Emergency Medical Services has developed throughout the years. These services have been developed by regulations and policies set by both the federal and state government. The involvement of these governments has made the system effective and has also led to some differences in some aspects. Most of the policies are similar across the nation, but there are some slight differences experienced from one state to another. Licensing is one essential factor that applies throughout all states and has been highly emphasized by the Californian government. Legal regulations and policies play a central role in the management and success of EMS in the country, and hence should be implemented appropriately.
There are some basic rules which apply in EMS in California. One common fact that has been discovered in this course is licensing. It is mandatory for all EMS personnel and equipment to be licensed. Licensing is usually issued by the associated bodies which run the whole system. Operating without a license is considered a criminal offense punishable by law. Secondly, a licensed ambulance service is required to report to the board of conduct regularly through an emergency medical responder. This opportunity is given for any misconduct or violation of law to be reported by the involved people. The grounds of doing this are stipulated in the violations of Minnesota policy chapter 144E (Gebbie & Merrill, 2012). This rule explains the action that needs to be taken to individuals who go contrary to their signed document. Violation of this policy can lead to imprisonment and retrieval of license. The law provides individuals with the chance of defending themselves before a verdict is made based on the provided case.
There have been various complaints regarding some of the services offered by EMS. It is through these cases that new policies and additional have been made in this department. The transformation though slow has been enhanced by a visible critic in this area. Strict adherence to related articles and regulations in the constitution has given a clear framework of what is expected in this department. The policy on maltreatment of patients has greatly improved the type of care that is given. Currently, it is mandatory for all EMS personnel to give quick assisted to patients regardless of their race, gender or ethnic group. It is the constitutional right of all American citizens to receive effective and fast treatment. Another case that it is an offense is for any EMS personnel to violate any federal or state control law (Markenson & Redlener, 2014). As explained earlier, there are laws which govern this department. Failure to adhere to both federal and state laws is a criminal offense as it shows lack of work discipline and ethics. The laws are set to provide guidelines of what is expected and the codes of conduct in the department. In case of an offense committed by personal, it is illegal for the offender to refuse to respond to the given punishment. If a subject is in denial and refuses to be disciplined or blocks the judgment to be taken on another offender jurisdiction is taken by the regulatory authority.
Sexual harassment is another act that is punishable by law. It is mandatory for individuals to report any type of sexual harassment or misconduct in this department. Sexual harassment involves both verbal and physical actions that are demeaning to a patient. In case of such incidents, patients and other personnel are required to report to the board and necessary actions are taken. It is good that the system has been made more visible to enhance such actions to be discovered within a short time (Wisniewski, Dennik, & Peltier, 2010). The law has steadily improved the working system to enhance the stability of all actions.
It is evident that a lot of recommendations, legal regulations and policies have been developed to make EMS department in California effective and efficient. The regulations have instilled a lot of fear and stirred personnel in this department. Apart from the set regulations, I think some recommendations would make the system more effective. To start with, I think the training of medical personnel should be enhanced to facilitate work delivery when on duty. I believe that through effective training, personnel will be equipped with the acquired knowledge and work according to the job description. The training curriculum should be made more detailed to achieve the desired result. This should involve a lot of practical lessons. Even though the current training focuses on both theoretical and practical components, I think the sessions should be made more involving. The grading criteria should be done in a manner that the underperforming students are not located attachment places. Apart from this, I also recommend for background search to be done for all people interested in doing this job. Science shows that past experiences may alter the current behavior of individuals. With this information, it is valuable for the board to invest time in finding out a little bit more on the people selected for this job. Recruitment should be based more on willingness rather than employment.
- Gebbie, K., & Merrill, J. (2012). Public Health Worker Competencies for Emergency Response. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 73-81.
- Markenson, D., & Redlener, C. I. (2014). Preparing Health Professionals Students for Terrorisms, Disaster, and Public Health Emergencies: Core Competencies. Academic Medicine.
- Wisniewski, R., Dennik, C. G., & Peltier, J. W. (2010). Emergency Preparedness Competencies: Assessing Nurses’ Educational Needs. Journal of Nursing Administration, 475-480.