Top 5 problems in EMS

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

Name the top 5 problems in EMS.

I need a consensus for an article im writing...

[Toxic]

1. Huge pay scale discrepancy

2. no respect from, well, anyone

3. no standards across the board for training

4. unrecognizeable uniforms

5. too many people trying to run the show

just a few ideas from a very tired head...

Tox

[emtkelley]

Although I am volunteer I have a few:

1. Availability of GOOD training

2. Lack of funding

3. Support from community

4. Maintaining adaquate staffing during the day (I am a rural vollie)

5. Lack of decent equipment

6. Having to fight the trustees tooth and nail for a few bucks to buy something for the ambulance

Ok, that was six things but they are an issue with our crew.

[JakeEMTP]

1 - Poor compensation

2- Volunteer services

3 - Standardized education ( or lack there of )

4 - Nat'l Scope of Practice ( see above )

5- Too many certification levels

I will poll my co-workers and add a few more later.

[paramedicmike]

1. Education

2. Education

3. Education

4. Education

5. Education

But what else did you expect coming from me?

-be safe.

[bassnmedic]

1- Education

2- Standardized level of care

3- Need better compensation( which would come with more of #1)

4- Lack of our own Identity

5- Public knowledge of job

Take Care,

Todd

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

1. Education

2. Education

3. Education

4. Education

5. Education

But what else did you expect coming from me?

-be safe.

This..........doesnt suprise me.

[Ridryder 911]

1. The current EMS System and the way it is established: It is fragmented, disjointed and a lost in it's own world that has no home. Step child of many systems that mainly have no real interest in patients or the system itself, rather just to use for EMS as an ace in the hole.

2. EMT's or EMS personal... again we are our own worse enemy. We are fragmented, too loose of standards, no continuity, no real standards and definitely no cohesion. No true professional development or expectations that requires development having an increased in knowledge, growth, education, pay and true professional peer pressure.

3. Education.. what can be further said? All EMS training and education needs to be done away with! Scrap it and restructure it totally! Start with standardized requirements like other professional health care providers requiring a minimal entry phase of a degree. No substitution or in between levels allowed. We are own demise..

4. Administration and Management of EMS at national, state and local levels: Check the qualification of those at the helm.. One would be surprised whom, what. is guiding our profession.

5. Proper reimbursement to EMS to be able to attract those that have qualifications and want to make this a true profession. This would allow salary to increase, career ladder to be develop.

Make a decision that either EMS is medical or not... period, since our job is medical, then it should be such. We should be under medical control not police, fire, county, etc.. separated as it's own identity.

R/r 911

[Timmy]

1. People who only care about the brass on the shoulders and collars.

2. Officers that fight over a patient while there dying!

[Dustdevil]

2. no respect from, well, anyone

LMAO! That's beauty!

I have to agree with Paramedicmike, of course. There is not a single problem here that cannot be addressed by improving education. That is the common denominator that it all comes back to. All of it.

The lack of a unique identity is indeed a dilemma that faces us. I think this too is an issue that is solvable by education, but it is a significant issue that it should be addressed from multiple angles.

So, to answer the question, bearing in mind that issues 2 through 5 are actually the same as issue 1:

• 1. Inadequate entry level educational requirements.

2. Inadequate advanced level educational requirements

3. Inadequate continuing educational requirements.

4. Inadequate educational requirements for educators.

5. Inability to establish a unique identity separate from public safety and private industry.