I am not a real doctor

[ems-buff 81]

Thank's to ALSfirefighter, for giving me a website (ems1.com) to learn off of ( Thank you ) I came across this artical. I thought we had it bad in the US.

Australia paramedic hired as doctor in 'failing health system'

ABC Regional News

The ambulance union is outraged that a paramedic had to be hired to work at the Kyneton hospital at the weekend because there were not enough doctors.

The Ambulance Employees Association has been negotiating better wages and conditions for 12 months but its general secretary, Steve McGhie, says the Government refuses to treat them as professionals.

http://www.ems1.com/managers-supervisors/a...g-health-system

So to all you out there, do you think it's right to put Paramedics in a hospital setting, as doctors?! I know that some people refer to paramedics as street doctors, but this is something else. What legal problems can come of this? Are paramedics in the down under, higher trained then ours?

[Union241 3]

do you think it's right to put Paramedics in a hospital setting, as doctors?! I know that some people refer to paramedics as street doctors, but this is something else.

The Medical Director for University EMS at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA issued a directive last month that all EMS personnel are to report to the ER to assist staff there while not out on a run or doing paper work. While this is not employing them as doctors per se it is still having a major impact on the overall operations of University EMS. First of all, pagers only work in certain areas of the ER, so calls have been missed. Also, because the EMS providers get no down time now to relax and de-stress many providers have stopped picking up overtime shifts, meaning that they have missed many serious calls (I know of at least one arrest and 1 MVA with entrapment) in their first due. Paramedics assist ER staff with starting lines, reading EKGs and such, where as the EMTs assist with obtaining vital signs and registration. Like I said, while this is not utilizing them as doctors, I still feel that this is only a way to speed up the rate of burn out, turn over and just in general a horrible utilization of resources.

[ems-buff 81]

Like I said, while this is not utilizing them as doctors, I still feel that this is only a way to speed up the rate of burn out, turn over and just in general a horrible utilization of resources.

While I do agree with your line of thinking here, I would like to throw a curve ball here... Don't you think that having paramedics in the ER working would have a greater impacted, on there skill's. What I mean by that is, They can read more difficult EKG's, or learn sign's and symptoms of something they might not incounter in the feild as often, but would be able to know how to start treating it? ( I don't have an exmaple of the top of my head, it's just a what if. )

[MerlinMedic 5]

I think it is a great idea. I enjoy working along side the doctors, having them explain their line of thinking, possible treatments and resources they may use. It gives me an opportunity to network with nurses in a different setting. Of course, I only do ER time for about 8 hours a year. If I had to do it FT, the idea would not be so good. First, St. Luke's and Vassar nurses are unionized. Would either hospital give us union wages today? What about 1199? They appear to not want medics in hospital settings as it may give management ideas about cutting back on jobs. Of course, with National Health Care around the corne, that may be a moot point. Then, there is the culture of EMS and an ER. Simialar to that of PD/FD/EMS. All have the smae general idea in mind - public safety - they just go about it in different ways. While we all work togther, there often is an underlaying layer of tension due to diffferent cultures & tradations. Next, take a medic from Hudson Valley, Westchester, NYC or other high volume EMS area and put them into an UpState rural hospital, where EMS is the local vollies who may have an EMT-I or CC, rarely seeing a medic except for transports. Talk about culture shock!

In short, I like the general idea; after all EMS is suppossed to be the first eyes & ears of the doctors, BUT to realy work there has to be great need which causes all to want it to work, and then a lot of TLC to prevent burn out, culture shock and other bad things resulting from shotgun marriages. My .02 cents worth.

[Jybehofd 85]

I think it is a great idea. I enjoy working along side the doctors, having them explain their line of thinking, possible treatments and resources they may use.

There and in it self is the problem.. you would have to find doctors that understand what a paramedic does... and then want to actually promote what they do and help them do it. I have only found a few that are like this, and greatly enjoy it when they are working.