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Tag: diversity

EMS Profiles | Meet Jarlicia Islandriana Scott

Written by Amanda Riordan on September 29, 2023. Posted in EMS Profiles.

Jarlicia Islandriana Scott
Paramedic
Pafford Emergency Medical Services
Clarksdale, MS

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How did you come to be in EMS?

I found myself searching for a career in the healthcare field and discovered a local EMT training program. I didn’t know much about EMS at the time I applied. As I got deeper into it, I became more and more interested.  I enrolled in the Paramedic program to further my career and continue my education.

What do you love about working in EMS?

What I love about working in EMS is the thrill and the excitement—the whole experience. I love the fact that I can tell people outside of the profession that I’m a Paramedic.

Do you have any advice for someone considering becoming an EMT or Paramedic?

Treat each and every patient as if they were your family member.

Anything else you’d like to say?

EMS is a fun and challenging career. It has its moments but every call makes you greater. My primary goal is to provide patients with excellent pre-hospital care.

EMS Profiles | Meet Jameson Fernandez

Written by Amanda Riordan on September 23, 2023. Posted in EMS Profiles.

Jameson Fernandez
Emergency Medical Technician
Cataldo Ambulance
Somerville, Massachusetts

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How did you come to be in EMS?

The light and sirens going by first caught my attention as a young child. That love only grew as I got older. I would watch and ask for all things that had to do with first responding. I loved it all, and imagined serving as police, fire or EMS when I got older. Over time during these growing years I eliminated fire and law enforcement as just not for me. EMS was the winner across the board.

I found myself at the age where I asked, ‘Self, what do you want to do?’ and, ‘What is the career of my dreams?’

The answer was EMS.

What do you love about working in EMS?

What I love about EMS is there is literally never a dull moment! Nothing day is the same, no call will ever be the same. EMS and standing orders are always evolving and trending up. We are always there when you need us.

Do you have any advice for someone considering becoming an EMT or Paramedic?

My advice is to go for it! Buckle up and enjoy one of the most rewarding career paths that can simply not be duplicated in other professions.

I recommend EMS for the skillset development. It hits such a wide variety of life lessons in just one shift. As an EMT, you’ll see the do’s and don’ts to life as a whole, and it gives you the ability to help people from the community.

You are continually educated and truly the sky is the limit in emergency medical services. Being an EMT opens so many doors in so many directions in the medical field. You can start EMS like me from fleet maintenance, where I learned about the vehicles, to a chair car, to communications and dispatch, to the road as an emergency first responder, and then on to an EMT certification. The future is full of next steps, and I’ve already done a lot. You can even get your advanced EMT, then your Paramedic then do a bridge program and go into nursing. The possibilities are endless and attainable.

Anything else you’d like to say?

EMS is the way to go. Get started!

EEOC Weighs in on SCOTUS Decision On Affirmative Action Programs in Education

Written by Scott Moore on July 5, 2023. Posted in Human Resources, Judicial, Member-Only.

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HHS OCR Settlement in FL to Improve Access to Care for Communities of Color

Written by Scott Moore on March 10, 2023. Posted in Human Resources, Regulatory.

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CMS Webinar on Addressing Healthcare Inequities

Written by Amanda Riordan on January 18, 2023. Posted in Regulatory.

From: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Date: January 18, 2023 at 8:01:13 AM EST

CMS Logo
Measure Development Education
& Outreach Series Announcement

2023 CMS MMS Public Webinars

From Data to Action: How CMS and its Stakeholders are Addressing

Inequities in Healthcare

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased to invite the public to attend the upcoming webinar “From Data to Action: How CMS and its Stakeholders are

Addressing Inequities in Healthcare.” Join us for a discussion of the CMS Health Equity Framework and how key stakeholders are leveraging changes in data science and quality measurement to drive progress toward more equitable care for all.

  • Tuesday, February 28, 2023, from 3 – 4:00 p.m. (ET) (Register here)
  • Wednesday, March 8, 2023, from 12 – 1:00 p.m. (ET) (Register here)

Have questions? Please contact MMSSupport@battelle.org.

Contact MMS Support
Have questions about the Measure Management process? We’re here to help!
CONTACT SUPPORT
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SAVVIK Foundation Study on Diversity in EMS

Written by AAA Staff on November 1, 2022. Posted in AAA HQ, Human Resources, Recruitment & Retention.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the emergency medical service community.

Delaware State University has teamed with the Savvik Foundation, a non-profit representing
emergency medical service (EMS) to assess equity within the EMS profession. We have created a tool to assess equity in the EMS profession.

Participants will be eligible to receive a $20 Amazon gift card upon completion of this survey. This information is confidential and anonymous. We will not be using your name in any publications regarding this process.

By responding to the questions, you are permitting us to use this information to guide
our recommendations and share our findings in articles.

If you have any questions regarding your participation in this study please contact the
principal investigator, Dr. Knolan Rawlins, at krawlins@desu.edu or Ms. Chanel Haman in
the Office of Sponsored Programs at 302.857.6834 or chaman@desu.edu.

Thank you,
Dr. Knolan Rawlins

Participate In Survey

NY | All-Female Jewish Paramedic Service Has License to Operate

Written by AAA Staff on August 20, 2020. Posted in Digest State News, News, Press.

From NY1.com

After Lengthy Fight, All-Female Jewish Paramedic Service Has License to Operate

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – After a battle of several years, a group of all-female Jewish paramedics can finally operate their own ambulance service.

Continue Reading►

AAA Seeks Perspectives on EMS Diversity & Inclusion

Written by Amanda Riordan on June 22, 2020. Posted in AAA HQ, Human Resources.

As the demographics of our nation change, it becomes ever more essential  for  emergency medical services to foster a  diverse and inclusive workplace more representative of the communities that we serve. To support this mission, the American Ambulance Association seeks tips, ideas, and perspectives from our membership on best practices for attracting, recruiting, and retaining the EMS workforce of tomorrow.

For this project, we are using the word “diversity” to refer to characteristics including—but not limited to—race, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic class, disability, and/or age.

While we are truly appreciative of all responses, AAA especially welcomes the perspectives of those who are themselves members of groups historically less represented in the EMS  workforce.

If you would like to contribute your thoughts to this project, please complete our short form below.  You do not need to disclose your identity if you do not wish to do so.

 

Spotlight: Desiree Partain, Medstar Mobile Healthcare

Written by AAA Staff on August 27, 2019. Posted in Spotlight.

Desiree Partain
Mobile Integrated Healthcare Manager
Medstar Mobile Healthcare
Fort Worth, Texas

Other Titles & Roles

MIH Manager at Large, IBSC, NAEMT member

Tell us a little about yourself.

Born and raised in sunny San Diego, California. I have a military ( marine grandfather and navy grandfather, brother, and nephew) and first responder (law enforcement mother) family background. Days were spent in the water, whether it was our backyard pool or the beach. My parents instilled a strong work ethic in me at a young age that began as the neighborhood babysitter, to various positions at assisted living facilities and finally in EMS. I learned to take pride in the things I had and my work, whether it was completing a household chore, a writing assignment at school, or the vehicles I owned.

Your history with EMS

My mother was a police officer in the town I was raised in so the police and fire department was often my home away from home. I can remember being so fascinated with the ambulance and in admiration of the paramedics when I would go to visit. I told my parents when I was little that when I grew up, I would become a paramedic. After graduating high school, I began the series of classes to obtain my EMT. When 9/11 occurred, I remember sitting in my advanced first responder class that day and knowing that I had made the best decision to be apart of the first responder industry. I got EMT certification in 2002 and my first EMS job that same year. I began the paramedic academy in 2005 where I was the academy leader and valedictorian. I received my paramedic certification and began working on the ambulance in 2006. I was also working for an air ambulance company and an adjunct instructor. In 2009, I moved to Fort Worth, Texas to gain further experience on the ambulance. I took a critical care course in 2010 and began working as a critical care/mobile health paramedic in 2011. I obtained my Bachelors in Health and Human Services in 2013 and began a quality assurance/training coordinator position specific for mobile integrated healthcare in 2014. In 2015 I began working as the MIH Manager where I obtain my CCP-C and CP-C certification and completed my Masters in Healthcare Administration in 2018.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love people and being able to help someone who may be having one of the worst days of their life. I view my position in EMS as more of an opportunity to be a life changer than a life saver. Being in management, my position is to lead other life changers. On the mobile integrated healthcare and critical care side, I love being a part of the innovation and out-of-the-box thinking. It’s great to be able to come to work and be in an environment that embraces change rather than the status quo of “we’ve always done it that way” type of thinking.

What is your biggest professional challenge?

Staying current. EMS and healthcare is in a constant state of change and with those changes comes new processes, protocols, and general information that need to be learned. Remaining current with the changes on top of daily responsibilities can be a challenging balancing act.

What is your typical day like?

Working in the administrative side of EMS, a typical day often involves multiple meetings either on or off site. I generally allow myself some time in the morning to go over my tasks for the day, read, and respond to emails. In between meetings, I will work on projects and to-do’s and filter questions or issues with team members. The end of the day is spent reviewing meeting notes, action items and my plan for the following day.

What are your predictions for EMS 10 years from now?

My vision for EMS 10 years from now is an industry that is even more integrated with the overall healthcare system. The use of systems to further enhance efficiency and communication in the emergency and non-emergency settings. Integrated care that starts at the time of the 9-1-1 call with the most appropriate resource deployment, on-scene management whether its offering care without transport or transport to a healthcare facility aside from an emergency room.

What advice would you give to someone new to EMS?

Take pride in what you do in this industry from your uniform appearance, to your ambulance, to the patients you serve, and to yourself. Take care of you first by practicing self care and finding a healthy balance between your personal and professional life. Create professional goals for yourself whether its through education, positions, or organizations and hold yourself accountable to accomplish those goals.

ACA Section 1557: Final Rule Published that Affect Healthcare Providers

Written by Scott Moore on November 23, 2016. Posted in Human Resources.

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ACA Section 1557 | Final Rule Published that Affect Healthcare Providers

Written by Scott Moore on June 26, 2016. Posted in Human Resources.

This content is for AAA members only.

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