Not sure why.
Our EMR level is the same as EMT-B in LA/OC. I cant think of anything I did as a State certified EMT in LA I cannot do as an EMR here...
*sigh* it's not always about what you can do, it's about what you know..... One day we will get away from the skills based thinking.
Even if you look up NREMT, the practical exams are pretty much the same for EMR and EMT (I think there is one minor difference when it comes to administering oxygen). I don't know anything about Hawaii's EMR program, or the LA/OC EMT program, but I imagine they are differences in length right? My upcoming EMT class is ~240 hours, with multiple tests, lots of reading, and not enough hands on real world clinical time.
I was teaching an EMT con ed class on OBGYN emergencies for a local volunteer FD, and in my class were 10 county certified first responders, and 3 EMTs. the 10 county first responders had "deer in the headlights" looks after the 3 hour class was completed. I asked afterwards what their first responder course consisted of, and was told it was CPR and an 8 or 16 hour first responder course..... now i understand the deer in the headlights, because they had never heard of this stuff.
It's not always about the skills you can do, it's the knowledge you have as to why you are doing them.
It's mostly a handful of senior career FF1s who are close to retiring as FF1s, but we cant even convince everyone in the Dept to take the NREMT. But once those guys retire, that will be standard for everyone (its a requirement to graduate Recruit Academy, has been for a little while, so all us newer guys have it).
Yes you can. It's actually quite easy to. Your fire chief tells those old timers that, as a condition of employment, they need to be certified as EMTs, and maintain that certification for the duration of their career here. They have two years to do it, otherwise, they are terminated. It's not that hard.
You just said the EMR is the same as the LA EMT, so it should be easy for these veteran firefighters to complete the class.
And before you say it, if they are just first responding, and spending 5 minutes with the patient before EMS arrives, than it won't make much of a difference. but if you get that trainwreck, or that complicated patient, or are requested to be the extra hands to help EMS out going to the hospital..... It's still about raising standards, being professional, and serving the citizens better.
I know they can start IVs and give some meds (at least under a medics direction.... I've seen a couple times the medic hopping into the drivers seat saying "yeah just start a line and give some Zofran") beyond that I'd have to look up specifics
Interesting... Zofran is explicitly listed as a paramedic only drug, because of the need to get a 12 lead to confirm no QT widening, but I wish it was BLS because that complication is so rare prehospitally.....