"unlike nursing which is standardised" ----- is that statement a joke. I have worked in both hospital based trauma services and prehospital ems since 1994. A blanket statement suggesting that U.S. or foreign trained nurses can hold a candle to an EMT is moronic. Unlike nurses many EMT basics in the united states are responsible for care of the patient door to door. Oftentimes the EMT basic is the only level that is able to care for even critically injured patients until more highly CERTIFIED professionals arrive. Based on my now 15 years experience with RN's; only about 25% could perform at the EMT level. Only about half of those 25% could perform at or above the skills of a decent EMT-Paramedic. Most nurses in the United States exit with a R.N. license after two(2) years of rudimentary nursing training. Of course most paramedics are trained for the same two(2) years OR more in ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT. As far as other countries laughing at the EMT-B certification, I wouldn't know. I do know that few if any states accept foreign training in EMS. I also KNOW that the national registry does not recognise foreign trained Medics. On this disparity, there should be a national accreditation body. Still, to suggest that a medic in Britain is somehow more experienced or has thousands of more hours of training...well that just sounds like a pretty long stretch...And frankly the facts do not show this to be true. Typical US medics have well over 4000 hours of didactic and clinical training by the end of EMT-B through NR-EMT-P. Of course there is always the exception to the above facts. Besides who wants to go to Israel and get shot at when I can just stay here in lovely downtown detroit.
