And I Care Why?
Original Post Date:April 06, 2008


Why, I wonder, does the EMS educational system frustrate me so when I'm a part of it? Maybe I hope that I'm different. Maybe I'm afraid that I'm just the same as those I complain about. Maybe, and most likely, I understand that our profession is at a crossroads between where we can go and where we can go back to. It would be terribly easy to return to the days of "treating with diesel" in the back of a Chevy van, and the only thing that stands between us and that inevitable end is broad based improvement in our educational programs.

I'm confounded because I like what I do, and I like doing it at the level I've grown accustomed. Recently, state EMS governing agencies across the country have proposed EMS rules changes that would make all EMS systems statewide work from and use the same protocols, thus taking clinical decision-making away from the local level. There are ulterior motivations at work behind this that don't bear discussion, but one of the biggest motivations for this "generalization" is our demonstrated lack of ability to balance basic care with newer, advanced treatment. Many cutting edge interventions these days require intense education and training to learn the science and application, and our teaching systems continuously fall short of these expectations. Our providers then go out into the field improperly equipped to make the necessary judgments prior to attempting these new treatments and often do them wrong.

I care because, as educators, I honestly feel like we hold the future of the business in our hands, and our students are asking for it. It is up to us to give them everything they need, not just what we think they want.