I just read AD's response to the EMS 2.0 frenzy that has exploded across my known corner of the Internet and well AD, that was quite a mouthful (er, handful)? Read it here. And honestly I am being pulled in two different directions. It isn't that I don't think that things can change it is just such a huge and daunting task.
I am constantly seeing/reading a huge difference between full time EMS and volunteer EMS, not to mention between the service I run with and those that I read about. It is actually quite staggering. So if there are these huge gaps in training, experience and just the way of doing things how in the world are we going to move forward as a profession if we all aren't even on the same page?
I want to be excited about a change in EMS and honestly I am. I have seen how a small town's view of EMTs can change. We went from "those people with the medical supplies" to skilled and knowledgeable EMTs working alongside firefighters who once boasted the last good ol' boys club. It sucked, it was hard but dang if it isn't awesome to sit back and realize that I helped change that. So why can't it be possible to change the country's view of EMS? Right? I'm not so sure.
I'm not always a glass half full kind of gal, but I try. I want to be all sparky and go-get-em about this whole idea, but there is this nagging in the back of my head that you wrote about. This is a great idea and in Utopia it would work and work well. Things would change and life would be peachy and keen for those of us riding in the big metal box. Unfortunately, I can't even get past working on myself to be the best EMT I can and we wont even start in on the others on my department.
I have been absent for a while, dodging calls and just feeling sorry for myself. (See I told you I'm not always a sparkling ray of sunshine.) Why? Because it sucks. I don't run calls that often (you know, when I'm not dodging them) and I don't use the skills that I have now as often as I should. Hell, I couldn't tell you the last time I ran a code and did CPR. I'm embarrassed to think of the last time I even opened a protocol book. So to quote Mel Gibson in one of my favorite movies, "aim small miss small."
Before you write me off as a looney toon and send me off to the men in the white coats, hear me out. Before we can change how the public sees us, shouldn't we first change how we see ourselves? It's no mystery that EMS is chock full of whiny, egotistical, backstabbing slackers. So if we treat ourselves and each other that way, why would the public do any different? What I'm saying is start small. Lets dip our toes into the water and maybe hang out on the edge of the pier before jumping into the deep end of the giant scary pond.
I guess I'm agreeing with you and disagreeing. I think and hope, that we can start some sort of push to better ourselves and our individual services and eventually EMS as a whole. It's not that we don't already, but I know for myself I could do a heck of a lot more. Even if this does fizzle out in a few months, I can't see how it can be a negative if even a few people get the kick in the pants to train a little more frequently and ask a few more questions.
I am but one lowly EMT-IV Tech who has a big mouth and an even bigger heart but dangit if I don't wish I could make a difference. Isn't that what we are all here for anyway?
And with that, I will stop talking, or writing. Whichever you prefer and see what kind of response comes out of this...
5 comments:
You already are part of the solution, organizing a fund drive for the kind of person we need more of in the ranks. last I checked she's in a new program, but still in school. You did that.
now we need 50,000 more of you.
HM
Happy, you've got no idea. Turns out Bernice and I live somewhat close to each other in the nebulous area in which I identify myself to be in. Heck, I might even be close enough to precept her and then hire her if she ever makes the jump to paramedic. (hint)
You've got a point Bernice. EMS 2.0 can't survive as just a "paternalistic" national concept. It's got to have legs at the local level. Trust me in the counties we work in, it does because we'll spread our ideas through our services.
And that's where this starts.
We have too many medics.
That does not mean that we do not need more medics, but that in some places where we do have a lot of medics, we only need a small fraction of what we have. Having too many medics will lead to skill rust out, as AD states.
If we get rid of the bad medics (those, who cannot be remediated), and there are plenty of bad ones, then having the medics acquire and maintain skills is not as big of a problem.
We have been lowering standards to allow more people to become medics, because we were conned into believing that more is better.
More medics = less experienced medics.
Less experienced medics = more dangerous medics.
More medics, who are more dangerous = more bad outcomes for patients.
Raising standards = fewer medics.
Raising the right standards is good for patients and good for EMS.
We need to do a better job of educating medics.
We need better and better paid medical directors.
P.S. Everybody needs a break some of the time. Recognizing it and taking a break from EMS is not a bad thing.
Every wildfire starts with but a single spark.
You work on being the best EMT you can be, and let everyone else worry about themselves.
Only after you're confident in yourself will you start to be concerned with the profession as a whole. That's not unique to EMS, that's a natural progression in the mastery of any profession.
Half the battle is in attracting the right people. EMS is full of bitch, backstabbing whiners (incidentally, have you ever listened to nurses talk about one another? Yeesh.) because they're dissatisfied with who they are and what they're doing. They got into EMS for one reason, and discovered that the reality is something else entirely.
And until we start trying to attract people who want more than an adrenaline rush and a spiffy light bar on their personal vehicle, we're going to get nowhere.
Now I want to ask you a question, and I mean no disrespect to volunteers when I ask it, but how many other health care professions can you name that give away their services for free?
It's no wonder that the public doesn't value our skills and knowledge.
We don't even value it ourselves.
To be a valued profession such as you all are proposing...you need to start looking at the money.
Where do the local, vollie EMTs get their funding?
Historically the emt profession was run by the local town boards or village boards. Do you think those cash strapped entities are going to suddenly become generous just because y'all want to be considered professionals?
Look at the basis for the arena that EMT's work in. Usually EMT's are a ragtag group of folks that are running out of date wheels just because nobody else will do the job. The arena that EMT's work in, is run by a group of folks that are trying to fix pot holes and pay for the workers and their union wages.
Until you close down that arena, and move the players to a different stadium, you aren't going to get parity with nurses or docs.
Steve
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