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Who's monitoring ethics in public safety?
Tenn. incident makes for strong argument on mandatory background checks for public safety personnel
By Art Hsieh
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Editor's note: A Tenn. paramedic went on an extended medical leave last May. What his bosses didn't know was that he was really serving a jail sentence for domestic assault. |
Let's begin today's column with a couple of definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online.
Ethics: (n) a set of moral principles; a guiding philosophy.
Insubordinate: (n) Disobedient to authority.
Let's use both of these words in a sentence. For example:
"The paramedic with questionable ethics was insubordinate to his agency's policies when he failed to report being jailed for domestic assault."
Ouch. Seems like the oversight of both the paramedic and department have been a little lax, so the community's ability to trust its EMS provider might be a bit shaken.
Did the department recognize an odd leave pattern? Or did supervisors request some evidence of a legitimate medical absence? No doubt other members of the department will be affected by this issue once records are scrutinized.
But the department is fairly large, and given current budget cuts, it may be difficult for administration to track these types of issues.
The incident makes for a strong argument on mandatory background checks for public safety personnel, allowing automatic reporting of criminal offenses to departments. Only 28 states currently require background checks for state credentialing of EMS providers. Um, check that — Tenn. does do background checks, but it's unclear what the department standards are.
I have to circle back to the behavior of the paramedic. I'm sure that the power of rationalization allowed the paramedic to make some bad choices, both in life and on the job. Yet his behavior still falls below the level of ethics to which most of us would adhere.
More important, public trust is laid upon a foundation of public safety providers having a high standard of ethics. If one brick of that foundation is broken, how many more might be crumbling?
Bill B Zilar Wednesday, March 14, 2012 6:55:38 AM I believe that Texas is doing a good job...I know that backgrounds are completed by the agencies and also required for State Licensing (TX DSHS)...a FAST system is used and sent directly to the regulatory agency, who in turn makes a decision based upon the findings, etc. I have a high sense of confidence with their system. _ Bill Zilar NREMT-B/EMT-B (Texas). 
Charles Phillips Wednesday, March 14, 2012 8:36:42 AM The Missouri Division of Health and Senior Services do annual background checks of those caring for patients. And when an EMT or paramedic licenses, another background check is done. I don't believe too many people can slip through that safety net. 
Jake Stein Wednesday, March 14, 2012 9:12:53 AM This should not go on any further. EMS should have the same strict requirements as other licensed professionals have. If you don't report a criminal charge, you lose your license. Period. Why the TN EMS Board hasn't put their 2 cents into this situation to remove his license just shows how flawed their system is.
California was embarrassed in EMS and in Nursing. EMTs and Paramedics could be guilty of a felony in one county but still work in another. EMS is still struggling to get it right even after new legislation. Nurses are now doing finger print checks during renewals. Nurses also have in place if you hold a license as a nurse and know another nurse is quilty of a felony or even DUI who has not reported it, that nurse could also lose their license.
Texas has earned the reputation of the EMT and Paramedic being the dream job for sexual predators. 
