Lone Star Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 Hey guys and gals! I'm trying to write an arugmentative essay in support of higher educational requirements for EMS. I've run into 'writers block'! I'm looking to compile a short list of careers within the Allied Health field that require at least an Associates Degree for entry level. From there, I will attempt to draw a correlation to EMS and attempt to justify increasing educational requirements to at least an Associates of Applied Science degree. Currently, the NREMT courses are too focused on 'minimum requirements' to get certified and licensed. I figure if I can compose a logical argument, then maybe I can be another voice in this quest. Thank you for all your help!! LS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTpaintball70 Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 PT/OT, RRT, RN, PA, NP, MD. Those are the more common degree'd providers I ran into while working in the hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maverick56 Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 PT & OT assistants require an associates and they don't do much more than set out supplies and walk patients most places. Most of the tech jobs (radiology, surgical, cardio etc) at least prefer an associates in that field, but some will hire medics with the right experience. I just applied for a surgical tech position, for example. I was told I was qualified based on experience (but I also have a BS in biomechanics, so...). Maybe try one of those healthcare/allied health career interest/info sites? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERBIE1 Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 LS- I think one of the problems you will run into is that some of these Allied Health professions are certificate programs that may be 2 years long, but many of the classes are technical in nature, meaning they do no translate(or are accepted) as equivalent college classes. As an example, in the dark ages when I started the Radiological(XRAY) Technician program, I took things like Radiation Physics and biology, which were considered to be technical classes when I transferred to a university. They were certainly intensive enough classes, but also too narrow in focus to be accepted for transfer credit. I'm not sure a direct comparison between EMS and another field is appropriate- or even valuable. No offense to those in the Allied Health fields, but a quality paramedic program is far more advanced and comprehensive in scope and training than a surgical tech, OR tech, or ultrasound tech. I would simply provide a list of skills, medications, and procedures we are trained to perform and stress the importance of how we perform those skills-essentially autonomous. By requiring more general education classes and a degree, it only improves the quality, caliber, and professionalism of the providers, and let those facts stand on their own. I'm also afraid that making comparisons between unrelated fields we do ourselves a disservice. They only provide their service when a specific order is written by a doctor, usually in a hospital setting, while we do have standing protocols, we also are allowed to work independently. I think this independence does us a disservice, since others in the health field really have no idea what we are capable of doing. The fact is, we do our jobs outside a traditional hospital or health care setting. Ask a nurse who works on an OB/GYN floor, or Med Surg floor about our scope of practice. Many really do not have a clue. Just my nickel's worth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwiology Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 Almost every health professional here requires a Bachelors Degree, the exception is Anaesthetic Technician which is a comparable amount of study but is not a Bachelors Degree (watch that space). For example the following require a Bachelors Degree Chiropractic Dentistry Dietetics Medical Laboratory Science Medical Radiation Technology Medicine (MBChB) Midwifery Nursing Occupational Therapy Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Osteopathy (not a DO) Pharmacy Physiotherapy Podiatrists Psychology Psychotherapy Speech Language Therpay New Zealand does not have RTs. The "technician" type roles do not exist here as they do in the US (eg ER Tech) and the few "aide" or "assistant" type roles that do exist are supervised by a registered healthcare practitioner. A dental technician or nurse aide for example completes a vocational training certificate or other qualification appropriate for thier level of practice but must be supervised by the applicable registered profession. Research and essays/case studies etc form a significant part of our Health (and other) Bachelors Degrees which really expand one's knowledge and give you a strong educational foundation so you can pick up new knowledge easily and have a deeper understanding and ability in your chosen field. This is a major advantage over the "vocational" style "technical" education that was used in the past for our Ambulance Officers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Star Posted May 9, 2010 Author Share Posted May 9, 2010 Herbie and kiwi, Thanks for the advice, but maybe I need to clarify my 'comparisons' just a bit. I'm not looking to compare scopes of practice to see who acutally does more, has more autonomy or who can provide more life saving procedures. This is not an "Us against Them" comparison. Ultimately the 'comparison' would be more along the lines of "While EMS has greater autonomy in the field, the practitioners are turned loose on the unsuspecting public with only a bare minimum education." I'm not trying to diminish any allied health care providers role in the treatment of the patient, but realistically, if we screw up in the field; none of the other practitioners are of any benefit to a dead patient. That in mind, we should demand higher educational requirements before turning EMS loose on the public so that we can actually attempt to do what we were educated to do, keep the patient alive so that the other allied health care practitioners can do what they've been educated to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwiology Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 Perhaps it might be helpful to list the classes we take here as part of our BHSc (Paramedic) YEAR ONE 555101 Psychology and Lifespan Development 555201 Human Anatomy and Physiology I 555301 Knowledge, Enquiry and Communication 555401 Health and Environment OR 555339 Māori Health, Development and Environment 556107 Introduction to Paramedic Practice 556202 Human Anatomy and Physiology II 576211 Risk Management YEAR TWO 556301 Intermediate Research 527188 Pharmacology for Professional Practice 557224 Professional Practice and Ethics 576101 Intravenous Therapy 576103 Paramedic Science 576109 Clinical Practice I 576110 Clinical Practice II 577101 Cardiology YEAR THREE 557221 Health Law & Policy 577212 Disaster Theory 577109 Clinical Reasoning 577110 Advanced Life Support 577111 Paramedic Theory and Management 577112 Integrated Clinical Practice 577213 Emergency Planning http://www.aut.ac.nz/study-at-aut/study-areas/health-sciences/paramedic-and-emergency-management/paramedic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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