Paragod: Fact or Fiction?

[Ace844]

That's because after two years of school, being treated like a real profession would be nice. But unfortuantely, we can't right now because of semi-literate yokels who get 120 hours of training, then sit around waiting for their pager to go off, jump in their personal vehicles and so they can tear assing through town to see the latest bloody wreck, then sit back on their laurels about how "they do it for the patient", looking down on the guys who actually spent the time to study, read, and go to rotation rather than sit around their squad room playing with their cravats and watching "Third Watch" reruns. Volunteers, 90% of them, do not do it for patient care, they do it so they can run red lights and feel like heroes with minimal training and supervision. The ones who really are interested in patient care have the desire to do more, and learn more, so they go to SCHOOL.

I've seen both sides of this, unfortunately as has been posted in this thread ad nauseaum, one is more prevalent than the other....Like what you say here as a good example and alot like what I posted,

Not all Paramedics are "PARA-GODS" and not all Basics are patient driven (I have seen both drooling like puppies when the siren is turned on), but there are A LOT of paramedics who look down on basics, because they didn't go to school as long. No matter how long your schooling, some people are natural with people and others are just born A$$holes

As for Ace, sorry, I don't apologize. If you don't want to be accused of being an undereducated BLS provider, than don't write posts that make you sound like one. If a paramedic in your area has really been through a course in your area, and has passed the certifying examinations, and is ok'd to work by the medical control physician, and still cannot identify the drugs administered to the patients save for the pretty colors on the boxes, or does not recognize the importance of giving a detailed and accurate report to the recieving staff, then that is one very, very messed up system and I am surprised that a medic of your caliber who went to such a progressive medic school would risk his integrity and reputation by working in it.

I posted my statement the way I did due to the fact that I was both trying to make my point obvious, and trying to limit litigous/slanderous risk....This was more a case of a few bad apples in that particular system casting a cloud over the rest of the competent professional providers there. I'm quite sure that you experience the same thing in NYC... Also, I have heard that FDNY doesn't even caryy BGL machines, this is admittedly anecdotal and second hand though from a source I trust. As for me, I don't work in that particular system, and I don't compromise my morals, or patient care standards, for anyone period...Furthermore, if you were new here I wouldn't have said I was necessarily owed an apology, but you have been here long enough to have seen my posts and been able to better judge them, thus you should know I don't make a habit of

And while you might want to try to thumb your nose at my program, the BMCC accredited AAS program, you're not going to succeed. Our class graduated 9 out of 40 people. All 9 passed both the NYS paramedic exam and practicals on their first try, and all 9 passed their REMAC NYC certification as well, all 9 of which now work in the field as paramedics. We worked under the doctors of the New York-Presbyterian system, learned along side the medical students from Cornell University, and our CIC was former deputy chief of EMS for New York City. That's why I say that with out a doubt, ym program graduated some damn fine medics who were trained at one of the highest standards in the country.

I didn't "look up" or research your medic program and sounds quite similar to my own. I wasn't "thumbing my nose either", I suspected that since few programs have a cirricular similar to my own, that it was unlikely that you recieved as extensive a training regimen as I have. Yes that is abit self-serving and a general prejudiced statement, but unfortunately overall abit factual. I am essentially treated like a resident in my clinical rotations, so I know first hand what you speak of. My program also has a very good reputation and has put out a number of highly skilled professional medics as well. As for the "accrediation"part I posted that earlier. We started with 11 and will be "graduating" 4. But alas this isn't a discussion about P programs...

out here,

Ace844

[Dustdevil]

Tinman, I know there is 2 year programs for RN, but some institutions no longer recognize this training when hiring, so I did not mention it.

You can't be serious. :?

Kansas doesn't recognize paramedics without a 2 year degree. Should we not mention them either?

Just like tech-school medics, 2 year RN's are the vast majority in their field. And I can't imagine that in rural SD, there can be any institutions no longer recognizing them.

[Guest]

Yes I am serious Genious or I wouldn't have said anything! There ARE SOME INSTITUTIONS IN SD AND ND THAT DO NOT RECOGNIZE 2 YEAR RN's!!! And congrats to Kansas! BUT MY OPINION REMAINS A 2 YEAR DEGREE DOES NOT IN "MY OPINION" MAKE YOU PROFESSIONAL!! And go ahead and attack my EMT B all you want, my job does not support this training and will not pay for me to keep it, I DO IT BECAUSE I WANT TO, but you want to attack my intelligence because I am a B and not a P without knowing who or what I am just bolsters my argument on the lack of professionalism!!

[Dustdevil]

Yes I am serious Genious or I wouldn't have said anything! There ARE SOME INSTITUTIONS IN SD AND ND THAT DO NOT RECOGNIZE 2 YEAR RN's!!!

Correct. But that wasn't my point. My point is that you cannot honestly dismiss the majority of the nursing profession as non-existent simply because one or two urban hospitals in SD don't hire them. That would be analogous to dismissing the majority of paramedics because they aren't firemen.

And congrats to Kansas! BUT MY OPINION REMAINS A 2 YEAR DEGREE DOES NOT IN "MY OPINION" MAKE YOU PROFESSIONAL!!

Correct again, but what's your point? Does a 4 year degree make you professional? What about a masters degree? Does that make you professional? You're playing a numbers game that doesn't seem to have a point.

And go ahead and attack my EMT B all you want, my job does not support this training and will not pay for me to keep it, I DO IT BECAUSE I WANT TO, but you want to attack my intelligence because I am a B and not a P without knowing who or what I am just bolsters my argument on the lack of professionalism!!

What on earth are you talking about? I didn't attack you, your education, your intelligence, or your professionalism. I had no idea what your educational level even was until now. But since you mention it, I would have expected you to be able to spell "genius" correctly.

What's with all the victim mentality on this board? :roll:

[Alcomedicism]

OK although I dont have experience this discussion has formed an opinion.

I believe it is OK to be confident in what you do, but lets not let that confidence turn into arrogance, where we have the paragods shoving EMTs around and vice versa.

It doesnt just happen in EMS, it happens everywhere you have "seniority".

EX: In the poultry industry you have:

Production workers

Line Foremans

Line Supervisors

Department Supervisors

Shift Supervisors and so forth.

The shift supervisors shove the department supervisors, the department supervisors shove the line supervisors, the line supervisors shove the line foremans, the line foremans shove the production workers, all based on seniority and pay scale. And it goes back the other way when the lower seniority workers say "I work harder than you for my money."

It ok when you do something yourself that was somehow extraordinary and you deserve recognition for it. But lets not forget that there seems to be a "team" element in this as well. IF you work better as a team your going to get better results.

-Alco

[EMT City Administrator]

OK guys, lets keep this on topic and within the rules of the site.

Thanks!

EMT City Administrator

[nsmedic393]

Quite the discussion.....

Maybe what asys is trying to say (and if he is, i share his frustrations), is that I am tired of being monday morning quarterbacked by a wet behind the ears BLS provider who apparently has learned everything he needs to know about EMS is the week that he has been working this job and has nothing better to do that sit back and count the number of percieved mistakes I make on a call. Now keep in mind that our BLS providers PCPs are quite good for the most part and go through infinitly more education that the average emt-b in the US. I can see where in asys's case it would be even more frustrating to hear that BS from someone with a two week education in EMS.

Now i've been thinking about what might make a medic think he is higher up than an emt; pay, skills, and education, maybe....

The big one RESPONSABILITY... That patient is my responsability, its easy for someone to say I would have done this or that when they don't bear any of the responsability of those decisions. If its going to benifit my patient to shove my BLS partner face first into the flower-bed because he's so horny to get to the action than look out for the ground buddy.

I'm a nice guy, I have nothing but respect for good BLS providors, but my patient comes first and I would bet that most medics have 100% more contempt for someone with a BLS hero attitude than a medic with god syndrome.

[Guest]

Not all Paramedics are "PARA-GODS" and not all Basics are patient driven (I have seen both drooling like puppies when the siren is turned on), but there are A LOT of paramedics who look down on basics, because they didn't go to school as long. No matter how long your schooling, some people are natural with people and others are just born A$$holes

Here is and will always be MY POINT

[Dustdevil]

Here is and will always be MY POINT

Well, then we are on the same page now.

[Guest]

Thanks for catching up! :wink: