How to improve EMS professionalism

[weasel 108]

Dependent on what your definition of what a professional is. One can display professionalism no matter what level of education, age, or job function.

One of the major problems I see is most are not really aware of what being a professional is really about, or for that matters cares to.

There are several factors that "make-up" professional traits. As on another EMS forum, people have different definitions of what those might be.

For me the ones I can identify are: attitude, knowledge, behavior, appearance, and being able to utilize all those in a manner to perform their position and job with all those traits in a positive manner.

Unfortunately, this profession is full of those that do not meet those criteria or even attempt to ever better themselves off. Most are very satisfied with status quo...

R/r 911

:thumbright: Very good Rid, I have to agree with you.

[medic001918]

Improve hiring standards for paramedics.

Improve education for paramedics.

Make everyone a paramedic.

Banish volunteers.

Pay us more.

That should do it.

While not being the total solution, I do like what's being proposed here. Great thoughts.

Shane

NREMT-P

[somedic]

Asysin2leads: Excellent post bro! I agree that everyone should become a Paramedic because that would eliminate the dead weight oxygen thieving, lifer emt baiscs that plague some systems and are too lazy/stupid to go on UP to Paramedic school.

Volunteers as has been dicussed numerous time are a thorn in the Professional Paramedic's Ass. How many volunteer Doctors, PAs, Nurses, etc do anyone see running around giving their education and training up for free?

Somedic

[shira_emt]

I'm sorry but I disagree with EVERYONE being a medic. I don't want to be a medic, it's not that I'm to lazy or to stupid, I just don't want that extra responsibilty right now. I don't agree with taking away the volunteer system. I am a "jolly volly" as I have been called more than once. The town I live in (like most volunteer systems) can't afford to go paid. If it wasn't for us "jolly vollies" they would have no one. Unless you count the private services who will charge you an outragous amount. I don't always agree with the way a volunteer department is ran. However, I started in this field as a volunteer and I'm proud to volunteer my services to my community. I know by saying that, that I just start an argument. Emaxray and I have had this argument more than once. I know of some people that running volunteer is like their hobby. Okay that sounded kinda bad. You know what I mean. We even had a doctor volunteer on our department. He enjoyed doing it and if it was a BS run (flu or streap throat, etc.) he referred them to his office at no charge to them.

Let the argument begin.......I will aplogize in advance..........

I think that we can make EMS more professional by making sure our basic students understand that it isn't all about lights and sirens. The older ones I'm not sure what to do about. But when I was a bacis student all I wanted to do is run lights and sirens. I realized really fast that it's about people and trying to help them. I had an instructor tell me once that EMT and medics are like ducks on a lake. On the surface they appear calm, cool, and collected. While under the water, no one can see how they are paddling like mad to stay afloat. I'm not sure if that makes any sense to you all, but it does to me.

When students go to EMT-I or Paramedic school I think the instructors need to remind them that they wear boots not sandels. They wear a uniform not a white robe. I know a lot of EMT-I's and Medics that pass the test and automatically start thinking they are God and they are going to cure everything. When in reality that isn't true.

Although I do agree with the earlier post about instructors. They should have to go to school longer than 2 weeks to become an instructor. My friend's medic class had 20 different instructors in it and they were mostly STI. No wonder most people failed. That is my two cents....... if anyone cares lol

[Michael]

disagree

Hi shira -

For your interest and to test your stamina, clicking here will reveal the most comprehensive discussion - the locus classicus - of this discussion at emtcity. The topic also bubbles up now and then in a variety of colors, styles, and flavors on other threads. Whatever your view, you'll never walk alone.

[emaxray]

Thanks Michael, I enjoyed reading the topic and didn't know where to start until I saw it was locked.

Nobody will pay to have fire or ems if people do it for free. That's pretty much the bottom line. John Q doesn't see it as important enough. And in my opinion from what I have witnessed, volunteer services give EMS (and fire if it applies, though less harmful) a bad name. I worked in an area with volunteers and now live in one. At times a call will come in and go unaanswered for 20-25 minutes. Pardon me, but WTF is that? BS I say. The child having siezures at 1100 am doesn't get any help because the vollies are at thier REAL jobs. The "it's all they have" arguement has lost it's worthiness with me. It can be better, but volunteers DON'T WANT IT TO BE, cause they like getting to have woo woos and whirlygigs on thier POVs and play Johnny Gage, Ricky Rescue, whatever you want to call it. Therefore, I say volunteers in general are harmful to the professionalism we are trying to portray.

Now some might frown or ask, why don't I volunteer? Since I am here and all. Easy, PAY ME, and I'll do it round the clock.

To hit the "make everyone a medic" I can't say I disagree with it, but I don't think it has anything to do with being professional. I know plenty of Basics and Intermediates that are just as or more professional than alot of Paramedics.

As far as not wanting the extra responsibility (here comes the fun part which will continue beyond all of yuor ears and eyes), then why an EMT-I? In the volunteer system, that has made you take on that responsibility. Where you are required to know first line cardiac medications and pain management to include medications among other things. Now you bear some of the same responsibilities without the depth of education.

[medic001918]

If it wasn't for us "jolly vollies" they would have no one.

It's funny that if you didn't volunteer your EMS time, that they'd have noone. But many towns find a way to fund a police department or a fire department (for some towns). If you stopped volunteering, you can rest assured that these people would find a way to fund their emergency medical services. As far as a commercial service charing a lot of money for the services rendered...they're entitled to make money as well. It's supply and demand.

The strange thing is that emergency medical services are like an insurance policy in the sense that you don't know how good or bad yours really is until you need to use it.

I'm siding with the fact that eliminating volunteers would go a long way towards bettering the profession as a whole.

Shane

NREMT-P

[NREMT-Basic]

Asysin2leads: Excellent post bro! I agree that everyone should become a Paramedic because that would eliminate the dead weight oxygen thieving, lifer emt baiscs that plague some systems and are too lazy/stupid to go on UP to Paramedic school.

Volunteers as has been dicussed numerous time are a thorn in the Professional Paramedic's Ass. How many volunteer Doctors, PAs, Nurses, etc do anyone see running around giving their education and training up for free?

Somedic

How many of those others do it for free? Well...I guess we could start with Doctors without Borders. The simple fact is that many communities can afford the equipment or the personnel but not both. I dont know where you live and work, but I have seen some pretty outstanding volunteers. Whenever you say "all" volunteers are bad, that they are terrible, that they are part of the problem and not part of the solution....you are making a generalization which doesnt stand up to scrutiny.

[NREMT-Basic]

Besides...if everyone became a paramedic, who would paramedics blame their problems and screw ups on? Stupid idea. Doesnt cut it. But, it is good to see that Somedic still cant offer up a suggestion without having to bash others to make himself feel better about his own life. Atta boy, Somedic.

[Ridryder 911]

I always find amusing when comparing "medical professionals" so many compare such honorable organizations such as Doctors without Borders, and others.. Now, compare with how many weeks or days a year those professionals volunteer. ]One does not usually go to medical school for 8 to 15 years and then volunteer from then on. As of yet, in my nearly 30 year career have ever met one. Yet again, those are professionals that volunteer not laymen volunteering as professionals.

The reason such organizations are successful because they are composed of professionals that can afford and as well go where there is no health care or poor established one. I have not seen such organizations establish clinics in a metropolitan area to be operated as their full time health care providers.

Again, there are remote areas that will have to depend upon volunteers. We professional EMS providers realize this and are satisfied with such. However; if your local offers any public services then they could offer EMS. Again, " Why buy the cow, when you can get the milk for free ?".

I won't continue the debate, those that know that they are not able to provide 24 hr a day ALS care, with immediate response are failing their citizens. Placing an attempt to make and rationalize excuses instead of adressing the problem is much easier...

R/r 911