EMS Outside Agitator has assured us his proverbial grave roll has been greatly exaggerated, even though it was just proverbial. Whether Russ realizes it or not, most of what he is saying are not only things that I agree with, but things I’ve opined about:
- I agree that we need to be the ones to tell our own story.
- I agree that it is important to understand the perception others have of us in order to be able to redefine it.
- I agree that language is important in branding, but I think what say to each other is important as well.
I understand the difference between correcting the public’s perception of us versus correcting someone when they call me “Ambulance Driver“. As the above posts show, I’m for trying to correct their perception… hence why I’m okay when someone does call me “Ambulance Driver” because I know that going into a rant or a tirade about how I’m “NOT An Ambulance Driver” is about effective as blowing against hurricane speed winds to get the sailboat to go the other way. Ultimately I think this problem is because we continue to have our own identity crisis, and until we solve that problem the rest will continue to linger as well.
Russ also brings in a few other things which I feel the need to address:
And, by the way, how many agencies do you know that actually train their medics how to drive an ambulance? It isn’t even in the curricula. Sorry, but I’ll continue to wince at the term.
I actually know quite a few agencies that do just this. For that matter, I belong to two that do and am an instructor/trainer for driving the ambulance at both. The real question you have to ask is why isn’t it being taught in school? As I’ve already pointed out, we’ve seen how the medical focus has diverted the training attention so that Medics die every year from totally preventable accidents. This is why many agencies take precious training dollars and invest it in basic training for their new responders… so they don’t die.
It’s true, a couple of British medics couldn’t read a map so the issue of whether or not they’re paramedics is moot; they couldn’t even be decent hacks! Their failure was in one aspect of delivering the service. It was critical and defined the efficacy of everything else they could offer under those circumstances, but isn’t our job juggling many different things to make a difference in people’s lives?
They failed as professionals because professionals must deal with and master each and every aspect of the things they’re trained to do.
But what if they weren’t trained! Oh, maybe they were trained to use the Sat Nav… that failed! So they failed as professionals because their education failed to train them to be professionals in all aspects of their profession. Their failure was indeed critical and, although only one aspect of the job, defined the entire performance therefore making it a VITAL aspect.
And transportation, though once the definitive aspect of Emergency Medical Services, is simply no longer the “most VITAL aspect of it.”.
Actually, yes it is. For that matter, Russ even acknowledges this when he writes:
Oh, but I almost forgot; I’m dreaming! We still only have one place to bring patients and we haven’t established educational standards high enough to grant us credibility when we ask to design Emergent Medical Systems that work for the people AND us.
Therefore, transportation is still a VITAL aspect of this profession. Now this may not be true of that in the future when EMS eventually evolves through programs like Community Paramedicine and add destinations such as Urgent Care Clinics, but those programs require a change the the “fee for service” model that really equates to “fee for transportation”. Unfortunately, we are still far away from that model. Not as far as we were in 1975, but far enough that it may seem unattainable.
Is it unattainable?
I’m a strong believer that nothing’s impossible… impossible just takes a little longer. We can help it by:
- Understand how we are perceived so we can change it
- Deciding what to call ourselves by the public AND amongst ourselves
- Be prepared to tell our own story to change that perception
- Do it while remaining a professional caregiver* regardless of what we are called in the mean time
Sound familiar? I sure hope so…
* Obligatory EMS Blogfather Kelly Grayson link since no “Ambulance Driver” post should be without one
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