Dustdevil Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I didn't get into EMS for the money but to help people..It's the greatest feeling in the world... :wink: How is denying them full-time professional medical care "helping" them? Anybody who thinks that (as I once did myself) is incredibly short-sighted and thinking only of their own personal priorities, while ignoring the greater needs of the community. The whole absurd volunteer issue aside, EMT-I or CC is still a stupid idea. If you are really and truly in it to do your best to "help" people, then get serious about it and go to paramedic school. Don't be a half arse. Don't look for shortcuts to glory. Do your best, or go home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZCEP Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 That's right, have your ego stroked while the "profession" you have chosen to participate in takes it in the shorts. I refuse to accept that we are doing this for "our communities". That is the single most damaging statement that providers will make in regards to the job that they do. You find me one provider that can honestly answer that way, and I will show you a student participating in an oral board screening. That nonsense feels good for the first couple of days after you get your card in the mail, but after that, it quickly becomes a matter of what you get to do for you. I can see it coming, so stop before you dive into it. Unless you are "volunteering" to fill the potholes in your community's streets, or haul the trash, those that make the decisions are taking advantage of you. If it so happens that there are no EMS providers one weekend, and the mayor's wife dies because of it, they will quickly realize the service is needed enough to pay for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridryder 911 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Ladyfirefighter many people here dont believe in volunteering their time in EMS. I also volunteer for a ambulance corp in my community. I went from a EMT B to a EMT CC to be able to provide ALS services to those in need...Don't listen to them and feel proud in yourself for giving of your time to help people that need your care...I didn't get into EMS for the money but to help people..It's the greatest feeling in the world... :wink: Do we see a trend ? .... Do you see part of the problem... I, I, me ...me... Hmm where is the patient ? ... So many communities that could afford EMS or at least develop an ALS -EMS, but don't secondary to egos. Sorry, there are so many volly EMS is because of tradition not necessity. Yes, there are areas in EMS that thank-God have dedicated EMS volunteers, but there are plenty out there do it because of the self need in themselves. I feel this is gross negligence on the community leaders that allow it to continue and those that think of their need to "give" before patient care. If you are really concerned about people, then develop funding from tax revenue, bonds, grants, contract out private business . gasp !for a full time ALS - EMS ! So do you really think you doing the best for your patent?..After you are not able to administer the analgesics for that severe burn, or when you your patient has aspirated.. do you still go to sleep with that "warm fuzzy feeling ?"... Keep telling yourself, how wonderful and such humanitarian you are ... you might be able to convince yourself...because professional medical caregivers don't buy it! EMS has been harmed and retarded in growth because of the concern for the volunteer. It is well documented that curriculum and the National Scope of Training was diluted in fear of "not getting enough volunteers " to be active or having to have volunteers to go back to school. Sorry patients... hate to inconvenience those wonderful caring human beings!...remember what is important.... put medicine on hold and so some can "feel good" about themselves. Again, there are areas that will have to have volunteers, but those are rare.... professional EMS is sometimes prohibited from being introduced into communities because of egos and concern of themselves..... not the patients best behalf. R/R 911 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyfirefighter36 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 We can beat this to death. Volunteers feel that they are helping the community. Bottom line. We are helping the community, in some respect, whether you all think so or not. I think it is best to say we agree to disagree, and leave it at that. You won't change my mind and I won't change yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emt3225 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 How is denying them full-time professional medical care "helping" them? Anybody who thinks that (as I once did myself) is incredibly short-sighted and thinking only of their own personal priorities, while ignoring the greater needs of the community. The whole absurd volunteer issue aside, EMT-I or CC is still a stupid idea. If you are really and truly in it to do your best to "help" people, then get serious about it and go to paramedic school. Don't be a half arse. Don't look for shortcuts to glory. Do your best, or go home. Dust..Whats really the problem here? Do you feel because people Volunteer their time for their community that you will never make alot of money as a Paramedic? I would never spend a year in school to become a Paramedic for 2 reasons..I think its crazy to spend $8,000 to become a Paramedic and get paid chump change when you finally do get a job, that you cant even survive on when you have a family..The other reason is this is not something i want to do for a living...I have a Bachlors Degree in Business Administration and i make a damn good salary..Soo if i just want to help out my community without making money for doing it then thats my problem not yours or anybody else's.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akflightmedic Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Dust..Whats really the problem here? Do you feel because people Volunteer their time for their community that you will never make alot of money as a Paramedic? I would never spend a year in school to become a Paramedic for 2 reasons..I think its crazy to spend $8,000 to become a Paramedic and get paid chump change when you finally do get a job, that you cant even survive on when you have a family..The other reason is this is not something i want to do for a living...I have a Bachlors Degree in Business Administration and i make a damn good salary..Soo if i just want to help out my community without making money for doing it then thats my problem not yours or anybody else's.. Therein lies the problem. Your last sentence supports what others have already said. It is all about YOU! It makes YOU feel good, its all about your ego. You say it is not anyone else's problem, but it is. You have made a decision for your community that they do no need full time ALS care. WHo are you to decide that for them? Also by volunteering, you continue to make it more difficult for the upcoming newbies to acquire employment in smaller towns or to even earn a salary they can live on because people like YOU continue to offer services for free. If you want to help, use your degree to implement a full time service that provides ALS care 24/7. Juts because you do not want to do it for a living and earn chump change does not mean some other people in your community feel the same. They might be more than happy to do it FT and earn a pittance, but you are taking that choice away. So, in retrospect, I guess it IS everyone's problem...not just yours. For the record, I started out as a volunteer and had many of the same ideas/arguments that you guys are presenting. I never understood why my service was being so heavily criticized by the paid guys. But once you make this your career and wish to see your career earn the respect it deserves, you need to make changes, drastic changes. If we are ever going to make the money we deserve and gain the respect of our peers, we need to quit giving it away for free. I never seen anyone respect a slut, until she cleaned herself up, quit giving it away, got educated and made something of herself. We need to do the same! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZCEP Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Dust..Whats really the problem here? Do you feel because people Volunteer their time for their community that you will never make alot of money as a Paramedic? I would never spend a year in school to become a Paramedic for 2 reasons..I think its crazy to spend $8,000 to become a Paramedic and get paid chump change when you finally do get a job, that you cant even survive on when you have a family..The other reason is this is not something i want to do for a living...I have a Bachlors Degree in Business Administration and i make a damn good salary..Soo if i just want to help out my community without making money for doing it then thats my problem not yours or anybody else's.. So then, why did you decide to upgrade from an EMT-B? If you think you make "chump change" as a full paramedic, what exactly do you make as the occasional EMT-CC? For that matter, why did you decide to venture into EMS in the first place? Like many have said before, as long as the policy makers know that there are people that are willing to provide a service for nothing, no one will be reimbursed to the level that they should be. That goes for the volunteers as well. If you look at the big picture this will be painfully obvious. Just to illustrate, if I can get a service provided to the same levels at $5 per incident, why should I agree to pay someone $10 for the same thing. Then the administrator from a neighboring district takes a look at how I'm running my service, and he makes the same decision. In time, there are more getting a lower degree of service, for cheaper, all because a few have decided they did not want/need the money to be spent for it. The kicker is the areas that need the higher levels of care are the ones that hold onto the idea of using non-paid volunteers the most. Areas that have hospitals and definitive care that probably could get by without paramedic service, due to the shorter transport times, can more easily afford this level of service. The areas that don't have these resources, need the level of care that only a paramedic can provide. Perhaps not because we provide more in the way of treatment, but because we spend a lot more time learning about how disease processes work. As long as there are people that are willing to do these things for free, the entire industry will suffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stndmedic Posted March 18, 2006 Share Posted March 18, 2006 i BELEIVE THAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT IS COMFORTABLE LEARNING FOR YOU. I WENT THE ROUTE OF GETTING MY BASIC CARD IN THE SPRING JUMPING ON BOARD WITH A COMMERCIAL UNIT AND BACK INTO CLASS FOR EMT-I IN THE FALL. IF YOU ARE NEW MOST PARAMEDIC PROGRAMS REQUIRE TWO YEARS FEILD EXP. BEFORE APPLYING. BUT UNFORTUANTLEY SOME PROGRAMS ARE LOOKING AT THE FINANCIALS AND LETTING PEOPLE IN THAT SHOULD NOT BE THERE. I HAD ALTERNATIVE REASONS FOR GETING MY EMT-I( LOCAL FD HIRES IN AT EMT-I, SO TO MAKE THE HIRE LIST...). HOWEVEVER I DO NOT REGRET TAKING THIS ROUTE AND RECOMEND IT TO NEW EMT-B. ITS A GREAT WAY TO EXPAND YOURKNOWLEDGE BASE WHILE YOU ARE HUMPING JOBS FOR YOUR UNIT. DUST DEVIL WAS RIGHT ONLY IN THE ASPECT OF THE PRE-REQ'S FOR PARAMEDIC. JUMPING RIGHT INTO IT COULD DO MORE HARM. AS FAR AS VOLLY'S BEING EMT-I'S, IENDORSE IT. I THINK IT SHOULD BE STD. PRACTICE FOR EVERYONE TO CONT. ED. AND RAISE THE LEVEL OF CARE TO EMT-I AT THE BOTTOM RUNG. BASICS CAN BE THE OLD CFR'S. CALL ME CRAZY!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paramedicmike Posted March 18, 2006 Share Posted March 18, 2006 Dude! Stop yelling! Any particular reason you're typing in all caps? That's basic forum etiquette. CAPS = yelling. You weren't saying anything of much depth so there's no need for it. No caps next time, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stndmedic Posted March 18, 2006 Share Posted March 18, 2006 Dude! Stop yelling! Any particular reason you're typing in all caps? That's basic forum etiquette. CAPS = yelling. You weren't saying anything of much depth so there's no need for it. No caps next time, please. sorry new to the forum thing not to be yelling at anyone. just reading and responding. i get to typing to say what is on my mind not to look pretty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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