Readers weigh in on ambulance service, college athlete’s eligibiity and the Missouri General Assembly

Paramedic trauma

As a paramedic at American Medical Response-Independence, I respond to emergencies and transfer patients across the Kansas City area. It’s tough, but nothing is as rewarding as saving a life.

We provide excellent care at American Medical Response, and my co-workers and I want to keep it that way.

Research shows that high turnover in health professions can hurt care. Twenty percent of paramedics, emergency medical technicians and dispatchers left the job in the past 16 months — twice the national average for emergency medical-service turnover, according to a 2010 study.

It’s no surprise many leave American Medical Response. Shifts are often extended with little notice for our families, and we clocked more than 27,000 overtime hours in the past 12 months.

I work three jobs to support myself but wish I could afford to work full time as a medic in Independence.

Reducing fatigue and dependence on overtime is the right thing to do. Communities will be better served when those in management listens to their professionals.

Laura Cain

Nationally Registered

Paramedic

Independence

Eligibility rules

The National Football League and National Basketball Association eligibility rules hurt athletes and non-athletes alike.

Some college athletes experience career-ending injuries while playing, and because of sports obligations they are not receiving a proper educations at college.

Resources that could go to non-athletes are taken by student-athletes who aren’t intending on graduating.

Basketball players are required to wait one year after high school before entering the NBA draft; football players are required to wait three years. Many players, such as former University of Kentucky basketball player Nerlens Noel, suffer potential career-ending injuries affecting their future earnings.

Supporters of the eligibility rules contend that athletes straight out of high school are not physically ready to be in the big leagues and that making kids attend college will give them something to fall back on if they don’t make it professionally.

However, many top athletes attend college only until they are eligible to enter the draft. They receive little valuable education. In addition, other students have personal professor time taken away from them by student-athletes who don’t have the motivation to graduate.

NFL and NBA eligibility rules need to be thrown away to better accommodate athletes and students attending universities.

Kaylee Connors

Lee’s Summit

Primary solution

Gail Collins notes the obvious unfairness of our primary system, which allows some states a much stronger voice than others in the selection of presidential candidates (12-26, Opinion, “So what is it about Iowa? How come corn growers get all the fun?”).

She suggests we alternate which states go first for a more fair process. I believe a better solution would be to have a national primary day, which would give everyone across the country an equal voice in selecting candidates.

Am I missing something with this fair and simple solution?

Dean Askeland

Olathe

Missouri legislature

I can’t believe how inept our state legislators have become.

First they pass up millions of dollars available under the Affordable Care Act that would help many people needing coverage. Now we find out they aren’t smart enough to create a driver’s license that meets federal standards (12-25, A1, “For now, Missouri driver’s license still flies”).

I think many of these morons forgot we joined the union many years ago. Solution: Get rid of all current legislators.

Darrell Stein

Smithville

Changing church

The reports of clergy abuse in the Catholic church appear to have subsided. Hopefully, this is an indication that this ugly chapter has come to an end.

Maybe the conviction and 50-year sentence of former priest Shawn Ratigan has sent a message to potential clergy offenders that society has arrived at a point of zero tolerance. Maybe the acceptance of Bishop Robert Finn’s resignation by Pope Francis sent a message that irresponsible church administration is no longer acceptable.

We can only hope.

James E. Cox

Louisburg, Kan.

This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 3:07 PM with the headline "Readers weigh in on ambulance service, college athlete’s eligibiity and the Missouri General Assembly."