Article: Paramedics equal to RNs

oklamedic2011 · May 18, 2015

It is like comparing apples to oranges....both are fruits....both taste FANTASTIC...but 1 is red and 1 is orange. But in the Great Fruit Basket of Medicine they cozy right up next to each other. As a paramedic with years of experience, and a current nursing student, there is a time and place for both aspects of patient care....we live by a saying in my neck of the woods when it comes to EMS/Nursing harmony...."teamwork makes the dream work"

just my 2 cents :-)

CraigB-RN, MSN, RN · May 20, 2015

https://www.ena.org/about/media/Documents/JointStatementNAEMT-ENA.pdf

morte, LPN, LVN · May 20, 2015

you weren't asked for your hometown, only your state, are you being purposefully disingenuous?

Sorry - I can't reveal my hometown on an internet forum. Almost all the states now offer paramedicine through an AAS. Many paramedics now choose to go on to a four-year degree (BS in emergency services related field)...while others choose to do dual roles (NRP/RN or RRT/NRP).
What state are you from? That must be one of the few states that do not require a two to four degree for jobs :)
It takes time to change and eventually, many medics will probably be required to do four-year degrees, as most RNs are now required to have an ADN or BSN :)
Anyway....just my two cents...have a great day

morte, LPN, LVN · May 20, 2015

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[TD=bgcolor: #f0f0f0]irements[/TD]

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You must be at least 18 years old
Have a high school diploma or GED certificate
Successfully complete a DSHS approved EMS training course
Submit a completed EMS Personnel Certification application and fee
Pass the National Registry exam
Submit fingerprints for Texas/FBI criminal history check.
If you are out of state see reciprocity

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Copy and pasted from texas reg. as you can see no EMS degree req.

You contradict yourself in an earlier post:
Here is Kansas:
MICT Program Prerequisites
Oregon is the other state. It has had some loop holes but those are going away now that more ALS providers are available in rural areas.
Here are the stats in Texas. Licensed Paramedic means they have met the degree requirement.
https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/statistics.shtm
You seem to be in the belief that Paramedics are not capable of acquiring higher education. Maybe before when there were limited opportunities but now there are new paths and today's Paramedics are advancing their education to take advantage of the new opportunities. Not all Paramedics are uneducated as you want the nurses here to believe and you are unwilling to accept change. EMS has moved on. You didn't move on in EMS. You became a nurse.
I think this article provides some more answers to your questions.
Texas ENA's Unprofessional Attack on EMS | The Unwired Medic
It was from a discussion on the website you suggested earlier EMTlife.
You also need to review the NREMT and your state's EMS website for the current information if you want to keep your EMT cert.

psu_213, BSN, RN · May 20, 2015

It would be a big savings to the hospital since these Paramedics could also respond to codes and rapid responses along with intubating.

This is kinda interesting. I'd like to see physicians' responses when they are told, "we can cut some CCM MD positions, because now we have paramedics to respond to codes and they can intubate."

Red Kryptonite · May 20, 2015

you weren't asked for your hometown, only your state, are you being purposefully disingenuous?

Pretty much

morte, LPN, LVN · May 20, 2015

and Kansas, you ask for education req, it sends you to the DOT site.

BR157 · May 20, 2015

[TABLE]
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[TD=bgcolor: #F0F0F0]irements[/TD]
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[TR]
[TD]
You must be at least 18 years old
Have a high school diploma or GED certificate
Successfully complete a DSHS approved EMS training course
Submit a completed EMS Personnel Certification application and fee
Pass the National Registry exam
Submit fingerprints for Texas/FBI criminal history check.
If you are out of state see reciprocity
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Copy and pasted from texas reg. as you can see no EMS degree req.

You posted the basic requirements for all levels of applicants. EMT and Paramedic are not the same. Certified and Licensed Paramedic are not the same in Texas. This is like saying CNA and RN are the same. They both have the same basic skills and many need a back ground check. But, after that it is very different.

This is from the link posted by Summit for the Texas Administrative Code for Paramedic Licensure.

Texas Administrative Code

R

equirements for paramedic licensure.
(1) A currently certified paramedic may apply for a paramedic license if the candidate has at least one of the following degrees from an institution of post secondary education which has been accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an approved accrediting authority: (A) an associate degree in emergency medical services (EMS); (B) a baccalaureate degree; or © a postgraduate degree.

If the Paramedic only has an Associates degree, it must be in EMS.

BR157 · May 20, 2015

This is kinda interesting. I'd like to see physicians' responses when they are told, "we can cut some CCM MD positions, because now we have paramedics to respond to codes and they can intubate."

In several hospitals, RTs or the Rapid Response RN can intubate as it was pointed out here on this forum by an RN. Have they eliminated the doctors there? Probably not. Some RNs even run the codes in a few hospitals until the physician gets there or the patient is transferred. RNs on transport teams run the codes all the time.

Paramedics are not claiming to be doctors. They just want to work as equals to RNs in the ER.

Paramedics and RNs both work under doctors. One skill being done by someone else is not going to eliminate a doctor. RNs have been saying they are over worked. Having someone else to run to different situations would keep them from being interrupted in doing patient care to the patients they currently have.

BR157 · May 20, 2015

and Kansas, you ask for education req, it sends you to the DOT site.

Follow the links I posted.

You can also google any school in Kansas and it will quote you the state's requirements.

You can also find a listing of schools offering an accredited Associates degree for EMS here:

https://www.caahep.org/Find-An-Accredited-Program/

BR157 · May 20, 2015

Pretty much

EMS is a very small world. So is nursing in many ways. I have identified nurses posting incidents on this site by their state. We only have one major trauma center so it really was not difficult. I have made it known to them since I could easily tell their managers that they had been discussing last night's patient or nursing mess up or co-worker fight in the ER in enough detail to identify them. I will not fault anyone for not giving identifying information and definitely not when some are insisting on it. You never know what they might want to do with specific information.

Here is something about the Community Paramedic in your state.

http://www.azdhs.gov/bems/documents/cip/ASTHO-EMS-law-report.pdf

ADHS Bureau of Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System | Community Paramedicine

There are currently over 100 programs in 33 states for Community Paramedics. Right now this goes hand in hand with the ER to reduce the number of repeat patients.

psu_213, BSN, RN · May 20, 2015

In several hospitals, RTs or the Rapid Response RN can intubate as it was pointed out here on this forum by an RN. Have they eliminated the doctors there? Probably not. Some RNs even run the codes in a few hospitals until the physician gets there or the patient is transferred. RNs on transport teams run the codes all the time.

I think you are taking my post a bit too seriously. My opinion regarding paramedics on RRTs is immaterial. I would just like to see how doctors would react if they a part of their job is being taking away from them.