KS EMTs – How That Nagging Cold Could Affect Your Certification

EMTs get sick just like any other person.  There may be a time when an EMT needs to take medication in order to get through a cold or flu.  It isn’t always possible to take off work if you are an EMT.  Obviously, if an EMT is extremely ill and unable to work, that EMT would be staying home.  However, if an EMT has a cold or mild flu and is still able to function both mentally and physically, he or she may have to fight the cold with the help of medication, whether it be prescription or over-the-counter.  What many Kansas EMTs don’t know is that taking medication to treat a cold or flu could be considered a form of drug use that impairs your ability to work.

While there are a multitude of medications that do in fact cause mental and/or physical impairment, there are many medications that do not result in such side effects.  For example, taking Tylenol or Advil to treat a headache does not typically have impairing effects.  Likewise, daytime cold medication such as DayQuil is not known to cause impairing side effects in most people.  However, even though particular medications are not known to have impairing effects, your EMT certification board may believe such medication limits your ability to perform your job effectively.

What Are My Options?

We all get colds once and awhile, and many of us are able to work through such colds.  EMTs are in a unique situation where they are expected to be 100% at all times.  Fighting a cold or flu without medication can be extremely difficult, but many EMTs now feel it is not worth the risk of taking even Tylenol for a headache.  While most certification boards are likely to understand that a small amount of a known medication is not going to result in impairment, the mere risk is enough to scare EMTs away from treating the common cold or flu.

The best thing you can do to determine what you are allowed and not allowed to take as an EMT, you should consult with your certification board, whether statewide or national.  It is not worth the risk of losing your license simply because you wanted to treat a cold that any of us could experience on any given day.  Colds and flus can certainly bring your energy down, but for those that can still function at full capacity, although while not feeling well, working with the cold is not an impossible task.  In addition to seeking the advice of your EMT certification board, consulting with a legal professional can offer you the guidance you need.

Contact Danielle Sanger of the Sanger Law Office Today to Schedule Your Free Consultation

If you are a Kansas EMT and your certificate is at risk for one reason or another, you should seek the advice of an attorney as soon as possible.  Many EMTs face allegations that are defensible, and are able to keep their certificates.  However, facing the loss of your EMT certificate alone leaves you at risk for reaching a result that will be harmful to your certificate, whether it is suspended, revoked, or otherwise.  As a former Assistant Attorney General of Kansas, Danielle Sanger of the Sanger Law Office is a Kansas Professional License Defense Attorney who devotes her legal career to helping Kansas professionals keep their licenses and certificates. Allegations are simply allegations, but it is understandable that such allegations create an unnecessary amount of stress.  With the help of Ms. Sanger, you will be able to demonstrate why you should not lose your EMT certification.  If you would like to discuss your situation with Ms. Sanger, contact the Sanger Law Office today by calling (785) 979-4353 to schedule your free consultation.

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