matter of having pride in our profession, which I believe EMS already has. That's the first step, but what's next?
 

Miscusi

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Considering EMS by and large are considered little more than ambulance drivers... I think that entails not getting the proper recognition.

but but but... ambulance driving is what the job is ! the goal is to get the patient to the hospital isnt it ?
 
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Tigger

Dodges Pucks
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Amen to the above. I know plenty of cops who play the whose Richard is bigger game, so to speak. Jursidiction and whatnot (which is punny, when you think about it).

Point being though, the bickering is in every industry. It's not a matter of "why can't we all just get along," its a matter of having pride in our profession, which I believe EMS already has. That's the first step, but what's next?

When you enter it, you may reconsider your position.

Many people take pride in what they do but allow others to not do so, therefore bringing down the entire ship.

but but but... ambulance driving is what the job is ! the goal is to get the patient to the hospital isnt it ?

The most important goal yes. But if it that's the only goal, why bother taking an EMT class? It's not like the class really teaches you very much about driving an ambulance or really even moving patients. If getting the patient to the hospital is our only goal we might as well go back to the days of using a hearse and having no one in back with the patient.
 

the_negro_puppy

Forum Asst. Chief
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Interesting that you guys can work as EMTs/Medics at hospitals.

We don't even do any hospital clinical time in our training. I am about to finish my training after nearly 2.5 years working on the road and i've never even seen a baby delivered in real life. <_<

I really wish we could work at hospitals here, we can;t evening et clinical placements in them anymore.
 
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Vetitas86

Vetitas86

Forum Lieutenant
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Where are you training? I know for sure ER and OBGYN are part of our curriculum, even at the B level.
 

Miscusi

Forum Lieutenant
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I know the class dont teach u driving, thats because you already can drive. Emt class teach you how to prep and handle the shipment that u go pick up, and bring to the hospital... In the ambulance. The guy in the back makes sure the package dont go bad in transit. Thats all,
 

Miscusi

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I meant the guy in back is neccessary to keep the package in good condition until delivered. The ultimate goal of emtb is to get the pt to the hospital we all agree. Ambulance is the machine to do that, and we really dont do much above that. In point, for accessments, the more sick the pt, the faster we load and go... Almost everything importantly dangerous is a load and go, and with ALS intercept.. If we the emtb want to be "more than ambulance drivers", then the indvidual needs to go to medic school and be ALS. no one can really say an ALS unit staffed with 2 paramedics are ambulance drivers because we all know that medics are advanced and i totally see them more as 30-40% healthcare and 60-70%driver, whereas emtb is a 3/97 - 13/87 ratio. Imho.
 

Tigger

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I know the class dont teach u driving, thats because you already can drive. Emt class teach you how to prep and handle the shipment that u go pick up, and bring to the hospital... In the ambulance. The guy in the back makes sure the package dont go bad in transit. Thats all,

So you learned how to drive an ambulance when you first got your license? Drivers Ed car had lights and sirens on it? Your little old instructor taught you how to back up with just mirrors into an alley?

I meant the guy in back is neccessary to keep the package in good condition until delivered. The ultimate goal of emtb is to get the pt to the hospital we all agree. Ambulance is the machine to do that, and we really dont do much above that. In point, for accessments, the more sick the pt, the faster we load and go... Almost everything importantly dangerous is a load and go, and with ALS intercept.. If we the emtb want to be "more than ambulance drivers", then the indvidual needs to go to medic school and be ALS. no one can really say an ALS unit staffed with 2 paramedics are ambulance drivers because we all know that medics are advanced and i totally see them more as 30-40% healthcare and 60-70%driver, whereas emtb is a 3/97 - 13/87 ratio. Imho.

If that's really your attitude, you need to get out of EMS before you start. If your patient is just a package, well there's not really anymore that I can say.
 

EMTSTUDENT25

Forum Lieutenant
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Back to the OP, If you can get on the box FT and ED Tech PRN then do it...Its not going to hurt your education one bit. BLS or 911, ask questions to those with more experience and learn. In my experience it is very difficult to get a tech position as an emt. ED's usually want a year of experience.

I would finish school, pass your tests, and then go from there. Your mind might change 10 times from now to then. Good to have a plan though.
 

MusicMedic

Forum Captain
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Im planning on volunteering at the Local ER here and try to make a name for myself.. ER Tech jobs are impossible to land here (Orange County) unless your best friends with the hospital director or you work on the inside.

I plan on starting Nursing school either fall of this year or spring of next.. almost done with my science classes (Chem,Anatomy,Physio,Micro). Currently taking physio this semester and it is my fav class!

One thing though i can tell you.. im learning HOW MUCH i DONT/DIDNT know from all these science classes..

IMHO Er Tech and EMT on the Rig are different animals.. the whole comparison of Pre-Hospital to Hospital is kind of hard to do.
 

Miscusi

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patients are just packages... getting emotional over your packages wont get them to the destination any better or faster..

The buses here are Ford trucks, drives just like any other, you dont need any special licencese to drive these. backing them up? the partner would direct I guess.

lights and sirens, so ? that dont make driving any harder... no one should be driving recklessly anyway. ambulances are not race cars.

attitude is fine, the most imporant thing in EMS is to do the job well. and to get your package to the destination the way you are supposed to.
 

firecoins

IFT Puppet
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patients are just packages... getting emotional over your packages wont get them to the destination any better or faster..

The buses here are Ford trucks, drives just like any other, you dont need any special licencese to drive these. backing them up? the partner would direct I guess.

lights and sirens, so ? that dont make driving any harder... no one should be driving recklessly anyway. ambulances are not race cars.

attitude is fine, the most imporant thing in EMS is to do the job well. and to get your package to the destination the way you are supposed to.

NYS hasn't even sent you your card yet and your attitude is fine? Whatever
 

Tigger

Dodges Pucks
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NYS hasn't even sent you your card yet and your attitude is fine? Whatever

Agreed, I'm done here. Well maybe. I can't stand letting stupidity just sit there unchallenged.

"Just packages." What more is there to say?
 

Handsome Robb

Youngin'
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patients are just packages... getting emotional over your packages wont get them to the destination any better or faster..

The buses here are Ford trucks, drives just like any other, you dont need any special licencese to drive these. backing them up? the partner would direct I guess.

lights and sirens, so ? that dont make driving any harder... no one should be driving recklessly anyway. ambulances are not race cars.

attitude is fine, the most imporant thing in EMS is to do the job well. and to get your package to the destination the way you are supposed to.

You can't really talk about the driving aspect unless you've done it. They don't teach you how to decide when to oppose traffic or when to play it safe and shut down and wait for the light in driver's ed. They don't teach you how people react to your lights and sirens. They don't teach you how to properly clear intersections. You're right, ambulances aren't race cars, but that doesn't stop people from treating them like one once the lights come on because "someone might be dying". Ambulances are long, wide, accelerate slowly and accelerate slowly. Now add in driving while your partner is working in the back. Turn that to driving code while your partner is working and it gets even more difficult.

Patients are not packages, they are people. If you say the things we see in EMS don't affect you you have a rude awakening coming my friend. Just because something touches your emotions doesn't mean it compromises the care you provide. You have to know how to separate it and deal with it in the proper manner.

I'm with firecoins, you're attitude is not ok.
 

Miscusi

Forum Lieutenant
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Yes package.. The package is a person yes. Do u know what package means? It seems you are making it more than it really is! So what if pt codes? So what if ppl are dying. You still drive it in a safe and responsible manner. One accident and your package will be delayed. Or die in transit. Driving is not hard, not even with the variables you mention. Its not huge either its a pickup truck. U haul has bigger vehicles. I dont think attitude matters at all, we all have opinions but fact remains the same. Do the job right, do it well. Speeding kills.
 
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