Tired of the Stereotypes of Medics and EMTs

[KeekesRenea]

So, as most of you can probably tell by the credentials on the side of my name, I am a paramedic. My overall goal was to become a nurse, and it still is. I am currently finishing up a couple prerequisites and hopefully, I will be accepted into a BSN program by the end of next semester. Here is the issue, though...

One day, I was browsing the web, looking for stories of people who were like me. People who became paramedics first and then went on to become nurses. What I found, however, was a crap load of articles, mainly from nurses, stereotyping the EMS field and limiting the skills of paramedics to nothing more than "ambulance driver". I was appalled. One, because I didn't even think that this was even an actual "thing", and two because I would figure that healthcare providers as a whole would grasp at some point that this whole idea of healthcare is a TEAM effort. There is no licensure more needed than another.

Then, I see more articles on newcomers wanting to explore another option other than CNA. People who were thinking about becoming EMT Basics, prior to their nurse education. A lot of biased nurses there, once again completely bashing the idea of becoming an EMT instead of a CNA. They cared to do no research whatsoever on what an EMT or paramedic does. They used both terms interchangeably, which is a mistake within itself because the scope of practice for both are different. But once again, both are being limited to only "ambulance drivers". Really?

So, just clearing up a few things here and there. EMTs and Paramedics are not just "ambulance drivers". People could easily stereotype nurses as "doctor assistants", I KNOW for a fact that it would very looked down upon. So, why do it to someone else?

EMTs typically have to take a semester long program to be EMTs. As does a CNA. However, EMTs take more classes in the semester. CNAs have one course to take.

To be a paramedic now, it takes 1- 2 years, depending on what program you go into, and that's not including prereqs. That's about the same amount of time it takes to be a LPN or an RN on the Associates level. The program I did was a year and a half and I ended up with an Associate's degree. A lot of medic programs are held in colleges now. Not just EMS companies.

Paramedics are skilled in giving medications, EKG interpretations, Cardioversion, Defibrillation, Transcutaneous Pacing, IVs, IOs, Intubations, Needle Decompressions, ect... We do have to know drip rates. EMTs can not do these things, but they are still trained to handle the basic stuff like controlling the bleeding, simple airway management, CPR, simple anaphylaxis management, etc... Until the medics come and take over.

EMTs and Medics can work in the hospital. Usually, they only work in the ED, but it makes sense since they are trained in the emergency medical model. There are a few other places where EMTs and Medics can work. Options seem to open up a little more to paramedics... But all of this being said, EMTs and Medics are not just limited to working on an ambulance. I know this from personal experience, before anyone tries to invalidate this fact.

Another annoying misconception is that EMTs and Paramedics are only limited to one patient a day... This is a very stupid misconception and it proves that people do not know the purpose of EMS. EMTs and Medics are trained for emergencies. When we get on a scene, we do not have the stable environment of the hospital. We have to make due with what we have and what we know. We have to stabilize the scene and ensure scene safety. If an incident occurs when there are multiple people injured or sick, we have to know how to tend to that. Not every case is "we load and go and that's it". It has never been just that.

The bottom line is, EMTs and Medics are around for a reason. And there is a reason why the burnout rate from Medics are higher than the burnout rate from nurses. Not saying at all that nurses do not get burned out... Medics do more than they get credit for and it's unfortunate that this even has to be a topic. All I can say now is, before you go on a biased rampage on how nurses are better than medics and how medics are useless and not skilled in anything except ambulance driving, I insist that you do your research and learn all there is to know about the EMS field, instead of contributing to the load of bs that EMTs and Medics have to deal with from people all the time.

P.S. I apologize if this is in the wrong place. Feel free to move it. I don't know how to change where this gets posted.

[offlabel]

A common reason for job dissatisfaction, IME, is the need for validating one's knowledge, skills and ability. A longing for recognition and an increasing scope of competency goes along with that.

No one likes to be invalidated, but the profession into which you are entering is flush with groups that invalidate others. Surgeons dismiss and invalidate emergency, internal medicine and family practice medicine physicians mercilessly on a regular basis.

Not to say it is in anyway justified, it is what it is in medicine/nursing. Folks need to look past that, be confident and comfortable in their roles and let haters hate.

If that can't be done, job satisfaction will truly be a bridge too far.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I agree that all healthcare workers contribute value to the health delivery system and deserve the utmost respect for everything they do.

Nonetheless, I will drive myself crazy if I play the one-upmanship game. Many physicians roll their eyes at nurses and see us as undereducated worker bees per the comments on some doctor forums. Do you think I care? I have absolutely nothing to prove to physicians.

I have read EMT/paramedic forum posts that have referred to nurses in certain specialties (e.g. long term care, home health, private duty) as unskilled "attendants." I have also been treated with rudeness by many EMTs/paramedics during my six-year stint in nursing homes. Do you think I care? Nope! I refuse to play the one-upmanship game. My self-esteem does not hinge on the opinions of other colleagues.

The point of my post is that demanding respect and recognition from others in the healthcare industry is a waste of effort. The nursing profession has struggled with validation issues for decades. Nursing keeps shooting itself in the foot in an everlasting quest to obtain validation from those who do not care about us.

The one-upmanship game must stop. Quit seeking validation from other healthcare professionals. Trust me: it is a game that cannot be won. Good luck to you!

[KeekesRenea]

I understand what you are saying. I am definitely not dissatisfied with my job, though. I used paramedicine as a stepping stone and I am quite proud of my choice. It just gets annoying with people invalidating medics all the time and a lot of the time, these people speak without doing any research whatsoever. They speak out of brainwashed bias. That's what irritating about that. Medics already have a lot to deal with as far as not being paid what they are worth, dealing with the worse of the worse prehospital, even the politics of EMS is a struggle... The last thing that needs to happen is medics being talked down to because they didn't become nurses like the 3 million + Americans who did.

[offlabel]

I understand what you are saying. I am definitely not dissatisfied with my job, though. I used paramedicine as a stepping stone and I am quite proud of my choice. It just gets annoying with people invalidating medics all the time and a lot of the time, these people speak without doing any research whatsoever. They speak out of brainwashed bias. That's what irritating about that. Medics already have a lot to deal with as far as not being paid what they are worth, dealing with the worse of the worse prehospital, even the politics of EMS is a struggle... The last thing that needs to happen is medics being talked down to because they didn't become nurses like the 3 million + Americans who did.

Best of luck

[offlabel]

...The point of my post is that demanding respect and recognition from others in the healthcare industry is a waste of effort. The nursing profession has struggled with validation issues for decades. Nursing keeps shooting itself in the foot in an everlasting quest to obtain validation from those who do not care about us.

The one-upmanship game must stop. Quit seeking validation from other healthcare professionals. Trust me: it is a game that cannot be won. Good luck to you!

Well said. In the end it's all about perspective and maturity. Doesn't matter if you're an RN, EMT or accountant.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

A lot of times reading comments online is a good way to find the worst of society shouting the loudest. I highly doubt most nurses feel that way. I suspect most nurses value all members of the healthcare team, even if sometimes we could show it more.

I was an EMT before I was a nurse.

[ItsThatJenGirl, CNA]

I understand what you are saying. I am definitely not dissatisfied with my job, though. I used paramedicine as a stepping stone and I am quite proud of my choice. It just gets annoying with people invalidating medics all the time and a lot of the time, these people speak without doing any research whatsoever. They speak out of brainwashed bias. That's what irritating about that. Medics already have a lot to deal with as far as not being paid what they are worth, dealing with the worse of the worse prehospital, even the politics of EMS is a struggle... The last thing that needs to happen is medics being talked down to because they didn't become nurses like the 3 million + Americans who did.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent (Eleanor Roosevelt said that, not me).

I've been a stay at home mom for a very long time now, and people have plenty of opinions on that. I'm also a homeschooler, and people have even more opinions about that.

I just don't care though, so it does not irritate me.

[Wuzzie]

Medics already have a lot to deal with as far as not being paid what they are worth, dealing with the worse of the worse prehospital, even the politics of EMS is a struggle... The last thing that needs to happen is medics being talked down to because they didn't become nurses like the 3 million + Americans who did.

Replace the words "medics" and "EMS" in the above sentence with "nurses", "nursing" and "doctors" and you will get a scary look into your future. If it irritates you this much now you will be gob-smacked by how much worse it is for you as a nurse. At least you aren't known as a "glorified butt-wiper".

[CelticGoddess, BSN, RN]

Replace the words "medics" and "EMS" in the above sentence with "nurses", "nursing" and "doctors" and you will get a scary look into your future. If it irritates you this much now you will be gob-smacked by how much worse it is for you as a nurse. At least you aren't known as a "glorified butt-wiper".

One sad thing, I actually had a paramedic call me that when I worked in LTC. Any time I had to send out a patient as an emergency (we used a private ambulance company for non-emergent transfers) I got an attitude from the paramedics and many times was told I didn't know how to do my job, was called a glorified butt wiper and told I made too much for just "giving people their meds".

It really doesn't matter what field you are in, there are stereo-types and some people are just jerks.

FTR: My husband was a paramedic for 18 years.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

By the way, I found a link to an older thread that I started many moons ago regarding nasty attitudes from EMTs and paramedics toward nursing staff. It received nearly 130 replies and resonated with many respondents.

Click on the link below if you have time to burn.

 

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Oh look....a special snowflake.