Re: Scope of Practice Questions

[Guest guest]

That's the wrong attitude to take. Since we work under a medical

physician's license, we are essentially the " eyes " and " ears " of the

physician who cannot physically be on every call. Now I don't know

about you, but if a doctor is going to extend me the courtesy of

practicing medicine under their license, I feel I should know

everything I can in order to make the right decisions for my patients.

-Alfonso R. Ochoa

> > Sorry I haven't been around to respond to all of the fear-mongering

> that has

> > taken place.

> >

> > Someone made a comment, and it really represents the crux of the

> argument

> > from my perspective. They said, " Why go to a 4 year degree whebn I

> can take

> > a S.L.A.M. (steet level airway maintenance) course and get the same

> > knowledge and skill. "

> >

> > I have heard people refer to themselves as " professionals " several

> > times while this issue was being discussed. It seems that we want to

> > be considered professionals, but on the other hand, we don't want to

> > do the things that professionals do. Namely, we don't want to require

> education

> > instead of " training " . Right now, EMS is NOT a profession. It is a

> > vocation. There have been many arguments about the effect that this

> would

> > have on rural EMS, essentially saying that instituting real

> > professional standards would have a detrimental effect on their

> > ability to continue providing the level of care that they require. I

> > am not

> unsympathetic to

> > this (even though I believe some of the claims have been

> exaggerated), but I

> > think the problem is circular. There is no incentive for the county

> > commissioners to fork over more money as long as rural systems

> continue to

> > scrape by. Rural systems will continue to suffer shortages of

> > qualified people because there is no money. And the cycle continues.

> >

> > I am also beginning to question how much we really value education.

> > Of course, everyone says they are in favor of it. Yet the comments

> always go

> > something like this, " I am all for more education, BUT... " , " I am not

> > against more education, BUT " . Everybody thinks it's a great idea as

> long as

> > they don't have to put their money where their mouth is, and there

> is always

> > some caveat. And then you see comments like the one I quoted above.

> When

> > you have EMSAT opposing anything that requires even an Associate

> degree for

> > future Paramedics, we need to quit expecting salaries comparable to

> RN's and

> > RT's and just be happy with our Wal-Mart Associate wage.

> >

> > - Lancaster

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

That's the wrong attitude to take. Since we work under a medical

physician's license, we are essentially the " eyes " and " ears " of the

physician who cannot physically be on every call. Now I don't know

about you, but if a doctor is going to extend me the courtesy of

practicing medicine under their license, I feel I should know

everything I can in order to make the right decisions for my patients.

-Alfonso R. Ochoa

> > Sorry I haven't been around to respond to all of the fear-mongering

> that has

> > taken place.

> >

> > Someone made a comment, and it really represents the crux of the

> argument

> > from my perspective. They said, " Why go to a 4 year degree whebn I

> can take

> > a S.L.A.M. (steet level airway maintenance) course and get the same

> > knowledge and skill. "

> >

> > I have heard people refer to themselves as " professionals " several

> > times while this issue was being discussed. It seems that we want to

> > be considered professionals, but on the other hand, we don't want to

> > do the things that professionals do. Namely, we don't want to require

> education

> > instead of " training " . Right now, EMS is NOT a profession. It is a

> > vocation. There have been many arguments about the effect that this

> would

> > have on rural EMS, essentially saying that instituting real

> > professional standards would have a detrimental effect on their

> > ability to continue providing the level of care that they require. I

> > am not

> unsympathetic to

> > this (even though I believe some of the claims have been

> exaggerated), but I

> > think the problem is circular. There is no incentive for the county

> > commissioners to fork over more money as long as rural systems

> continue to

> > scrape by. Rural systems will continue to suffer shortages of

> > qualified people because there is no money. And the cycle continues.

> >

> > I am also beginning to question how much we really value education.

> > Of course, everyone says they are in favor of it. Yet the comments

> always go

> > something like this, " I am all for more education, BUT... " , " I am not

> > against more education, BUT " . Everybody thinks it's a great idea as

> long as

> > they don't have to put their money where their mouth is, and there

> is always

> > some caveat. And then you see comments like the one I quoted above.

> When

> > you have EMSAT opposing anything that requires even an Associate

> degree for

> > future Paramedics, we need to quit expecting salaries comparable to

> RN's and

> > RT's and just be happy with our Wal-Mart Associate wage.

> >

> > - Lancaster

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>> And if I'm going to go to the trouble to know everything, and

obtain the education required to be a physician, then I might as

well be a physician. <<

If you knew everything, you'd be God - NOT a physician. (Regardless

of what they would have you believe, they are not the same.)

>> I was invited to attend SMU's med school and turned it down as I

have no desire to be a physician. <<

Are you talking about SMU in Dallas? They don't have a medical

school.

[Guest guest]

>> And if I'm going to go to the trouble to know everything, and

obtain the education required to be a physician, then I might as

well be a physician. <<

If you knew everything, you'd be God - NOT a physician. (Regardless

of what they would have you believe, they are not the same.)

>> I was invited to attend SMU's med school and turned it down as I

have no desire to be a physician. <<

Are you talking about SMU in Dallas? They don't have a medical

school.

[Guest guest]

>> And if I'm going to go to the trouble to know everything, and

obtain the education required to be a physician, then I might as

well be a physician. <<

If you knew everything, you'd be God - NOT a physician. (Regardless

of what they would have you believe, they are not the same.)

>> I was invited to attend SMU's med school and turned it down as I

have no desire to be a physician. <<

Are you talking about SMU in Dallas? They don't have a medical

school.

[Guest guest]

Guys, don't let this thing get ugly. We need to be together on this,

you know the synergy thing? Don't get looped up in personalities and

semantics. It clouds our thinking.

>

> >> And if I'm going to go to the trouble to know everything, and

> obtain the education required to be a physician, then I might as

well be

> a physician. <<

>

> If you knew everything, you'd be God - NOT a physician.

(Regardless of

> what they would have you believe, they are not the same.)

>

>

> >> I was invited to attend SMU's med school and turned it down as I

> have no desire to be a physician. <<

>

> Are you talking about SMU in Dallas? They don't have a medical

> school.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Guys, don't let this thing get ugly. We need to be together on this,

you know the synergy thing? Don't get looped up in personalities and

semantics. It clouds our thinking.

>

> >> And if I'm going to go to the trouble to know everything, and

> obtain the education required to be a physician, then I might as

well be

> a physician. <<

>

> If you knew everything, you'd be God - NOT a physician.

(Regardless of

> what they would have you believe, they are not the same.)

>

>

> >> I was invited to attend SMU's med school and turned it down as I

> have no desire to be a physician. <<

>

> Are you talking about SMU in Dallas? They don't have a medical

> school.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Guys, don't let this thing get ugly. We need to be together on this,

you know the synergy thing? Don't get looped up in personalities and

semantics. It clouds our thinking.

>

> >> And if I'm going to go to the trouble to know everything, and

> obtain the education required to be a physician, then I might as

well be

> a physician. <<

>

> If you knew everything, you'd be God - NOT a physician.

(Regardless of

> what they would have you believe, they are not the same.)

>

>

> >> I was invited to attend SMU's med school and turned it down as I

> have no desire to be a physician. <<

>

> Are you talking about SMU in Dallas? They don't have a medical

> school.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>