Hospital-based paramedics

[RescueTrash]

Just curious how your systems work? Things like schedules, do you respond from the hospital or stage in a unit, do you work in the hospital when not on calls, do you function as medics in the hospital? In my area ALS is fire-based and hospitals only allow you to function as a basic, so the system is totally foreign to me.

[hageremtp]

Yes, hospital based EMS. I am there! I work for a rural ALS intercept service that is hospital based. We work in our own office, not attached to the hospital but on the same lot as them. We are around to do our job first (911 calls and transfers) and then what ever is needed in house. Usually end up in the ER a couple times a month to assist with things there. But mostly just off on our own! If a code comes in or something along those line, we respond to that...where we usually play a huge roll in it! And yes we do practice as medics even in house!

[latigo]

There, we function in the ER the same as an RN/LPN whatever, up to our scope of practice. I am an I, so I can assist a lot, and initiate IVs. In the small hospital that I am affiliated with, the Paramedic also does RT on the floor when RT isn't there. We fill in everywhere, but it is a pretty slow service, so it works well. We do most of the IV's for the floor nurses, and many for radiology. We also do a lot of the lab work on nights and weekends when lab isn't there. I love this place because of the combination of things we do for the patients and co-workers. We do most of the EKG's as well.
I had another P/T gig with another hospital based service, and that was quite a bit different. They were bigger, and as such, we didn't do as much for the rest of the hospital. We would sometimes go up to the floor, and help in the ER some, but not like at the one I am still with. It felt like there was a little wall up, that you might be bored silly, and the ER really smokin', but you didn't go over there unless asked. You would be stepping on too many toes. Ahhhh, the joys of politics in Medicine!! :twisted:

[IAMedic]

We function as Respiratory Technicians/ER Technicians as well as our scope of practice as Paramedics. One of my PT gigs has 6a-6p and 6a-6p shifts. Another one has 8, 12 & 24-hour shifts. We share the same office space, near the ER.

My full-time gig, I come into work anywhere between 7-8a and leave around 4-5p M-F with some on-call hours. My new FT job is as a Respiratory Technican/Paramedic. My primary supervisor is a Certified Respiratory Therapist, until there is an ambulance call. RT is the primary responder for all Emergencies in the Hospital. Whether it is a Neonate Resuscitation, Code on the floor or ER Emergencies. With any of these gigs, only 1 of you working has to be a Paramedic.

[emmit233]

Here we function as ER techs as well as IV, EKG, OB techs. The only dept. we do not respond to is surgery. Our 1st responsibility is EMS then ER after that it is up to us or the house superviser. We respond anywhere in house for any type emergency from a crash C-section to Code Blues. I start IV's and draw blood all over the hosp. as well. Here Basics are trained to started IV's and do blood draws in house only. Once they get out on the truck then it is up to me... :roll: :) I enjoy the continuity of care from the feild to the Med/Surg floor or ICU.