How can you guys stay in EMS?

[Joey]

Ahhh I see Pridemark lost Boulder county to AMR....

That's a good move in my book, not a big fan of pridemark.....

 

[Shishkabob]

Education is important, but how about we just get our coworkers not to act like tools? Toning down the "lifesaver" bit we have in our current education would help tremendously in m view.

But... but... I've saved 2 lives in the past 3 months! Legit ones too, not fudging of the definition of "save"!!!

 

[usalsfyre]

But... but... I've saved 2 lives in the past 3 months! Legit ones too, not fudging of the definition of "save"!!!

Yeah, but you can't even play the "lifesaver" card to successfully pick up the fairer sex...so we revoked it

 

[Aidey]

Yeah, but you can't even play the "lifesaver" card to successfully pick up the fairer sex...so we revoked it

:blink: OUCH!



I totally LOLd though. Usalsfyre -1, Linuss - 0.

 

[Shishkabob]

Yeah, but you can't even play the "lifesaver" card to successfully pick up the fairer sex...so we revoked it

???

I always wondered what they meant when they said "it was like stealing candy from a baby"

 

[socalmedic]

lets be clear here, the boulder county contract is only for ONE ambulance. I do know that pridemark has a great reputation but i feel that alot of that small company pride was lost when they where bought by Rural Metro. this larger structure means if they loose the boulder city contract bid as well there will be jobs for their employees, they may have to drive further for work, but there will be a job for them. honestly i kinda want AMR to get the city contract as well so i can move there next. as for the FD taking over EMS, it happens everywhere. look here in SO cal i would estimate that 80% of the FD has ALS resources. I feel that there is job security in that there will always be a need for paramedics, you may have to change employers as the attitude shifts from privates to govt and back or to the fire department. just my .02 but i have been in ems for 6 years and have seen alot of change in just my short time.

 

[mycrofft]

Why?

Initially, as an adolescent and young man, I enjoyed the status and the excitement, and I always wanted to help people.
Later, I got out, but wound up back in because no one else in my little world was as competent and it drove me crazy to see what was happening; call it professionalism. And, by then I knew what I was doing was what I was "supposed" to do.
Finally, I retired out of that because I was no longer effective and I was physically and mentally incapable of continuing.

 

[ZootownMedic]

I live in Colorado Springs and am just getting into the field and therefore am not an expert but I must say that I don't agree with everything you've said. I start Paramedic school in august at PPCC and I don't think the standards are lax. I had to take A&P I and II which are both 4 credit hour classes there plus the HOBET V, Psychology, have my IV cert and pass an interview. I have only been a EMT for a year but being an Airborne Ranger didn't hurt my chances of getting in. Plus it was always my understanding to that Paramedic school itself will weed out the real nimrods not neccesarily just the acceptance process.

Secondly, I completely understand your frustration with the ambulance companies losing contracts. I think that having dedicated companies that strictly do EMS and transport is excellent for the community and provides a far better level of care. Not that fire medics are bad, they are usually excellent, its just hard to keep up on firefighting tactics and knowledge AND EMS as well. Here is the point I guess I will make in the end. The economy SUCKS. There arent jobs ANYWHERE. It's not just EMS that is affected it's every profession. Try to keep that in mind when you look at the negative when it comes to keeping jobs in EMS. You said there was NO job security in EMS....the sad fact is there no job security anywhere right now. Try to keep your head up man. I will be right there with you next may when I graduate from P school, so hopefully things will improve. Who knows we could work together some day. Good luck.

 

[MrBrown]

I start Paramedic school in august at PPCC and I don't think the standards are lax. I had to take A&P I and II which are both 4 credit hour classes there plus the HOBET V, Psychology, have my IV cert and pass an interview.

While those requirements are better than most, by international standards they are abysmal and when compared to the US they are a wee bit above.

Given that the US has not moved towards a total higher education model rather than vocational training there exist programs that have no standards beyond an EMT certification or include that in the program, in Texas it is possible to go from zero to Paramedic in sixteen weeks plus a few hundred hours of "clinical skills".

Until the entire profession comes up to a common par it is still the lowest standard by which it will be judged.

Not that Brown is a judgemental person

 

[sir.shocksalot]

I live in Colorado Springs and am just getting into the field and therefore am not an expert but I must say that I don't agree with everything you've said. I start Paramedic school in august at PPCC and I don't think the standards are lax. I had to take A&P I and II which are both 4 credit hour classes there plus the HOBET V, Psychology, have my IV cert and pass an interview. I have only been a EMT for a year but being an Airborne Ranger didn't hurt my chances of getting in. Plus it was always my understanding to that Paramedic school itself will weed out the real nimrods not neccesarily just the acceptance process.

Well C Springs is a bit of a different animal than Denver. There are a large number of ALS services in Denver including FDs that demand lower standards so that firefighters can make it through the program faster. In C-Springs, AMR is really the only ALS game in town and so there is no drive for programs to lower standards to increase enrollments. And those requirements are impressive, and were the same at the better programs here in Denver until this year when they were lowered. I too had to complete A+P 1 and 2, HOBET, and EMT and EKG exams with 1 year of EMT experience to apply, but now the requirement has dropped from a year of A+P to a semester long intro to A+P class. Its just sad that such great schools are making it easier to get in.
As a side note it have been my observation that A+P weeds out more people than paramedic school does.

Secondly, I completely understand your frustration with the ambulance companies losing contracts. I think that having dedicated companies that strictly do EMS and transport is excellent for the community and provides a far better level of care. Not that fire medics are bad, they are usually excellent, its just hard to keep up on firefighting tactics and knowledge AND EMS as well. Here is the point I guess I will make in the end. The economy SUCKS. There arent jobs ANYWHERE. It's not just EMS that is affected it's every profession. Try to keep that in mind when you look at the negative when it comes to keeping jobs in EMS. You said there was NO job security in EMS....the sad fact is there no job security anywhere right now. Try to keep your head up man. I will be right there with you next may when I graduate from P school, so hopefully things will improve. Who knows we could work together some day. Good luck.

Its not hard to find a job in Denver, I have consistently been hired at any private I applied to. It just sucks to watch medics loose their jobs for the sake of FD jobs. Especially when the service that was taken over by the FD was very well respected.
And it is true that the job market in EMS is very fluid, its just a frustrating fact for those of us that would like some stability.
On the positive side, if the economy doesn't turn around soon it will probably be good for private/3rd service fee based providers.

 

[ZootownMedic]

Haha I hear you man. I've heard horror stories about some of the fire medics in Denver. I think you hit the nail on the head too about A&P weeding people out. My teacher was notoriously hard and we lost people left and right in that class. the funny thing was there were 60+ people in my class and only 4 people going to Paramedic school. The rest were applying for nursing or medical school. All four of the people going to Paramedic school passed the class. I squeaked a B by somehow....never had to study that hard in my life. Either way its a good prep to develop good study habits before Paramedic school. My cousin might be working in the Denver area. AMR offered him a signing bonus and he really wants to move to Colorado. He turned down 80k a year to be a medic on a oilfield in North Dakota(where hes from) to move down here. He just graduated from a medic program in Fargo, ND. The medic jobs are there I think, just sucks if your gonna stay a EMT-B like some people because you gotta bang your head against the wall to get hired anywhere lol

 

[Joey]

And it is true that the job market in EMS is very fluid, its just a frustrating fact for those of us that would like some stability.

Thus why I'm a er tech now, better pay, better hours, ability to do more interventions but I miss running the streets.

 

[ZootownMedic]

I can't wait to run the streets as a medic. I have buddies who are ER techs and they like it but it seems when you are a ER tech thats where you will stay. My buddies that are ER techs have been there for 7 or more years and always say they are gonna go to Paramedic school but never do. I think its a comfort thing. Plus ER medicine is different than pre-hospital. You don't have nearly as much staff or equipment on the street. That being said if you got good pay and good hours and good stability as a ER tech then good for you because in this economy thats AWESOME.

 

[HotelCo]

Thus why I'm a er tech now, better pay, better hours, ability to do more interventions but I miss running the streets.

More interventions?


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