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Should EMTs Have to Babysit Their Medics?


suzeg487

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Excellent further post

The way you go about addressing a possible treatment error by a medic or an emt or a nurse is to get the facts straight first.

You can't go to a gunfight with only a knife. You need to confirm or try to confirm that the incorrect treatment was rendered.

For example, Giving nitro to a patient with a blood pressure of 60/40 c/o chest pain. That would be a bad error. The correct way to question the medic is to repeat the blood pressure to them. Hopefully it will make the medics brain click and say, Holy crapola batman, I can't give that medicine to the patient. That's bad karma.

Then you can discuss after the call why the medic thought the way he/she did.

If the medic still gives the nitro then you have to address it with their immediate supervisor or the physician taking care of the patient.

By no means did I mean to say in my previous post that you have no right to question the medic but what I meant to imply is that there may be something more directly going on with the MI patient than meets the eye.

There is nothing wrong with questioning any type of medical treatment. Believe me the patient will thank you and most times the medic will thank you that you helped divert them from making a bad decision.

it's great that you are going to medic school. You will be able to more neatly assess and understand why the medics do what they do and what their thought processes are.

But one word of caution, just because you are in medic school does not a medic make. Don't come off as a know it all and you will succeed in your endeavors.

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I love for EMT's to ask me questions about a case after the call, it shows they have a real interest, and are not just bidding time until they get called for a police or fire job. We all learn in this line of work by asking questions of others, be they nurses, docs other emt's and medics. Questions are good.

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What I have done and had done to me is have person of lower level ask would you like me to get this or that for you, in order to get the higher level to rethink what they are doing. Or repeat the blood pressure to avoid nitro at low BP. A basic I currently work with that was a military medic but currently is working as a basic will hand you a drug to make you realize what you are missing. None of this gives any reason for doubt to the patient.

I have also gone as far as letting patient know upfront I am a student so I will be asking the Paramedic all kinds of questions to help my education unless they object. All so far have said that would be ok, so if I see something I don't understand I ask, at times this has led to Paramedic actually deciding to change what care to give without causing the patient any extra anxiety.

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:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Duck, cause it's about to hit the fan.

Ducking....

BTW: I have stopped a couple of Paramedics from doing "things" that could have complicated things before I was through with my classes.. Some thanked me, some didn't.

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With all due respect, Dwayne, I addressed the OP's question briefly and professionally in the 4th or 5th post in the thread. My quip about "impending n00b roastage" was directed at poster #2, who trotted out the faithful quote "EMT's save Paramedics" leading to my laughter and cringing. I also addressed him and advocated that he do some reading or google EMT vs. paramedic to see what could ensue from pursuing that comment further. Don't appreciate being lumped in there with the "go be a paramedic" posse.

/end thread participation.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

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For a side note:

Please don't bring out the line " Why don't you pay for her medic class". All of us have done it and I can guarantee you that I was at rock bottom, when I went through school. There are many ways to pay for schooling, look around.

Please don't use money as an excuse to not further your education!

I have no problem with EMT's asking why I choose a certain treatment, I will gladly explain why. But, the first one that tells me I'm wrong and their right, gets chewed up and spit out.

BTW, I was an EMT for 13 years, before going on to medic. I can tell you that I learned one thing. I knew nothing about medicine, even though I thought I knew it all!!! :shock:

Speak for your self not others.

I agree with Don on this one.

They gonna pay for my class too? AND for the childcare I need while I am in class and at clinicals?

I work.

I make a decent wage, NO help and I mean ZERO help is available to me for finances needed for class. Sure I could get a student loan but I have 3 children to raise a house to pay for and trust me, I know that I can not foot another payment now or in the future so school is out for me. In the mean time I continue to take pot shots from the likes of those that think we all can just jump and run off to school at the drop of a hat. I have tried numerous times and NOW we don't even have a class locally to take. Living 150 miles beyond the middle of nowhere from BF freakin E I would have to drive a substantial distance just to attend class. So lets equate the price of gas in to the total bill.

Nope~ it just not a feasible option. So I say to you all. You still gonna diss us all for not furthering our education? I am not alone............

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Hey Wendy,

My apologies to you as well. I got way wound up before posting last night and should have let it go.

In my defense, I did say " And half the people that posted here...", it never really occurred to me that you would think I would put you in that catergory, or that you could possibly see yourself there.

Sorry for the confusion.

Dwayne

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Speak for your self not others.

I agree with Don on this one.

They gonna pay for my class too? AND for the childcare I need while I am in class and at clinicals?

I work.

I make a decent wage, NO help and I mean ZERO help is available to me for finances needed for class. Sure I could get a student loan but I have 3 children to raise a house to pay for and trust me, I know that I can not foot another payment now or in the future so school is out for me. In the mean time I continue to take pot shots from the likes of those that think we all can just jump and run off to school at the drop of a hat. I have tried numerous times and NOW we don't even have a class locally to take. Living 150 miles beyond the middle of nowhere from BF freakin E I would have to drive a substantial distance just to attend class. So lets equate the price of gas in to the total bill.

Nope~ it just not a feasible option. So I say to you all. You still gonna diss us all for not furthering our education? I am not alone............

Do you want to become a Paramedic? If you do, you will find a way.

I was in the middle of a divorce, raising 2 kids, paying all the bills and working as a EMT at crappy pay.

There are grants, scholarships and FA available. You may not want another bill, but the raise in pay will help pay it. I had my first 3 semesters paid for by grants and scholarships, that I fought for. I begged,borrowed and saved to pay for the final semester.

If you say it can't be done, then you may not want it bad enough. I knew that becoming a medic was better for my kids in the long run. You have job security and higher pay. That is the way to go for your kids.

If there are no classes around you, then wait for one or Move! This is your life and only you can make it better. But, if you keep giving yourself excuses, you will never get what you want. It does take alot of sacrifice and hardships to go back to school, just prepare yourself and the kids ahead of time and it will all work out in the end.

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Reaper its like this. I have looked at all options. No grants or such for me I make too much money. PLUS I like the Job I have, and It pays just as much if not more than the medics make around me. So I ask you this. Why further my education (sighting the hardships it will place on me and my children) when the pay is better than most and the benifits are good? BUT..... Why must I stand the onslaught of the "lowley emtb" when the EMT-B is all I need to do my job?

My pay will not increase with the EMTP, as a matter of fact I stand to make less (in the area I live in mind you) If I quit my current job to work on the ground truck as a paramedic. NOW if I wanted to fly.... that is another story and I would have to work the ground for at least 3 years before I fly. I don't really want to do that, I like what I do and I do it well........and It works for me and my children. I just don't understand why we EMT-B's must continue to take a verbal beating for not furthering our education. Thats our choice and we don't need or deserve to be drug through the mud for it!!

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Actually incog you shouldn't have to take a beating for wanting to stay the level you are.

What I think gets us all inflamed is those emt's who state why can't I push this drug, why can't I do an advanced skill if all I have to do is go to an additional class.

If you like the level you are and are happy there then by all means stay there but those who want to do more as emt's and think they should get to play with the fancy medic tools then those are the ones we have problems with.

Those who do not know their limitations nor admit that there should be additional schooling or education to actually perform the skills are the ones who are causing one of the biggest disservices to the profession.

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