Was he wrong?

[AJM108]

About two weeks ago we responded to an mva car vs pedestrian.It was said that the car was traveling 60 mph when it hit the victim.
The patient had sustained major injuries and was in traumatic arrest.
The first responders were on scene before our rig and started patient care when our rig arrived which we are a bls corp. one of the emt's that was on the rig is an emt-cc so taken the given sitituation the emt from our rig started running the call as an als call using the equipment from the first responders car.The first responders that were on the scene are emt-d's some of the first responders are als but they have the equipment in the car.Here is where it gets tricky I think in the county protocols for als it states somewhere that you have to be affiliated to an als corp. to practice als this particular emt works for a private company as a emt-cc.

The county said he was wrong and he could have lost his certification but basicly he got a slap on the hand and was told not to do it again.

My question is do you think he was wrong for treating the patient to the full extent of his certification?


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AJM108

[Whip]

I know in CT where I live and work you can work to the level of the service you are responding with. This applies to both EMS and Fire (mainly haz-mat). If you are certified and work as an EMT-P and you respond with your vollie service you can only operate to their level, i.e. BLS or first responder. The same with the fire, if your employed or even trained as a Haz-Mat Tech or Spec, and your service is only an operational service, Ops. is where you stay.

Stay Safe,
Whip

[This message has been edited by Whip (edited November 21, 1999).]

[DED1645]

That is a local protocal issue there. I Jersey you operate in the manor of the level of vehicle you responded in. If you are a medic and you respond as a volley BLS you can't exceed local BLS protocal. We are not permitted to use other squads equipement either. Example if you are defib certified you con not use another squad's defib. That is our local protocal.

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David DeCant
firefighter/NREMT-B
Originally Mantua,NJ
Presently Lindenwold,NJ(I'm not a member of any of this District's dept's.)

[fyrmedik]

I work in Nova Scotia (Canada). We have universial protocols across the entire province. So I can practice within my scope of practice, whether on-duty, or off-duty. In most cases, I am required to do so, by law. So if I am off-duty, and responding to a medical response with my volunteer fire department, and a BLS crew shows up first. I am required to initiate ALS treatment for this patient, until an ALS crew arrives, or accompany the patient to the hospital with the BLS crew. In Nova Scotia, we are paramedics 24/7....on-duty, as well as off.

[AJM108]

That seems like a better way of doing things for the patient in particular they get a higher level of care which I think gives them a better chance .
I don't agree with my county on this one.
I feel if you are trained to an ALS level you should be able to run ALS protocols.

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AJM108
Firefighter\Emt
Ridge Fire Dept.

[Trauma_Dog]

Here in Texas your medical director dictates the level of care you can practice at. Just because you are a paramedic does not mean you can practice as one until you complete protocol training and he signs you off under his standing orders.

Somewhere there is a medical director or director's who writes your protocols. It would be wise the check with them to see what the scope of practice they are willing to let you have and where you can use it. Some will let use them anywhere,some will not, but the moral of the story is to find out in advance.

Kent Simon Paramedic Incharge
MCHD EMS