Emt-o?

[clinicallydead44]

Maybe it's just a Virginia thing but we have a new level of training here. It's the EMT-Optional, which is a bridge between EMT-B and EMT-E (which most states probably don't have either?). Is anyone that familiar with it? There is no state test or anything for it but I'm interesting in taking the class and I'm just wondering what exactly will be covered. What people have been saying is that with this class you can actually administer medications instead of "assisting" with them, and there are a few more medications to deal with. So yeah, is this just a Virginia thing or do other states have this new level as well?

 

[bstone]

Optional?

Why not just use Intermediate?

 

[Ridryder911]

Another B.S. title. We need to stop immitating having "Paramedics" and stop comparing all titles to the medic levels.

If there is no "state test" then it is a dangerous thing! Administering medications without proper certification or license is only asking for trouble. Why not do the right thing and go to school and actually obtain an education and then do it the right way?

No telling what other titles we can come up with. Nothing but excuses!

R/r 911

 

[Guardian]

what happens when we run out of letters, are we going to numbers because we can't run out of them. Maybe we'll go to chinese symbols or egyptian hieroglyphics. You came here to get opinions and I have a surplus of them. Don't take offense to this, take it for what it's worth. I think emt-o is the stupidest thing I've heard in a while. I think you need better and smarter leaders in your ems community. I think emt-e is stupid and emt-o is borderline idiotic, for reasons we've already been over many times on this site.

 

[clinicallydead44]

Mmm, now that I've heard everyone's opinions I understand where you're all coming from. && I'm sorry that this has been discussed before? I'm new (obviously hehe) and while browsing the boards I didn't notice anything like this so I apologize? But yeah, it's not really my EMS community it's a state of VA class, if I understood right. But thanks for everyone's opinion, I see where people that oppose this class are coming from now.

 

[Alexakat]

I practice in the lovely, completely confusing Commonwealth of Virginia, but I haven't heard about this yet...

 

[Raf]

Too many levels makes it more complicated than it needs to be.

In MA, EMT-0 (zero, not O) is also used for a First Responder.

EMT-1 = EMT-B
2/3 are Intermediates

EMT-4 = EMT-P

 

[MMiz]

Come on now folks, EMT-O comes after EMT-EIEI

I apologize for the horribly cheesy joke. It's amazing what individual states are able to create

 

[Alexakat]

LOL, Miz!

Virginia can be so pompous & bass-ackwards -- always trying to be something different or more complicated...

 

[PPB8881]

In california the only difference between an emt 2 and a paramedic is morphine and versid i know i spelled that wrong. Emt's here have been around alot longer than medic's in tahama county emt 2's are aloud to do whatever
the base hospital will let them do because 90% of the county in in the boondoc's. I personally think alot of medic's are overrated, my father started
in the business in 1963 as an advanced first aide tech and then bought Lake
Tahoe Ambulance in 1970 became an EMT-1 then in 1981 became an EMT- 2
We hired our first paramedic in 1990 out of daniel Freeman paramedic school
and that guy spent the first year asking my dad what to do in most situations. California is doing a statewide audit of all the paramedic licenses
due to 205 know fraud cases. So if it seems like i'm down on medic's i sorta'
am. California EMSA is thinking about bringing back the EMT statewide,
I think they should. I don't know about the rest of the USA i just know about
CALLLLLLIFOOORRRRRIA

 

[RichmondMedik]

Maybe it's just a Virginia thing but we have a new level of training here. It's the EMT-Optional, which is a bridge between EMT-B and EMT-E (which most states probably don't have either?). Is anyone that familiar with it? There is no state test or anything for it but I'm interesting in taking the class and I'm just wondering what exactly will be covered. What people have been saying is that with this class you can actually administer medications instead of "assisting" with them, and there are a few more medications to deal with. So yeah, is this just a Virginia thing or do other states have this new level as well?

can't find anything about optional on the state website -- you sure someone is not just pulling you leg and feeding you a bunch of B.S. --you can always check with Greg or Warren at the state office and they will give you a straight answer