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SingleLovingLife

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Everything posted by SingleLovingLife

  1. I'd have to say it is the human factor that I will remember much longer than the guts & gore. Arriving at an MVA with the driver DOA, his wife and another passenger agonal. Due to the extensive damage and being unable to extricate all we could do was count respirations while watching them die. Learning the next day an eight year old was left orphaned by the accident. Holding a patient in my arms while she struggled to answer my questions to determine her A&O status; realizing a few minutes later that she is dying of a massive bleed and her final words were to me instead of her family. Things like that will stay with you alot longer than rest.
  2. When I worked in the grocery business in Tampa, the homeless people would buy - yes, actually pay for it - a loaf of Cuban bread and a bottle of generic Listerine. They would soak the bread in the mouthwash, tie off the bag and let it sit in the sun and ferment. They would drink the rest of the mouthwash - to get high now - and save the bread to eat later - two highs for the price of one, so to speak. Also encountered mouthwash drinkers in north Alabama. And for some reason they would pay also. Go figure!
  3. I hate to be the mother hen here...but for the sake of all our future patients and the newbies looking to this site for inspiration/education... WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE CHECK THEIR EGO'S WHEN THEY LOG IN????[/font:9f5059fec0] Whit72, there is much to be learned from silence.
  4. Considering this was being filmed in real time, perhaps the medics were coached beforehand to make sure they didn't all get "strip & flip" happy. If this was a closed fracture and distal PMS was good, I can understand if visual assessments for bruising and swelling were done out of camera range. Good observation, though. Maybe the camera crew loaned them some x-ray glasses!
  5. Awesome pics Dust...although I always pictured you slightly older looking! Oh wait, I forgot, that wasn't you in the pics, was it?!?!?! LOL Be careful and take care!
  6. I would think working in the environment of a casino, where patrons may be carrying large sums of money on their person, finding a "cooperative" medical who is packing would not be all that unusual ~ regardless as to whether or not it is within his legal rights. If you ever ran all your guests through a metal detector or did pat downs, you would probably be surprised as to how many are carrying weapons. Although I'm surprised that "altered mental status" is not one of the criteria where you can be hands on with a patient. What if they are wearing some type of Medic Alert necklace or bracelet that is concealed by their clothing? Or if they have a card in their wallet/purse with medical information on it? Given the fact that everything is monitered by surveillance cameras, it would seem like you would be able to check for these things and have it on tape that your search was legitimate. Then you might see the big, shiny badge in their wallet, or the small caliber hand gun in their purse...whatever. Given this incident, perhaps you could suggest that once it has been determined someone needs to be transported, officers/emt's be allowed to ask the patient/guest, "For the safety of those providing your care, we need to ask whether or not you are carrying any type of weapon?" Although, not knowing everyone else's laws concerning firearms ~ that question probably infringes on someone's rights somewhere. Or, just institute a policy where anyone who gets transported has to get naked! JUST KIDDING! Reminds me of my days working in retail...a nicely dressed gentleman came up to the customer service counter and asked the 19 year old clerk if he could leave something with her for safe keeping while he shopped. This is not an unusual request and she smiled and said, "Sure, no problem!" She was screaming for me a minute later ~ after he put his .357 on the counter and walked off! I thought she was going to have a stroke! It took me forever to calm her down and convince her she didn't need to go home sick. Found out later, he had a permit to carry ~ just didn't want anyone in the grocery store to "notice" it and call the cops. :roll:
  7. First rule of test taking: Don't read into the question! Good response Medic429. If I'm not mistaken, I had almost that exact question on my basic registry - so make sure you understand the rationale behind the question - and why that answer is the best. My 2¢ worth - every impalement gets stabilized unless it could compromise their airway or interfere with CPR. I'm not a surgeon and I don't have x-ray vision! LOL
  8. Several months ago our VFD was dispatched to a "dog house fire" - don't ask - we're talking Alabama with a capital A here. I was in the vicinity and went in route to locate. From the frontyard I could see the glow from the fire out back. My chief called and wanted to know how close it was to the home. The neighbors were telling me which side of the home we could access it from and I went around to the backyard based on their directions. Unfortunately, none of us realized the homeowner had a second dog tied up out there. Just as I keyed up my mic the second dog lunged at me snarling, growling and barking like something possessed. :shock: I said a few choice words about the dog - then remembered my radio was keyed up. I promptly recovered my composure and stated, "OK, the dog is NOT happy!" When I called dispatch later in the evening the first thing she said was "Oh my God, that dog didn't bite you, did it?" By the way, the dog house was a pen about six feet tall, ten feet long, about three feet off the ground and less than twelve feet from the residence. They had been keeping that dog warm with a portable heater and it had tipped over and ignited the dog house. Hmmm...like I said...capital A. And my department wonders why, being an EMT with limited fire training, I don't enjoy going to fires? :roll:
  9. OK, thought I was having a blonde moment - but evidently someone hid a forum topic from me for a couple of weeks! LOL Dust, I already admired and respected you for your EMS knowledge - now you are taking care of our country, too. Being a brat, I know that this is truly a sacrifice that not everyone is capable of making. THANK YOU! Keep in touch - and let us know where to send the mail. Seeing that your friends from EMT City come from all over the globe - your care packages should be quite interesting. Let me know what you need from my neck of the woods - maybe some moonpies and RC cola! Take care, keep your head down, give 'em hell and come home in one piece. Love & Prayers. M~
  10. I agree with MedicNorth - if they are a drowning they are not dead until they are WARM and PULSELESS. Of course scene safety is going to be your first and foremost priority - we are talking about four feet of icy water - no info on whether there is a current, etc. NO ONE should be going in unless they have proper water/rescue training. This being said, with your time limited resources, prioritize ALL patients but do not delay transport of those who are accessible given the weather conditions. Focus attention on drownings when they can be safely extricated. Agreed that an EASY button would be nice here! So glad I reside where the winter temperatures rarely dip below 25'F. Thanks for the posting PRPG.
  11. 1. I can see your point, but I still think you're full of it. 2. I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce. 3. How about never? Is never good for you? 4. I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public. 5. I'm really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way. 6. Who lit the fuse on your tampon? 7. I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message. 8. I don't work here. I'm a consultant. 9. It sounds like English, but I can't understand a word you're saying. 10. Ahhhh . I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again. 11. I like you. You Remind me of myself when I was young and stupid. 12. You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers. 13. I have plenty of talent and vision; I just don't give a darn. 14. I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth. 15. I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you. 16. Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view. 17. Just because you are misunderstood doesn't mean you are an artist. 18. Any connections between your reality and mine are purely coincidental. 19. What am I? Flypaper for freaks?! 20. I'm not being rude. You're just insignificant. 21. It's a thankless job, but I've got a lot of Karma to burn off. 22. Yes, I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial. 23. And your crybaby opinion would be? 24. Do I look like a people person to you? 25. This isn't an office. It's Hell with fluorescent lighting. 26. I started out with nothing & I still have most of it left. 27. Sarcasm is just one more service we offer. 28. If I throw a stick, will you leave? 29. Errors have been made. Others will be blamed. 30. Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed. 31. Oh I get it. like humor. but different. 32. A cubicle is just a padded cell without a door. 33. Can I trade this job (marriage, life, etc.) for what's behind door #1? 34. Too many freaks, not enough circuses. 35. Nice perfume. Must you really marinate in it? 36. Chaos, panic, and disorder ... my work here is finally done. 37. How do I set a laser printer to stun? 38. I thought I wanted a career; turns out I just wanted a salary. 39. I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter. 40. Wait a minute --- I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.
  12. Little Tony was staying with his grandmother for a few days. He'd been playing outside with the other kids for a while when he came into the house and asked her, "Grandma, what is that called when two people are sleeping in the same room and one is on top of the other?" She was a little taken aback, but decided to tell him the truth. "It's called sexual intercourse, darling." Little Tony just said, "Oh, OK." and went back outside to talk and play with the other kids. A few minutes later he came back in and said angrily, "Grandma, it is not called sexual intercourse! It's called Bunk Beds... and Jimmy's mom wants to talk to you!"
  13. Like AZCEP, Dust, Rid and ERDoc made reference to - two large bore IV's does NOT mean you have to run them wide open. Titrate one to try to achieve the desired pressure and TKO the second...then IF you or the ER or the OR need them - they are already established. Rid mentioned blood tubing on one - in the trauma class I just completed there was a strong emphasis on this. Most everyone agrees that "pink" blood is "bad" - but it is going to be much easier to start a second line in the field BEFORE it becomes nearly impossible. Just my 2¢.
  14. I'm not going to get in the middle of the boycott debate - but let's look at a different side of this. EMS services worldwide are contemplating placing cameras in their ambulances to monitor either the driver's and/or the patient compartments, in addition to having digital cameras available to their crews to document vehicle damage - in order to better communicate with ER doctors. I don't know specifically what products Olympus handles at this time - but it does not seem to be a wise business decision to put an entire profession in a bad light - when in fact you may be wanting their business. While not as humerous - same commercial could have shown EMS documenting MVC damage and sharing it with an ER doc - and showed BOTH professions in a more positive light. That's just my 2¢ worth - having spent two decades in the business world.
  15. As an EMT with a VFD I may or may not arrive on scence prior to ALS. We are required to document what we find and what we do. Our PCR's ask for outcome of the patient - did we turn care over to another service - if so who, where did they transport to, etc. If we are first on scene, we document as if we are in charge of the scene - because until ALS arrives we are. If we arrive on scene AFTER ALS, then we document what we found and what we did, if anything. If a member of the ALS team asks me to check a BGL while they start an IV, then I document that I did the BGL and what the results were. Since I'm not starting the IV, I do not attempt to document specifics of it, except to say ALS started an IV. If I assist the ALS crew by riding to the hospital with them, then I document what I did during the ride (CPR, BVM, monitoring of vitals, etc.) By its very definition, BLS documentation may not be as extensive, because we are not performing as many skills as ALS. As long as your documentation is accurate and you state at what point you turned care over to ALS - that should suffice.
  16. Patient assessment is truly the key here. Does the patient take maintenance drugs for the asthma? Have they used their inhaler since the onset of the attack - was there any relief? What is your patient's presentation? Having a child with both asthma and anaphylactic reactions I can tell you that this is no piece of cake. Her asthma is currently under control - she takes no maintenance meds. Her last reaction at age 7 was especially severe and was accompanied by hives - head to toe - that were hot and itchy - which appeared some two hours after ingesting the allergen. Initial treatment from the physician was to administer an entire day's dosage of Benadryl - child's dosing of 50 mg. Things subsided but when they began to reappear a couple of hours later we were off to the ER. The MD detected wheezing - with a stethescope. (This was before I was in EMS - so I was not capable of assessing her lung sounds at home.) We spent about six hours in the ER that day. Two days later she relapsed - this time with hives, redness and edema only from the clavicles upward and extreme lethargy. Back to the ER. Needless to say, this was the episode that finally landed us in the allergist office where we received precise instructions regarding life-threatening anaphylaxis and the use of EpiPens. As a side note, the allergist, our former physician and our current one all concurred that the benefits outweigh the contraindications in this instance. Also, given the severity and since we are appx. 30 minutes from a Level II trauma center - not counting EMS response time to our home - we were instructed to always ask 911 dispatch for air transport. Again - treat your patient - and know your protocols!
  17. "Ah hmmm..." WHACK, WHACK, WHACK (Single smacks her yardstick against the kitchen counter!) "EVERYBODY PLAY NICE!" OK, my MOMMY moment is over! LOL Streetsweeper, one of the beautiful things about EMT City is that all us NEWBIES get to learn from those who have paid their dues and paved the way for us. I see that you are new to the City, so you might want to spend some time reading through the various forums before you go and slap a label on all of our foreheads. If you are implying that those of us making a career change late in life are not serious about what we are doing, then you really have a lot to learn - especially about life in general. When I took the plunge into EMS, I had spent 20+ years with the same company, my earning potential was well over $50K and I was absolutely burned out and miserable. I had wanted to change careers for several years, but having lost my mother and my marriage within a few months of each other, and facing the daunting aspect of being a single parent, I figured I better guarantee that whatever I did would not plunge my family into financial ruin. So I stuck it out awhile longer. Now I absolutely LOVE what I am doing, and even though I took a big pay cut, I don't have to worry about the money end of it due to the plans I made. Personally, I don't care HOW OLD my coworkers are if they LOVE their job, are QUALIFIED to do their job and are not SICK AND TIRED of doing their job! In my previous life, my fellow coworkers ranged in age from 16 - 80+. I made it a point to learn something from each and every one of them. Everyone has something to contribute, you just have to know what to look for.
  18. We are so fortunate to have Dust to make sure our pendulum does not swig too far to one side or the other! Dust is speaking from many, many years of experience. Yes, the pay is poor, the hours are crappy, you have to work in all types of weather, burnout is high, etc., etc., etc. You have to factor ALL these things and many more into your decision. Twelve weeks of education will NOT be a waste of your time - even if you decide not to follow through with EMS. Stimulating your brain cells is NEVER a waste of time! Like was said previously, maybe your EMS training will lead you down another path. You never know. A year ago, I left a 20+ year career in retail to go back to school and study EMS. I had no idea how burned out I was - within two months my antidepressant and prescription stomach medicines were history and longtime friends were commenting that I hadn't seemed this happy and relaxed in YEARS! Yes, I am going to take a huge pay cut - I knew that and made plans for that. Yes, the hours bite - but I would rather be woke up at 2 a.m. for a car accident or a little old lady with chest pain than get up to unload a truck of merchandise. Rain and snow are not too bad - LOL! At least I am getting to "play" outside! You have to weigh the pros and cons of any decision. I celebrated my 40th birthday the week before national registry. Yes, I am the "old lady" in the program. Our two youngest students will turn 20 this semester. Does my age cause problems - no. I work out and make sure I am not a hindrance to the crew I work with. Of course, I can't do anything about being short! LOL I do not have the best grades in my medic classes - but that doesn't stop the younger students (who have been basics for a number of years) from asking for my help. And my life experiences help to fill in some gaps - witnessing my mother have a stroke, caring for my daughter during a severe anaphylactic episode, caring for a family member going through withdrawal, etc. If you intend to move on with paramedic school make sure you have developed exceptional study and time management habits. This is crucial. Also, depending on what your previous employment was, you might want to get some extra math and science under your belt before tackling medic school. If you love it - go for it and GOOD LUCK!
  19. I had my EMTB state license for about a month when I responded to a MVC with our VFD. Four victims in one car - driver DOA; two with agonal respirations and one viable. It was later determined the DOA had run a stop sign. Initially we could only access them through the back window. While they worked to free the viable patient I laid across the trunk of the car holding c-spine on another and doing my best to count respirations on him and the third patient (I had a full view of her face and chest but we couldn't get to her). I watched her die and a few minutes later the one I was holding c-spine on died in my hands during extrication. The hopelessness of the situation did not bother me near as much as watching someone die. Two days later I opened the paper to find out the DOA and my patient were priests at a local church. That kind of grated on my nerves for a few days. I took it to mean that anyone can go at anytime - doesn't matter who you are. A week later I worked my first code - solo for the first several minutes - but he had been down too long. Could have been a disastrous beginning to my career - however, my instructors had thoroughly prepared me for it. Talking with others helps. I talked with my pastor and that really helped. Also understand that you can't save everyone...for some it's just their time.
  20. Alco, congratulations! I'll have my fingers crossed for you. Having interviewed a few hundred people in my past life of retail management - here are a few pointers for you: * A job interview is a job interview - regardless of what the job is. This is an opportunity for you to convince a prospective employer that you are the best possible candidate for the job. Someone already said - be confident and be yourself - good advice. * Dress professionally - think conservative. (Sorry Dust...) A dress or skirt is fine - just watch the length. Keep makeup and jewelry to a minimum. Use perfume sparingly. Now is not the time for funky new hair styles and the like. If your hair is long (and if I remember from your pic, I think it was) it will look more professional to have it pulled back for the interview. A bun or French braid works great here. * Make sure your hands and nails are clean - nothing is a bigger turn off during an interview than to be able to see dirt under someone's nails. Ughhh! * Lose the chewing gum! The advice about the cigarettes was good, too. * If you are nervous, rehearse what you think you may have to say. Watch your use of "filler" words. Uhhh...hmmm...well...huh? Most people don't realize how much they use these. Also, know where your hands are during the interview. People get nervous and play with their hair, scratch their skin, etc. If you need to, fold them together loosely in your lap. * Know something about the company you're applying to. Applicants who had done a little research and knew something about us always got brownie points with me. * Manners go a long way. Yes ma'am and no sir. Also, a firm handshake before and after makes a good impression. * Review your basics - don't let something mundane and simple trip you up! * If some of these things sound common sense - they are - but you wouldn't believe how people show up looking for job interviews! Some days I wish I could have taken pictures! GOOD LUCK GIRL!
  21. Reminds me of a family story. One day in the late 1950's my dad had been doing some work on the roof. Instead of using the ladder to get down, he made his way over to the carport and decided he could safely jump down since the carport was closer to the ground. Hmmm...well along with earning the nickname "Superman" he managed to crush one heel and chip the other one. Lying there on the ground, he realized he needed to use the bathroom before he went to the emergency room. Not being able to walk, he crawled to the house, got inside and with my mother's help crawled up a half flight of stairs and climbed onto the toilet. According to my mom, his feet were filthy and she refused to take him to the hospital until she had washed them! If I'm not mistaken, she even made him change his sweaty shirt. Afterward, he crawled back to the car where mom helped him climb in, then proceeded to drive him to the hospital. There was no way mom was going to have one of us embarrass the family by showing up somewhere dirty and needing to change clothes. Needless to say I grew up hearing "always wear your clean underwear"!
  22. You have to love living in the south...read with a strong southern accent! Response to dispatch for a vehicle tag number: "1...2...D...as in dawg...4...5...6...K...as in...Krystal!" Guess we know where he likes to go for lunch! LOL
  23. I hope the medic classes I'm currently enrolled in are the norm and not the exception. Organophosphate poisoning was my first guess. It was covered rather extensively in our Hazmat section. And yes SLUDGE is still the acronym of choice in the classroom. Rid, before you pick on me responding to old posts...they are a great source of education for those of us still in school. You know, applying what you learn to real life and all that jazz!
  24. Gee, when this happened during my two pregnancies no one told me it was unusual! I was in my twenties, no significant health history, but a normally low blood pressure (110/70). The higher my heart rate got -- the lower my blood pressure went. Just got use to the dizzy spells that came with it. It never posed any other complications for me or my babies. Today both are teenagers -- and my blood pressure is SIGNIFICANTLY higher! LOL
  25. You did the right thing. PD needed to be notified regardless of the reason WHY he was acting like he was. If it was ETOH - too bad for him. I have no sympathy for impaired drivers. If it was medical - then someone needed to take a look at him. As for driving past MVA's and calling them in on your cellphone - I guess personal experience dictates what you will do. While pregnant with my first child I was in an MVA at a fairly busy intersection. Looking back now, it amazes me how NO ONE stopped to see if everyone was OK. When EMS rolled up they never even got out of the ambulance - just wanted to know if I "thought" I should go to the hospital! Gee, I don't know, I'm seven months pregnant with my first child, some idiot just wrecked my truck because he wasn't paying attention, and I've already got a knot on the top of my head where I snapped back and struck the rear window - oh and I don't work in medicine so I have no clue that I just screwed up my cervical spine and will have problems with it the rest of my life. Needless to say, even before my EMT training, if the scene appeared safe then I would stop and make sure they had at least called everyone they needed to. We all know that regardless of whether or not they are injured - they are definitely shook up and possibly not thinking straight. I'm not bashing anyone for choosing not to stop - just sharing why I do.
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