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A call to arms! EMT-B's defend yourself!


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At the behest of the revered Devil of EMT-city, I am going to give all EMT-B's a chance to let Dust know what a good BLS provider should know. Any and all users of this site have probably run into the attitude that Basics are sub-standard on some (if not all levels) of EMS. There have been multiple threads and comments on this very site that advocate the need for medics on every truck.

My challenge to the perusers and users of this fine internet establishment is to quantitatively and qualitatively list what you think makes a good basic. Explain to the masses why Basics are not useless, and are more than drivers/taxi attendants.

If you are to take part in this challenge... I implore you, think it through and try and post reasonable, intelligent responses. Also I think it might be useful to know from the advanced providers on this board to explain what they like to see in their basic partners (and no... a paramedic license is not an appropriate answer for this discussion).

In the meantime, I will reflect and postulate my answers to this question and will not get another chance to respond for another 30-42 hours from now (duty as an under appreciated BLS provider calls). Happy posting, and I await the answers with unrepentant anticipation.

In the immortal words of Rob & Big... time to do work.

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Excellent thread cosgrojo! I hope that EMT-B's decide to post to this thread, as well as ALS providers.

Where I work, we don't have EMT-B's, but we have a comparible level, called EMR (Emergency MEdical Responder).

As has been discussed in a number of other threads, general consensus is that the majority of calls are BLS calls, not ALS. BLS providers do have a place in EMS.

A good BLS provider should have the following attributes:

- have a thorough knowledge of your scope of practice

- ensure that the knowledge is not merely memorized regurgitation of textbook materials... know WHY something is the way it is, and WHY the body responds to situations the way it does, not just "the text says that heart rate will increase and breathing rate will increase". Know WHY this happens!

- be professional, to your supervisors, co-workers, and patients - remember, just because you are not an ALS provider, doesn't mean that you are not professional - you are a professional! Always do your job to the best of your ability.

- always strive to learn. If you don't know why something is the way it is, ASK!

- if you are working with an ALS provider, try to learn from them. If you work with them regularly, learn how they like their calls run, and anticipate what they will need and be prepared. You being organized and prepared will be of great help to them. They don't have time on an ALS call to monitor you too.

- ensure that your unit is always properly stocked, and clean, and ready to go for the next run. Know where everything is, so that you can provide care and assist the medic should they ask for assistance.

- know your region! Study the maps, know where major landmarks are, know the best routes.

- drive appropriately for the call - remember, not every call is a "lights and sirens" call

- use your profession to be an advocate for EMS and educate the community. Too many people still consider EMS providers to be nothing more than "ambulance drivers"

- if there was something that you didn't understand, follow up on it after the call - do not question your ALS partner in front of the patient (unless, of course, your ALS partner is doing something which is obviously incorrect and will do more harm to the patient)

- do not use your age, or lack of hands on experience as a crutch for not knowing your stuff. Yes, you will learn a lot in the field, but learn it! Making the same mistake over and over, and then using age or lack of experience as an excuse is not an option.

- be confident in your knowledge and skills

Note to ALS providers here:

- as ALS providers, it is YOUR job to EDUCATE your BLS partner on what you want, not to berate them or yell at them, or treat them as lesser individuals - you have the opportunity to educate, and provide guidance.

I know that I have probably missed a number of attributes, so please, feel free to add to this thread!

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At the behest of the revered Devil of EMT-city, I am going to give all EMT-B's a chance to let Dust know what a good BLS provider should know. Any and all users of this site have probably run into the attitude that Basics are sub-standard on some (if not all levels) of EMS. There have been multiple threads and comments on this very site that advocate the need for medics on every truck.

You obviously dont really understand Dusty's stance on any of this do you??????

I smell a shyte storm.... :shock:

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I disagree Bushy, and I don't usually disagree with you - Dust's mantra is usually that education solves everthing, but his recent comments to a new user on this site were more belittling than educational. It is possible to educate without being offensive.

Cosgrojo's request is legitimate.

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well as a medic, a few things that I want from my EMT. They need to be very good at their BLS skills; vital signs, bleeding control, splinting, moving pts... the last thing i need to worry about on a bad call is if i can rely on the BP my partner gave me. They need to have education and not just training, like its been said here before, i dont want you just to know that bradycardia is bad, i want you to know why! And im willing to teach, if my partner has questions ill give them a whole AP lession after the call. They need to be able to reconize that the call is bad, or the patient is critcal, and if they dont know they need to be able to pick up on my clues that we need to pick up the pace.

just my feelings

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If we dont understand it, fill us in, what *IS* Dust's position on this?

I used to work with Sherwin-Williams. "Ask Sherwin Williams"

They had a program, I don't remember what it was called, but you went to their little school in Ohio for a few weeks, and then were sent to diffrent stores to get your feet wet. After you sucessfuly passed that you were assigned a store as an assitant, and worked in the capacity until a manager position opened up and you had enough experence and time with the company to enter in.

I am sure many other companies work this way as well.

Why wouldnt this approach work for EMS?

Start off as an EMT. Learn your job, learn what it takes to make it in this occupation. With that knowledge work at becoming the best EMT-B you can. Learn every aspect of your job. Learn every thing you can and don't stop. EMT-B's don't need anatomy? Bull. Learn it. Take a class at the community college, read some books. Get a subscription to JEMS. Don't understand the ALS stuff? Ask your partner.

What happens when you have been doing this for a while? You go to Medic school. You learn Paramedicine. You learn the human body. You memorize drug reatcions, not protocols. And then you go out and you use what you learned on a truck. And teach that next EMT-B that comes along.

EMT-B's they arent useless, we need to mold them to what we want from them. Encourage them to become more then what these schools dump out of them.

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If we dont understand it, fill us in, what *IS* Dust's position on this?

Yeah, right mate, nice try. Aside from achieving death by dusty for speaking on his behalf, your failure to still grasp the basis of his opinions, despite the numerous times a day/week they may be posted shows that people in the city still dont really get "it"

What happens when you have been doing this for a while? You go to Medic school. You learn Paramedicine. You learn the human body. You memorize drug reatcions, not protocols. And then you go out and you use what you learned on a truck. And teach that next EMT-B that comes along.

When will people understand its not about how many drugs reaction you memorised, or how many skills you have?

And any body working in pre-hospital care is in the field of paramedicine, so why not do it properly from the start.

Look at the rest of the world, the US system is not the norm and it only survives in this state because you dont want to change anything because you are happy about whinging over the way things are. I can guarantee you that in other countries, EMT- B might not get you a job doing occupational first aid, let alone climbing on an ambulance, at least not in its current format.

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Bushy, thanks for calling me stupid. I know what Dust's position is. But how can you make a statement like that and speak for him with out justifying it?

I don't think the point of my post was drugs or memorization, actually it was the opposite. It was learning, practicing, not memorizing recipes.

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