EMT B, I or P?

[p00psicleSTICK]

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What are some things you can do as an EMT B, I and P?

I was thinking about taking courses to be trained as an EMT B but it seems like as an EMT B, there isn't much to do as you don't get to ride on ambulances and stuff. What do you guys recommend from your own experience?

 

[ShyRem]

EMTB can absolutely ride on ambulances. However, certain agencies may not hire EMTBs for their rigs.

It's been a while since I got my paramedic. But when I got it, you had to be a B before you could apply for the I or P school. Few folks went the I route, most went directly to P. It used to be that you had to work in the field for at least one year and be sponsored by a physician advisor to go to P school - that may not be the case in your area. I know of one girl who went directly to P school through a college, and she was horrible on the street. Stuff you normally learn to do second nature as a B she just didn't even think of because she didn't have the background working experience. Needless to say, she got fired from just about everywhere she worked and her cert eventually got pulled. thank goodness - she was really a disaster.

Start with the B. It's cheaper, shorter, and it'll give you a flavor of what you're getting into.

 

[QuikClot]

Different states and regions are radically different. Oregon v. Maine, rural v. urban agencies. All your questions -- Are there good jobs for Bs?; What can the levels do?, etc. -- are a function of where you live and where you're hired.

Maybe the important thing is that the I and the P are each at least a year of full-time school. If you're heading for med school and you need and EC, a Basic is the way to go (not that I necessarily recommend that). The paramedic certification is overkill -- like getting your RN for work experience.

 

[OSUdoc08]

What are some things you can do as an EMT B, I and P?

I was thinking about taking courses to be trained as an EMT B but it seems like as an EMT B, there isn't much to do as you don't get to ride on ambulances and stuff. What do you guys recommend from your own experience?

EMT-B + basic EMS stuff (bandaging, splinting, O2, ambulance driving)

EMT-I = EMT-B + IV's + Intubation

EMT-P = EMT-I + EKG's + Cardioversion/Defibrillation + Needle Thoracostomy + Needle/Surgical Cricothyrotomy + Medication Administration (all methods/all meds)

 

[OSUdoc08]

What are some things you can do as an EMT B, I and P?

I was thinking about taking courses to be trained as an EMT B but it seems like as an EMT B, there isn't much to do as you don't get to ride on ambulances and stuff. What do you guys recommend from your own experience?

EMT-B's are the ambulance drivers in most cases. Some services have dual paramedic staffed ambulances, but a majority have 1 EMT-B/I and an EMT-P.

 

[p00psicleSTICK]

OSU,

So do you recommend getting a B? The dilema here is that not a lot of places seem to hire EMT-Bs (only Is or Ps), but then it costs too much time and money to get an I. Actually I can't even find a place that offers EMT B training courses in the Atlanta area. Most offer EMT-I/P courses.

 

[OSUdoc08]

OSU,

So do you recommend getting a B? The dilema here is that not a lot of places seem to hire EMT-Bs (only Is or Ps), but then it costs too much time and money to get an I. Actually I can't even find a place that offers EMT B training courses in the Atlanta area. Most offer EMT-I/P courses.

1. Yes I highly recommend getting an EMT-B. I recieved a great amount of experience working as a volunteer AND paid EMT. You will also have the option of working as an ER tech in the hospital.

2. I had my EMT-I and EMT-P training PAID FOR by volunteering 24 hours a month at a volunteer EMS service. This also is useful for earning volunteer hours for your medical school application.

3. It absolutely does not take too much time to take these courses. I completed my EMT-B courses during the month of June only (8a-5p, M-F.) I completed my EMT-I & EMT-P course over 3 semesters (4p-8p, T & TH.)

4. There MUST be EMT-B training courses in the Atlanta area, since becoming an EMT-I or EMT-P carries a prerequisite of being an EMT-B. It is likely that these courses are offered at the same institution that offers I & P. EMT-B training courses can be found at community college, universities, fire departments, EMS services, and private agencies. Contact your local state health department/emergency management agency for more information on specific courses.

 

[Chronic Student]

OSUDoc speaks the truth.

EMT-B: Give 02 and drive like hell!

EMT-I: Add IV's and Intubation and a few meds.

EMT-P: Anything and everything, including managing a code.

I totally agree with him that you can get great experience as a basic. I also got my basic in about four weeks and then volunteered with a local 911 service.

It rocked, I didn't get paid but, I got to see hella good stuff. Everything from traumatic amputations to hangings and DKA. I highly recommend it.

-Mike

 

[krazykarls]

Having just finished paramedic, my .02 cents

Any EMT can ride an ambulance and be useful, while getting an awesome exposure to medicine as it is practiced both in the field and once you get to the hospital. Basic is a good level because the training required is fairly minimal (mostly being able to recognise when you need ALS help) and it gets you all the access you want.

However I think that one of the best and most relavent levels to be at in terms of time spent versus rewardis the Intermediate level. Depending on program, it can be had in one additional semester, It's not "just IV's and intubations." It forces you to start thinking in a real sense about what's going on with your patient. More importantly, that handful of additional skills gives you the ability to manage almost anything short of a full code, which is 80-90% of EMS calls, particularly if you take an extra weekend and get the Basic Trauma Life Support Cert as well).

Becoming a full paramedic is great in terms of learning and working at a fairly high level of care and gaining educational exposure to it, however, having just done it, I can tell you that unless you are riding somewhere at close to full time, you will never use those skills enough to feel confident in them.

 

[ShyRem]

krazy, just wait until you've been a medic for a while. I know 'full-time' medics that haven't used even half the stuff they learned - and I know volunteer *very* part-time medics that are just crap-magnets that get every stinkin' thing in the book. And even after being a medic for a while, there are calls that you never are really comfortable running (kid calls for many medics). And skills you are never really comfortable doing (IOs, crics are common here - I know veteran medics that have never done these skills on a patient).

As for being an I - depends on your system. There are systems in Colorado that don't recognize an I, so you are treated as a B. Also depending on the state, you may have to call in for everything but D50, O2, and narcan.

Basically, OP, it depends on where you are, what access you have to working, and what kind of system you're working in. We can give you all kinds of advice, but unfortunately most of it is pertinent to our particular areas/agencies/protocols. P seems to be out for you based on time, money, and return of investment (using skills and actually learning to be a medic). I would NOT recommend doing the I until you worked as a B for a while (and depending on your system you may not be able to go through I until you've been a B for a while).

 

[DropkickMurphy]

EMT-I varies from state to state, and even service to service in some states. For instance at one service I worked as an EMT-I at I could give 50% dextrose, 25% dextrose, glucagon, atropine, epinephrine 1:1,000 and 1:10,000, albuterol, nitrous oxide, diphenhydramine (Benadryl), lidocaine, naloxone, and thiamine. All but one of those was standing order, no call-in required (the exception being the Benadryl).

40 miles down the road and I could not give half those and I wasn't allowed to intubate....so that should give you some idea of variability.

 

[DreamBig]

I just passed the certification exam here in NC. Not bragging, but I am proud of this mile stone. Paramedic school is what got me on the premed track. Now I have a way to make some extra money while I hack away at this Biology degree. Being a medic is awesome, but I would not recommend doing this unless you plan to use it. It is a huge time commitment. I had to do over 500 hours of clinical on the truck and in the field. Then theres the class time.

 

[jbar]

EMT-B's are the ambulance drivers in most cases. Some services have dual paramedic staffed ambulances, but a majority have 1 EMT-B/I and an EMT-P.

But that is really great experience as an EMT. You get to see all the ALS calls that you would never see on a double EMT car. Yesterday we had a possible CVA at a nursing home. While my paramedic took a history and started an IV, I started the pt on 02, did a 4 lead ECG, did a 12 lead, checked a sugar, and got another set of vitals. Definatly more that just a driver.

jbar

 

[herecomesthesun]

I work in Boulder County, Colorado as an EMT-B...I have an additional IV cert. so I am permitted to start IV's and push D50. My typical duties include 4/12 lead setup, O2, blood glucose check, BLS, bandaging, splinting and lots of vitals. I did my emt course in 2 weeks with an accelerated program...fantastic because it includes the national registry at the very end! PM me for details. Unfortunately ems changes county to county, state to state, so check your local protocols.

 

[45408]

EMT-B's are the ambulance drivers in most cases. Some services have dual paramedic staffed ambulances, but a majority have 1 EMT-B/I and an EMT-P.

All depends on your state. We've got B/B or P/P rigs, although I think the city runs B/P/P rigs where the Basic drives. I'm not a driver because I'm not old enough (you have to be 24 for insurance reasons).

 

[bbas]

Once you are an EMT-B, how long does that certification last for? Do you have to get recertified ater a certain amount of time?

 

[jbar]

Once you are an EMT-B, how long does that certification last for? Do you have to get recertified ater a certain amount of time?

The national cert last for about two years (it expires for everyone in your cycle in March, so if you take the test after March I think you get till the next March, then two years but I'm not positive about that.) So I got my cert in Aug. 2000, and it expired 3/03, after that I had to recert for 3/05, 3/07 etc.
Some of the states are diff. When I got my Colorado EMT it was 3 years from the date my cert was issued.

Hope that helps