EMS Week 2022
If there’s one thing people know about me, it's that I have opinions. So many, in fact, that I write this blog to document my (not) very important opinions. It should come as no surprise to anybody that I have some opinions regarding EMS week. My purely animalistic ape brain LOVES EMS week. Free T-shirt from a hospital system? Amazing. Chick Fil-A in front of the ED? An absolute win for the week. All of these things make me think that hospital systems and employers might care, even just a little bit, about EMS providers. Maybe it’s pessimistic of me, but I have a sneaking suspicion that hospitals and employers may be providing us with a taco truck on Thursday in order to appeal to the masses or save face, maybe even both. Again, I love the free swag and food, huge fan, but sometimes it seems almost like a poorly, tie-dyed T-shirt wrapped apology for the absolute disastrous state that EMS is in. I don’t know about the three of you who read this blog, but my local system is going all out this year. We have all types of food trucks at almost every hospital in the Metro area as well as swag for days in the EMS lounges. It’s awesome… except for the fact it feels so fake.
These facilities that provide a sick food truck on Tuesday or one of those awesome pens with a pen light on one end are the same places that refused to increase nurse wages during the pandemic. The same spots where administrators make decisions that directly affect patient outcomes without ever doing patient care. For our hospital based EMS friends, these same administrators who are stoked for EMS week are the same individuals who refused to increase wages, even when the cost of living has skyrocketed (not to mention the whole pandemic thing, Yay healthcare heroes!) I don’t know. Maybe this is me ranting about a broken system and not enjoying that Chick Fil-A food truck.
But dammit I will enjoy that Chick Fil-A truck! And my fellow EMS workers should too! But at the same time, we need to demand better. Of the system, of our employers and of each other. We need to regain the title of EMS professional. The past few years have absolutely decimated the EMS community. If the National Registry is to be believed we are losing certified EMT’s and Paramedics at an astounding rate. Things need to change, but I don’t know if they will, or if the system will collapse beforehand.
On a more optimistic note, enjoy those food trucks, you earned them.