So, I couldn’t resist commenting on one of the trolling Low Information Voter medic groups on Facebook. There was a discussion by some sort of EMT or first responder about automatically applying a non-rebreather mask to a patient with a stroke. This provider got upset for the paramedic removing the mask and called him/her a “paragod.” And since I couldn’t leave well enough alone, I commented. I probably should’ve lowered my snark factor, but that’s not a fault of mine. Rather, it’s a value added option.
So, what is a paragod? From best as I can tell from Central Texas (home of the world’s best BBQ), a paragod is a thoughtless term hurled by Low Information Voter/medics at those medics who they think are “too smart.”
Yep. I’m guilty. I’m educated outside of EMS. The liberal arts and legal education means I’m likely to use critical thinking. I make it a point to attend and participate in continuing education. Continuing education occurs in card course, in-house CE classes at the department, state and national conferences, and yes, online too. I knocked out my National Registry transition course and recertified six months early. I’m the one that a lot of my friends come to when they’re looking for an answer on continuing education. I keep up with the science, because medicine is a science. Science changes and so the medicine changes. Sadly, too many people in EMS (especially at the lower levels of certification) cling bitterly to that which was taught to them in their initial education program and blindly follow the protocol cookbook for the recipe to treat patients. EMS is changing, even (perhaps especially) at the BLS level. If you don’t know about passive oxygenation, CPAP, permissive hypotension, selective spinal motion restriction, pit crew CPR, or oxygen titration to avoid free radicals, you’re already behind the times.
So, here’s the deal. I’m going to continue being what you call a paragod. I’m going to be current on my medicine and the science behind it. You have two choices — evolve or become extinct. That’s science, too.
Until then, I remain your friendly neighborhood paragod. Arrogant? Honestly, no. I’m pretty approachable. I just seem arrogant to the willfully uneducated.
Good points, for the most part, but I see the definition of the term ‘paragod’ a little differently.
Yes, there are those EMT’s who resent their treatment or their assessment being overridden by a medic, but often it is because the medic is providing care based on a greater depth of knowledge. When this is the case, the EMT’s need to put their feelings in their pocket and learn from the experience. But at the same time, their are those medics, usually newer medics, who dress down basics only because it supports their fragile ego more than their superior understanding of the patient’s condition. Riddle me this: how many 20-year medics are considered by their colleagues to be the dreaded “paragod?”
Paramedics should absolutely consider what is best for their patient and provide that care without regard to the EMT’s opinions about them, but at the same time, rookie medics shouldn’t treat basics like crap just to assuage their own insecurities.
Woohoo! I’m a paragod too!!!
Guilty as charged. Although, back in MY day, we were called “Arrogant Paragod Bastards”.
In my reckoning, the “paragod” is the medic who’s off-the-chart cocky and thinks they know all there is to know about prehospital patient care. Sure, the paramedic’s role is to guide the care administered by the EMT. This should be an understood, considering the disparity of education between the two. However, in my experience, the paragod is equalled in their danger to the general public by the paramedic who is overwhelmed by even the simplest of dispatches.
A perfect example occurred to myself a few months ago while I was at church. A petite woman collapsed shortly after the service began. A friend of mine and I picked her up and shuttled her out of the worship center. She ultimately had a simple syncopal episode and as she began regaining consciousness I started asking her simple questions regarding her medical history. Now, I should say that I’ve been a paramedic for eight years. I’m a RN and am now two months away from completing CRNA school. My friend is in CRNA school as well. We were also accompanied by three physicians, though I think one was a dermatologist. (He was probably checking her moles.) As I was speaking with the woman, obtaining some basic medical history, I was literally bulled over by some guy who kept saying, “Everybody back up, I’m a paramedic!” If this fool had just approached and observed the scene, rather than thinking he owned it, he would’ve found that there were people attending the patient trained well-beyond the paramedic level.
As I’m sure everyone who reads this blog would agree, we all desire EMS to be recognized as having a very specific and vital niche in the continuum of care. We want to be seen as highly educated, adaptable, and professional. Competency and staying current with evidence-based practice should be the goal for all medics, but the application of these characteristics should always be made humbly. There is room in the back of the ambulance for confidence, not arrogance, thus I argue this “paragod” has no place in EMS and should not be tolerated.
I completely understand your concerns. The “paragod” of old was definitely all of those bad things. However, there are too many people out there who hurl the “paragod” insult out there the moment a less-informed provider feels threatened. My goal in this blog post is to reclaim the “paragod” title as a badge of honor for those of us who strive to be more than protocol/cookbook medics. No offense intended.
Steve,
To me, those aren’t parag**s, they are just flat out douchbags. But….tomAYto….tomAHto.
The guys you are talking about, are covering for their own insecurities. we do agree though, if you make a change in the EMT’s care, at SOME point, you should take the time to explain why. If the EMT chooses to learn? Awesome. If not? Well, then in my opinion they choose to be ignorant…and CHOOSING to be ignorant is the worst kind.
In the spirit of admitting I have a ‘problem’…
Hi, my name is Mike and I’m a Parag**.
With all due respect, your definition of “paragod” couldn’t be more wrong.
A paragod is typically a new paramedic (less than 3 years typically) who have the attitude that they can do no wrong since they are now a paramedic. They often ignore or belittle EMTs because they aren’t paramedics, despite the fact that they were in their exact position only a short time ago. They are also quick to admonish BLS providers for following their protocols (which may be out of date, based on voodoo, or whatever their medical director or state decided), despite the fact that they know that if they deviate from them they can get in trouble. And if the EMT does deviate from them, they will also be reprimanded by the paramedic, for not following their basic protocols. If you need to put down an EMT (especially in public or in front of a patient or other healthcare providers) to make yourself feel better, than yes, the title of paragod can be bestowed upon you.
I am NOT a paramedic. Just a lowly EMT. I have been doing this for almost 14 years, got my degree, and passed my NREMT exam (which was surprisingly easier than I expected). I keep up with the latest trade magazines, the EMS journals (or the best the industry can come up with), and attend CEU classes (both internal and external, and not just the ones for BLS providers).
And I even attended a national conference, and sat in on several seminars, which made me sad and frustrated because I was able to see where other areas were in how their treat certain emergencies, and if I asked for the same thing here, I would be laughed at by the EMS community here, or told “we can’t deviate from protocols, and if you do, start looking for employment elsewhere.”
Being a paragod has less to do with education, and more to do with attitude.
So before you start lumping all EMTs together, I would hold my education up against most with a bachelors degree, my organic and inorganic chemistry and microbiology education (which was all completed after I finished my degree). But I am still just a lowly EMT.
Dan, you’re NOT that guy and I’d never lump people together if I can avoid it. One of my favorite EMTs has a very similar educational background to yours. If you’re educating yourself above/beyond the minimums, you’re well on the way to paragod status — at least as I’m reclaiming the term.
What we honestly lack is effective Crew Resource Management. All too often I see or hear about deference to authority getting in the way of patient outcomes.
We need to teach providers how to effectively raise questions about the course of a patient’s care, so that nobody gets their pride hurt because somebody asked a question. We also need to teach providers to act like professionals and realize that questions about your care should be the norm rather than the exception. Perhaps my full time industry colors my thoughts on the issue.
I highly recommend reading NASA’s Breaking the Mishap Chain: Human Factors Lessons Learned from Aerospace Accidents and Incidents in Research, Flight Test, and Development.