Just a EMT

[fireflymedic]

Az,

First of all, I commend you on working towards furthering your education and going beyond being as he said "just a basic".

Now onto my rant and I know I'm probably not going to make friends with this, but I really don't care. I was a basic for a while just like everyone else in here was and guess what - I was just that a BASIC. I didn't work a transfer service, I worked a 911 and had the joy of dealing with patients that really deserved a medic as a basic. It seems that as we go up the ladder of certs, we seem to forget where we came from and many develop the paragod/goddess mentality. And frankly it angers me. I have no use for anyone with that attitude, because they are portraying that they know it all and have nothing left to learn. Well guess what boys and girls - this is a learning game last time I checked NONE of us knew it all. I learn something new almost every shift, and there's some here that I have learned alot from just from speaking with. There are some that I feel more ignorant for speaking with them, but all well that's life. I love precepting students because it gives me a chance to see what type of caregiver they will become. I don't mind the basic students, especially the motivated ones that come full of questions. Sure I've been caught not knowing answers - I've had some questions that would stump a doc lol ! But I learned from them, and if the student is looking to learn and they are doing research, reading and trying to find things out, I've found sometimes I learn things from them too.

This medic is young (and don't forget I'm not a dinosaur here either) but it tends to be a trend among younger medics to think they know it all. Don't forget - your box of toys fails and guess what? You're having to manage the patient basically like it or not ! Oftentimes we get to looking at all we can give and forget doing something basic will improve the situation just as much as if we gave more aggressive management. I've been on dual medic trucks, with RN's, and with basics. Some of the basics I've been with are incredibly sharp and were a good resource and sometimes helped me remember where to start (especially as a new medic !) and even gave me good input. For him to put you down like that was uncalled for. I'm sorry you had to deal with that situation, but don't let it get you down. Learn all you can, ask questions of those you can, and keep working towards your medic ! And once you get there, don't forget where you came from - pass that knowledge on to others that are on their way up. Take care and stay safe.

[Julie Rae]

Hello there.

Well my partner of a few months now has decided to decide to say i am just a EMT. He feels the need to remind me of this and also inform other of this at the er during our drop offs. sorry but to me that is just rude and unprofessional. Medic or E you were a EMT at sometime. I am working on advancing my cert, just sick of hearing thou..

Sorry for my rant

Well, I think it is rude and very unprofessional here. I worked as an emt in a rural service for 13 years and then got my paramedic and and have worked the last 6 years as a paramedic......I also have my IC and teach... I tell my students first thing----dont let me ever hear you say you are "just an EMT!!!" I totally agree with firefly medic as far as the attitude and thinking that has crept in EMS!! This is such a soap box for me but most of my thots have been expressed already.. I am proud of you for advancing but even if you never did, you would still be in an awesome position in a great field... Dont ever let anyone take that from you...... we all learn CPR the same way and pt. assessment the same way and ALL OF THE BASICS THE SAME WAY!! Many times the EMT-B is better at remebering the basics!!

I had a really bad experience in my FIs- and I vowed to never treat anyone that way- Part of it is personality I know , but I try to kindly make other medics aware of how they treat their coworkers... Hang in there!!!!

[letmesleep]

I would also like to pat you on the back for advancing your knowledge base, and furthering your education, but with your current cert you are "just an EMT", nothing more and nothing less. My question is this, what is the real issue here? I think there is a lot of truth being said by everyone here in that it could be personallity (your's and/or your partner's). Has there been any conversation with this partner about this issue, or is this your release? Age can play a factor in it as well, the partner is young, but is there any issue for you about working with a younger medic?

my quick point of these question comes down to this, you have an issue with your partner........talk about and solve the issue, otherwise your not true partners and it sounds as if this may be a long term relationship at this point.

Vent and Kaisu, both of you have valid points about each "job" (EMTP and RN). the truth is a lack of exposure and understanding from both to work side by side with each other. It's true that in EMS we hold the hands of family members when there is nothing left to do for our pt, but we don't know what its like to spend a month with that family, get to know them by name, and then have the "we need to pull the plug" speach. It's true that in the ER a RN may see up to (and even more at times) 20 pts in a 12hr shift, but how many times do they crawl around in the mud to treat those pts, start those IVs bouncing down the road, or go without respritory/ lab/ radiology/ etc? We all have our place, and need to try to understand each other (including the stressors) to get past all the crap between the ER and EMS (RN and EMTP).

Please excuse my 4 day delay in responding

As far as EMT v EMTP......get over it, get your education, and get on with life. The real insult would be if my partner was talking to perfect strangers about our problems without talking to me about it, or if you were a medic who was being called "just an EMT", just my opinion.