Viral NREMT screenshot supports EMS staffing doom and gloom … but it was wrong
Summary
The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians responded to a widely circulated social media post on Thursday about the number of currently certified EMTs and paramedics in the United States. The combination of burnout, rising call volume and hospital bed delays, along with poor pay in many areas, in the midst of a pandemic has proven catastrophic for EMS agencies, regardless of their service model. Here are five questions for every EMS agency to answer: • How is your organization’s data – staffing levels, response times, cardiac arrest survival, ketamine usage, immunization rates, etc. Finally, the NREMT’s statement noted 2021 certifications have been removed from their website and won’t be released until the end of year in the organization’s annual report. Visit NREMT.org/maps for national registry data, including the number of NREMT personnel by state and past year annual reports.