National EMS Scope of Practice Model Revision

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Understandably so but you can't put a paramedic or a pair in every city in the US... I don't know about you, but 90-95% of calls I have gone on typically aren't emergencies
The other argument is, with a paramedic in every city, and 90% of those call are not emergencies, how many truly sick patients will be seen by those paramedics?

Remember, if the paramedic is the specialist, and the specialist doesn't see patients in need of their specialty, how sharp will they be then they have dealt with 95 taxi rides, and then they get the train wreck?
 

reaper

Working Bum
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Agreed, with this though taxes would increase. Not all paramedics work full-time, and we can't staff a small little city generating barely enough to keep the town hall going lol
Then do away with the town hall! Would you not think that EMS should take precedent over a meeting place?
Cities and counties love to cry they cannot afford it. But, they can afford all the other crap! If needed raise the property tax. I have never lived any where that I would complain about my taxes raising slightly. If it meant better medical coverage for the citizens.

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DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Agreed, with this though taxes would increase. Not all paramedics work full-time, and we can't staff a small little city generating barely enough to keep the town hall going lol
so raise the taxes..... I am not in favor of arbitrarily raising them, but if you have a good reason to....

does the police department work full time? how about the garbage collectors/ department of public works? maybe someone in the school system? Let me put it even simpler: does any employee work full time for the township? If the answer is yes, than the blunt truth is the town CAN hire full time paramedics. Whether they CHOOSE to is a different story.

It's all about budgeting. Too many government bodies (towns, county, etc) have gotten away with free EMS (for various reasons, and using various methods) for so long that they balk at having to pay for it. You CAN afford them, but you will need to reallocate funds to this service. yes, that means someone else will need to work on a tighter budget, but it can be done, if you WANT to.
 

VentMonkey

Family Guy
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@Medic27 I can appreciate your enthusiasm for this industry. Maybe take some college courses--say in--economics and college-level sciences, get your degree(s), all while gaining field experience and before you know it you'll be ready for paramedic school.

I guarantee you'll be light years ahead of your classmates, and even a lot of people on here...including myself.
 

Bullets

Forum Knucklehead
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don't you deal with the evil empire primarily? I have heard horror stories about them, particularly when it comes to a rapid ALS response, particularly how it's far from rapid and control has some retards staffing it (and also some good friends of mine who aren't retarded)....
Yeah but this is largely dependent on the crews. Some are more....motivated than others

respectfully disagree. There are numerous calls I can remember where I wish I could have dropped a king airway, or checked a BGL (or even given sugar), or given albuterol on a wheezing patient..... or benadryl for a minor allergic reaction. I recall one particular day (I think I was working for Linden EMS at the time, and I think somehow we ended up by Carteret), when the patient has having an allergic reaction to something, not at the level of needing epi, but did need some benedryl.... And we had to wait for a paramedic unit from Rahway or Perth to give the patient benedryl....Oddly enough, all these skills are in my scope of practice as an EMT in NC....

I dont disagree that there are some things we should add to the EMT scope, but i still dont think we need three levels of certification in NJ. I would say BGLs and Nebs, and changing the epi policy to allow drawing up instead of autoinjectors. Maybe IM bendryl and glucagon. Nebs and Epi are in subcomitee right now so that might change soon.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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I would agree that expanding the BLS scope of practice would be better than adding an intermediate level. And I wasn't even referring to IM benedryl, all the patient needed was OTC benadryl....

and I would still be in favor of a BLS Supraglottic Airway device to use on cardiac arrests.... again, just to match up with the national standards... again, just my opinion on that one ... and I am good with a OPA and BVM
 

Bullets

Forum Knucklehead
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I would agree that expanding the BLS scope of practice would be better than adding an intermediate level. And I wasn't even referring to IM benedryl, all the patient needed was OTC benadryl....

and I would still be in favor of a BLS Supraglottic Airway device to use on cardiac arrests.... again, just to match up with the national standards... again, just my opinion on that one ... and I am good with a OPA and BVM
I wouldnt be surprised if the iGel becomes the standard for prehospital arrest. It was discussed at the last BLS subcommittee and has mixed support with some of the bigger medical directors
 

Summit

Critical Crazy
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Paramedic said:
195 Program Level:
196 Academic. Diploma, Certificate, Associate, Baccalaureate, or Masters Degree awarded for successful completion.
197 Critical Thinking
198 Advanced/complex decision making, protocol assisted.

Now is the time press them on phasing out diploma/certificate for new medics. Make it an associates degree!
 
OP
OP
EpiEMS

EpiEMS

Forum Deputy Chief
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Now is the time press them on phasing out diploma/certificate for new medics. Make it an associates degree!

I wrote a comment noting that the rest of the Anglosphere uses a bachelors for entry to practice...
 
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