Ems Continuing Education

Q: It seems this is still a rather emotional issue.... Many paramedics seem the be threatened that an EMT may be able to perform many of the same skills.... admittedly there is a difference in knowledge base, but at what expense. In Utah we have over 100,000 residents in the county I live in that are served by volunteer systems. Paramedic skills would be great, but not prctical due to cost and time commitments. With primary skills like AED's IV's, basic meds and intubation the few skills left to paramedics become very insignificant. Since thee is so much discussion about expanded roles.... lets do what makes sense. Paramedics skills and interventions have evolved... why not emt I skills ????

A:In Ohio, you don't have to have any first aid training or any experience at all as a prerequisite to enter a Basic EMT class. Then, after 110 hours of class (less than three weeks), you get a certificate. Does anyone really believe these people are ready to go to work? Contrast that with the average paramedic class requiring almost 1000 hours of additional training. Also, until

recently, Basic-EMT squads weren't required to operate under a protocol, weren't required to have a medical director, and weren't required to have any continuing education. All they had to do was pass a 27 hour refresher class every three years to get recertified. Paramedics in our system are required to have 18 hours of clinical continuing education every year plus 18 hours of didactic time every year. If you don't keep your continuing education current, your authority to function gets dropped until you comply. Ohio very recently passed an EMS act which is finally requiring Basic- EMTs to have a medical director, a protocol, and probably continuing education.