The changes have been officially reversed and our scope of practice is being restored. I am exhausted but deeply relieved we secured this outcome for the sake of our patients. We will remain watchful through the implementation phase to ensure these protocols stay in place.
January 12, 2014
Final supporters
After release of the new National MFR Services Administration Manual, it has come to many members attention that the update to MFR scope of practice has been greatly restricted and in many cases reduced. No open consultation was done with members within the province.
This petition is to serve as an official request from the general membership to our Provincial Commissioner and Provincial Training Officer to protest the planned changes, which prove to hamper all progress, and work to add existing and improved training to the new National MFR Scope of Practice.
Below is a highlight of reduced and restricted scope of practice for the new MFR:
- Removal of NPA's for airway
- No use or training of stretcher or other advanced lifting devices
- Removal of spinal immobilization devices
- No addition of pulse oximeters or glucometric testing which lower level training includes both of these devices.
- Removal of all medication from MFR kits including ASA (Aspirin). ASA is now directed to be taken over the phone when a cardiac chest pain patient calls 911. Our volunteers are NOT allowed to carry even this basic, essential over the counter medication. This is completely contrary to the current research regarding patient care for cardiac chest pain. In addition, kits can't even include Glucogel (Sugar) for diabetic emergencies.
- Removal of life saving bleed control techniques including, indirect pressure points, and removal of tourniquets
- Reduced training on traction splinting. Used to follow manufacturer guidelines for fracture management using a Sager splint... now reduced to ONLY applying traction to a closed mid-third femur fracture and nothing for a mid third Tib-Fib fracture
- Restrictions on higher level trained members such as Paramedics, Nurses, and Doctors from operating at their level of training. These members must only work to the MFR scope of practice. This greatly restricts the higher trained members and will prove to discourage them from joining SJA as essentiallythey are becoming "first-aiders." Higher trained members are now threatened with dismissal if they fail to treat patients at the lower MFR level.
- Use of manual hand suction VS electric suction. Manual suction is ineffective, especially compared to electric suctioning. This is one of the most bizarre restrictions
- Huge gaps in training reference material as the current MFR text book includes several pieces of non approved information and equipment which seems useless considering it’s not included in the scope of practice and will create many cases of confusion.
Our organization is standing in the way of progress and advancement of skills and services that the Brigade has been known to provide. We are becoming ever closer to being JUST "first aid" rather than trained Medical First Responders. The lower trained fire dept first responders will now have more training and tools in there bag as compared to this new MFR.
Updates
December 7, 2013
The feedback I keep receiving from the field confirms that these scope restrictions are impacting patient outcomes in ways we cannot ignore. I have been spending my nights drafting formal responses to the administration even though the silence from their office is draining. We are staying the course because our volunteers deserve better than these regressive changes.
December 7, 2013
Seeing this level of engagement confirms that I am not the only one frustrated by these changes. It has been an exhausting road to get this far but I am staying in this for as long as it takes to be heard.
Reached 100 supporters
December 7, 2013
54 Comments
I can't believe the changes that are happening to the MFR the removal of spinal to start with we do a lot of duty in the rural areas and mountain's that surround our community more than once I have been in areas that we had access but BCAS could not get in and even then they where more than 30 minuets away from the closest point to us .
These changes are a pretty sad change. The world is being run by lawyers it seems. SJA is taking the path of least resistance and trying to make their legal team happy. It's turning into a competition to do whatever meets the absolute minimum requirements of first aid care while trying to minimalize anything that could possibly have the organization get sued over.
If they are going to our scope of practice they might as well lower our training requirments and go back to having the members only need Stardard enhances with CPR and AED. If we cannot use is why are we spending the time commitment to train to the MFR level?
I am not certain what is driving the proposed changes but do like what I hear. The proposed changes undermine the ability to provide basic care to a patient. If these changes are adopted I for one could no longer volunteer my services as I believe I would not be able to serve the best interests of an injuried or ill person.
Reducing our abilities for apparently no good reason essentially turns us in to "bandaid brigade" that other organizations already joke about in describing us. In time where SJA is professing our skills and professionalism, reducing our capabilities plays right into the hands of competing organizations for the public event FA funds.
I might not be alive today to do the duties and be involved in St. John Ambulance, if a member had not stepped out of MFR protocols and used their nursing training, at a duty I did a number of years ago. If insurance is the main concern, it would be far more proactive to find out how much insuring people with other than MFR training would cost. OFA 3s can have the insurance by paying the OFA Association dues - not cheap at $80/year, but anybody who works in that field is well advised to have the coverage, and would get it for their work anyway, so it would not cost St. John Ambulance anything. For other professionals, there may be other arrangements that can and should be made,
I might not be alive today to do the duties and be involved in St. John Ambulance, if a member had not stepped out of MFR protocols and used their nursing training, at a duty I did a number of years ago. If insurance is the main concern, it would be far more proactive to find out how much insuring people with other than MFR training would cost. OFA 3s can have the insurance by paying the OFA Association dues - not cheap at $80/year, but anybody who works in that field is well advised to have the coverage, and would get it for their work anyway, so it would not cost St. John Ambulance anything. For other professionals, there may be other arrangements that can and should be made,
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The changes have been officially reversed and our scope of practice is being restored. I am exhausted but deeply relieved we secured this outcome for the sake of our patients. We will remain watchful through the implementation phase to ensure these protocols stay in place.
January 12, 2014
Final supporters
After release of the new National MFR Services Administration Manual, it has come to many members attention that the update to MFR scope of practice has been greatly restricted and in many cases reduced. No open consultation was done with members within the province.
This petition is to serve as an official request from the general membership to our Provincial Commissioner and Provincial Training Officer to protest the planned changes, which prove to hamper all progress, and work to add existing and improved training to the new National MFR Scope of Practice.
Below is a highlight of reduced and restricted scope of practice for the new MFR:
- Removal of NPA's for airway
- No use or training of stretcher or other advanced lifting devices
- Removal of spinal immobilization devices
- No addition of pulse oximeters or glucometric testing which lower level training includes both of these devices.
- Removal of all medication from MFR kits including ASA (Aspirin). ASA is now directed to be taken over the phone when a cardiac chest pain patient calls 911. Our volunteers are NOT allowed to carry even this basic, essential over the counter medication. This is completely contrary to the current research regarding patient care for cardiac chest pain. In addition, kits can't even include Glucogel (Sugar) for diabetic emergencies.
- Removal of life saving bleed control techniques including, indirect pressure points, and removal of tourniquets
- Reduced training on traction splinting. Used to follow manufacturer guidelines for fracture management using a Sager splint... now reduced to ONLY applying traction to a closed mid-third femur fracture and nothing for a mid third Tib-Fib fracture
- Restrictions on higher level trained members such as Paramedics, Nurses, and Doctors from operating at their level of training. These members must only work to the MFR scope of practice. This greatly restricts the higher trained members and will prove to discourage them from joining SJA as essentiallythey are becoming "first-aiders." Higher trained members are now threatened with dismissal if they fail to treat patients at the lower MFR level.
- Use of manual hand suction VS electric suction. Manual suction is ineffective, especially compared to electric suctioning. This is one of the most bizarre restrictions
- Huge gaps in training reference material as the current MFR text book includes several pieces of non approved information and equipment which seems useless considering it’s not included in the scope of practice and will create many cases of confusion.
Our organization is standing in the way of progress and advancement of skills and services that the Brigade has been known to provide. We are becoming ever closer to being JUST "first aid" rather than trained Medical First Responders. The lower trained fire dept first responders will now have more training and tools in there bag as compared to this new MFR.
Updates
December 7, 2013
The feedback I keep receiving from the field confirms that these scope restrictions are impacting patient outcomes in ways we cannot ignore. I have been spending my nights drafting formal responses to the administration even though the silence from their office is draining. We are staying the course because our volunteers deserve better than these regressive changes.
December 7, 2013
Seeing this level of engagement confirms that I am not the only one frustrated by these changes. It has been an exhausting road to get this far but I am staying in this for as long as it takes to be heard.
Reached 100 supporters
December 7, 2013
54 Comments
I'm already having these discussions with Charles. The unfortunate problem is that it comes from NHQ and we don't have a direct line. This going backwards is going to alienate and ultimately send away many of our volunteers. They come for the experience and knowledge and this will severely restrict our ability to recruit
I can't believe the changes that are happening to the MFR the removal of spinal to start with we do a lot of duty in the rural areas and mountain's that surround our community more than once I have been in areas that we had access but BCAS could not get in and even then they where more than 30 minuets away from the closest point to us .
These changes are a pretty sad change. The world is being run by lawyers it seems. SJA is taking the path of least resistance and trying to make their legal team happy. It's turning into a competition to do whatever meets the absolute minimum requirements of first aid care while trying to minimalize anything that could possibly have the organization get sued over.
If they are going to our scope of practice they might as well lower our training requirments and go back to having the members only need Stardard enhances with CPR and AED. If we cannot use is why are we spending the time commitment to train to the MFR level?
I am not certain what is driving the proposed changes but do like what I hear. The proposed changes undermine the ability to provide basic care to a patient. If these changes are adopted I for one could no longer volunteer my services as I believe I would not be able to serve the best interests of an injuried or ill person.
Reducing our abilities for apparently no good reason essentially turns us in to "bandaid brigade" that other organizations already joke about in describing us. In time where SJA is professing our skills and professionalism, reducing our capabilities plays right into the hands of competing organizations for the public event FA funds.
I might not be alive today to do the duties and be involved in St. John Ambulance, if a member had not stepped out of MFR protocols and used their nursing training, at a duty I did a number of years ago. If insurance is the main concern, it would be far more proactive to find out how much insuring people with other than MFR training would cost. OFA 3s can have the insurance by paying the OFA Association dues - not cheap at $80/year, but anybody who works in that field is well advised to have the coverage, and would get it for their work anyway, so it would not cost St. John Ambulance anything. For other professionals, there may be other arrangements that can and should be made,
I might not be alive today to do the duties and be involved in St. John Ambulance, if a member had not stepped out of MFR protocols and used their nursing training, at a duty I did a number of years ago. If insurance is the main concern, it would be far more proactive to find out how much insuring people with other than MFR training would cost. OFA 3s can have the insurance by paying the OFA Association dues - not cheap at $80/year, but anybody who works in that field is well advised to have the coverage, and would get it for their work anyway, so it would not cost St. John Ambulance anything. For other professionals, there may be other arrangements that can and should be made,
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I'm already having these discussions with Charles. The unfortunate problem is that it comes from NHQ and we don't have a direct line. This going backwards is going to alienate and ultimately send away many of our volunteers. They come for the experience and knowledge and this will severely restrict our ability to recruit