Re: paramedicine and RN bridging

["Jeff Brosius" <reno316@hotmail.com>]

I'm only going to chime in on this ONE time... It might not be exciting 
reading (probable)... it might offend (possible)... it might enlighten 
(unlikey)...

Paramedics are paramedics.  Nurses are nurses.  They are TWO SEPERATE 
PROFESSSIONS!  They are not... again, NOT... the same job.

Paramedics have a job:  To keep a living patient alive long enough to get 
the aforementioned patient to others who can continue to keep the 
aforementioned patient alive by using more advanced interventions (i.e. 
PTCA, Surgery, etc.)  The medic also has an obligation to interact with the 
local community to promote good health and safety.  They also (typically) 
get some extra perks... working outdoors, away from the confines of four 
walls and flourescent lights comes to mind.  Medics got their start in the 
ERs for a variety of reasons, but one of those aforementioned reasons is "to 
promote a greater sense of teamwork, by furthering the paramedic's knowledge 
of in-hospital treatment and operations." (From the P&P manual of a local ER 
that uses medics in the ER.)  Medics get to do medical care, treatment, and 
interventions.  They also get to do social service work, traffic control, 
hazardous material response, public relations, and a host of other duties.

Nurses have a job:  They provide and assist in the provision of medical care 
to patients long enough to get the aforementioned (that's the word of the 
day, folks...) patient to people who can continue to promote the 
aforementioned patients' health with other means (i.e. discharge, rehab, 
etc.)  The nurse has an obligation to promote health and safety in the 
community.  They also get some extra perks:  They (typically) get some extra 
perks: warm, dry environments, extra assistance close at hand, greater 
career options.  Nurses got involved in pre-hospital care early (wartime 
ops) but seemed to phase out a bit when paramedics were introduced.  They 
have since made a resurgence in prehospital care, for a variety of 
reasons... one of which is "to promote a greater sense of teamwork, by 
furthering the nurse's knowledge of pre-hospital treatment and operations." 
(from the P&P manual of a critical care ground transport service in 
Georgia.)

The ultimate goal of each profession is the same:  Help people when they 
need it.

Funny, though... Police officers have the same goal.  So do firefighters.  
So do US Military Soldiers (God Bless these folks, eh?)  So do 
waiters/waitresses.  So do wilderness rescue teams.

Hey!  I've an incredible idea... let's compare medics to Army grunts, and 
nurses to Wilderness Rescue Specialists!  After all, we're all in it for the 
same reason, right?  They help, we help, everyone helps.  I've been a 
bartender, Mexican cook, EMT, Paramedic, Flight Medic, and have fairly 
exhaustive knowledge about rope rescue systems... I get the biggest piece of 
cake, right?

OK, OK... I got a little sarcastic there.  The point, though, is that while 
SOME skills may overlap both the nursing and paramedical profession, they 
are NOT the same job.  Never have been.  Never will be.  Never SHOULD be.

So why do they conflict and compliment each other so well, you ask?  
Actually, I'm glad you asked.  The point is just that... Take a solid medic 
and a sharp nurse, drop the egos and attitudes, and you've just created the 
strongest team of medical providers possible (*when you factor in the cost, 
prohibitive factors, logistic issues, etc.*)  Damn little that team can't 
handle in the immediate setting.  The complimentary nature of such a team is 
awesome, if it is approached correctly by ALL parties.  The conflict will be 
inevitable, but if used for constructive criticism, it can improve each 
person, and hence the team.

Next time you medics think (or mumble to your partner under your breath) 
"Those nurses have no idea what we go through," ask thyself this: Do you 
really understand what THEY go thru?  Nurses, the same applies to you.  One 
of the charge nurses at Atlanta's Level I ER rode a shift on the ambulance 
Friday night.  She got to see a whole new world... one she hadn't 
appreciated.  In turn, I gotta spend a shift in the ER... I've no doubt I'll 
be as equally enlightened.

They're different jobs, folks.  Get on with your lives, and let's end this 
stupid argument.

------------
JRB

Jeff Brosius,
Ground Paramedic, Flight Paramedic, Certified Athletic Trainer, AMGA Guide, 
Ambulance Driver, Cot Jockey, and General Trouble Maker, etc.
Atlanta, GA
www.prehospitalperspective.com
brosius@prehospitalperspective.com
"The essence of true friendship is to make allowances for another's little 
lapses."
-- David Storey





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