MeekoBB

I've been called a racist by drunks plenty - and in my city we have enough homeless polish so it's interesting because i'm polish (although i do not speak it).

I've also been called a racist bitch before, way back when i worked at mcdonalds. we were in the process of doing the closing duties and a black couple came in, i was busy with the ice cream machine draining the tubes and couldn't leave the machine. the lady still standing several feet from the register said rather loudly and rudely "I want a fishhh sandwich"...i told her she needed to wait at the register and someone will be with her in a moment. she got even more bitchy and said she "been standing at the register for 10 minutes" ...uhh no she just walked in .... i took a deep breath and trying to keep my cool because i was also frustrated with the ice cream machine that she struck a nerve and i just politely snapped back "and the registered says CLOSED" and grabbed my buckets of creme and went to the back and yanked the manager out of the storage to tell hm of the couple in the front. on their way out she called me a racist bitch....i just stayed int he back helping the grill people clean up til they left...

Not so much funny with the patient, but just my partner and I's reactions... Dispatched to a year old stabbing (thinking wtf?!) -- o/s pt raises his shirt to see the scarring, I asked PD desk to cancel ALS, -- get the guy in the truck where its a little quieter and now I hear wheezing...umm? My partner and I looked at each other with bug eyes and he threw his scope at me for lung sounds while he dove for the oxygen. Wheezing in all fields and he's presently with moderate distress now, which he masked outside...Partner starts vitals and i climb in the truck and ask the desk to get ALS back (who thank god said she hadn't been able to call them yet) so I asked to let them know our route when they call in the city -- ended up passing them, we look at each other pointing to each truck like "we here for you?/you our medics?"...i jump out and give report and definately ended up as a workup (it was a friend on that crew so i knew we was good)

i will definately need to think of some really funny ones i've been on...

I'm at a loss with my limited knowledge and would definately like to know before 2pm so that it can settle my partner's and i curiosity.

You liked the cat, eh? Well you should see what my 3 yr old cat did, I just bought a new litter box, it cost me $169.58, its truly amazing, you never have to scoop again, the odor is way better, because there is NONE. This thing automatically scoops it into a compartment and because I have 2 cats, it will last probablly 2 weeks at least.

Anyway when the cat steps out, it counts down from 20 and then it automatically pushes the crap underneath this compartment and then it's ready for the next cat.

So when it starts, my blackjack stands on his hind quarters to watch this thing do its job, it rakes it through and back again. Watching him, it was really funny.

This box is worth its price, ok its a little pricey, but my other cat, also male, 14 yrs old and has renal problems, so the litter box smelled horribly. This box is a god send. :wink:

Suboxone is Buprenorphine/Naloxone.....used to treat dependency...

Has she had some sort of opiod/narcotic addiction?

Is she going through withdrawal?

I wouldn't necessarily rule out seizures because you can still have seizures without classic convulsions.

Initially I thought dehydration from personal experience with N/V & muscle cramps.

I'd start a KVO line monitor the pt and contact med control....

(btw, my partner at work and I are just discussing this and he;s leaning more towards seizures)

Also, any recent traveling for her, or other activites out of the ordinary? Outside much? Maybe working around other chemicals?

Okay, more discussion here at work - leaning towards clotting. DVT sounds good.

As Asys and EvilEmpress point out...

Whoa, let me get this right...did i actually say something right?? :shock:

Personally, my opinion, as minute it may be, I see epipen administering as this in my particular area---- am i comfortable with my patient's airway/breathing until arrival of ALS or arrival at the ED?? I have 3+ hospitals within 10min to my city and few times, and 97% ALS is either on scene prior to my arrival or Very close after I get to the patient. My assessment of the airway runs faintly along the "choking" assessment. Are they coughing with sounds? Speaking? Their is still air moving, although not adequately...does it warrent epi? Not always. Where's my ETA for ALS? 5 min? Let's move, and possibly rendezvous, but not waiting and I'm hesitate on administering such a powerful drug. If I feel the patient will not hold their own prior to ALS or ED, then I would push it, but not before.

On that end...it ALL always comes back to your assessment. Are you sure it's an allergy? Anaphylaxis is serious, but not all SOB is that...There is asthma, anxiety, etc which all can also mimic symptoms of one another in some presentations. Ie, pt with hx of asthma, with SOB...is it automatically asthma? Add in from that nagging SAMPLE - pt had say...shrimp for the first time tonight...is it asthma or allergy? Wait...where did our empathetic side go? Coworker only said pt just returned to her desk after a meeting with the boss...hmmm...

It's all proper assessment and if you don't have a systematic approach, and in some cases you may miss something. Patient Assessment should be reenforced in every recert stronger.

ETA: I'm speaking/thinking from a BLS POV.

I'm constantly on the road at work...(Only base is where we punch in/out and leave/take our trucks - and we aren't allowed to stay there during shift). I have a broadband card for my laptop and I know where a lot of the wireless hotspots are in our 'staging' areas.

That monster looks like UMDNJ's CC truck :shock:

:shock: That is awesome :shock:

So far since epi came on trucks, a doc reported at a recent lecture i attended, that he had like 5 pts come in after injected with epi, 3 by bls who injected because of "possible" allergy to something, and 2 emts who accidently stuck them selves.

ohyea, epi on trucks in great! :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

my truck hasn't used it yet, but its great because we have 3 members who have personal epipens for serious allergies (all latex) and if we cant get to their access, we know we have on the truck.

With all due respect Dusty, in my area there are a number of CNA's in facilities that get paid the same, if not less than what the 'ambulance drivers' make.

And yes, I could not do that job. I honestly cannot handle cleaning a patient's fecal matter. As soon as I had learned that was part of their job (when i first started this field) I very quickly stopped my search for a cna course. I do give them much respect and in some facilities I value their opinions and evaluations of their patients more than a few nurses. But every facility is different and finding the ones with employees that actually value their jobs are hard to find.

the ones you don't keep getting called to unless you do admission to acute hospital transfers...

Maybe he doesn't get their "emergencies" because his service isn't contracted.

If teachers are allowed to have cell phones on their self for "emergencies" then so should the student and for the exact same reasons. It is rude and disrespectful for those students that are choosing to be in that classroom and paying for their time (ie, Ruff's situation).

:shock: :shock: :shock: oh snap! :shock: :shock: :shock:

Medic2588....geez ruff, you should have known, he's always throwing his shameless plugs about his books around.

Has anyone ever gone on a call to a nursing home for an unresponsive with CPR in progress and you get there the NH nurses aren't doing CPR

We had it one night actually I think the only reason why they weren't doing CPR is because rigermortise was setting in, but still if we get dispatched for the unresponsive WITH CPR IN PROGRESS I expect to see you doing CPR

Where is Devin? He has a short tale from one of his books just like this...

Not so much dumb, but ultimately scary...

Unit: Forty Seven Boy!

Queens East Dispatch: 47 Boy, stand by, 47 Charlie, update out of hospital?

Unit: 47 Boy!

Dispatch: 47 Boy, I'm tryin' to give jobs out, here!

Unit: 47 BOOOYYY!

Dispatch: 47 Boy, what is your problem?

Unit: You don't understand, dispatch, we just saw a plane crash in Belle Harbor!

(5 seconds of radio silence, which I figure was the dispatcher saying, off mike, "Holy ****, SUPERVISOR TO QUEENS EAST, FORTHWITH!"

Dispatch: (3 alerting tones) ALL UNITS STAND BY! FOUR SEVEN BOY, STATE LOCATION!

(This was how I found out that the mass of flames and smoke I was looking at, a half mile from me, was the crash of American Airlines Flight 587, Monday, November 12, 2001 . That voice from 47 Boy is now a lieutenant.)

Respectfully, I think this one tops it.

She agreed with me, wrote up the nurse and pointed out that there was a chart in the break room on proper hiemlich maneuvers and that the nurse should study it.

LOVE IT!!!

I was dispatched to a facility for choking...got there, there is another one of those retarded CNAs trying to shove mac&cheese down the patient's throat who is also laying supine on the bed. Now I have a tendency for speaking before thinking and immediately I said, "Here's a thought! Stop force feeding the poor man and sit him up and he won't be gagging on the food!"

Hmm....My first patient ever was a stabbing victim with a pipe :shock:

First patient on 2nd volunteer agency: father of a family friend - yea that was awkward.

First paid ambulance patient: I think was a hospital discharge :roll:

If you listen to alot of music, I suggest taking your pharmco notes and record them to CDs or iPod and listen to that wherever you go.

That's my medic book!!!

I save lives for a living/hobby, whatever, and I still qualify for food stamps, public assistance, welfare, (take your pick ).

See, as much as I get disgusted reading that line, it is still so true. Which makes it even more pathetic.

Well then, someone can make up a fun name for me???

Well....You two would have to decide who is Hera, but one of you can be Zeus, the King of Gods & goddesses (that is if you're into mythology)