AMESEMT

Were the infants under the age of 1?

I am a CPR instructor (AHA guidelines) and we teach no AED for those under the age of 1 year. Also, the vast majority of arrest calls for infants are due to other reasons. Someone in one of my CPR classes asked the same thing and the paramedic there explained that typically infants do not have cardiac exclusive (i.e. heart attack) problems, but the cardiac aspect is brought on by something (i.e not breathing). Unless your protocols state something different, I would go by what the AHA Guidelines state.

I have been looking around for a good nylon belt. With Chief Supply I ordered a Uncle Mikes belt, but it has been on back order for 3 weeks and will be for another 2. My pants are from Aspen Mills (for reference if you have them). What would you suggest for a belt? Thanks. Ames

Don't get me wrong, if there is a need for it and it is the only option available, by all means use it. It works and will boost the glucose levels back up above the normal range. I was saying that for a patient with an intact gag reflex and is able to swallow then glucagon might not be the best option (if you have other options available such as glucose gel/tablets, juice, etc. of course). I was also pointing out one of the more common side effects (by what I have heard from my doctor and fellow diabetics) of glucagon for those who might not have used it or do not have access to it. Like I said, if needed, definitely use it. Be safe AMES

What do they say about MAST?

I was just curious if there are any paramedics/EMT's that work for MAST ambulance in KC on the board? I was thinking about going back to KC and was wondering what MAST is like and would you recommend it? I was also thinking about going to MAST for my paramedic internship. Any advice, thoughts, etc...would be great. Thanks! AmesEMT

People have mentioned glucagon. I would take IV D50 over glucagon any day as a diabetic. From what I understand (never had to use glucagon) some of the side effects are nasty. The main one I have heard is severe vomiting after injection and I have heard of people being very sick for the next few days. I have had IV D50 and it does bring your glucose up quickly. Great for those who have an altered mental status. Just my 2 cents worth.

Definitely go and get your paramedic education. Unless you are already going to college (like me and many others) don't delay going to get your paramedic. I wish I could have started my paramedic in August instead of January but I wanted to finish my accounting degree first. Go and get that paramedic education!!!!! I will be in the same shoes in January, Go us!! Good luck and be safe AMESEMT

Here's my 2 cents. Like most everyone else said, if the ambulance was not there then I would stop. From what I have been told by EMS providers and nurses, here in Iowa it is illegal to pass on by an accident if you are a paramedic, EMT-B, first responder, doctor, nurse, etc.. If it is found out you did pass by and not render help, you can get in BIG trouble. I just read that EMS providers are covered under the Good Samaritan Law in Iowa so that is good news. If the ambulance was already there, then I would not stop. I feel I would be getting in the way and they probably have things under control, if it is not an MCI. MCI I would probably stop and offer help. Good luck and Be Safe AMESEMT

Dust, does the amount of hours required for field internships vary from program to program? I ask this because the program I am hopefully going to be accepted to (find out in a few weeks) required 360-600 hours just for the field, that does not include hospital internship. These hours are suppose to take 3-4 months. AMESEMT

I have had a preceptor like that for my EMT-B. He was way cocky and told me that I should not go into paramedicine and if he could go back he would not be a paramedic. However, within the same service, I have had a few different preceptors and like Ruff, I latched on. These medics would, as we were enroute to the hospital, they would ask after I had done my assessment and given my findings, "Is there anything else you would like to do?" and if I could not think of anything besides check vitals every so often, they would either say okay or tell me something else I might do and why. Then after the call they would run through with what they saw, we would compare, and they would tell me things I should look for, or other things I might have done if we had time (we have short transport times). I learned a great deal from them. I have thought about doing my field internship with them but they are not exceptionally busy, unlike MAST in Kansas City. Although, I have heard good things about MAST and paramedic interns who went there. Like Dust said I was under the impression that is what they are suppose to be. Like in my accounting field here at college, we can do internships to learn and have a good environment to learn in (with a solid base behind us from school, hopefully). With the original post, I believe that even going through basic someone should be comfortable with talking to patients, being on-scene, etc...since a basic cannot do much else. With my program we were required to have so many patient contacts (ie. some medical, some trauma). For me, between riding as a student with a busy service that has great preceptors, and now riding with the same service for the experience and the field education has allowed me to be more comfortable with the assessment, talking to patients and family, and learning some of those things they don't really teach you in class like the proper way to apply 3-lead EKG patches (we were not taught how to apply them in Basic), and assisting a paramedic with whatever they might need (the teamwork concept between Basic and paramedic). I believe at least the internships could to be restructured or tweaked. The basic program had us do preceptor evaluations to see if the program (Mercy) should continue to allow both basic and paramedic students to return to that service. If I remember right there are services they had in the past that they do not allow because of a lack of quality preceptors in the eyes of the student. It has both its positives and negatives but a good evaluation from the student should tell the program what sort of field education (good or bad) they get from that service. Just my 2 cents. AMESEMT

Congratulations on talking to them. It is unfortunate you cannot go directly from EMT-B to EMT-P. But like spenac said, don't delay any of the steps. Good job and good luck.

www.fastweb.com I use that for college but if you put a health related field stuff will come up. Granted you do have to sort through the masses of scholarships, essay scholarships, etc...but it does give you a lot of options. I just applied for two about a month ago for paramedic school. But that is my suggestion from one college student to another. Good luck AMESEMT

jsadin- I think you say it best. That is what my post "Dissapointment" was all about. I don't mind when someone corrects/redirects me. It is the manner in which they do it. Like you, the message is lost on me when someone is arrogant/insulting because I am pissed that they did not respect me and treated me like "a snot nosed kid." (I know I am young, but I am smarter than I look). I know I am the lowest on the EMS totem pole and that I don't have the education a paramedic does, but I constantly keep an open mind when I am around paramedics because I want to learn. It is all about approach. Like you said (jsadin) some people need a good, swift reality check though. Asys- I understand and believe the same thing you are saying. I know I don't know everything, I am here to learn and be educated. I don't know the whole picture and probably never will, but I will continue to strive to understand more of it. AMESEMT

I would highly recommend following the advice from those who have been around for awhile. I am a senior in college (22 yo) who found EMS halfway through my senior year. I am glad I have gotten a college education. It gave me some of those classes they [Ruffems] was talking about. It also gave me the maturity needed in this field and an education. I am currently riding with a paid ALS service (I am not paid for riding but I am not a volunteer) for good experience from quality mentors. Even though I disagree with some people about not volunteering, it sounds like you need to stop with the company you are with. The experience you are getting is not good. Also, forget the EMT-I like Dust was saying. I thought about going that route but was told if you want a medical education (paramedic) EMT-I is not the way to go. With EMT-I (correct me here if I am wrong) you are trained to do things, e.g. push certain drugs if this happens, if A happens do B. Due to them not educating on the mechanics of why and how those drugs work and the need behind them for what they are used for, it is a lot tougher to educate you. That is what I was told by an instructor who teaches paramedic level classes. Since then, I decided to skip the EMT-I and go straight to the paramedic level. Don't let people bother you. I have encountered those who use to make me be a little nervous (especially when I was a Basic student), but I realized I was there to learn and for them to make sure what I am doing is correct. Now when I ride and those same people are on duty I have the mentality that I will do what I have learned (e.g. vitals, SAMPLE, etc.) and if they intervene it is because there is something they need to know that I am not asking or doing, or if it is in my scope of practice they will ask me to do it. So just be yourself and don't let them being around make you nervous. Good Luck and Be Safe AMESEMT

--- Brentoli If you would have read what I put...I basically ride as an extra pair of hands on the already staffed PAID ALS service. I don't take their shifts, I don't work the ambulance alone, or give extra hands for coverage if they are short. I ask the person who does the scheduling (he is also in charge of saying yes or no to riders) if I can get some time in for experience. (They are already fully staffed by the time I ask)So I am not taking anyones job away from them since I don't even work for the service. As a side note, this service only hires paramedics and runs dual paramedics...so I would not even be able to cover shifts, or work the ambulance alone if I wanted to. I would not do it for free even if I could, cause I too would be pissed if someone did my current job for free and I didn't get the shifts they worked for free. Hope that answers your questions. AMESEMT P.S. Sorry for the late post but I have been busy lately with visiting a paramedic program, current schooling, and work.

Blue Goose, no offense taken. That is fine you are anti-volunteer, but it is the way people treat volunteers on this site that disappoints me. Your example about grocery baggers is great, I work in a grocery store (since I am still a college student and going to paramedic school soon). I would not want someone doing the same job for free if they are bringing down my wages. Being a volunteer with a (PAID) ALS service, I feel will not affect anyone since they don't rely on me for working. I am basically an extra pair of hands. I am mainly there to learn as much as I can and put what I have learned to use. Thanks everyone for good posts! AMESEMT

Thanks all for the posts. It does provide a little more in depth reason why there is such a sometimes overwhelming negative feeling about volunteer services. I am not offended, but just amazed in a concerned way about the bashing and negativity when someone does state they are a volunteer, and in general the attitude toward that person. I completely understand the need for the revamping or elimination of the volunteer services. However, I was raised to look at both sides of the issue and consider the reasons for the other side. That is what I am doing here. Dust, I agree with you, people need to be the very best no matter what the type of service they work/volunteer for, and by not doing that they hurt the profession. Dust, you say that the disrespect here is nothing compared to the disrespect I will receive out in the world, I have already seen it and experienced it. Where I work I have had managers and fellow workers disrespected me. But many learn that I give 110% when I work if I get the respect I deserve, once they disrespect me I don't do that anymore, I do just is what is required. In the EMS world, that might not work (I don't know), but I am a strong believer that if a manager is not treating me with the respect and we can't come to a mutual agreement, I leave. There are other jobs out there, especially for paramedics, where I will be treated with respect. With regards to patients, it is just like the customers I deal with, I don't see them that long to worry about it. I understand they have things going on in their lives and I am just seeing them on a bad day. It is the disrespect here that bothers me...people come here to share ideas and experiences in a place where they feel they will not encounter that. Dust, you seem like the medic that I would like to learn from in the field. You don't show disrespect like others, no matter what the post is, and you have a lot of knowledge and experience you are willing to share. I hope the people that do disrespect quite often, and I have dealt with a few here, will follow your lead and change their attitude and approach to a subject. Thank you everyone for your posts. I truly did gain a better insight into some of the attitude toward volly services. I am sure I will disagree with posts here and there and I will put my 2 cents in and may even catch flak for it. No problem, to each their own, I am willing to learn and see others points of view and reasons behind it, just like with this post. I look forward to seeing more posts where I can hopefully contribute and gain good insight. Thanks and be safe out there! AMESEMT P.S. Thanks scaramedic for the humor! Made me laugh. Saw it as I was previewing the above...

Tonight I had some free time between studying for tax accounting and going to bed. I decided what a better way to kill some time than to go to emtcity.com to see what is going on. Maybe see some good posts that will make me think or laugh. Tonight, like the past few times I have been here I was sorely mistaken. I read several posts where someone, usually a long time member of City, would put in their 2 cents worth, which consisted of bashing volly's, Basics, and the poster. Even more so if the poster stated they were a volunteer and posting in the BLS area. I have got to say....WHAT THE HECK! I am so sick of people bashing volunteers and BLS providers. Granted there are whackers out there that need to get a paid job in EMS, or advance in their education, but has anyone stop to think why are some people volunteers? I can say, I am a volunteer. Why you may ask? Because of the reason and the choices I have right now. I am currently in my last semester as a college student who is getting his B.S. in Accounting. I was not fortunate enough to find EMS right out of high school or even in high school then go to paramedic school. So I got my EMT-B in the middle of my senior year of college. I thought about not attending the university any more to go and get my paramedic. I was talked out of it (I am glad) since I have $70,000 in loans and a semester left in my education. Since I don't go to paramedic school until January, what am I going to do in the mean time since no service is going to hire me with 4 months left before I leave (I tried to get a job, no luck). I decided to volunteer at the local hospital where they have a dual medic (paid) 911 system. I have volunteered many times there to maintain my skills as a BLS provider, and to learn and experience more by being in the field and getting the various calls and using what I have learned. You may be asking, volunteering at a paid ALS service, how does that work? Well, you just volunteer with the 2 medics. You could say this is not true volunteering, I will give you that one. But same principle as why people sometimes do the volunteer work, to gain experience before going to paramedic school and don't have many options, the open schedule for a paid position, the volunteer allows for more flexible scheduling for college students, that is the closest thing they have currently, etc..... Don't get me wrong, there are whackers out there and volunteer systems that need to be revamped. But what most people do is stereotyping...which is bad. I just ask that people, mainly the ones that are paramedics and have been at this site for quite awhile, to stop and maybe reconsider bashing someone or speaking ill of others just because they are BLS providers, volunteers, etc... Stop and think about maybe the reason behind it? With that, I am sad to say I have seriously considered leaving this site and never coming back. I realize not all posts have this but many of the people that post the most are those who do these things. These experienced people have lots of knowledge and experiences everyone can learn from and offer many insights into things people may post about. But when you bash and insult you make people not want to listen to what you have to say. That is my 2 cents worth. I hope people will think about what I have said and not bash me for it, I am just stating my feelings from what I have observed. Good luck and be safe out there! AMESEMT

I was wondering if there are any EMT/Paramedics that carry their own personal malpractice insurance? I am currently a EMT-B getting ready to go onto paramedic school soon and was just wondering if I should carry my own? I know many schools make you pay so they can put you on their insurance while you are a student, but until then should I get my own while I do ride-alongs with an ALS service where I am going to college, at least until I start medic school? If so, what is a good company to go through? Thanks for the advice! Chris

Thanks for the posts and advice. I figured a lot of the recommendations for the two years experience were due to needing the clinical experience to look back on.

In January I will be starting my Paramedic, which I am looking forward to! My question is, would it be advisable to get critical care training soon after getting my paramedic? I am planning on working in a high call volume system (Kansas City, MO) where I think it would be a plus. Also, later in my career I would like to be a flight medic and I know the services I have looked at around KC require CCP or FP-C training. What have people done in their own careers and what would you suggest? From my understanding, the CCP courses offered provide more training and education on many different medical devices used in the field when transporting patients either from the scene or from one medical facility to another. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks! AMESEMT

I PASSED!!!!!! The questions are........interesting. I got my paper certificate yesterday as well as my card. Pretty quick. Thanks for all the posts and good luck to everyone else.

Thanks all for the advice and help. So I heard from the company and they rescinded their offer because the occupational health doctor basically (shortening what he said) has a blanket ban on all diabetics that come through, he does not look at it on a case by case basis even if the individual has a Federal Exemption or other documentation from the endocrinologist in favor of the person driving. It looks like the search continues for a job in EMS. Paramedicmike, yea, I understand that driving an ambulance and being a certified EMT/Paramedic are not linked. But my point was that those individuals who are certified are trusted with people's lives more directly (due to patient care) compared to just driving the ambulance. Don't get me wrong, driving an ambulance is a big responsibility too, but I believe pt. care is a bigger responsibility in the scheme of things and hopefully if someone is trusted with people's lives, they would be trusted to drive, but probably not always the case. (Note: This view comes from me having to jump through a few hoops and a little extra paperwork to even start the EMT and soon the paramedic programs). Sorry if the comparison did not come out right (sounded better in my head I hope you are understanding what I am getting at. Oh, and this for me is no hobby. I love EMS still and I hope that I will continue to enjoy and love it in the future. I am bound and determined to do what it takes to stay in this field and to get an employer that will hire me. I am almost done with college and I have found that this is my passion, my career in life. Now, I have been told by I think two people or so that I need a thicker skin. My reply, is this: Like I told DustDevil, it is all in presentation and how you go about saying things. On forums it is so hard to the the right tone across, and I understand that. Many of you know each other fairly well and have history with this site. I just ask, keep in mind, us new people don't know any of you and have no history here so we do not know your regular posting attitude. I will admit, when I read the posts I try and figure out the attitude they are suppose to convey (funny, serious, angry, etc.) in addition to the message. I am new here and still learning, mainly the attitudes of people normally and how they come across. As I meet more people and get to know those I have already met I will probably...most likely...change my views to those you which many have now. DustDevil, I am sure you are and kind and helpful person and this is just one of those times I did not see that clearly. I am sure that I will come to realize it in future posts. Hopefully you don't think I am too much of a.....horse's rear..(putting it nicely) and forgive me if I was. Everyone, thanks again for your posts and I am sure I will see everyone around here in the future.

DustDevil, You are misquoting me as well, I said I misused commas to indicate my thought, which I did go back and change regarding the NREMT and Iowa Bureau of EMS. Now with regards to volunteers, you are stereotyping them. Not all volunteers are bad, just like not all professionals are good. Granted I will give you that bad experience is a negative anywhere you go but if that volunteer is smart enough they will realize that and learn why it was bad and get out of that place. You say stick around here and I will learn what ems is really about, I doubt I will learn from you right now. It is all about attitude, and how material and thoughts are presented. So far you have only had a bad attitude about things, but i will give you that you showed I made some mistakes on presenting my ideas, they did not come across as I thought they did and I thank you for that. The way you present your ideas, through your attitude make me take what you write with a grain of salt. Everyone else has been nice and showed me things not in a "I am better than you and everyone else" attitude. I do embrace input and advice from those I respect because they have shown me that same respect. Like I said, you have shown me nothing but disrespect and bad attitude. If you want me to listen to your input and advice, stop having a bad attitude, that is how you are disrespecting me. When you start doing that I will respect you in return. I hope we can conclude without me leaving not listening to what you have to say, and you thinking I am a new EMT that does not want to listen to what the paramedics have to say. Now back to the topic I originally posted on "Diabetic EMT/Paramedics" to get back on topic. If you have anything further to say, not related to this thread, PM me with it.