EMT's in the ER

Check out this thread..... https://allnurses.com/forums/f18/paramedics-er-120255.html

What are an EMT's function in your ER. Are they allowed to put in IJ's , give IV meds etc. I havn't seen a true policy on this in our hospital. EMT's come up to nurses and say, do you want me to put that IJ in for you or help with intubations.

EMTs aren't even allowed to do this things in the field. I think you mean to talk about EMT-Ps (paramedics) - yes, there is a difference.

What an EMT (or EMT-P) can do in your ER is up to your facility. Some places, they function as general ER techs (taking/recording vitals, place foleys, taking patients to out-of-department tests, doing 12-lead EKGs, drawing blood, cleaning rooms, taking patients to the floor, applying splints, etc). In other facilities, if they are EMT-Ps, they can also start IVs (no meds, no central lines [EMS generally considers EJs as peripheral and IJs as central]), take telemetry patients to the floor, take stable ICU patients to the unit. And yet in other facilities, they function right along side the RNs, taking their own patient load, taking and completing orders from the ERPs, calling report, etc.

EMT's and EMT_P's are not allowed to give meds in our, that includes hanging IV fluids. In an ambulance the practice off of the medical director's license when doing meds or other invasive procedures. In the hospital they are part of Nursing service and thus supervised by nurses. When we first started using them in our ED there were major issues of new EMT's giving meds because the "doctor told them to". Took a lot of reeducation for them to learn they can't do it just because a doc said they could. Ours are trained and checked off on the tasks they are allowed to do, IV"s, NGT's, foley's etc.

EMT's doing Swan readings? I know that wasn't taught in the program...why are they doing those?

I don't want to take over the thread, but there are different levels of EMT's. It depends on your state\country\local protocols, on what care they are able to provide (either in the field or ED). The most common levels are EMT-Basic, EMT-Defib, EMT-Intermediate, and EMT-Paramedic. For example, in one state an EMT-Basic can start IV's, in another state they can't even spike the bag of saline. It just depends.

In the field, an EMT has more authority and field training than an RN would, with the exception of transport nurses. An EMT does get paid less then an RN no matter what they do. I am not saying that one person is better then the other, just pointing out a few differences.

In our ED, there is a standing policy that what they are allowed to do in the field stops when they hit our door.

When they are available and not on calls, our EMT's will start IV's and take pt's to the floor for admission. That is it! They might help a doc with an intubation, but as stated above that is not in the scope of their practice within the walls of the hospital.