PCP's calling themselves paramedics....

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

Why is everyone so hung up on titles? No matter if you call them Paramedic or basic, the public sees you brought the squad, and are taking them to a hospital. They dont give a crap, so why should we?

Oh, and side note, considering the ACP and PCP programs are both more in depth and longer then the amercian EMT-P program, should either really call themselves paramedic? Kind of like a MD calling themselves an orderly...Should amercian EMT-P's call themselves paramedics?

Guess what, who cares.

We are all EMS, do the same overall job, and are viewed by our clients equally. You know your job, go do it, and try debating something more intellectually stimulating than this crap.

PRPG

[medik8]

Why is everyone so hung up on titles? No matter if you call them Paramedic or basic, the public sees you brought the squad, and are taking them to a hospital. They dont give a crap, so why should we?

Oh, and side note, considering the ACP and PCP programs are both more in depth and longer then the amercian EMT-P program, should either really call themselves paramedic? Kind of like a MD calling themselves an orderly...Should amercian EMT-P's call themselves paramedics?

Guess what, who cares.

We are all EMS, do the same overall job, and are viewed by our clients equally. You know your job, go do it, and try debating something more intellectually stimulating than this crap.

PRPG

Thank you, PRPG. Geez...I understand the point and the difference...but like PRPG said, does it really matter? As long as you do your job, under your title and your scope of practice, and you do it well...we all have the same goal here (or we should) and that is to provide a high level of excellent patient care (including driving their arses there ) Everyone's job in this business is important in some way.

Like Dust said....it all boils down to EDUCATION! Understand what you are doing...further your education and skills not by title only but because you actually know what the hell you are doing. Just because you are a Paramedic doesn't mean you know what the hell you are doing. Yes...you should...but please!!!! :roll: We've all run across Medics that should be basics or nothing at all...and Basics that should be Medics. What separates them is definitely NOT the title...it's the education and how seriously they take their job and responsibilities as being emergency caregivers. If we are to ever be taken as seriously as so many of us deserve, we've got to get over these stupid bitch sessions and pissing matches that we so often do amongst ourselves, and realize that education and learning are the keys to our success. Then, let's put all that knowledge in motion and to good use and PROVE our worth. The public doesn't really care if you are an EMT, a PCP, or a Paramedic. They only care that when you take their loved one, child, etc., away in your truck, that you are going to take care of them, make them comfortable, help them breathe again, and they are going to return home safely. Essentially...they just want us to do our job.

:roll: GOOOOOOOOOOOSSSHHHHHHHHHHH....AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH....(with full Napoleon Dynamite tones!) LMFAO!

xoxoxo :wink:

Luv,

8

[Neesie]

PRPG - if you don't like these posts, PLEASE feel free to not comment on them. Nobody is making you reply.

As for the other things that have been stated on here. Yes...I agree. Everyone should do their jobs and not worry about their job title. If you read my original post, my concern was with people saying they are something they aren't. I think everyone should be viewed as having the same goal. Everyone here is/should be concerned with the patient and their care. Do what you can for them and get them to the hospital.

I have a real issue with SOME paramedics that have that awful case of the "GOD COMPLEX". (please don't take this the wrong way. I don't mean that ALL paramedics are like that but you know there are some out there. I don't want this to start a new post and go haywire) With PCP's that call themselves a "Paramedic" just to look good to someone else already has the beginning of that God complex and it will just escalate to something worse if and when they become a paramedic.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

Its not that I dislike the post, I gave my opinion. If you dislike my opinion, I suggest you post on a forum which is fluffier, with more kum by yah.

Til then, deal with it.

[northernmedic]

I don't really care what the titles are as long as there is some consistency. The terms EMT and Paramedic have been established in the USA for quite a while so the general public and other health care providers are somewhat familiar with the differences. Our problem in Canada right now is that Alberta is insisting on using their own titles which is different than everyone else. Our NOCP lays out EMR, PCP, ACP and CCP very specifically. Everyone needs to use these titles and educate the public as to our own national terminology. My license clearly says ACP on the back. Before that it said PCP. I don't give a rat's ass about a name but there has to be some consistency.

[Scaramedic]

Medicine is full of inconsistency when it comes to titles. Everyone from a CNA to an NP is called nurse. The public does not care that one person went to school for 8 weeks and one went to school for 8 years. An M.D. is called Doctor the same as someone who has a PhD in History.

It's not just medicine that has this issue either. How many of us out there know the differences between all the disciplines in Computer Science? There is a difference between a system analyst and a data entry person, but most people just call them computer programmers.

Titles are important within a discipline to differentiate who is who, but outside of that discipline worrying about titles is pure ego. This goes back to the "ambulance driver" issue, the public can call me what they want. I know my role and do not feel the need to educate the public on what I do.

What would you want a PCP to call himself? A "primary"? Paramedic is in their title, if you have a problem with that talk to your lawmakers who changed the titles. Otherwise don't worry about it, the public sure doesn't.

Peace,

Marty

:thumbleft:

[Lithium]

Well, I honestly don't see the big deal. Technically speaking, according to the ambulance act, a 'paramedic' is one who is designated by a physician to perform controlled medical acts in his/her absence through standing orders and protocols. (yes, there is a difference in the legalities between offline and online medical control, but we won't go there) So, those who are saying that PCPs are not 'paramedics', well, you're wrong. The Ontario symptom relief package and cardiac arrest protocols are all delegated acts. Therefore, PCPs are paramedics. I really don't have any qualms with a PCP calling them self a paramedic, so long as they are working (same goes for ACPs and CCPs). But this does bring up another issue, because in Ontario, once your shift is over, you are no longer a paramedic. That's one of the things the Ontario Paramedic Association is pushing for, but again, not related to this post.

As vs-eh already stated, part of the Ontario uniform standard is epaulettes with the word "paramedic" highlighted with a number of stripes to designate your status. Generally, it goes like this: PCPs get one bar, ACPs get three and CCPs get three with 'critical care paramedic'. However, I believe Peel and Hamilton are on the right track, because they rely more on wording then striping. PCPs gets "paramedic", ACPs gets "advanced paramedic". So, for those who are truly concerned about the public knowing who has more education, there you have it.

peace

[akroeze]

Anywhere outside of Toronto from what I've seen has

PCP = 1 bar

ACP = 2 bar

CCP = 3 bar

This is just from observation though.

[Lithium]

I dis-agree with your observations.

For instance:

DURHAM

PCP = 2 bars

ACP = 3 bars

TORONTO

PCP = 1 bar

ICP = 2 bars

ACP = 3 bars

CCP = 3 bars with CRITICAL CARE

Everywhere else I'm aware of uses the one bar for PCP and 3 bars for ACP (Halton, Ottawa, Muskoka, Simcoe, Parry Sound, Sudbury etc etc). And yes, I know muskoka, simcoe and parry sound are BLS only, but they do have expanded scope in some places, but still PCPs only get one bar.

peace

[MedicMal]

I'm with you Lithium, from what I've seen. I did my preceptorship in Durham Region so I know you're right there.

MedicMal