Paramedics as primary care givers in ED

gonzo1, ASN, RN · May 24, 2009

This is very interesting. I wonder what is really allowed legally. I wouldn't care if they were allowed to do total patient care. I just wouldn't work in a ER were they did everything, but I was required to sign off on it.

I worked in one place where LPNs did everything but critical drips, but RNs had to co-sign everything and I do not like that.

There was no time to check up on what the LPN was doing because RNs had 8 or more pts each and we pretty much just blindly signed off stuff.

I will never put myself in that situation again.

So if the medics take care of the patient and my name is no where on the chart fine.

This is just a ploy by hospitals to save money and it may work for a while but in the long run pt care is most likely to go downhill because most of the medics I know absolutely can't stand the personal care stuff like changing diapers etc.

I respect them for that. I couldn't do their job. The first time I went to an accident scene and saw a disconnected head and torso I would die.

Health care keeps getting goofier and goofier

Dinith88 · May 25, 2009

One day in the not-so-far-away future...there will be more medics than nurses in the ER. They can do most anything an RN can do there.

So...lots of medics doing most everything... (read the majority of threads/posts on the ER board regarding this very subject)..

A few nurses for additional discharge teaching...

Medics are alot CHEAPER than nurses and are just as capable of doing the 'stuff' nurses do.

The fact that medics are in ERs at all speaks volumes about fiscally-responsible (money-hungry) corporations and hospital administrators... cheap (but equivalent) labor is what it's all about.

But (some will say) the state laws this-and-that prevent medics from this-and-that...

These laws will change (health-care-industry special interests will see to it). It's coming down the pipe. Regardless of what you think...

However...the bright side is that many of these paramedics are HOT (read more of the related posts on these boards)...

If ER nurses want to maintain their dominance in ER's...these same ER nurses should desire and even push for tighter regulations and stipulations and etc. Paramedics should stay relegated to pre-hospital and transport.

But...I'm just a biased RN...worried FOR you... :)

HippyGreenPeaceChick · Jun 3, 2009

I dislike Triage also. While out there with the pt you are constantly being interrupted by the same people who while you are triaging them can not understand why are not paying them undivided attention when someone else asks you where the bathroom is.

I like PMs in the ER. They are good and steady. But whoa unto anyone, PM or RN, working ER if they ever tell me that it isnt their job to clean something nasty.