Is there a shortage of EMTs and paramedics?

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Permalink Reply by asysin2leads on February 5, 2009 at 7:43pm

On the EMT-Basic level, I find the market is flooded with providers, with only a very small percentage qualified to do any actual good. At the paramedic level its better, but with medic mills churning them out, the numbers of providers is still up with the number of good providers still being down.

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Permalink Reply by Tracey Baker on February 5, 2009 at 8:14pm

Not in Florida...an abundance of both! With that is an abundance of schools who are having difficulties meeting the DOT ride time requirements also...Hard for a new school to overcome the reputation many schools have rightfully earned.

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Permalink Reply by Chance Gearheart on February 5, 2009 at 8:18pm

I think in certain demographics, there is a very big shortage of Paramedics. Expecially in smaller suburban areas or rural areas that surround the larger metropolitan areas where the differences in pay are very obvious. Here in Memphis, for example, Memphis and Shelby County suck up Paramedics like a sponge, and leave the smaller counties that may pay ~10,000 a year less than Memphis Fire or Rural/Metro to suffer and compete for Paramedics.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Dunbar on February 5, 2009 at 10:15pm

Erie, PA there is a shortage, not a big one yet, but it is heading that way. The medic classes are not turning out people who can pass the test, the old timers are retiring, wages are poor for the most part, not a lot of local interest for the job anymore.

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Permalink Reply by Skip Kirkwood on February 5, 2009 at 10:24pm

We are pretty much fully staffed (except for the usual "churn" despite having added 14 new positions this year.

Skip

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Permalink Reply by Joe P. on February 5, 2009 at 10:27pm

Is there a shortage of providers or a shortage of providers willing to stay in the field?

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Permalink Reply by TheCannulator on February 6, 2009 at 12:04am

You culd say with the onslaught on young University qualified Graduate Paramedics, we have a shortage of 'good' paramedics, but a glutton of inexprienced.

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Permalink Reply by Joe P. on February 6, 2009 at 12:38am

Is experienced synonymous with good and inexperienced synonymous with bad now? What about how that system will be when those university educated paramedics become experienced?

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Permalink Reply by TheCannulator on February 6, 2009 at 1:01am

For a time yes.

When these university grads become expereinced, they may have finally acquired the maturity for the role as well.

Joe said:

Is experienced synonymous with good and inexperienced synonymous with bad now? What about how that system will be when those university educated paramedics become experienced?

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Permalink Reply by Russell Stine on February 6, 2009 at 1:18am

The city had to pay extra to get so many of us to move here from Ohio, Florida, Alaska, California, etc. and moving was like a step backards in time.

Ohio and Florida have the highest amount of paramedics per capita and you could throw a rock and hit 10 guys with the same qualifications trying to get a job.

Chance Gearheart said:

I think in certain demographics, there is a very big shortage of Paramedics. Expecially in smaller suburban areas or rural areas that surround the larger metropolitan areas where the differences in pay are very obvious. Here in Memphis, for example, Memphis and Shelby County suck up Paramedics like a sponge, and leave the smaller counties that may pay ~10,000 a year less than Memphis Fire or Rural/Metro to suffer and compete for Paramedics.

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Permalink Reply by John W. Magyar on February 6, 2009 at 4:49am

There is a definite shortage in Central Pa., especially for good EMTs. (See Recruitment, Retention & Reimbursement (RR&R) Issues in EMS) in Pa. EMS Providers Group of Jems-Connect. The problems, causes and possible solutions are discussed in that forum.
We have many BLS services in our area experiencing staffing problems. Most have to hire EMTs now where it used to be all volunteer. Problem is our state and federal reimbursement levels are so low that it puts a financial hardship on the remaining vol. services to keep their doors open. Call volumes are increasing; response times are decreasing and some services are wondering just how much longer they will be able to hang on. Increased state and fed. unfunded mandates has also contributed to the manpower shortage problem.
Is there a manpower problem? Has the decrease in EMS personnel adversely affected the rapid delivery of prehospital care in rural communities? Will the continued decline in the availability of EMS personnel be detrimental to the health of our citizens in the United States? Yes, Yes and Yes. Its a no brainer !!!

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Permalink Reply by John W. Magyar on February 6, 2009 at 6:35pm

I agree that there are "good" and "not so good" EMTs and Medics as well as "experienced" and "inexperienced"
ALS & BLS personnel. The source of both seem to be directly proportional to the education they initially received and supervision while on the job. If local instructors are turning out poor quality students and graduating them anyway, then the problem lies with them. If the supervisory employer is not constantly evaluating their staff and taking corrective action when necessary, then the problem falls in their laps.
I think the severe decrease in EMS manpower has caused some additional problems. One seems to be
that some of our training centers may be "churning out" numbers of students but quantity does not equal quality. Its easy to point the finger and blame any number of reasons for the problems we see in EMS today.
We can set the standards for education as high as we want but an AA, BS or MA means nothing if the graduate
isn't really prepared before they are certified by their state. If a graduate is allowed to be certified and is not able to perform the duties of their job, I would conclude that they shouldn't have been certified in the first place. This takes us back to the institution that trained them in the first place and the evaluators who tested them for certification. Should some of the responsibility lie with the instructors and evaluators? What about an employer testing a new employee as to their EMS knowledge and skills prior to hiring? Once hired, is their any excuse for keeping an employee whose knowledge and skills are not adequate?
There are some EMS systems that are better than others. Maybe before we look to the Fed. govt. to set standards or exercise control over EMS, we should look at the source of their education, certifying authority and the employers who allow substandard care to be delivered. Not everyone belongs in EMS, so lets not let the manpower shortage be the driving force behind training and certifying personnel who do not belong in prehospital care.

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