Guest guest Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 brings up an interesting point. We focus on one thing or another to make EMS a more respected profession. But there are likely many things we need to do. Here is a starter list: - EDUCATION - is a big deal. I won't beat that one more, but all professions, as they grow, increase their knowledge and educational requirements for entry into the field. - PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION (not necessarily unionization; I'll state right out I am not for that), but organizing ourselves for the purpose of furthering the profession. In my " other " life, there is an organization called AICPA. It does a lot of things to help CPAs (And also sponsors the exams, so I don't know if that's helping or not!). Physicians have the AMA and others. Gun owners have the NRA. Peace Advocates have Amnesty International. What all these have in common is they RAISE the profile of the profession or group, and make people aware of who they are and what they do. - APPEARANCE/IMAGE - Maybe we don't LOOK like medical professionals, maybe we need uniform changes across the board. Like Ricky said in " Garden Party " . " No one recognized me, I didn't look the same " . Great music , but he had long hair and a beard, the they didn't WANT him like that. Maybe we need an image consultant? - ATTITUDE - We have to (1) act like the caring professionals we should be, (2) quit being so arrogant about what we do, and (3) play well with other children (the other medical professions). - DECIDE WHO WE ARE - Are we medical professionals? Many will say NO, we're public safety professionals. Many of us are really firefighters who make a little more money " riding the box " , so we do (at least until that next Driver Engineer exam....). We need to decide what we want to be when we grow up. - GIVE IT TIME- We're babies as a profession goes. Or more apt, we're like teenagers. We want to grow up and have all the adult things NOW! We have to realize these things take time. turnbow31 wrote: >Well according to Webster EMS is a Profession; >4a: a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and >intensive academic preparation, b: a principal calling, vocation, or >employment, c:the whole body of persons engaged in a calling > >So now on an individual level does more comma's in your salary make >you more of a professional? Do we in EMS have a long way to go or >are we already there and can not see the forrest for the tree's? Do >we in EMS need to take more active rolls in legislation? Can we work >harder to be more united? Can we embrace new idea's and build on >what foundation we have? Can we continue to cultivate a profession >that next to horse shoeing and nursing is a baby? Can we let our EMS >pride take a coffee break long enough to see how nurse's and other >allied health professionals have organizations that work. > >I do not have all the answers, heck I may not have one good one. But >there are enough of us out there we can help our profession thrive. >Change attidudes and misgivings about what it is we " do " . > >Well thats my 2 cents worth. > > Turnbow EMT-I >turnbow31@... > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 Good points, . When we use research, regulate the profession internally, and set high standards for care, we then can call ourselves professionals. " I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions. " - Lillian Hellman Larry RN LP EMSI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 I have read these post with interest. After thinking about it for a while, I've come to the conclusion that EMS is Mine. I own it, and I take responsibility for it. It is my task to see that I conduct that my conduct, dress, attitude and demeanor is conducive to the improvement of my chosen profession. EMS Education Nacogdoches County EMS Steve wrote: > brings up an interesting point. We focus on one thing or > another to make EMS a more respected profession. But there are likely > many things we need to do. Here is a starter list: > > - EDUCATION - is a big deal. I won't beat that one more, but all > professions, as they grow, increase their knowledge and educational > requirements for entry into the field. > > - PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION (not necessarily unionization; I'll state > right out I am not for that), but organizing ourselves for the purpose > of furthering the profession. In my " other " life, there is an > organization called AICPA. It does a lot of things to help CPAs (And > also sponsors the exams, so I don't know if that's helping or not!). > Physicians have the AMA and others. Gun owners have the NRA. Peace > Advocates have Amnesty International. What all these have in common is > they RAISE the profile of the profession or group, and make people aware > of who they are and what they do. > > - APPEARANCE/IMAGE - Maybe we don't LOOK like medical professionals, > maybe we need uniform changes across the board. Like Ricky said > in " Garden Party " . " No one recognized me, I didn't look the same " . > Great music , but he had long hair and a beard, the they didn't WANT him > like that. Maybe we need an image consultant? > > - ATTITUDE - We have to (1) act like the caring professionals we should > be, (2) quit being so arrogant about what we do, and (3) play well with > other children (the other medical professions). > > - DECIDE WHO WE ARE - Are we medical professionals? Many will say NO, > we're public safety professionals. Many of us are really firefighters > who make a little more money " riding the box " , so we do (at least until > that next Driver Engineer exam....). We need to decide what we want to > be when we grow up. > > - GIVE IT TIME- We're babies as a profession goes. Or more apt, we're > like teenagers. We want to grow up and have all the adult things NOW! > We have to realize these things take time. > > turnbow31 wrote: > > >Well according to Webster EMS is a Profession; > >4a: a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and > >intensive academic preparation, b: a principal calling, vocation, or > >employment, c:the whole body of persons engaged in a calling > > > >So now on an individual level does more comma's in your salary make > >you more of a professional? Do we in EMS have a long way to go or > >are we already there and can not see the forrest for the tree's? Do > >we in EMS need to take more active rolls in legislation? Can we work > >harder to be more united? Can we embrace new idea's and build on > >what foundation we have? Can we continue to cultivate a profession > >that next to horse shoeing and nursing is a baby? Can we let our EMS > >pride take a coffee break long enough to see how nurse's and other > >allied health professionals have organizations that work. > > > >I do not have all the answers, heck I may not have one good one. But > >there are enough of us out there we can help our profession thrive. > >Change attidudes and misgivings about what it is we " do " . > > > >Well thats my 2 cents worth. > > > > Turnbow EMT-I > >turnbow31@... > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 , You make some excellent points. Let me interject a few of my own thoughts. > >So now on an individual level does more comma's in your salary make > >you more of a professional? Abolutely not, we all know highly paid morons. But the opportunity for a service to offer a higher salary, gives the opportunity to be much more selective in who they hire. I enjoy what I do, I really do, I love EMS, especially rural and frontier EMS. Not only is this a chosen profession, but it is one that I pay the bills with. I appreciate the dedication of volunteers, but if their full time jobs didn't pay enough, they would have to consider choosing a different job and/or profession. That has nothing to do with their commitment and love of EMS. So money does play a pivitol role for me. This is still a job. >>Do we in EMS have a long way to go or are we already there and can not see the forrest for the tree's? A little of both, we are a recognized and respected profession in some places, but not at the level we all want and strive for. Suffice to say that if I work for a service that is well paid, and respected by our supporters and community, we are pleased with our position, yet want to continue to grow. However, that said, I also work for a service which struggles to gain the local support it needs, unfortunately for them, it is only after we save a life, that the patient realizes how important a role EMS plays. For them, we still have a long way to go. There is no cut and dried approach or answer to that. >>Do we in EMS need to take more active rolls in legislation? Of course we do, it is imperative for those in the field, as well as administrative positions be aware of pending legislation, be aware of who is killing the bills and who is supporting them. It is easy to say that everyone whould take a part, but those of us who do pay attention need to take a forward role in letting those who don't know what is going on. Ron and TEXEMSFACTOR is a prime example, I still keep an eye on the legislature, but Ron finds all the little things that I miss, and could not keep abreast of on my own. >> Can we work harder to be more united? We need to, we have to. There is a powerful need for unification in the state, and I specifiy in the STATE. We need the power to lobby and get support for things that we need to insure our very survival. Is EMSAT the answer? I am not sure, right now, it appears to be the only organization with any credibility in Texas, so perhaps so. Do I agree with the positions it has taken in the past? Not all of them. We need to pursue unification in a positive light, by looking at goals, and showing how obstacles can be overcome by a large group. >>Can we embrace new idea's and build on what foundation we have? Of course we can, if we don't we will be back at square one. Change is a difficult thing, how many times have we heard, " because that's the way it's always been " . That concept must be put to rest. The foundation of this business has been laid by the likes of Gene, Bob and Henry. The younger generation has to step up to the plate and help form the future of EMS. It is equally imperative taht any organization be willing to embrace new ideas and adapt goals as time goes on. >>Can we let our EMS pride take a coffee break long enough to see how nurse's and other allied health professionals have >>organizations that work. Now you're asking a lot..... Seriously though, we sure can, and we are, but don't let yourself be misled into thinking that any organization, no matter who or what it represents, didn't meet with questions about it's goals, objectives and intentions. The ENA was not born overnight, it rose to it's current state through hard work, determination, and portraying a positive model. Regards, Hatfield EMT-P " Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the hydrant. Pretty easy to figure out which is which. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 GREAT post! Like Mark Twain said: " Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. " Same with EMS. We just need to do our part and make it better! =Steve= K. wrote: >I have read these post with interest. After thinking about it for a while, I've >come to the conclusion that EMS is Mine. I own it, and I take responsibility for >it. It is my task to see that I conduct that my conduct, dress, attitude and >demeanor is conducive to the improvement of my chosen profession. > > >EMS Education >Nacogdoches County EMS > >Steve wrote: > > > >> brings up an interesting point. We focus on one thing or >>another to make EMS a more respected profession. But there are likely >>many things we need to do. Here is a starter list: >> >>- EDUCATION - is a big deal. I won't beat that one more, but all >>professions, as they grow, increase their knowledge and educational >>requirements for entry into the field. >> >>- PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION (not necessarily unionization; I'll state >>right out I am not for that), but organizing ourselves for the purpose >>of furthering the profession. In my " other " life, there is an >>organization called AICPA. It does a lot of things to help CPAs (And >>also sponsors the exams, so I don't know if that's helping or not!). >>Physicians have the AMA and others. Gun owners have the NRA. Peace >>Advocates have Amnesty International. What all these have in common is >>they RAISE the profile of the profession or group, and make people aware >>of who they are and what they do. >> >>- APPEARANCE/IMAGE - Maybe we don't LOOK like medical professionals, >>maybe we need uniform changes across the board. Like Ricky said >>in " Garden Party " . " No one recognized me, I didn't look the same " . >>Great music , but he had long hair and a beard, the they didn't WANT him >>like that. Maybe we need an image consultant? >> >>- ATTITUDE - We have to (1) act like the caring professionals we should >>be, (2) quit being so arrogant about what we do, and (3) play well with >>other children (the other medical professions). >> >>- DECIDE WHO WE ARE - Are we medical professionals? Many will say NO, >>we're public safety professionals. Many of us are really firefighters >>who make a little more money " riding the box " , so we do (at least until >>that next Driver Engineer exam....). We need to decide what we want to >>be when we grow up. >> >>- GIVE IT TIME- We're babies as a profession goes. Or more apt, we're >>like teenagers. We want to grow up and have all the adult things NOW! >>We have to realize these things take time. >> >>turnbow31 wrote: >> >> >> >>>Well according to Webster EMS is a Profession; >>>4a: a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and >>>intensive academic preparation, b: a principal calling, vocation, or >>>employment, c:the whole body of persons engaged in a calling >>> >>>So now on an individual level does more comma's in your salary make >>>you more of a professional? Do we in EMS have a long way to go or >>>are we already there and can not see the forrest for the tree's? Do >>>we in EMS need to take more active rolls in legislation? Can we work >>>harder to be more united? Can we embrace new idea's and build on >>>what foundation we have? Can we continue to cultivate a profession >>>that next to horse shoeing and nursing is a baby? Can we let our EMS >>>pride take a coffee break long enough to see how nurse's and other >>>allied health professionals have organizations that work. >>> >>>I do not have all the answers, heck I may not have one good one. But >>>there are enough of us out there we can help our profession thrive. >>>Change attidudes and misgivings about what it is we " do " . >>> >>>Well thats my 2 cents worth. >>> >>> Turnbow EMT-I >>>turnbow31@... >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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