As a current Paramedic working on transitioning to the dark side I read the following article and thought does nursing or any other medical profession really not understand the importance of pain management or is it really just an EMS problem? Having been a patient as well as an EMT and now a Paramedic I have experienced a number of different attitudes towards patients pain both prehospital and in hospital. So I guess really I am interested on what to expect as I advance in my education and move indoors in regards to pain management.
I also hope the article might also give you as a Nurse an ideal of why the patients you see brought in by ambulance may not all be treated the same way for the same injury or illness.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I have nothing but the utmost respect for paramedics. Not only do they do critical care, they have to be prepared to do it under extraordinary if not impossible circumstances. I don't know too many nurses who have to work under the conditions paramedics do. They do far more than "just give people a ride."
I have nothing but the utmost respect for paramedics. Not only do they do critical care, they have to be prepared to do it under extraordinary if not impossible circumstances. I don't know too many nurses who have to work under the conditions paramedics do. They do far more than "just give people a ride."
Thank you. I wish RN's would be required to ride out with Paramedics to see the prehospital side of medicine. Paramedics have to do hospital rotations which exposes us to what RN's actually do. I am finding that the education takes different approaches as one is dealing with short term while the other has to be thinking of the long term. I think that is why at times Paramedics and RN's disagree with each other on proper patient care.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Thank you. I wish RN's would be required to ride out with Paramedics to see the prehospital side of medicine. Paramedics have to do hospital rotations which exposes us to what RN's actually do. I am finding that the education takes different approaches as one is dealing with short term while the other has to be thinking of the long term. I think that is why at times Paramedics and RN's disagree with each other on proper patient care.
We had to when I was a student so many years ago. That was back in the day when nurses still did ride alongs with the ALS crew.
Add Canadian paramedics to your list. We have several levels but ACP (advanced care paramedic) or CCP (critical care paramedic) especially have rigorous entry requirements and training and do way beyond what we nurses can do - ET/NT intubation, surgical airways, CVAs, a ton of meds, some can even do thoracotomy. Yeah, you bet I'd trust them with my life.
UK Paramedics are now pushing towards a degree profession, to train, qualify and register now it is a university course. I've also had the pleasure of working with masters prepared paramedic advanced practitioners, who were truly independent practitioners in pre-hospital care. Incredible professionals I was in awe of the knowledge and skills they had
that some think so poorly of Paramedics to demand only a ride. 
OCNRN63, RN
5,979 Posts
I have nothing but the utmost respect for paramedics. Not only do they do critical care, they have to be prepared to do it under extraordinary if not impossible circumstances. I don't know too many nurses who have to work under the conditions paramedics do. They do far more than "just give people a ride."