nsmedic393 Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Here is my two cents worth on this one,,,, I have been in EMS for 16 years and all these years I have done nothing but volunteer, That is my personal choice. I love EMS cant imagine my life without it . But I do understand the points of view of those that this is their carreer. But I dont think that is fair for the carreer people to not want volunteers around....well I say in this world we all need to pull together...everyone has a place in the system either way paid or volly ... We as a system in whole are our own worst enemies We bicker back and forth between each other. Just because you are paid dont make you any smarter or better than me because I volunteer and because I volunteer that dont make me any better than you because you get paid. I had to go to the same training you did, and last time i looked the states or the National Registry just dont hand out cards to people just because they want them. And to say that because I am a volunteer that makes me unprofessional is just wrong. Professionalism is not based on my payday or volunteer status it based on my attitude. This is just my two cents T :angel12: This is not about paid vs unpaid, this is about the quality of service delivered to our patients. Unless you are out there doing this over and over again you loose your skills. You might have been an ace coming out of school, but unless you are constantly practicing your craft you loose something. If you took two people out of the same class in EMT school and put one in a busy metro system and the other into a rural volunteer system where you only get a couple of calls a week I would bet my money on the guy in the busy system being a better EMT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Paid, end of story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKLMedic82 Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I belong to a volunteer service We do this because we are dedicated to it and love it NOT because someone pays us. Our training and standards are equal to if not exceed that of many paid units. I am not sayings that ALL volunteers are dedicated and keep up on their training just like I am sure that NOONE is saying that ALL paid Medics are dedicated and "up to par". Without many of the rural volunteer units there are whole communities that would be "screwed" because it would be hours beafore a "paid" medic unit could reach them. I feel like we are all a "team" paid and unpaid - we are all in it (hopefully) to see that ALL our patients receive the best care. I am sick of the egos and the power trips that are on BOTH sides of the issue. The fact is......the volunteer units are needed as badly as the paid services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Our training and standards are equal to if not exceed that of many paid units. But not your experience. Without many of the rural volunteer units there are whole communities that would be "screwed" because it would be hours beafore a "paid" medic unit could reach them. You're fooling yourself. If the volunteers were no longer there, they would have a paid agency in place within a very short time of the first wreck involving the county commissioner's daughter. Funny how they miraculously find money for these things when they are forced to confront reality. feel like we are all a "team" paid and unpaid - we are all in it (hopefully) to see that ALL our patients receive the best care. Team players don't stab their fellow members in the back. The fact is......the volunteer units are needed as badly as the paid services. Wrong. Volunteer units are not needed at all if your elected officials provide you with the professional services you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itku2er Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 But not your experience. Wrong. Volunteer units are not needed at all if your elected officials provide you with the professional services you need. Dust I hate to say this but....you are wrong dude.....everyone has a place in ems dont matter if it is paid or volly. It is EMS people with the attitude you have that makes volunteers look bad..getting paid dont always mean better care.....i havent lasted 16 years in this business by not knowing my skills and as far as expirence i havent spent the last 16 years sitting on my a** doing nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Dust I hate to say this but....you are wrong dude.....everyone has a place in ems dont matter if it is paid or volly. Correct. However, you are having trouble understanding where that place is. That place is not in place of a full-time, professional service. It is to augment the full-time professional service in times of disaster or overload, at best. It is EMS people with the attitude you have that makes volunteers look bad. They're making themselves look bad. I am merely pointing out the obvious. getting paid dont always mean better care. I never said it did. i havent lasted 16 years in this business by not knowing my skills and as far as expirence i havent spent the last 16 years sitting on my a** doing nothing. You've spent sixteen years assuring that your community doesn't ever get a full-time professional EMS service that can assure faster, better trained services to those in need. Congratulations. You're a hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itku2er Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 [ i havent lasted 16 years in this business by not knowing my skills and as far as expirence i havent spent the last 16 years sitting on my a** doing nothing. You've spent sixteen years assuring that your community doesn't ever get a full-time professional EMS service that can assure faster, better trained services to those in need. Congratulations. You're a hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 we have 3 full time paid services in the area along with 3 volly squads. So then what is the point of the volunteer services? What need are they filling, other than the need to stroke their egos? Like I said before Dust getting paid to do the same thing i volly to dont mean that the patient will get better care. And like I said before, I never said it did. Debating points I never even made is not particularly helpful to your argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itku2er Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 [quote="Dustdevil The fact is......the volunteer units are needed as badly as the paid services. Wrong. Volunteer units are not needed at all if your elected officials provide you with the professional services you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akflightmedic Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Professional Services means to be paid....not the level or quality of care although it is historically better when one is paid. Volunteer means for free. That is what he meant by that statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts