The AHA did not mean for "BLS" to mean an EMT when referring to survival rates. BLS in this sense mean early and quality CPR along with access to an AED. This is "BLS" whether it is done by an EMT, Paramedic, Doctor or a layperson. The study in Seattle involved Paramedics coming along after bystanders initiate "BLS" care. AEDs are also now very much for public access in many areas.
But, if ROSC is achieved by BLS, it can quickly turn to dead again if proper post ROSC care is not followed.
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/122/18_suppl_3/S768.full
But, this is also a weak area in some places which could be why outcomes are not great. Some just don't want to do more because they don't know there is more or can't due to protocol limitations.
Sepsis treatment can be initiated in prehospital even without antibiotics.
Pain can be treated.
We also know that supraglottic tubes have limitations especially when a patient with ROSC regains their gag.
Now let us look at the 95% of the patients you come into contact with who are not dead or going to die right now? What about the patient care aspect? Do you think some of those who have only focused on skills and a few algorithms to get by are going to read the journals or take an interest in EBM to improve the care given? The BSN advocates used this in their favor to get past the old guard who said their "skills" were best and bull to the new ways stated in the journals. The BSNs were more willing to trial new things and accept now ideas. Learning things through education rather than just memorization makes change easier. The BSN advocates did their own studies for patient satisfaction and implementation of new protocols, guidelines and quality control. The ADN were still focused on tasks in some situations just like it seems some Paramedics are.
If your talking about treating pain and improving patient satisfaction scores then absolutely more education will improve this. But lets not confuse patient satisfaction scores with patients medical outcomes. It all comes down to the goal or purpose of doing this.
Again, I am not against more education. I just want our profession as a whole to make realistic goals about what education to require and the purpose of the additional education. To say that we want to be better educated paramedics so we can "Save more lives" is just the epitome of ignorance. To say that we want to be better educated paramedics so we can provide better service to our patients is completely reasonable.