BLS vs ALS

[armymedic571]

Again, this is an issue of education. The principle behind the idea of "BLS before ALS" is solid- you must master the building blocks and basic understanding of what you're working with before you move on to more advanced ideas and practices.

The problem is that our education is not structured correctly. You are given the wrong building blocks at the BLS level and with that a false understanding of medicine. It is MUCH more important to understand the biology of medicine than it is to understand how to use a BVM or apply a LSB. Your patient history is one of your most important assessment tools, and if you don't have the correct understanding to inform how you go about your line of questioning, you're simply muddling around and missing the point.

Anyone can be trained to master the physical skills of medicine... whether it's IV's, intubation, cardiac monitor placement... not everyone has the capacity to figure out how it all fits together at the level which allows you to make sound treatment decisions. I will, however, say that once you master the intellectual part of it you must also master the physical skills... because knowing what's wrong does you no good if you're incapable of performing the right actions to treat it. BUT! Without the correct thinking, all the skills in the world are useless to you.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

Wendy,

Thankyou for reading my mind and posting it in an intellegent, well thought out, and brief post.

To build on what you have already stated. I think it is important to point out that we should focus on providing "medical care". Whether it be holding your patients hand or making them smile. I think we to often forget, we are in this business to not just help people but to improve the quality of life.

BTW, is hand holding a BLS or ALS skill? <------------ that is a trick question. It is just good people skills.

[JTpaintball70]

Hence a good argument for getting rid of the EMS moniker. And the BLS/ALS bullshit

[daedalus]

Again, this is an issue of education. The principle behind the idea of "BLS before ALS" is solid- you must master the building blocks and basic understanding of what you're working with before you move on to more advanced ideas and practices.

The problem is that our education is not structured correctly. You are given the wrong building blocks at the BLS level and with that a false understanding of medicine. It is MUCH more important to understand the biology of medicine than it is to understand how to use a BVM or apply a LSB. Your patient history is one of your most important assessment tools, and if you don't have the correct understanding to inform how you go about your line of questioning, you're simply muddling around and missing the point.

Anyone can be trained to master the physical skills of medicine... whether it's IV's, intubation, cardiac monitor placement... not everyone has the capacity to figure out how it all fits together at the level which allows you to make sound treatment decisions. I will, however, say that once you master the intellectual part of it you must also master the physical skills... because knowing what's wrong does you no good if you're incapable of performing the right actions to treat it. BUT! Without the correct thinking, all the skills in the world are useless to you.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

Wendy, good post. I do agree that we have got our basics backwards. Why does EMS look at pathophysiology of CHF as an advanced provider topic, while it looks at using a BVM as a basic level provider topic? This makes no sense and it is the other way around in respiratory care, nursing, and medicine. If we truly went to basics before advanced, anatomy and physiology would be required before EMT class.

I may be different than most US paramedics, but I choose not to define my job as a set of procedures I can do, but the knowledge I bring to a patient in the field. Most people seem to think a paramedic is someone who reads 3 lead EKGs, starts IVs, and pushes drugs. I like to think of a paramedic as someone who (hopefully) has some real knowledge of biomedical science and who spent time in various wards of a hospital learning the proper way to deliver children, provide airway control, etc.

[joesph]

So here we go again us verse dem. I have to wonder why after countless blogs, posts and forums it is apparent to me that the bls vs als is unwinable. ALS will always FEEL SUPERIOR, and lets be truthful they are more educated. If all of us slimmy, no good,communist, uneducated bad spellars and chicken thievin basics were to advance up to als they would be left with little to complain about and no one to ridicule. So in reference to that 'your welcome' I would hate to leave all the ALS providers melancholy. They might turn on them selves and begin to eat there young.

[armymedic571]

I am keeping an eye on this thread.

If this turns into an ALS vs BLS bash fest, I will close it.

!

So here we go again us verse dem. I have to wonder why after countless blogs, posts and forums it is apparent to me that the bls vs als is unwinable. ALS will always FEEL SUPERIOR, and lets be truthful they are more educated. If all of us slimmy, no good,communist, uneducated bad spellars and chicken thievin basics were to advance up to als they would be left with little to complain about and no one to ridicule. So in reference to that 'your welcome' I would hate to leave all the ALS providers melancholy. They might turn on them selves and begin to eat there young.

Joseph. You obviously haven't read through the postings. This is about good patient care. But what ever you have to do...........

[daedalus]

So here we go again us verse dem. I have to wonder why after countless blogs, posts and forums it is apparent to me that the bls vs als is unwinable. ALS will always FEEL SUPERIOR, and lets be truthful they are more educated. If all of us slimmy, no good,communist, uneducated bad spellars and chicken thievin basics were to advance up to als they would be left with little to complain about and no one to ridicule. So in reference to that 'your welcome' I would hate to leave all the ALS providers melancholy. They might turn on them selves and begin to eat there young.

This is not an us vs them or ALS vs BLS thread. It is a thread discussing the needless use of such labels (als and bls) and the education needed to preform medical procedures that should (and every other profession does) require at least masters degree preparation.

[Kiwiology]

This is not an us vs them or ALS vs BLS thread. It is a thread discussing the needless use of such labels (als and bls) and the education needed to preform medical procedures that should (and every other profession does) require at least masters degree preparation.

So what titles do you suggest we use instead, I have mine above but what do you all think?

[armymedic571]

So what titles do you suggest we use instead, I have mine above but what do you all think?

Elephant Keeper???????

I don't think it is the title that is the issue, but the manner in which we present ourselves.

This "holy'er than thou" or "I'm ALS (or BLS), therefore I am" attitude is what started this ..........ummm debate.

[Kiwiology]

Elephant Keeper???????

I was referring to Primary, Advanced, and Intensive Care Paramedic but since you had to bring it up sure, Stanley my big grey pet elephant needs somebody to bring him peanuts and take him for a walk.

I don't think it is the title that is the issue, but the manner in which we present ourselves.

This "holy'er than thou" or "I'm ALS (or BLS), therefore I am" attitude is what started this ..........ummm debate.

Also very true

[Dustdevil]

Why would we need more than one title?