EMT Change of Scope

The state I live in has just decided to remove Pulse Oximetry from the EMT-B and EMT-A scope of practice. (Click the link if you want to know what it is.)

This issue has really upset a lot of my coworkers. I understand the logic that if a pulse oximetry reading comes back unusually low then the patient should be cared for by a Paramedic rather than a Basic. But, a Basic can give a patient Oxygen and a Pulse Ox is how you can measure the effectiveness of your treatment. Plus, we all are trained to understand there are situations where the reading should not be trusted. (Those suffereing from Carbon Monoxide poisoning will read higher than they actually are.)

What I am worried about is that an over-reaction will occur and EMT-Basic's will not even be able to get this information as part of collecting vital signs. It's non-invasive and currently we tend to rely on your Basic's to collect this informaiton for us when we first arrive. This allows the Medic time to collect more of the "big picture", interviewing the pt, etc.

I am really wondering how this is going to play out...