Comments on: EMS Pay Sucks!! Part 2 – Identifying the problem http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/ This blog is about EMS, and one Paramedic's quest to make this the profession it deserves to be. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:36:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Zzess http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-3983 Zzess Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:12:00 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-3983 I agree. I think that it's time produced a EMS hollywood blockbuster that helps to show the kind of people that the field attracts, and the difficulties that the career entails, without making it look like a field that will bring in millions of more hopefulls to a "glamorous" big screen industry. Not talking about Brining out the dead. I agree. I think that it’s time produced a EMS hollywood blockbuster that helps to show the kind of people that the field attracts, and the difficulties that the career entails, without making it look like a field that will bring in millions of more hopefulls to a “glamorous” big screen industry.

Not talking about Brining out the dead.

]]> By: How A Problem Solver Got Stress Relief http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-1007 How A Problem Solver Got Stress Relief Sun, 21 Feb 2010 07:39:10 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-1007 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> By: henrylow http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-920 henrylow Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:00:51 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-920 There's a movement to radically change California government, by getting rid of career politicians and chopping their salaries in half. A group known as Citizens for California Reform wants to make the California legislature a part time time job, just like it was until 1966.<br><br><a href="http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com" rel="nofollow">www.onlineuniversalwork.com</a> There's a movement to radically change California government, by getting rid of career politicians and chopping their salaries in half. A group known as Citizens for California Reform wants to make the California legislature a part time time job, just like it was until 1966.

http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com

]]> By: Anonymous http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-1951 Anonymous Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:00:00 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-1951 There's a movement to radically change California government, by getting rid of career politicians and chopping their salaries in half. A group known as Citizens for California Reform wants to make the California legislature a part time time job, just like it was until 1966. www.onlineuniversalwork.com There’s a movement to radically change California government, by getting rid of career politicians and chopping their salaries in half. A group known as Citizens for California Reform wants to make the California legislature a part time time job, just like it was until 1966.

http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com

]]> By: Bryce http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-899 Bryce Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:41:10 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-899 I think that some of the low wages have to do with the waste in the system which there is a lot of. For example in SLC a person calls 911 and an ALS ambulance and ALS fire unit both respond. The patient is treated and transported. The ambulance then bills the PT and is paid X amount that is set by the state and then even less if it is a medicare PT. The Fire department then bills the ambulance company for their help. Now the ambulance company is in a position where they can't make money(which is why Southwest just bailed). If the company can't make money now how can they afford to pay more? Now contrast that a system about 2 hours to the east(with less then 1/4 the call volume) where a person calls 911 and an ALS ambulance responds and treats and transports the patient with fire only responding to calls where they are actually needed. This service to the east pays there EMTs $1 more per hour then a Paramedic makes in SLC. Why waste the money with a dual ALS responce? When you need a fireman you need one, but when you just need an ambulance there is no reason to waste the money to send a fire truck. That money is better served staying with the ambulance company(or if the ambulance is run by Fire then going back into EMS instead of the new ladder truck) so they can afford to keep running and maybe actually pay their people for the job they do. Fire needs to stop using EMS as a funding source and way to justify more firemen and the two need to be kept seperate even if run under the same county or city government out of the same building. Fire clearly isn't the only thing sucking funding from EMS but its a good example. We need to take a serious look at everything about our services and cut out the unnessessary waste so that that money can go to the EMTs and Medics that deserve it. If you sit back and look at it there is a ton of cash that goes to unnessessary things in every city and service. I think that some of the low wages have to do with the waste in the system which there is a lot of. For example in SLC a person calls 911 and an ALS ambulance and ALS fire unit both respond. The patient is treated and transported. The ambulance then bills the PT and is paid X amount that is set by the state and then even less if it is a medicare PT. The Fire department then bills the ambulance company for their help. Now the ambulance company is in a position where they can't make money(which is why Southwest just bailed). If the company can't make money now how can they afford to pay more? Now contrast that a system about 2 hours to the east(with less then 1/4 the call volume) where a person calls 911 and an ALS ambulance responds and treats and transports the patient with fire only responding to calls where they are actually needed. This service to the east pays there EMTs $1 more per hour then a Paramedic makes in SLC. Why waste the money with a dual ALS responce? When you need a fireman you need one, but when you just need an ambulance there is no reason to waste the money to send a fire truck. That money is better served staying with the ambulance company(or if the ambulance is run by Fire then going back into EMS instead of the new ladder truck) so they can afford to keep running and maybe actually pay their people for the job they do. Fire needs to stop using EMS as a funding source and way to justify more firemen and the two need to be kept seperate even if run under the same county or city government out of the same building. Fire clearly isn't the only thing sucking funding from EMS but its a good example. We need to take a serious look at everything about our services and cut out the unnessessary waste so that that money can go to the EMTs and Medics that deserve it. If you sit back and look at it there is a ton of cash that goes to unnessessary things in every city and service.

]]> By: CBEMT http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-853 CBEMT Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:54:12 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-853 "A degree paramedic has the same degree and if not the same amount more semester/clinical/intern hours than ans AS nursing and resp."<br><br>Bet you can't prove it. <br><br>"and we do many skills that nurses are allowed to do. "<br><br>You're a perfect example of an EMS provider that judges medical worth by skills instead of knowledge. Which is why we aren't going anywhere.<br><br>"You shoud really research you facts!!!"<br><br>Me? Really? “A degree paramedic has the same degree and if not the same amount more semester/clinical/intern hours than ans AS nursing and resp.”

Bet you can't prove it.

“and we do many skills that nurses are allowed to do. “

You're a perfect example of an EMS provider that judges medical worth by skills instead of knowledge. Which is why we aren't going anywhere.

“You shoud really research you facts!!!”

Me? Really?

]]> By: sammy30 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-851 sammy30 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 23:27:37 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-851 I am a paramedic, and have a AS in paramedicine. It wasn't even a two dollar raise from being a basic. I don't make emough money WITH my degree to pay back my student loans...Good Luck with your dergee! Maybe you can find someone who will pay you for your advance knowledge, but I wouldn't hold my breath!!! I am a paramedic, and have a AS in paramedicine. It wasn't even a two dollar raise from being a basic. I don't make emough money WITH my degree to pay back my student loans…Good Luck with your dergee! Maybe you can find someone who will pay you for your advance knowledge, but I wouldn't hold my breath!!!

]]> By: sammy30 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-850 sammy30 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 23:16:49 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-850 Just so you know, paramedics aren't handed anything!!! A degree paramedic has the same degree and if not the same amount more semester/clinical/intern hours than ans AS nursing and resp. therapist. Paramedic are also stand alone caregivers that make decisions based on field triage. We don't have to get orders for advanced procedures, and we do many skills that nurses are allowed to do. You shoud really research you facts!!! Just so you know, paramedics aren't handed anything!!! A degree paramedic has the same degree and if not the same amount more semester/clinical/intern hours than ans AS nursing and resp. therapist. Paramedic are also stand alone caregivers that make decisions based on field triage. We don't have to get orders for advanced procedures, and we do many skills that nurses are allowed to do. You shoud really research you facts!!!

]]> By: AubTgrs http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-842 AubTgrs Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:02:40 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-842 There are quite a few of the people that I used to work with at my rural service in Iowa that had an associate degree in Paramedicine from a college. You know what... They made the same amount of money as me. I even asked them if there were any benefits to getting the degree (I am only one class away and currently in the process of finishing) and they said "the nice little diploma from the college that hangs on my wall". They tried to get more money... they tried to get hired on at different services to only be told that they are now too experienced and now would cost to much to hire them. So yet again... yes even though it is great to have the degree in Paramedicine, does it really get us anywhere but a good feeling and knowing that we are truely trying to be the best Paramedic that someone can buy? I am doing it cause I want to be the best and if I called for the ambulance for my family member... I want the best! I know medics that I would trust my life with and have previously squeeked by in High School or even dropped out and just got their GED. Does this mean that they are a subpar Medic? Heck no! Just because you went and got more letters behind your name or you took an extra class won't alway make a difference. Will it make me think less or more of you? Not always. I might become impressed if you somehow made a PhD in it. Right now as it goes the only way of advancement in our field is to become a supervisor... And how exactly is that compensated? With 100% more headaches and usually just an extra 10 to 20 cents more an hour. Oh but don't forget that you usually will have to work EVERY single special event. And guess what, usually if you are like most places around here, you are salary, so guess what, you aren't getting squat!<br>Also I would like to point out that while I had a chance to learn about EMS in other states I am disappointed in the fact that not every state has an ACTIVE EMS association. I was part of IEMSA which is active in the fact that I was constantly asked to attend their yearly EMS conference and make phone calls or write letters the my congressmen reguarding EMS concerns and bills. Heck even our county had an EMS association in order to facilitate quality care. Us as volunteers worked side by side with career Firefighters, Medics, RNs, Flight Crews, and even our Medical Director and ER Managers. We worked on updating protocols and ideas on how to become more progressive. I have since seen that the state of Indiana has almost nothing. I have searched and searched for an EMS association and have come up with nothing. If someone is knowledgable in this field I would love it. I miss being active. <br>As for people not being aware of our profession... I understand that we are a young profession and that we will probably have to fight tooth and nail for everything that we want. I would assume that nursing probably started the same way. I can't imagine that Florence Nightengail started off with the thinking that she was going to be anything more than a compassionate soul with a few caring tricks up her sleeve. We need to evolve. Look at the history of some medical professions and how they grew and let us follow in their footsteps. There is nothing wrong with imitating and emulating a profession that is sucessful and where we would like to be. I agree that it would be nice to be instantly respected and reguarded as equals, but I think that as with anything unfortunately we need patience and the intelligence to know when and who to pick our battles with. There are quite a few of the people that I used to work with at my rural service in Iowa that had an associate degree in Paramedicine from a college. You know what… They made the same amount of money as me. I even asked them if there were any benefits to getting the degree (I am only one class away and currently in the process of finishing) and they said “the nice little diploma from the college that hangs on my wall”. They tried to get more money… they tried to get hired on at different services to only be told that they are now too experienced and now would cost to much to hire them. So yet again… yes even though it is great to have the degree in Paramedicine, does it really get us anywhere but a good feeling and knowing that we are truely trying to be the best Paramedic that someone can buy? I am doing it cause I want to be the best and if I called for the ambulance for my family member… I want the best! I know medics that I would trust my life with and have previously squeeked by in High School or even dropped out and just got their GED. Does this mean that they are a subpar Medic? Heck no! Just because you went and got more letters behind your name or you took an extra class won't alway make a difference. Will it make me think less or more of you? Not always. I might become impressed if you somehow made a PhD in it. Right now as it goes the only way of advancement in our field is to become a supervisor… And how exactly is that compensated? With 100% more headaches and usually just an extra 10 to 20 cents more an hour. Oh but don't forget that you usually will have to work EVERY single special event. And guess what, usually if you are like most places around here, you are salary, so guess what, you aren't getting squat!
Also I would like to point out that while I had a chance to learn about EMS in other states I am disappointed in the fact that not every state has an ACTIVE EMS association. I was part of IEMSA which is active in the fact that I was constantly asked to attend their yearly EMS conference and make phone calls or write letters the my congressmen reguarding EMS concerns and bills. Heck even our county had an EMS association in order to facilitate quality care. Us as volunteers worked side by side with career Firefighters, Medics, RNs, Flight Crews, and even our Medical Director and ER Managers. We worked on updating protocols and ideas on how to become more progressive. I have since seen that the state of Indiana has almost nothing. I have searched and searched for an EMS association and have come up with nothing. If someone is knowledgable in this field I would love it. I miss being active.
As for people not being aware of our profession… I understand that we are a young profession and that we will probably have to fight tooth and nail for everything that we want. I would assume that nursing probably started the same way. I can't imagine that Florence Nightengail started off with the thinking that she was going to be anything more than a compassionate soul with a few caring tricks up her sleeve. We need to evolve. Look at the history of some medical professions and how they grew and let us follow in their footsteps. There is nothing wrong with imitating and emulating a profession that is sucessful and where we would like to be. I agree that it would be nice to be instantly respected and reguarded as equals, but I think that as with anything unfortunately we need patience and the intelligence to know when and who to pick our battles with.

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/comment-page-1/#comment-837 uberVU - social comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:38:09 +0000 http://lifeunderthelights.com/2009/12/ems-pay-sucks-part-2-identifying-the-problem/#comment-837 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ckemtp: New blog post: EMS Pay Sucks!! Part 2 - Identifying the problem http://bit.ly/8vogRt... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ckemtp: New blog post: EMS Pay Sucks!! Part 2 – Identifying the problem http://bit.ly/8vogRt...

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