So you're an EMT...big deal!

maglite

nice guy always wrote: »

For you to discribe an EMT qualification a very basic one is ignorant to the level of training you receive and the change that there is from responder to practitioner....

NGA to be fair it is basic... There is no way you could compare it to a 4 year apprenticeship, a 3 year cert, 4 year degree or the 2 year paramedic, 5~year AP. In compassion 4 weeks is nothing.

HSE.....AGS....IrCG.....Fire service You mention these professions, I would argue that the MET cert is a back up qualification to the Garda, coast Guard, or to a Fireman.

The EMT is enough for a job but not a profession. Now that is not to say that it does a job for where is is needed ie your fireman/Garda who does the first response at an RTC, the Vol in a field or industrial response teams, who will hand over to a professional.

baronflyguy

sedgley wrote: »

I passed my EMT exams with IATI last year, I loved every minute of the course and I was absolutely delighted when I got my exam results.

Well done.

sedgley wrote: »

I couldn't wait to get out there and get a job doing what I love. Yeah right!

Same eurphoria everyone gets when they get certified in anything regardless of profession.

sedgley wrote: »

PHECC changed the transport standards for the countless vols who were given the go-ahead to train people who up to EMT level through their own organisations at no cost to the trainee (sorry vols but this kills me! I even know people who joined a certain vol org and within 3 months were EMTs).

If that is true and not just hersey/chinese whispers, then who ever made the decision to send someone on a EMT course at the cost of the vol budget for that area or county should be fired if that is true. It is very hard to be selected to do a EMT in the vol org I am in as there is limited spaces on the EMT course, it costs near 3k to the budget to send someone on the EMT course. At present there is only 1 EMT trained in the county for the vol org I am in. To get considered for the next EMT course you have to have been in the org for X amount of years and have done exceptionally well in the EFR course. This is to make sure volunteers who genuinely want the EMT skill will use it within the Vol Org and not jump ship for personal gain, this has happened i have been told and as a result the Vol Org gets burned and the change the rules for next set of EMT to be trained and this makes it tougher for other genuine volunteers to get selected because terms and conditions are added.

PHECC transport policy is not fully implemented in all vol org yet from what I have been told because they havent enough EMTs trained to implement it. It would basically ground a huge percentage of vol org ambulances if it was enforced today.

sedgley wrote: »

I felt as if i'd really achieved something big when I got my NQEMT cert, little plastic card and pin number. Now I feel like i've done little more than a glorified first aid course. I don't know if its just me who feels a little hard-done-by for my 2,500 Euro. I certainly don't feel special because i'm a "practitioner". Maybe i'm dramatising it. All I know is that no ambulance service wants EMTs anymore.

Everyone wants to become EMTs/Paramedics nowadays, you are getting on the bandwagon of a popular job that loads of people want to do. I know a good few who have their D1 and C1 done and are applying for the ambulance jobs for the last 2-3 years. Doesnt mean they are bad candidates just means they are competing for a limited amount of positions where there is thousands of applicants. Tough process it sounds because I have never gone down the route and have no intention of doing it.

As a stop gap while you wait for the HSE to advertise positions have you thought about doing first aid teaching?
As an EMT are you entitled to teach/instruct CFR, OFA or EFR?

sedgley wrote: »

Sorry for the big long rant guys but this is something that has me absolutely fuming :mad:.

It stimulates debate which is not always a bad thing.

paraletic

sedgley wrote: »

I agree that younger people should get some life experience before going into the job, I myself think there should be an age limit of around 23, but I don't think there should be obstacles in the way of a person studying a subject that they aspire to do.
In reality you could argue the same about any school leaver going to college, even doctors, nurses...

i agree that 18 is too young to choose ANY profession,

look at some doctors - very bright and obviously flew the leaving cert, but no people skills, same with some nurses, lots of engineers out there with no spatial awareness too i'm sure, and teachers who aren't cut out for the job.
fortunatly at the moment the D1 licence forces an age limit on candidates.

i feel for the EMTs who paid for the course, as a step towards the ambulance service, only to find no return on their investement. - give it time, if the job is for you, you will get it - eventually
(at least you didn't pay to become an auctioneer - coz those jobs have gone forever!!)

SARBOY

Pre entry into CHC now includes being a PHECC registered Practitioner at EMT level or above.....no up skilling of grades is given apart from regular training and the recent Paramedic upskilling adding LMAs etc. Last year CHC took on HSE Paramedics as winchmen.


Pre entry into CHC is PHECC registered practioner at PARAMEDIC level.

civildefence

SARBOY wrote: »

Pre entry into CHC is PHECC registered practioner at PARAMEDIC level.

In that case they must have changed their requirements since last July as there were several lads from the Air Corps training as EMTs for the sole purpose of applying for CHC.

Hooch

SARBOY wrote: »

Pre entry into CHC is PHECC registered practioner at PARAMEDIC level.

Last time they only took Paramedics

civildefence wrote: »

In that case they must have changed their requirements since last July as there were several lads from the Air Corps training as EMTs for the sole purpose of applying for CHC.

+1 to that.

The requirments were PHECC practitioner EMT and above. However the most qualified were Paramedics and so it was Paramedics that were taken on.

Hooch

maglite wrote: »

NGA to be fair it is basic... There is no way you could compare it to a 4 year apprenticeship, a 3 year cert, 4 year degree or the 2 year paramedic, 5~year AP. In compassion 4 weeks is nothing.

You must take it in context. In the context of first aid, EMT is not basic. EMT is considered a professional grade by PHECC. Hense why they are practitioners. And EMT is not a certificate. It is a National Qualification in Emergency Medical Technology (NQEMT).

As I have said before somewhere in the forum, EMTs are a lower grade. In regard practical skills Paramedic is not far from it, however when it comes to knowledge and experience an EMT is miles below a Paramedic.

In comparason, 5 weeks EMT training is a hell of a lot more than a 1 day CFR, a 3 Day OFA or a 5 day EFR course......

civildefence

So NGA I take it the minimum is still PHECC EMT? But as with any job application the most qualified (paramedics) will be shortlisted first...

Hooch

civildefence wrote: »

So NGA I take it the minimum is still PHECC EMT? But as with any job application the most qualified (paramedics) will be shortlisted first...

That was the last recruitment but can be changed for the next recruitment CHC ireland do. Dont think that will be anytime soon to be honest.

coolmoose

baronflyguy wrote: »

As a stop gap while you wait for the HSE to advertise positions have you thought about doing first aid teaching?
As an EMT are you entitled to teach/instruct CFR, OFA or EFR?

No. You must complete an appropriate CFR/OFA/EFR Instructor training course first. EFR Instructor training is currently limited to PHECC Registered Practitioners (EMT/P/AP).

round baler

dont despair emts. im a paramedic with a private ambo and one of the emts is upskilling on line with a danish company and unlike my own "paramedic" status he will be up to internatonally recognised standards i.e he can intubate, cannulate etc.

as regards the whole getting work thing there is nothing out there. the privates are letting paramedics go at the moment not to mention what work is available for emts.

im going back driving arctics as the money is about the same and the tachographs make sure you get a break.

as an ex hse paramedic all ill say is the grass is always greener....

DubMedic

round baler wrote: »

dont despair emts. im a paramedic with a private ambo and one of the emts is upskilling on line with a danish company and unlike my own "paramedic" status he will be up to internatonally recognised standards i.e he can intubate, cannulate etc.

as regards the whole getting work thing there is nothing out there. the privates are letting paramedics go at the moment not to mention what work is available for emts.

im going back driving arctics as the money is about the same and the tachographs make sure you get a break.

as an ex hse paramedic all ill say is the grass is always greener....

Online with a Danish company? give it a rest mate, that's a load of bs.

Leo Demidov

If Carlsberg did Paramedic upskilling, it would probably be the best online upskilling in the world.

Tango Alpha 51

round baler wrote: »

dont despair emts. im a paramedic with a private ambo and one of the emts is upskilling on line with a danish company and unlike my own "paramedic" status he will be up to internatonally recognised standards i.e he can intubate, cannulate etc.

as regards the whole getting work thing there is nothing out there. the privates are letting paramedics go at the moment not to mention what work is available for emts.

im going back driving arctics as the money is about the same and the tachographs make sure you get a break.

as an ex hse paramedic all ill say is the grass is always greener....

Round baler,
No money in teaching ??????????? ;)

round baler

buzzman wrote: »

Round baler,
No money in teaching ??????????? ;)

buzzman. this boards is really annonymus!ya just driving trucks for the summera certain ambo company is forgetting to pay its casual staff.any emt thinking of training spend 1000 on a flight to vegas and put the remainder on black. you have a 50/50 chance of getting a return on your investement!

round baler

another reason to cheer up emts

a certain private ambo company have staff following other crews into wards to see are they emts or paramedics.

This is how pathetic the whole job has gone...

and i wasent joking about the up skilling in denmark.

Elessar

round baler wrote: »

and i wasent joking about the up skilling in denmark.

You'll have to explain that one.

round baler

i cant name the company because they have a habit of libel. lets just say there seen a lot in dublin, they have a pqr complex on the side!

there are now 7 or 8 private ambo companys and there queuing(literally) for work at hospitals. since a top manager in the hse resigned recently the work is given out in rota. so if you have 30 ambulances or 2 you have an equal chance at a "load"

all trips within the m50 are capped at 100 euro, where as a cork dublin would get you 1200 euro.

therefore if you had 30 ambulances you are in the sh#t on a quiet day.

now rival companies follow each other to see what crews are on.

so if you have 2 emts taking bridey or mary back to the nursing home a staff member from a rival co. follows you and complains to the hse control.

this cant go on forever.

the hse can now cover the work so everybody is f#cked

so go to vegas and put the traning fees on black

round baler

to answer your question ellsar

i posted a reply to the thread to cheer up the emt's that a guy i work with is upskilling in denmark.

everybody got upset and said i was bullsh#tting

hes a nats trained emt and he got his training here recognised so hes upskilling to paramedic in denmark (google it)

i asssume he will have to sit his phecc paramedic exams here then, but the polski brothers dont?

MN_Medic

round baler wrote: »

i cant name the company because they have a habit of libel. lets just say there seen a lot in dublin, they have a pqr complex on the side!

there are now 7 or 8 private ambo companys and there queuing(literally) for work at hospitals. since a top manager in the hse resigned recently the work is given out in rota. so if you have 30 ambulances or 2 you have an equal chance at a "load"

all trips within the m50 are capped at 100 euro, where as a cork dublin would get you 1200 euro. [HTML]You Know This??
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therefore if you had 30 ambulances you are in the sh#t on a quiet day.

now rival companies follow each other to see what crews are on.

so if you have 2 emts taking bridey or mary back to the nursing home a staff member from a rival co. follows you and complains to the hse control.

this cant go on forever.

the hse can now cover the work so everybody is f#cked

so go to vegas and put the traning fees on black

What a load of bollox! As if the crews have nothing better to do!

round baler

mn medic

i work in this game and i have a phecc pin no bellow 6000 so i know what im talking about.

this occurred today (again)

i know the pricing structure of private work as surprise surprise i sometimes price it at work.

civildefence

round baler wrote: »

they have a pqr complex on the side

That wouldn't be a QRS complex would it?

round baler

i stand corrected civil defense!

looks like i gave mn medic a bit of st elevation!

Hooch

round baler wrote: »

i stand corrected civil defense!

looks like i gave mn medic a bit of st elevation!

Your posts are putting me into Asystole...........

Im questioning how a phecc practitioner with a pin under 6000 can forget QRS complex........???

MN_Medic

round baler wrote: »

i stand corrected civil defense!

looks like i gave mn medic a bit of st elevation!

No, more like depression. But don't worry, I know your below 6000 so if I become symptomatic I'll call you. :rolleyes:

civildefence

Quick question slightly off-topic. I have my PIN on a good few PCRs so far, 3 or 4 of which were assisting DFB/HSE with the PTs hospitalised. Will this count towards CPD when it comes in or do I have to retain a copy myself? (i.e. will PHECC have a record of my attendance on file?) Also do practitioners have to do CFR refreshers or are we exempt? Bit hazy on this matter.

Thanks in advance.

sgthighway

civildefence wrote: »

Quick question slightly off-topic. I have my PIN on a good few PCRs so far, 3 or 4 of which were assisting DFB/HSE with the PTs hospitalised. Will this count towards CPD when it comes in or do I have to retain a copy myself? (i.e. will PHECC have a record of my attendance on file?) Also do practitioners have to do CFR refreshers or are we exempt? Bit hazy on this matter.

Thanks in advance.

AFAIK the PCRs you have completed already will not be measurable for any future CPD process because you personally should not have a copy of the ones you done already presuming you send your PCRs back through Civil Defence. I also reckon CD and PHECC randomly audit them.

A lot of people I know keep their own logs for CPD purposes; Date, Patient Description (without name), Injury/Illness and Treatment/CPG/Skill used.

I think its going to be different in the HSE where a Paramedic will have their PCRs reviewed if they want to get onto an Advanced Paramedic course. Before a HSE EMT/Paramedic could sometimes do most of the driving and leave his/her partner in the back treating the patient. In these cases the person who was doing all the driving would not be using certain skills much. The HSE want to ensure the people with the correct experience get on the AP Course.

Did you get a skills log when you did your training?

Elessar

AFAIK the CPD requirements have not been published. Until they are I wouldn't worry too much about it.

sgthighway

Elessar wrote: »

AFAIK the CPD requirements have not been published. Until they are I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I didn't hear anything either hence I think civildefence has nothing to worry about.

Hooch

civildefence wrote: »

Quick question slightly off-topic. I have my PIN on a good few PCRs so far, 3 or 4 of which were assisting DFB/HSE with the PTs hospitalised. Will this count towards CPD when it comes in or do I have to retain a copy myself? (i.e. will PHECC have a record of my attendance on file?) Also do practitioners have to do CFR refreshers or are we exempt? Bit hazy on this matter.

Thanks in advance.

In regards CFR yes you must refresh it once it expires. Tech PHECC can ask for your CFR certificate when you renew your licence. You must maintain this for your licence.

Elessar wrote: »

AFAIK the CPD requirements have not been published. Until they are I wouldn't worry too much about it.

As Elessar says CPD "points" system hasnt been introduced yet but will in the next two years. At EMT level you are required to complete two days CPD. CPD can consist of recognised PHECC course or those given by third level institutes.....IE a CFR course of the courses in pre hospital medicine run by a certain college in Limerick.....if you are on the PHECC register you should have gotten emails in regard this.

PHECC can audit specific members from time to time and it is up to practitioners to prove CPD.....although I havint heard of an audit to date.....but thats not to say they wont.

Just in regards CPD......I rate an EMT on the work they do and how they keep their skills up. IE a joe soap who did the course but has NEVER practiced is a very dangerous person. One who goes to a vol exercise once a year equally so. One who is very active with a vol/ES etc who practice regulary and do some for of personal CPD ie training nights etc is one you can count on. I go by the imortal words of a collegue of mine......Certification does not imply Competence!!!