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In other words, the playing God days of a medic staying on scene are over. Basic EMT skills are saving lives. Most patients need rapid transport to a trauma surgeon.
Gentlemen, brush up on those boy scout skills and be a solid Basic EMT.
I am not saying this to dimish anyone in this profession, but bright lights and cold steel are the answer to trauma.
Load and go’s have been saving cops and innocent people for a while now. Philadelphia credited a decrease in homicides partially to direct transport of shooting victims by law enforcement.
I think location also drives the mission, if you’re close to a hospital, go there, don’t bypass level 3 for a 1 or 2. If you’re far out, it may be necessary to do a little more work in the field.
A couple years ago there was a Trooper who got shot in the chest with a rifle and he was like 40 minutes from the closest hospital. His buddies slapped chest seals on and ended up getting intercepted by EMS who were able to get him O2 and whatever other voodoo happens in the back of those boxes, which ultimately saved his life.
Now, on the flip side, a Medic with a God complex who wants to stay on scene all day is the saving grace for the non-traumatic patient. Sick people. Got a patient who needs CPAT? Medic! Got a patient down in full arrest? Medic!
So much time spent on these forums hand wringing over penetrating trauma. Most patients are not suffering from any trauma. Most patients are simply a product of bad lifestyle choices and maybe genetics.
The Medic is simply a tool capable of some interventions that can make a difference more quicly than a basic EMT. This fact is magnified on sick people. For the rest of the less sick people or occasional trauma? Basic EMT knows enough to help and is also smart enough to know that common sense yells Go!! Get to the hospital.
Truth. For every fire or GSW victim there are 200 lift assists.
Who’s protocols are allowing Basics to give whole blood?!?!?!?! Even Paramedics can’t do that here. They can transport with Blood but Blood has to be started by a Physician or a Nurse prior to transport. Not a single 911 ambulance in Indiana carries whole blood.
Basics can’t even start IV’s. Airways, iGels have replaced those stupid ass combitubes. Epi and Glucagone IM just got added to the EMT scope of practice here. CPAP as well along with DuoNeb treatments.
Advanced EMT’s can’t even read the 5 basic rythmns anymore as of 2016 (some Medical Director at state level got a burr up their ass and fucked the A-EMT’s over). IV’s, IO’s, same med admins as Basic EMT’s.
Paramedics here can do everything but “Hang Blood”. Thats the ONLY advantage Nurses have over Paramedics other than the lopsided pay difference (wife and I are both Medics, she’s about finished with nursing school and will START at what we make combined…)
3 months ago I was on the first run for successfull administration of whole blood in my service area. 19 y/o female shot through the chest.