I did a paramedic rotation. The ICU nurse asked about the difference between an EMT-B and a Paramedic. Medical staff have no clue.
So you know the difference between LVN, LPN, RN and the different job titles of ICU, OR, ED and Tele RNs? CNA and PCT?
Have you called someone with MLT (B.S. and M.S. degreed) a phlebotomist (150 hrs)? Yes, sometimes the MLT will come out of the lab to "phleb".
Have you referred to someone taking x-rays an "x-ray tech" instead of Radiology Technologist. One implies the OJT of yester year and the other is the degreed which is the standard today.
And, there are Radiation Therapists and Nuclear Medicine Technologist who are near the radiology department. These are very new professions but already have nationally established education and credentialing standards.
The same can go for Respiratory "Tech" and Respiratory Therapist. One implies a mimimally educated and possibly OJT from 20 - 30 years ago. Some may still be around but most states and hospitals have expected them to comply with the national standards of a 2 year degree minimum so the profession can progress professionally. The B.S. (4 yr degree) is also in the making for them as a standard in the near future.
EMS is almost 40 years old and has not established itself with education and credentialing standards. It can not longer use the "new" profession excuse. Those professions that are less then 20 years old mentioned above have moved on and are still moving forward.
An RN working with any of the above should but doesn't always know what the proper titles are either. Sometimes they are corrected and sometimes not. We know that not everyone got the memo on what someone is called in an ever changing world of medicine. There are other priorities at hand which involve patient care. Egos can be stroked at more appropriate times. We identify ourselves to the patients with our titles and a brief description of who we are and what we do. But, we don't drill them for a quiz later. There are just too many licensed HCWs to expect everyone to keep all the players, their proper titles, education requirements and job descriptions straight.
Of course, in our ED when we have paramedic students from the 6 month programs (medic mills) bragging about who they are and what they can do in just a few months of training, they can expect a few "surprised" looks from professionals who have a minimum of a Bachelors degree. It is truly amazing some skills can or should be done with only 6 months of training. A few skills do not always equal education or knowledge. Occasionally we are refreshed with a paramedic student from the college degree program. There is a big difference when they already have at least 1 year of college behind them. We actually have been trying to stop the medic mills from using our facility altogether. Quality and not quantity would be nicer. As it is now, they are not allowed to practice intubating in our ED or OR.
A high school friend of mine met up a couple of years ago. He just finished med school and was statring a Neurology residency. He had no idea there were EMT-Bs. He thought all EMTs were medics.
That is what TV presents and that is what some EMTs represent themselves as when talking to strangers. We had a lengthy discussion here about the term "medic" not too long ago. There is even confusion within EMS about the term "medic"
http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=2753&highlight=medic&page=15
