part II
You are spouting off things as facts when in reality they are not. Such as .."Nobody needs a registry card. Aside from spending some money every few years, it doesn't really do much"... Really, want to back up what you state? Actually there are very many states that does require to have and maintain NREMT status. So yes, there are some that do need a Registry card. Also many states license as a Paramedic is just as respected as a license for the RN, P.A. even a Physicians. Again, rhetoric that is not true. Also do you really know how much scientific research is being performed on EMS a daily basis from the NREMT? That there is more than two full time research fellows that in performing such duties. How do you think all medical professionals became in being? Look at the Osteopathic Physician's. Until about twenty years ago many would not even give them privileges to non-D.O. hospitals even though their programs were longer and had longer residency.
NREMT does research, so do a lot of people. But I am not concerned with what they are doing it on until it is published and reviewed. As for states requiring NREMT, like CA? OH? NY? FL? PA? TX? Just because some states are too poor or tiny to fulfill their duty to regulate EMS because they don’t have the money to make and verify a test, doesn’t make needing an NREMT card a requirement. Out of certifications in 7 states over my career, only one required NREMT, and the state of LA is not exactly the poster child for the best way to do things. As for DOs they were recognized as equal to MDs when the Army started using them in WWI (a little earlier than 20 years ago) I am sorry if you live in a place where unfounded bias was the norm 20 years ago or even more recently. You really think a paramedic with a degree is just as respected as an RN or MD? In my experience it is the exception not the rule. Often those medics don’t even have a degree in EMS. Yes, one of my coworkers with a phd in physiology has more respect than a certified medic? Do we really dispute why?
Your other statement of ... "since a large part of EMS is fire based, it has become nothing more than a patch".. I beg to differ. Not every state is largely comprised of Fire EMS. Review the American Ambulance Association records. Many offer EMS as a service but may not perform sole EMS duties such as transports and only provide MFR services.
I know of Police departments that have EMFR within responding units, should they be classified as EMS also?
I expect a better argument form you considering that most of the US population (more than 2/3) receives EMS service from fire based EMS. You really want to compare the “medical” interest in the total population of IFT providers?
Just because one can have limited privileges such as driving, drinking does not automatically allow one to be prepared to handle all events. Alike I described using the military as an example is a poor one. We all really know why they use the youth, it is not because of their wisdom.
Drinking and having sex are not exactly privileges extended to teenagers (aka minors) does’t mean it doesn’t happen. Look at all the BS put out by largely religious groups supporting abstinence only as effective on teen sex. I am afraid “Of Panda’s and people” doesn’t sway my opinion, nor that of any other healthcare professional I have encountered. But my point is learning how to provide medical care to people is far more beneficial to society than a night of hard partying and making babes. Do you dispute that? As for safety, I concede it is dangerous to have teenagers in a medical setting. But I disagree with proper oversight it is any more dangerous than letting them discover on their own. We both agree about the military.
Just because you want to wash your hands in making EMS a profession does not mean those of us that do take this profession serious ought to. Just because it did not immediately become as we thought it should be we should allow compromises.
It’s not that I want to wash my hands of it, I have argued long and hard for it. But we have used the same arguments which have gotten little almost no measurable results. We have tried your approach, it doesn’t seem to work. I think a longer term strategy of convincing the next generations by example is viable. Where is your evidence that doesn’t work? To do that we will need to start the education younger than an 18 year old in EMT class.
Nobody is willing to compromise in EMS. It is what got us here. Whether it is international diplomacy or medicine, somebody is eventually going to have to settle for less than all they want to make progress.
There is a reason those that are really involved in EMS as a profession don't usually bother with reading EMS forums. They consider most that posts as poorly informed participants and really a joke. Ever notice that there are just a few of us that have credentials and experience that take out time to post? Their feeling is why should they bother?
I am quickly reaching that same conclusion. Hope springs eternal I guess. But professions such as nursing, respiratory, and PAs had to accpet less than all they wanted at some point. What makes EMS so special it should be different?
Again, I state.. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
If you are not willing to compromise, let your personal values interfere with your judgment, and don’t care how other successful places are/have gone about it, then you are the problem. Just the opposite side of the scale as the patch factories. Whether it’s republican vs democrat, capitalism vs socialism, regulation vs non regulation, faith vs. science, law and anarchy. The extremes of all lead only to disaster.
