How do you receive your continued education?

[Sophie]

Sorry everyone. I initially posted this in another section.

I am a paramedic working in the mid-west. I have been in EMS over 21 years and a paramedic now for 19. I love my job but took a different position 3 years ago and feel my ALS education and training is suffering. Not just for me but our entire department.

I am an instructor (ACLS, BLS, PALS, PEPP, PHTLS, Primary Instructor) but do not instruct for my new employment as this is primarily our EMS Division Chief's job, who I might add does not hold any instructorships.

How do you receive your training where you work? Who is teaching? Do you have an EMS Division Chief and EMS Training Officer? Is this a seperate position or one of the same? If so, can you tell me a little about both positions within your organization. We are in the process of reorganizing and would like some input from other services.

Thanks!

 

[Sophie]

Bump. No one is training? No ideas?

 

[ffemt8978]

We have a state mandated program called OTEP that our regional EMS council instructs. In addition, we do some in house training and some on-line training.

 

[Ridryder911]

I am in a similar predicament as you. At this time, I am the primary educator at my service, but unsure for how long. We have an supervisor that is responsible for CEU's, but I teach?.. As you can understand the confusion and like many other EMS, internal politics is going now, as I type.

Like your predicament this Supv. holds no cert.'s to teach (hence, the reason I teach and use my credentials) albeit they obtain the credit ( they are awaiting to get into instructor level courses). So yes, it can be confusing and frustrating. I teach all the alphabet soup courses, and save the adm. butt loads of money, which in IMHO is not very appreciated.

Each crew (3) has FTO's and are responsible for some of the CEU's, but their main responsibility is orientation, etc.

Personally, I go to conferences and speak, and at the same time, attempt to obtain some up-dates. Currently, I am in NP school, so obtaining new information and performing research, I feel up to date.

Good luck in your predicament!
R/r 911

 

[BossyCow]

I am in a similar predicament as you. At this time, I am the primary educator at my service, but unsure for how long. We have an supervisor that is responsible for CEU's, but I teach?.. As you can understand the confusion and like many other EMS, internal politics is going now, as I type.

Like your predicament this Supv. holds no cert.'s to teach (hence, the reason I teach and use my credentials) albeit they obtain the credit ( they are awaiting to get into instructor level courses). So yes, it can be confusing and frustrating. I teach all the alphabet soup courses, and save the adm. butt loads of money, which in IMHO is not very appreciated.

Each crew (3) has FTO's and are responsible for some of the CEU's, but their main responsibility is orientation, etc.

Personally, I go to conferences and speak, and at the same time, attempt to obtain some up-dates. Currently, I am in NP school, so obtaining new information and performing research, I feel up to date.

Good luck in your predicament!
R/r 911

Same here Rid. I am the instructor and the only one in my department with any instructor credentials at all. However, the medical officer is the one supposedly 'in charge' and she is bordering on incompetent. No.. I'm sorry, in any other system she would not be allowed anywhere near either a pt or a student.

She feels that I don't respect her and I have no idea where she would have gotten that impression . So she repeatedly attempts to get others to teach in my place. She asked me one time how to get her daughter certified the same as way so she could teach too. I just started listing my credentials and the hours and hours I've spent learning my craft. Teaching is an art. Not all who have knowledge have the ability to pass that knowledge on to others. Being a good medic doesn't make you a good teacher.

My biggest gripe is the new trend towards online OTEPS. I have yet to hear a good explanation of how a computer program can see the Aha light go on in a student's eyes, or pick up on the confusion that signals the need for more clarification. Instead it sort of tosses the information at the student repeatedly hoping that eventually some of it sticks.