Re: Paramedic vs Nurse

[Amywman@aol.com]

Interesting discussion..many well stated points.   As a "street" medic as 
well as a flight medic, I function in 2 roles that are many times different 
but have the same title.  One point I would like to make is that this 
discussion is among medics (and RNS) who care about their profession and want 
to make it just that.  There are too many medics out there that do not help 
this cause in their lack of commitment to what they do and need to learn.  
(This also occurs on the RN side).  Not sure if its the chicken or the egg, 
but Id say the majority of paramedics put up with not being seen as the 
professionals we are.  Do they not care because no one else does?  Without 
this the profession will never be standardized to that of the nursing field.  
In the flight environment the medic and RN role is complementary as well as 
interchangable, but in my situation, and Im sure for many the pay is not.  
The educational  and experience level is also very similar   This will not 
change until we to standarize what we do.  In the traditional world of medics 
vs RNs, the two are like apples and oranges.  We provide them  the same basic 
care, but our roles are very different...I take pride in what I do as a 
medic, in that it is different from that of any other.   I could easily 
bridge to become and RN, but frankly I love my role as a medic.  Why should 
we have to become RNs to make the cash? I dont know too many "traditional 
RNS" that would want to do what medics do and vice versa.  I undertand this 
discussion is about the non traditional roles of the two, but standardization 
starts at the grass roots of paramedicine.    

_______________________________________________
Flightmed mailing list
To unsubscribe or change your email address, go to http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/flightmed