Fall/Winter 2011 - Alberta College of Paramedics

More documents

Recommendations

Info

emergency medical dialogue Rules of enga Boundless opportunities for you to get involved i Message from President Sheldon Th 04 With 2011 nearly in the books, I would like to reflect on my first seven months as president of the College Council. Specifically, to inform you of the important foundational work that’s being accomplished to position the College under the Health Professions Act (HPA), and our long-term planning to take us to 2014 and beyond. President’s report Council continues to review its committee structure to ensure all committees meet governance-model requirements under the HPA. One of the criteria, adopted at this year’s Annual General Meeting, is that all committee candidates must receive governance training prior to being selected to serve on a standing committee or subcommittee. This is critical to ensuring we have the right people, policies and maturity as a profession to be granted the privilege to regulate and the autonomy to steer our future. Another highlight for Council is our annual strategic planning session. Members of Council and the College executive met in September for three days of productive discussion to map out the blueprint that forms the 2012-2014 Strategic Plan. Our first order of business was to affirm the College’s mission, vision and values (as listed on the inside cover of this issue). I encourage you to revisit these statements as we believe they accurately identify the College for what it is today and what it intends to become, all the while upholding our ethical values in the greater service of the public. The strategic planning discussion then steered toward several key issues, from potential changes to the provincial registration exam in the wake of the incoming national exam, to how unregistered practitioners working in Alberta contravene the Health Professions Act. The College is also developing formal standards of practice – a requirement under the HPA – to protect public interests and set clear expectations for practice. These new standards, along with a revised Code of Ethics, are further proof that our profession is maturing as part of a larger, integrated health care team in Alberta. In the meantime, we continue to implement many of the activities indentified in the 2011-2013 Strategic Plan. The 2012 registration fee increase made it possible for us to begin a full review of the College’s information technology systems and data management tools. You’ll find specific details on this extensive project in Tammy Leach’s CEO report, starting on page 6. We also launched a full-throttle brand campaign in August to raise public awareness of the College’s important regulatory responsibility and our unique, vital role in health care delivery. I’m pleased to say that “We are multi-faceted professionals who are forging new ground every year … it’s up to all of us to drive our profession forward, (and) steer it in the right direction.” Fall/Winter 2011 // www.collegeofparamedics.org
emergency medical dialogue gement n governing your profession unstrom, EMT-P feedback from practitioners and other stakeholders is overwhelmingly positive. The timing of the brand campaign couldn’t be better as I believe we have an identity crisis in EMS. Are we health care or are we emergency services The truth is we’re both. The days of loading people in the back of an ambulance and speeding to the hospital are over. Only 40 per cent of Alberta’s 9,000 registered practitioners work for Alberta Health Services. The other 60 per cent work in industry, in hospitals, in the air, and many for private employers. It’s an exciting time for the profession. We are multi-faceted professionals who are forging new ground every year; however, it’s up to all of us to drive our profession forward, steer it in the right direction, and trust the College and its governing Council to help us navigate this exciting yet unfamiliar territory. It’s important to remember that 80 per cent of Council members are practitioners. Our decisions have the same impact on our ability to practice as they do on yours. We pay the same fees, follow the same rules and regulations, and meet the same competence requirements as you. That’s the main reason I am involved in the growing role of the College. Having served nearly 20 years on the street and as an educator, with 14 of those involved with various College committees and Council, I realize the importance of having a voice at the governance level. It’s allowed me to give back while ensuring that we all work together in the best interests of the public, practiioners and the profession. There’s no better way to learn about an organization or its governancemodel than to get directly involved in the process. I challenge you to do the same. Seek out the growing amount of useful information the College provides to you on a regular basis through its various publications, through CIMS, and on the College website. Read the Annual Report and Strategic Plan. Ask questions. Join a committee. Attend a Council meeting or, better yet, run for a seat on Council. Nominate a peer for an award. Email the College about issues that affect you on the job. Submit story ideas to the College communications department. Whatever role you can play, I encourage you to take a greater interest in learning how the College works and what it does to support you through all stages of professional practice: education, exams, registration, competency and professional conduct (see page 8). You have a voice. Make it count. 05 Fall/Winter 2011 // www.collegeofparamedics.org
Page 1 and 2: e m e r g e n c y m e d i c a l Fal
Page 3: table of contents PROVINCIAL THE CO
Page 7 and 8: emergency medical dialogue fessiona
Page 9 and 10: emergency medical dialogue Here are
Page 11 and 12: emergency medical dialogue enewal F
Page 13 and 14: emergency medical dialogue Equivale
Page 15 and 16: emergency medical dialogue who unde
Page 17 and 18: emergency medical dialogue Paramedi
Page 19 and 20: emergency medical dialogue Nominate
Page 21 and 22: emergency medical dialogue Alberta
Page 23 and 24: emergency medical dialogue the prac

Fall/Winter 2011 - Alberta College of Paramedics

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?