The Nurses union would never let Paramedics do in-hospital care, because that would mean cutting of nursing jobs. ER doctors and nurses still look at medics as ambulance drivers, and have no idea of the nature of work we do and neither do they care to know. EMS still remains the stepchild of Hospitals and Fire Departments all over the country.
The US needs to get with the times. In Canada the Paramedic plays a huge roll in ER's, especially those in rural areas! Paramedics are used in the acute care setting and Nurses fill the definitive roll, which works great!
This disturbs me to the core to say this people,but it holds true and I mstarting to see this general attitude permeate and creep into many of my fellow EMS workers psyche,but as the old adage goes, "you eventually get what you pay for".Rememberthese points next time you hear someone bitch about how medics(especially firemedics who are also crosstrained in fire skillsthat also require yearly CEs now in themselves) make"too much for doing too little".Someday the EMS field may just abide by that
And yet in many areas,paramedics make little over STNAs that may go through 1 month of school if that who cant even give oxygen.Maybe us medics really are stupid for doing what we do,hmmmm.Hell,2 years of school, months of training to practice skills and learn theory and medicine,More CE hours per year than what some health professionals need to be certified period,stress beyond believe at times,all to be called ambulance driver and make less than Mcdonalds managers.
Funny,paramedicscan dosome skills nursescant(respiratory breathing treatments,endotracheal intubations, chest decompressions,surgical airways,to name a few)cando skills that nurses inhospitalstypically only do( IV pumps and maintenancedrips), as well as dont typically need a doctor right there on scene to give permission toadminister meds .(prewrittenstanding orders and the medics discretion determine that) and in some areas even do skills that only doctors could do(sutures,chest tubes,centralIV
as an ER RN and can do all of the above. I have directives that allow me to give a huge array of drugs at my discretion Plus I also order X-rays do sutures, interpret blood work, Access central lines, set up & initiate & maintain drips including dope, nitro, insulin cardizem amiodarone ect, Cariovert, administer adenosine, atropine, TNK, Pace, telemetery & EKGs, Curious, Where the heck are paramedics starting central lines & placing chest tubes in)
Paramedicas can do central lines in areas of very little medical coverage both hospitaland prehopital wise,such as remote places like in Alaska,N& S Dakota,Wyoming,etc. and as well as critical care transport units such as Akron Childrens hospital Mobile units,Medevac s helicopters .,cleveland clinics mobile units etc.
Also gwalio,if you can do some oftheskills you say you can and have that much free discretion in your parctice, youre not an RN then,least not in America or east of the mississippi.Only nurses that can order anythingw/o a docs consent,especially x rays,or do sutures would be a Nurse Practicioner,which is usuallya Masters degree,or a PA,which isnt a nurseat all.And the only RNs I know about that can doneedle decompressions,breathing treatments,surgical airways,intubate,etc,would be a CCRN
,which requires a few months of additional paramedic type training,and only if theyare operating on critical care type mobile ground units in prehospital setting swith either a doctor,paramedic or respiratory therapist alsoon board.Pacing cardioversion,EKGS,giving atropine,nitro,epi,cardizem,adenosine,andeven some fibrolyniticsfor occlusive cvas depending on what med control they are under(such asCleveland Heights&Shaker Heights FDs under University) w/o a docs verbal OK are routine for a medic
Most of the things I state RNs can do in Canada are by directive, and are with in the RN's scope of practice if the RN has the knowledge, critical thinking and skill set to do so. Many skills are ,as you state, for remote areas but RN skills none the less. I think the EMS that come to our ER are fantastic and deserve a ton of credit for their skill set. however I think you will find that an RN in the role of basic RN, NP, CCRN, CNA can do anything with in EMS or advanced EMS scope of practice
I agree with the position you've taken here. For paramedics (and EMS in the US in general) to progress from a blue-collar job to a profession, national licensure standards must be passed. There's no reason a skilled, experienced paramedic in a busy system should make less than an RN with an associate's degree. This would also allow busy trauma centers to utilize paramedics operating under their full (prehospital) scope of practice.
Level 1 trauma centers are hiring new nurses all the time because the er is a tough place to work. Most nurses go on to other areas. I have worked as both a paramedic and RN in a level 1 trauma center. The difference is the pay. A paramedic who has experience in an er is most likely better prepared to handle a trauma than a new nurse. For that matter they may be better off than a nurse with a few years experience. The BNE will not allow it through legislation.
I have worked with paramedics in emergency rooms for many years. I have found them to be very intelligent and well motivated. The country needs to do a lot more to increase wages and open doors for these people. The trauma center idea is not necessarily bad, but paramedics would need to undergo some basic record-keeping training before utilizing their valuable skills in the trauma center.
Actually a lot of the paramedics are rather smart. As someone who started out as a paramedic I have to say I do not agree with your statement. But paramedic pay is low (the reason I decided to go to Medical school.) currently attending
The Nurses union would never let Paramedics do in-hospital care, because that would mean cutting of nursing jobs. ER doctors and nurses still look at medics as ambulance drivers, and have no idea of the nature of work we do and neither do they care to know. EMS still remains the stepchild of Hospitals and Fire Departments all over the country.
dingdong911us 1 month ago
The US needs to get with the times. In Canada the Paramedic plays a huge roll in ER's, especially those in rural areas! Paramedics are used in the acute care setting and Nurses fill the definitive roll, which works great!
Joel1206 2 years ago
This disturbs me to the core to say this people,but it holds true and I mstarting to see this general attitude permeate and creep into many of my fellow EMS workers psyche,but as the old adage goes, "you eventually get what you pay for".Rememberthese points next time you hear someone bitch about how medics(especially firemedics who are also crosstrained in fire skillsthat also require yearly CEs now in themselves) make"too much for doing too little".Someday the EMS field may just abide by that
CyanoticFuture 3 years ago
And yet in many areas,paramedics make little over STNAs that may go through 1 month of school if that who cant even give oxygen.Maybe us medics really are stupid for doing what we do,hmmmm.Hell,2 years of school, months of training to practice skills and learn theory and medicine,More CE hours per year than what some health professionals need to be certified period,stress beyond believe at times,all to be called ambulance driver and make less than Mcdonalds managers.
CyanoticFuture 3 years ago 5
Funny,paramedicscan dosome skills nursescant(respiratory breathing treatments,endotracheal intubations, chest decompressions,surgical airways,to name a few)cando skills that nurses inhospitalstypically only do( IV pumps and maintenancedrips), as well as dont typically need a doctor right there on scene to give permission toadminister meds .(prewrittenstanding orders and the medics discretion determine that) and in some areas even do skills that only doctors could do(sutures,chest tubes,centralIV
CyanoticFuture 3 years ago
as an ER RN and can do all of the above. I have directives that allow me to give a huge array of drugs at my discretion Plus I also order X-rays do sutures, interpret blood work, Access central lines, set up & initiate & maintain drips including dope, nitro, insulin cardizem amiodarone ect, Cariovert, administer adenosine, atropine, TNK, Pace, telemetery & EKGs, Curious, Where the heck are paramedics starting central lines & placing chest tubes in)
+ I can challenge the EMS exam as a ER RN
gwailo27 2 years ago
Paramedicas can do central lines in areas of very little medical coverage both hospitaland prehopital wise,such as remote places like in Alaska,N& S Dakota,Wyoming,etc. and as well as critical care transport units such as Akron Childrens hospital Mobile units,Medevac s helicopters .,cleveland clinics mobile units etc.
CyanoticFuture 2 years ago
Also gwalio,if you can do some oftheskills you say you can and have that much free discretion in your parctice, youre not an RN then,least not in America or east of the mississippi.Only nurses that can order anythingw/o a docs consent,especially x rays,or do sutures would be a Nurse Practicioner,which is usuallya Masters degree,or a PA,which isnt a nurseat all.And the only RNs I know about that can doneedle decompressions,breathing treatments,surgical airways,intubate,etc,would be a CCRN
CyanoticFuture 2 years ago
,which requires a few months of additional paramedic type training,and only if theyare operating on critical care type mobile ground units in prehospital setting swith either a doctor,paramedic or respiratory therapist alsoon board.Pacing cardioversion,EKGS,giving atropine,nitro,epi,cardizem,adenosine,andeven some fibrolyniticsfor occlusive cvas depending on what med control they are under(such asCleveland Heights&Shaker Heights FDs under University) w/o a docs verbal OK are routine for a medic
CyanoticFuture 2 years ago
Most of the things I state RNs can do in Canada are by directive, and are with in the RN's scope of practice if the RN has the knowledge, critical thinking and skill set to do so. Many skills are ,as you state, for remote areas but RN skills none the less. I think the EMS that come to our ER are fantastic and deserve a ton of credit for their skill set. however I think you will find that an RN in the role of basic RN, NP, CCRN, CNA can do anything with in EMS or advanced EMS scope of practice
gwailo27 2 years ago
I agree with the position you've taken here. For paramedics (and EMS in the US in general) to progress from a blue-collar job to a profession, national licensure standards must be passed. There's no reason a skilled, experienced paramedic in a busy system should make less than an RN with an associate's degree. This would also allow busy trauma centers to utilize paramedics operating under their full (prehospital) scope of practice.
sleepcity 3 years ago
Level 1 trauma centers are hiring new nurses all the time because the er is a tough place to work. Most nurses go on to other areas. I have worked as both a paramedic and RN in a level 1 trauma center. The difference is the pay. A paramedic who has experience in an er is most likely better prepared to handle a trauma than a new nurse. For that matter they may be better off than a nurse with a few years experience. The BNE will not allow it through legislation.
whittvet 3 years ago
you're an idiot
bermanemt 3 years ago
I have worked with paramedics in emergency rooms for many years. I have found them to be very intelligent and well motivated. The country needs to do a lot more to increase wages and open doors for these people. The trauma center idea is not necessarily bad, but paramedics would need to undergo some basic record-keeping training before utilizing their valuable skills in the trauma center.
saltofearth60 4 years ago
Actually a lot of the paramedics are rather smart. As someone who started out as a paramedic I have to say I do not agree with your statement. But paramedic pay is low (the reason I decided to go to Medical school.) currently attending
Tristan14578 4 years ago