Would this kind of role be possible in the US?

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Care_Practitioner

http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/working_for_us/from_our_staffs_perspective/ian_wilmer_-_emergency_care_pr.aspx

Judging from the description of the ECP's role in the British health care system, the above position would definitely be my dream job (I currently work in an ICU). The description says that ECPs come from the nursing field as well as paramedicine. I'm just wondering what people's opinions are on whether or not such a role would be possible to incorporate into the US health care system- given the fact that we have far fewer referral resources than in the UK (especially for people who are uninsured) and that people here love to sue health care providers and institutions.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

how is this different from an Advanced Practice Nurse working in those areas?

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma.
how is this different from an Advanced Practice Nurse working in those areas?

it seems the same doesn't it? on my emergency dept. clinical rotations, there have always been several nurse practitioners who work solely in the emergency department.

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Specializes in NICU, Psych, Education.

It sounds like this is a prehospital role with a different scope of practice than that of current EMS personnel.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4634569.stm

Here in the US, it would be a huge shift in thinking to provide some of these services (like antibiotic prescriptions) in the prehospital setting. The 911 system is already so commonly utilized for non-emergent issues, I could see the situation getting even worse with the availability of this type of provider.

I do like this idea slightly better than the crazy one currently being tossed around in some areas involving nurses attempting to screen 911 calls for legitimacy prior to dispatching help.

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Specializes in NICU, Psych, Education.

Oops... I read too fast. It looks like they are employed in several different settings - hospital and out-of-hospital.

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Specializes in CEN, CPEN, RN-BC.

The United States Air Force has a position very similar to this known as an IDMT (Independent Duty Medical Technician).

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