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8 Common Misconceptions About EMS

Updated: Jul 2, 2023

There are way more out there but these were the ones I've run into the most.

I've been involved with the Fire and EMS department for a little over a decade now and it amazes me how much people don't know about what we do and what we don't do.


Here are eight things you may have heard about EMTs and Paramedics. Do you recognize any of them?


Myth #1: “I’ll get seen faster if I show up in an ambulance.”


One of the biggest lies ever told outside of the medical community is that an ambulance can get you seen by a doctor faster. The truth is that the triage process is pretty much the same no matter how you get there. Cases like severe allergic reactions, heart attacks, strokes, and gunshot wounds are going to be seen before a toothache or a broken arm. The good news is that often, an ALS crew will be able to start the treatment process for the more common emergencies (things like asthma attacks, allergic reactions, etc.) before arriving at the ER.


Myth #2: “An ambulance is required to take me to the hospital I want.”


Not really. In most cases, the EMT or Paramedic is required to take you to the closest appropriate facility. This is especially true if you are having a true emergency where time becomes a factor. There are only two cases in which an ambulance can transport you to the hospital of your choice:


  1. Your vital signs are normal, you’re fully conscious, alert, and oriented, AND the hospital you want to go to is open to ambulances. OR

  2. If you call a private ambulance.


Myth #3: “The ER Doctor will take care of whatever is wrong with me.”


An ER Doctor’s primary job is to keep you from getting worse and/or dying. That’s it. As an ER doctor, they can solve the immediate problem but it’s on you to follow up with your primary care doctor to keep it from happening again. It’s more expensive to depend on your local ER as primary care. If you’re having trouble communicating with your primary care doctor and you have a serious condition, it may be time to switch doctors.


Myth #4: “First responders can force people to go to the hospital.”


Sigh… no, we can’t. Most states would call that False Imprisonment. For the most part, we cannot take anyone to the hospital without their consent. There are three exceptions to this rule:

  1. The patient has already signed an advance directive that appoints someone else to make medical decisions for them. In Maryland it’s called a Maryland Advance Directive Form.

  2. The patient is in police custody (“Voluntary EPS” does not count) and police are requesting the patient be transported to a hospital.

  3. The patient is unconscious or disoriented.


Myth #5: “Paramedics are not healthcare professionals”


The worst thing you can do is insult a Paramedic by calling them an “Ambulance driver.” Paramedics are the highest level of medical care you can get outside of a hospital or urgent care facility. A Paramedic is a medical clinician that practices under the license of a Medical Director who happens to be a Medical Doctor. Like a doctor, a paramedic’s job is to diagnose and treat emergency conditions. If they can’t do that, then their job becomes buying time for you to get to a hospital to get definitive care.


Myth #6: “An Ambulance will always go to the closest hospital.”


In a perfect world, that would be true. The problem is that sometimes hospitals become overwhelmed with too many patients. As a result, the hospital might remain open to the public, but will become closed to ambulances. When that happens, the EMS crew must divert to the next closest hospital that is open. The other problem is that the most appropriate hospital may not always be the closest. You might be around the corner from an ER, but that ER may not have the necessary personnel or equipment to handle your emergency.


Myth #7: “All hospitals are the same.”


Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that while every ER can do some things (stabilizing patients, treating most non-emergent issues). There are certain types of hospitals for specific conditions. For example, victims of car accidents or gunshots will always go to a Trauma Center. A stroke patient needs to go to a Primary or Comprehensive Stroke Center. A person having a heart attack will need a Cardiac Intervention Center… you get the point, right? Here are some other types of hospitals:

  • Perinatal Centers – Equipped for complicated births and mothers with risky pregnancies. Has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for premature babies.

  • Trauma Centers – Staffed with a trauma doctor, a trauma team, and an operating room for emergency surgeries. Go here if you’ve sustained a major injury or got hit really hard.

  • Burn Centers – Staffed with a team specializing in treating especially large and/or severe burns.

  • Pediatric Centers – Specialize in treating babies and children. They often double as Pediatric Trauma Centers.

  • Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Hospitals – These are hospitals that carry rape kits. Your local police should know where you can find the closest one in your state.

Again, your EMT or Paramedic should know which type of hospital would be most appropriate for the situation.


Myth #8: “EMTs and Paramedics are the same.”


Yeah… no. An EMT-Basic is to a Paramedic what a Boy Scout is to a U.S. Marine. You need at least a year as a licensed EMT-B before you can even apply for paramedic school. In most cases, you need two years to complete paramedic school and obtain national certification. Accelerated courses take an average of 10 months. The reason for this is while the average EMT has access to 8 medications, a Paramedic can give any of over 100 medications to a patient. Paramedics can also do things that doctors are supposed to do… like intubate in case of extreme airway issues or manually shock a patient in a lethal arrhythmia. In extreme situations an EMT might be helpful, but a competent paramedic is your best chance of survival.

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