i did not want to highjack any of the other threads with my concerns/rants, but i just have to get this off my chest. i have been reading a lot about ec and how specifically how ca bon has rejected ec grads. also several other states will only let lvn's that do the rn transition program thought ec gain reciprocity in there state.
my rant:
why are paramedics completely left out of the picture??? i'm sorry maybe i'm skewed in my view, by my skills/standing protocols right now are 200% above and beyond a lvn/lpn in any state.
i perform;
endotracheal intubations, digital intubations, start iv's, start interossous (io) when needed, start nasogastric tubes for gastric levage, have 40+ iv/im medications on standing order that i give based on my clinical judgment, formulate a dx, and tx the patient all with no medical (md) control or order. i can decompress someone with a pneumothorax, i can start a needle cricothyrotomywith upper airway obstructions, and yes i can even do surgical airways in the desperately ill patients. this is all based on the national standard for a paramedic that is trained in medicine. i have to established pt repore to be able to do anything with any patient. on a average day i have 10-12 patient contacts (45mins-1hour each) and i work 5-6 six days a week, on average i see 100 patients a month and i have been in ems for 8 years (for you math freaks yes that is 9600 patient contact hours).
now what lvn/lpn can say they have anywhere the experience/patient contact that i have had over the last 8 years. ohhh and to top it all off, i have a b.s. in biology (northern arizona university) and a a.a.s (broome community college) in paramedicine!
as a paramedic in the field, i function comparable to a experienced ccu or icu rn. i function with in protocols (rns following a md's orders) and make my clinical judgments based on my assessments (a rn working within parameters in a ccu/icu to manage a patient)
forgive me for being a little upset, but why is my experience not up to parr with a lvns/lpns, because i have never given a patient a bed bath, packed a grade iii decub, or help a patient to the bedside comode?
i bring this up because most states except for ca are letting ec grads in if they were lvns/lpns.
and now on to my next point, why if i have graduated from ec, sat for the same exact nclex-rn as ever other rn, hired in ny worked 3-4 years in a ccu/icu/er and then try to gain reciprocity from ca they will deny me??
that my friends is a load of crap. if in 4 years i have not had my privileges suspended or revoked by any state board of nursing, why on gods green earth would i not, be an "acceptable" rn, i have demonstrated my knowledge by taking the standerized nclex-rn and demonstrated my proficiency/clinical skills in another state for many thousands of hours, yet that is not acceptable?
further because i take a "non" traditional rn school a "traditional" rn grad is better prepared for patient care, this i guess i highly disagree. i would pit my patient care/assessment up with any rn at this point functioning in a critical care area. i may not have the clinical experience to set up a swan/ganz catheter, or help a new resident start a central line in the icu, but my independent assessment and patient care is equal.
so again i state.............how can i not take my clinical experience in the field, learn/gain knowledge into nursing theory/hospital operations and then apply that in hospital. how is that any worse than a gn coming out of any nln rn school in the us (which by the way ec is a nln certified nursing school!)
my purpose is not to start a pissing war with the lpns/lvns (although i know i will have a few flamming me) on this board but as most of the public, people are just not educated on the level of profecience of a paramedic or even how ems operates (i still have some er rn's asking me "you can do that!") just a little food for thought.
