:evil: The words/term "EMT" is to a truly upward bound Firefighter/Paramedic/Public Safety aspirant like a red kerchief to a bull.
It has been my experience that the term is used as though it is the dirtiest, filthiest term in the healthcare profession (more detested than fecal impaction). So filthy if fact that many other healthcare "professionals" completely disregard all assessment (primary or secondary) and information provided by the "EMT" or other prehospital care provider. If your patients are able to communicate... the Emergency Department (ED) staff asks the patient for all the information you so painstakingly gathered on scene or enroute. Come into a Trauma center in Los Angeles and you typically find other "Technicians" (Emergency Department Trauma Techs are, simply put, specialized EMT's) trying to whisk you away and disregard protocols on patient handling as though you "EMTs" simply drive the ambulance (now move along). Firefighter/paramedics often find that (if they turn around and go back in to wash their hands) their "medic line" is being taken out by RN's who "get a real line" and their EKG strip gets tossed faster than an anonymous and unaccounted for fecal smear. :shock: Well, why is that?
But before we go there (the trickle down theory) let's make the statement that there are many Firefighter (EMT- and Paramedic providers that disregard all assessment and information made by "first on" Basic Life Support (BLS) units. It happens so much so that many BLS units dawdle waiting for "Fire" because "they are just going to re-do everything anyway..." Hmmm. Oh, yeah, that's right we're just "EMT's". (So are all Firefighter's on the Engine's in SoCal). The lack of desire to upset the balance has divested us of legitimacy and will forever hinder our possibilities to be seen as professionals.
It would appear that EMT's in the private sector are likened to the McDonald's of EMS, you're too easy to replace than to stand up for. As long as that is the mindset we'll always simple move on or up to get away from being "an EMT". Paramedics are actually EMT-Ps... but they move away from that term and keep the "medic"... thus demonstrating the potency of the negative connotation EMT has dragging behind it (in the system). :?
Maybe I'm ranting but there is a tremendous amount of truth in this for the Southern California EMS system (LA & OC). :twisted:
