Comments on: “EMT Basic” Skills Are Not Basic. http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/ Medicine Moves Fast ... Keep Up. Tue, 15 May 2012 14:49:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: L. Bourke http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-7205 L. Bourke Wed, 09 May 2012 01:46:18 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-7205 This is a lesson I learned long ago. When I started in this business my certifacation was "MULTI MEDIA FIRST AID". I was taught some basic skills but had no idea how to use all of the equipment. The company was not professional at all and dated back to the old LOAD & GO days. I left there after a few months. When I re-entered the field it was as a EMERGENCY CARE ATTENDANT. A rating just below EMT, all the basic skills. I phrase the diferance as a ECA knows what to do, a EMT knows why to do it. I did eventualy get my EMT and went to EMT-I but had to drop out. I got to a point that I requested not to work with EMT-P's. One day I had to work with one who 15 months ago woke up and decided to be a Paramedic. On 1 call we had a 102 female. We got the call as a City EMS refusal. We walked in and I started the paitant assesment and he talked to the family. All though her vitals were within norms, I started a nuelogical check. Her name, she has had her name for 102 years she got it riight., Her address, got it right, she had sived there proabaly for 80yrs.,. Whats the date; Feb 1982/ It's May 1994. OK she's A&O X 2. I thought lets see how bad she is, Who's the president/ Ronald Reagan?!?!? I informed my partner and suggested code 2 (we still ran code 2 in my area). He said no, code 1 will be fine. In route her condition started to detereate. As I was walking out of the ER I heard "CODE BLUE ER ROOM 2" her room. I knew more about that paitant walking in the door than he did with all his "FANCY" paramedic training. When it comes down to it I would rather have a good EMT than a bad Paramedic. I ended up working with troubled EMT's and EMT-I. I couldn't deal with the PARA-GODS. The EMT basic leval is a learning experiance and you should enjoy it. This is a lesson I learned long ago. When I started in this business my certifacation was “MULTI MEDIA FIRST AID”. I was taught some basic skills but had no idea how to use all of the equipment. The company was not professional at all and dated back to the old LOAD & GO days. I left there after a few months. When I re-entered the field it was as a EMERGENCY CARE ATTENDANT. A rating just below EMT, all the basic skills. I phrase the diferance as a ECA knows what to do, a EMT knows why to do it. I did eventualy get my EMT and went to EMT-I but had to drop out.
I got to a point that I requested not to work with EMT-P’s. One day I had to work with one who 15 months ago woke up and decided to be a Paramedic. On 1 call we had a 102 female. We got the call as a City EMS refusal. We walked in and I started the paitant assesment and he talked to the family. All though her vitals were within norms, I started a nuelogical check. Her name, she has had her name for 102 years she got it riight., Her address, got it right, she had sived there proabaly for 80yrs.,. Whats the date; Feb 1982/ It’s May
1994. OK she’s A&O X 2. I thought lets see how bad she is, Who’s the president/ Ronald Reagan?!?!?
I informed my partner and suggested code 2 (we still ran code 2 in my area). He said no, code 1 will be fine.
In route her condition started to detereate. As I was walking out of the ER I heard “CODE BLUE ER ROOM 2″ her room.
I knew more about that paitant walking in the door than he did with all his “FANCY” paramedic training.
When it comes down to it I would rather have a good EMT than a bad Paramedic.
I ended up working with troubled EMT’s and EMT-I. I couldn’t deal with the PARA-GODS. The EMT basic leval is a learning experiance and you should enjoy it.

]]> By: Protecting Your EMS Longevity http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-7177 Protecting Your EMS Longevity Fri, 04 May 2012 15:38:08 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-7177 [...] EMT Basic Skills Are Not Basic Filed Under: From The Blog, The Big Get It Tagged With: slider [...] [...] EMT Basic Skills Are Not Basic Filed Under: From The Blog, The Big Get It Tagged With: slider [...]

]]> By: Should You Go To Jail For Medical Errors? http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-6149 Should You Go To Jail For Medical Errors? Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:11:56 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-6149 [...] EMT Basic Skills Are Not Basic [...] [...] EMT Basic Skills Are Not Basic [...]

]]> By: Kevin CFD http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-5939 Kevin CFD Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:27:01 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-5939 I'm sure some of you are great EMT's, but your spelling and grammar are absolutely atrocious. I'm not typing just to hear myself talk, but I hope you aren't writing your reports like this because I have seen how some of you write yours and it makes us all look bad when a doctor or nurse reads it... I’m sure some of you are great EMT’s, but your spelling and grammar are absolutely atrocious. I’m not typing just to hear myself talk, but I hope you aren’t writing your reports like this because I have seen how some of you write yours and it makes us all look bad when a doctor or nurse reads it…

]]> By: Jermajesty http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-5797 Jermajesty Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:54:10 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-5797 Your articles are for when it abosutelly, positively, needs to be understood overnight. Your articles are for when it abosutelly, positively, needs to be understood overnight.

]]> By: Justin http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-5789 Justin Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:44:42 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-5789 Steve, I must say that this is a great article. I have been in the EMS field for about 5 years now and am a Paramedic student at this time. I am also a FTO for my local and I always hear these "young guns" talk about "I am going to Paramedic school now" and I have always told them....you need to get confy with your BLS skills before you go ALS. It is so hard to convince people they need to get into the field and understand it before going to advance. It is amazing how the medical field changes on a day to day basis and nobody will ever know everything. As I have always said, the day you stop learning in this field is the day you need to find a new job. Steve, my hat is off to you and am happy to hear you have landed your job! Hopefully I will continue on and become a good Paramedic as well. Stay safe Steve,
I must say that this is a great article. I have been in the EMS field for about 5 years now and am a Paramedic student at this time. I am also a FTO for my local and I always hear these “young guns” talk about “I am going to Paramedic school now” and I have always told them….you need to get confy with your BLS skills before you go ALS. It is so hard to convince people they need to get into the field and understand it before going to advance. It is amazing how the medical field changes on a day to day basis and nobody will ever know everything. As I have always said, the day you stop learning in this field is the day you need to find a new job.
Steve, my hat is off to you and am happy to hear you have landed your job! Hopefully I will continue on and become a good Paramedic as well. Stay safe

]]> By: Bill http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-5445 Bill Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:58:45 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-5445 Great column! Thank you! Great column! Thank you!

]]> By: hilinda http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-5144 hilinda Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:16:27 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-5144 I want "EMT skills are not basic. They are foundational." on a t-shirt. Perfect. In so many things, people are in a rush to do "advanced" things and fail to appreciate the importance of a good foundation. I want “EMT skills are not basic. They are foundational.” on a t-shirt.
Perfect.

In so many things, people are in a rush to do “advanced” things and fail to appreciate the importance of a good foundation.

]]> By: Anthony http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-5112 Anthony Sun, 13 Mar 2011 19:16:04 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-5112 I completely agree with you Steve. I'm a certified basic EMT as well as a senior in college, hoping to go for my Masters Degree in Physician Assistant studies, and I've always said, you can know anything and everything about the human body, but if you can't relay it to your patients, it does no good... On some of my calls, I've noticed how the ambulance and EMT gear can be intimidating to patients, especially children, and having good people skills, and knowing your patient assessment, makes the patients realize you're still a human, just like them under the uniforms.. I really respect your post and I love the fact that you're not afraid to admit to your mistakes... Awesome man! I completely agree with you Steve. I’m a certified basic EMT as well as a senior in college, hoping to go for my Masters Degree in Physician Assistant studies, and I’ve always said, you can know anything and everything about the human body, but if you can’t relay it to your patients, it does no good… On some of my calls, I’ve noticed how the ambulance and EMT gear can be intimidating to patients, especially children, and having good people skills, and knowing your patient assessment, makes the patients realize you’re still a human, just like them under the uniforms.. I really respect your post and I love the fact that you’re not afraid to admit to your mistakes… Awesome man!

]]> By: Bill http://theemtspot.com/2009/02/02/theres-nothing-basic-about-being-an-emt-basic/comment-page-1/#comment-5035 Bill Sun, 13 Feb 2011 08:12:26 +0000 http://theemtspot.com/?p=58#comment-5035 Great post! I live in a rural town in a rural state. We are a volunteer service, which like Randy's, sees something in the neighborhood of 650 calls a year. We are responsible for calls throughout the county as well as in town. Other than calling in an air crew, ALS is not an option; the "Basics" are it. There are two QRUs in the outlying areas; patients are passed from Basic to Basic, or from FRA to Basic. When we pass a patient on to a higher level, 90% of the time it's going to be at the ER, and our assessments and interventions are closely examined. When your'e "it", a strong foundation in the fundamentals is critical. These conditions are the norm in Montana rather than the exception. The state recognizes the necessity for Basics to provide a higher level of care and maintains an endorsement program. EMT-B's can be licensed to provide advanced airways, monitor cardiac patients, initiate and maintain IV/IO, and have increased medications options including nebulizer treatment and analgesic therapy. Great post! I live in a rural town in a rural state. We are a volunteer service, which like Randy’s, sees something in the neighborhood of 650 calls a year. We are responsible for calls throughout the county as well as in town. Other than calling in an air crew, ALS is not an option; the “Basics” are it. There are two QRUs in the outlying areas; patients are passed from Basic to Basic, or from FRA to Basic. When we pass a patient on to a higher level, 90% of the time it’s going to be at the ER, and our assessments and interventions are closely examined. When your’e “it”, a strong foundation in the fundamentals is critical. These conditions are the norm in Montana rather than the exception. The state recognizes the necessity for Basics to provide a higher level of care and maintains an endorsement program. EMT-B’s can be licensed to provide advanced airways, monitor cardiac patients, initiate and maintain IV/IO, and have increased medications options including nebulizer treatment and analgesic therapy.

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