Austin Travis County EMS hiring Paramedics and paying them as Basics

Fish

Forum Deputy Chief
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I guess experience doesn't count for everything.

No it does not, you have to keep up with the tides of EMS. You can't come in to test and think you've got it made when you have 10years of Experience, not when you spent those ten years not doing anything to retain, gain, and garnish your knowledge and skills.
 

usalsfyre

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Also, a huge number of the paramedics that applied weren't able to pass the basic level skills exams and written exams. I guess experience doesn't count for everything.

If a paramedic can't pass a basic level examination either A)the test was flawed or B)they were crappy medics. A paramedic should be able to perform "BLS" skills as well or better than a basic.
 

Wayne

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If a paramedic can't pass a basic level examination either A)the test was flawed or B)they were crappy medics. A paramedic should be able to perform "BLS" skills as well or better than a basic.

There were plenty of basics, several with no actual work experience, who passed. *shrug*
 

medic417

The Truth Provider
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If a paramedic can't pass a basic level examination either A)the test was flawed or B)they were crappy medics. A paramedic should be able to perform "BLS" skills as well or better than a basic.

There were plenty of basics, several with no actual work experience, who passed. *shrug*

I'm starting to lean towards flawed exam.
 

usalsfyre

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There were plenty of basics, several with no actual work experience, who passed. *shrug*
Then I agree with the other two posters above me, the exam is flawed (which I kind of suspected in the first place). I likely couldn't pass the NREMT-B exam...I just don't think at that level. To penalize someone for being able to think at a better than 8th grade level means you're knocking A LOT of good candidates out.

Anyone else notice a lot of A/TCo defenders around? Similar to a well known northwestern agency perhaps.....:ph34r:
 
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Wayne

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Then I agree with the other two posters above me, the exam is flawed (which I kind of suspected in the first place). I likely couldn't pass the NREMT-B exam...I just don't think at that level. To penalize someone for being able to think at a better than 8th grade level means you're knocking A LOT of good candidates out.

Anyone else notice a lot of A/TCo defenders around? Similar to a well known northwestern agency perhaps.....:ph34r:

Not being a paramedic, I don't exactly understand. Can you give me a example of a BLS question where a paramedic would answer differently than an EMT?

I'm not saying their process isn't flawed- it definitely is. But I don't understand why it's difficult for a paramedic to pass NREMT based written, and two skills (which are known to them, nothing random), especially in a process where you have time to prepare.
 

RocketMedic

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Then I agree with the other two posters above me, the exam is flawed (which I kind of suspected in the first place). I likely couldn't pass the NREMT-B exam...I just don't think at that level. To penalize someone for being able to think at a better than 8th grade level means you're knocking A LOT of good candidates out.

Anyone else notice a lot of A/TCo defenders around? Similar to a well known northwestern agency perhaps.....:ph34r:


EMSA's got the same disease. What have I done moving to Oklahoma?
 
OP
OP
ExpatMedic0

ExpatMedic0

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Sorry to bump an older thread, but google just led me here. I'm in the current hiring process for Austin/Travis County, and from what I've seen, it looks like they're mostly hiring a lot of basics, and paying them better than most basics.

Well I'll be damned, looks like my hypothesis as OP was correct.:blush:
 

usalsfyre

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Not being a paramedic, I don't exactly understand. Can you give me a example of a BLS question where a paramedic would answer differently than an EMT?

I'm not saying their process isn't flawed- it definitely is. But I don't understand why it's difficult for a paramedic to pass NREMT based written, and two skills (which are known to them, nothing random), especially in a process where you have time to prepare.
As a medic, my thought process does not revolve around "high flow O2 and transport rapidly".
 

RocketMedic

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But Kyle, they're high-speed! BLS before ALS! "Paramedics save lives, EMTs save paramedics!!!1" and all that.
 

Fish

Forum Deputy Chief
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As a medic, my thought process does not revolve around "high flow O2 and transport rapidly".

I can dig that, however....... This is a Basic level test, the options don't get much more advanced than that, so a Paramedic should be able to choice the right answer from the options given.
 

Wayne

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I can dig that, however....... This is a Basic level test, the options don't get much more advanced than that, so a Paramedic should be able to choice the right answer from the options given.

That's my thought. There are only a handful of answers that could be right for any question they ask.
 

Bullets

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As a medic, my thought process does not revolve around "high flow O2 and transport rapidly".

technically no BLS agency should think that way any more
 

STXmedic

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But Kyle, they're high-speed! BLS before ALS! "Paramedics save lives, EMTs save paramedics!!!1" and all that.
Fighting the reaper! Doing the same same stuff as a Doctor but at 90MPH!
 

Fox800

Forum Captain
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Mostly call volume. Medics running 20-30 runs consistently on a 24hr shift.

Um...no. Call volume is high, but nothing like that. On my busiest shifts I'd do just under 1 call per hour, on a 12-hour shift. The busiest 24-hour shifts would do 15 or 16.
 

Fox800

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I'm interested in why there is so much turnover, though. I always thought ACTEMS was supposed to be a squared away EMS agency with a lot of career potential.

EDIT: Wow, totally missed PoeticInjustice's reply. 30 calls a shift? That's crazy. That's moving towards Philly or Baltimore crazy<_<.

It is a squared-away place to work, if you can handle the high call volume and management who place a higher emphasis on customer service/satisfaction than the delivery of medicine.

And 30 calls a shift is absolutely false. The most I saw on a busy 24-hour shift was 15 or 16 transports.
 
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