Jems? Gems? Help!

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Zeroo

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Okay I will most likely sound like an idiot, doesn't really matter though its 5:21 am and I am on no sleep. Might as well do something productive if I can't sleep. Anyways I got certified as an EMT-B 2 and a half weeks ago. I got a job as an EMT-B 2 days ago. At the end of the interview I was asked have I read Gems/Jems I said "no". I was told well I should. Anyways so anyone want to point me in the right direction? What is this Gems/Jems? why would it be beneficial for reading? Don't chew me alive please. :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
Zeroo said:
What is this Gems/Jems? why would it be beneficial for reading? Don't chew me alive please. :rolleyes::rolleyes:
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1. A once good, now very poor excuse for an industry trade magazine for EMS.

2. Only if you care what their paid sponsors or IAFC partners think.

Cancelled my subscription and stopped reading that garbage years ago.

You are much better off spending the time here for free.
 
Or you could read GEMS- Geriatric Education for Emergency Medical Services.

You will learn all about why old people are different.
 
Veneficus said:
early 90s
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Ahh, that explains it! I had a subscription from about 1999-2001, and didn't think it was that great.

I've been browsing a little PEC, Annals, Canadian Journal of EM, etc. Any suggestions are welcome.
 
systemet said:
Ahh, that explains it! I had a subscription from about 1999-2001, and didn't think it was that great.

I've been browsing a little PEC, Annals, Canadian Journal of EM, etc. Any suggestions are welcome.
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Yea, it changed from content directed at medics that were professional and medically minded to marketing to the least common denominator of EMS providers.
 
I read JEMS back when I first started but fell off over the years, and I started throwing them away as soon as I saw an ad for Nuvigil in one of their mags. Apparently the best way to combat exhausted medics who are on for 48-72 hours at a time with little to no sleep isn't advocating for a change in policy that requires downtime for both the safety of the crew and the patients they transport, but is instead feeding them "wakefulness promoting agents" that can have a host of side effects specifically on people who don't get enough sleep as it is.

Go team
 
Probably at the recommendation of Fitch and Associates.

:rofl:
 
So what you guys are saying is don't bother? Lol so there is no reason why I should read it?
 
Zeroo said:
So what you guys are saying is don't bother? Lol so there is no reason why I should read it?
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I'm saying that rag is about as useful to the industry as MAD magazine. Maybe less so, because at least the low-brow humor in MAD is actually intended.
 
^ he said it much nicer than I was going to.
 
Lol so why would they reccomend it? I all thought it would help me become a better EMT. Or at least change something about the way I think/view calls!
 
Zeroo said:
Lol so why would they reccomend it?
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They either want to show you what not to think like or they haven't evolved enough to see how little value it holds.

I wouldn't accept a free copy, certainly would never pay for it.

If I had time and I wanted to read something, there is no shortage of better ideas. (like the label on the toilet paper package)


Zeroo said:
I all thought it would help me become a better EMT. Or at least change something about the way I think/view calls!
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Well, when you lose enough brain cells reading it, it will change the way you look at calls.
 
Zeroo said:
Lol so why would they reccomend it? I all thought it would help me become a better EMT. Or at least change something about the way I think/view calls!
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Because I'm sure they're laboring under (or at least paying lip service to) the misapprehension that JEMS will keep you abreast of industry issues and that you can learn something from it. Of course what they either fail to realize or failed to explain to you is that JEMS is merely an advertising/ trade/"news" journal and is NOT a peer-reviewed clinical journal of pre-hospital emergency medicine. If you want to discuss industry issues actually relevant to you, it would be far more prudent to use socratic discussion amongst your regional peers to discuss issues that are germane to your area, problems you face, and ways to alleviate or mitigate said problems.

As far as actual clinical journals you're far better off looking other places.
 
I see well thanks for the information. Looks like I will be saving my time and money. :)
 
Not fair. You know most EMTs can barely read above the eighth grade level. ;)
 
Zeroo said:
I see well thanks for the information. Looks like I will be saving my time and money. :)
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Awwww... looks like Venie and Tatu did their good deed for the day...

k27qj95tf361224.jpg
 
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