StickEm

I like the black with dried vomit and blood... pre stained costs more but looks way cooler.

This is equal to or greater than SUCK. It's bad enough people don't trust us occasionally already, without having the fucking FEDERAL GOVERNMENT come out and peg us as "collectors" of intelligence. Would I report things that seem amiss? Of course! Do I want it as part of a job description? Hell to the NO. Why don't they just hire more feds to wiretap and spy?

Yes, another media-driven frenzy. Two weeks ago here in Atlanta they ran a segment on MRSA, and then the next day there was another, on a different channel. Two days after that, CNN was running a segment on it, but they kept calling it "MSRA". -Dolts. Now everyone is talking about MRSA in schools, hospitals, etc., and everyone thinks they have it. There came a stomach bug a couple weeks ago, too, and since the viral bloom began, we've been getting priority one calls for "abdominal pn", where the "pt" c/o N/V/D plus fever for two or three days. It's a bug, people...

We go in, look it over, and call the coroner. Then PD stays to wait for the coroner.

"Atheras - who claimed she sustained a concussion, lost the hearing in her right ear and suffered damaged vision in her right eye as a result of the incident - said the indictment provided her some level of comfort." This is what you get for slapping a pt. in this day and age. The sternal rub is usually adequate in most cases, and I've even seen a medic apply pressure to a nailbed while no one was looking to asertain whether or not a pt was faking it. It turns out, she was, because when he did it, she yelled, "HEY! What the heck are you doing?!? Are ouy out of your mind?!?" Nice post-ictal response from a shoplifter, eh? Nobody was in the ambulance but us three, so let her claim that she has lost the use of her fingernail.

I feel no need to justify my decision to not participate to you.

Forget it. I can see this is just another forum where a handful of forum vultures chime in on every thread and perform bukkake in everyone's faces when they disagree with a discussion point. Internet forums are for suckers. Suckers who want people like Dust to take out his anger and frustration on. I'm out. Enjoy roasting me for leaving. I don't even know you guys, and have decided this is a better forum to just lurk in rather than post. My time would be better spent doing something else.

Um, we are not allowed to analyze rythyms or use a cardiac monitor at all unless we have that card, so I don't see why you are so down on my employers. There is nothing wrong with getting an ACLS card; especially if you can't do anything with regards to chest pain calls, or other ALS stuff. They are just trying to add some incentive while you plod your way through school. Why are you so damn sour, dude? Lighten up, Frances... ACLS isn't a joke where providing care is concerned: a BLS truck can not push drugs except for O2 and D50, and use an AED. You wouldn't send those untrained for ALS out on CP or difficulty breathing calls. The fact remains: certification and licensure are all we have, unless you have a better plan for the whole EMS world, smart-guy.

I suppose my question speaks directly to those who are in this line of work and get peeved when they can't relocate to another state or transfer credits to a college to further their edumacation. I am well aware that the NR is a money-making scheme, but it also serves a higher purpose. That purpose is to prove competency WITH REGARDS TO BASIC AND PROFESSIONALLY ACCEPTED PRACTICES in the field of EMS. This gives us the option of moving around and not having to "prove" that we can do the job asked of us, in thse states that participate. GA does participate, though it is not necessary to be an EMT B, I, or P. All you need is a state lisence. The school I went to is regarded as having the best program in the whole state, with direct involvement and input from the state's medical director. I could have gone to a handful of other schools, but immediately saw the value in having those hard-earned credits be transferrable towards a degree or at least towards another program, (i.e. nursing, rad tech, etc.,) Also, being nationally registered gives me the option of moving to a participating state should the need/desire arise. What's not to like about that?

My Uncle robbie was near the end of his road, and still living at his home with his wife Yvette. He was having these DM episodes at night, where he'd get up and yell at the man to go away, and leave him alone. Yvette asked us to unload his pistol and kindly remove any ammo in the house. We did. He went to a NH a few weeks later, and every other night or so, he'd swing his cane around, and chase that man away. Yvette told us that on the night he died, he just sat up, said, "OK, I'm ready now Pere..." in French, and then laid back down and stopped breathing. was my great-Granpere visiting him? Wierd. My granddad passed away about 6 months later, and Meme made a stink about his late-night fits, too. He would do the same thing as Robbie for about a month before he passed. Creepy, but somehow reassuring. Another one: We responded to a "sick call" at about 4 AM. Dispatch said he was a hospice PT with a Hx of CA who had not eaten for a couple of days, and had pulled out his medication port. We get there and this poor guy in his early 40's who is bald from chemo is on his brother's couch. His skin was blotchy pale and purple, and he was hyperventilating and diaphoretic. His sis-in-law said he had been pacing from the bed to the couch all night, and had been agitated. We went out to get the stretcher, and when we got back in, he had crapped himself. He just kept saying, "Oh... ooooh. No. No. Oooh." and looking around the room and flinching every now and then like he was waving away flies. We got him to sit on the stretcher, and he said, "No, not now!" We assured him and rolled him out. The medic I was with asked me to get DNR papers, because, "He's doing it right now." I walked up to his bro and sis-in law, got the papers, and returned just in time to see him cry a couple of BIG teats, and sob a little, and then crump. I had to tell his brother he had passed, (not easy to see a man drop to his knees in a driveway and wail,) and then I got in and prepared to drive to the ER. I wondered if he would go to Heaven, got a bad feeling like darkness was creeping around us, and happend to look down at the volt-meter and see the number 666 flashing. This panel doesn't flash at all, it just reads voltage. It went 666, then .1, then 666 then .1, then 666 then .1 and then it went back up to 1200 or so, and that was all. The feeling went away and I prayed the whole way to the hospital. I felt sick as hell all that day, and had a violent vomiting spell later that day. Yuck. I didn't feel right for a couple days after that, and neither did my partner. I told her what I had seen, and she told me that she had never in her 25-odd years of this had seen a person actually CRY when they died. Poor guy, I hope he's ok now.

Why on earth would anyone go to a "school" that is not nationally accredited, and not have those credit-hours be transferrable to a decent college towards a degree? Also, Why would someone get licensed to work in their state, and not be nationally registered?!? I know a damn good medic with over 15 years of experience who can't work anywhere other than THIS state because he is not nationally registered. He went on a vacation and raved about the state he went to, and their starting pay, but lamented the fact that he wasn't nationally registered. I'm just curious: if it's available to you, and there are schools nearby that ARE nationally accredited, why wouldn't you go for it? I mean, here in GA, HOPE scholarships and PELL grants have paid my way through EMT-I, (books and all,) and will pay my way through EMT-P, and they WON'T for these "schools" like Medix that aren't nationally accredited. -Why, daddy, WHY? Any thoughts?

I would not have started at the company I'm at now if they only offered minimum wage for EMT-Is. I started at $8.00/hr and after my 90 day probationary period, I ot another $.50/hr. This with medical/dental insurance, LT diasability insurance, costs of credit-hour classes paid for by the company that go toward recerts, life insurance, and uniforms, it's about $34,650/year on a regular FT shift, (24-48). Of course, I work extra shifts every two weeks, and then do my "regular" rotation to cool off, but I bet I'll clear $35,000 this year. There are other services, both private and county that pay "more", but some only let you work 4-12 hr shifts and it ends up being the same base pay. I like having two days off in between. I am about to start paramedic school in Sept, and when I get my ACLS card, I automatically get another $5,000/yr. When I complete EMT-P, I get another $6,000. That's an $11,000 incentive to stay and be a paramedic for them. I'm going to start a thread which discusses another question that just popped up in my mind -why on earth would anyone go to a "school" that is not nationally accredited? Also, Why would someone get licensed to work in their state, and not be nationally registered?!?

I work for a Pvt Co. and am very pleased so far. The owners are all family, and are comitted to the employees. They are constantly accomodating everyone's needs and scheduling issues. The pay and retirement plans aren't quite as nice as in the big, deep-pocketed counties, but hey, it's a trade-off. YOu could be just another number with some public service, and as such, subject to public and private scrutiny, and make $40,000/ yr, or you could make $6,000 less and actually know you are somebody to your bosses. They treat you like family, not underlings. The folks that run our company are all advanced-level paramedics, period. We have four 911 trucks and provide all emergency medical to our county, (3 ALS and one BLS,) We have two BLS transport trucks and one ALS for IFTs. If the county goes to pot, the ALS unit goes 10-41 and covers. If there is an ALS transfer, and the ALS transfer truck is not available, one of the ALS units from 911 handles it. It's a pretty sweet set-up. The county's FD accompanies all CPs, person-down, MVCs, and that kind of stuff, so manpower is not a problem. We also have two FT 911 ALS units in another county which is more rural. We all know that the money-makers are the IFTs, but the owners do a great job of balancing it all out. I have friends who work as EMT/FFs in my home county, and though they love it, they have admitted it all feels kind of impersonal and political at times. Unions, boards of commissioners, John Q. Public griping about you wasting tax-dollars, etc... -That's what is missing from private service.

I have no problem fling a Pt. based on MOI and injury, and I have no problem with a trauma center preparing a facility based on MOI either. We took a guy to Grady who wrecked a 4-wheeler, and though he said he felt fine, and was indeed stable for the whole trip in, etc., he ended up a veg due to a basal fracture they found at the trauma center. What if he had gone to some podunk pretend hospital wo a trauma room? I guess it's moot in this case, but what if his worsening condition was actually preventable? Let them charge the PT. to be prepared for them.

There is no need to reinvent the wheel here, as there is already the One Boot. http://www.copshoes.com/c-search-and-rescu...-T834-6760.html These are all I wear. Light, comfortable, and even after an entire day of 95 degree weather, my feet stay dry. They shine up nicely, and the soles last really well. At $139.00/pr, they're hard to beat. Stryker should stick to improving their stretchers that get out of adjustment after 3 months of use and won't fold to go in the truck... ;P

Yup, I agree. Let me make mention of the one thing FDs have that we don't, and it probably seals deals for them in most cases: A Union. Ugh, I said the "U" word...

Yeah, ok. You do that. As for me and mines, we will do a full meal-deal on any significant MOI and stay out of court. Unless you have x-ray vision, or CAT scan vision, you can't say if it is or is not a fracture. Better to err on the side of caution in this litigious age. If your Pt. turns around and sues for sciatic pain later on down the road, then some lawyer will ask the question, "What is the AAOS' and NREMT's protocol for transporting a Pt involved in an MVC with significant MOI like this four-wheeler, head-on versus a car? Did you provide an adequate standard of care? What if we ask four other paramedics/EMTs what that level of care is and they all say, "full immoblization."? You have neglected your Pts needs by deviation from an acceptable standard of care, and since we found that level of care described by your state's medical director in YOUR SOP manual, you are wrong. I rest my case, your honor." Your company pays, you get fired and lose your license.

CB, I assume you are being sarcastic. In actuality, he did have a basal fracture, and this is what rendered him braindead by the afternoon. Whether or not c-spine immobilization would have helped, it is still SOP for any possible head/neck injury or MVA. LOL we outgrew that...

Yeah, it's too late to tell him to step up, the shift was over when you posted. In the future, when you get some slack-a$$, tell them so as soon as they do something lame, like when you see them using their phone during a call. -Unacceptable, and against company policy, not to mention crass and disrespectful to the PT. If he/she responds to your criticism well, ease back and let them improve. Sadly, these a-holes usually don't accept criticism, hence their deplorable behavior. I had a paramedic actually yell at me when I asked that he not speed and please be more careful when driving me and a Pt. in. He went NUTS! There, I had fulfilled my obligation to him as a partner, and it didn't go well. Next time he acted the fool, I went straight to the shift commander and they dealt with it. He di something later that also sucked and was contrary to SOP, and me and the shift CO wrote his ass up. Who cares if they improve? -They better. Document everything and refuse to put your lisence on the line by working with them. That usually gets admin's attn.

Absolutely not. If you have a Pt. in the compartment, or are on your way to a call, (not including sick-calls or priority 2,) you are obligated by law and SOP to continue providing care to YOUR Pt., else it's considered a form of abandonment. You raise EOC and inform them that a MVA occurred, and give exact location. No grey areas, or else you get your company sued.

Just repeat your radio report with the addition of any interventions/changes that occurred since you called in. We use those blue square sheets with everything itemized on them. Pt name, age, chief complaint, VS, etc. I use it to do my radio report, and when I get in to the ER, I use it to repeat the report. Then I get them to sign my PCR, and go 10-8 before I write the most of the PCR. We know most of the nurses at our local ER, and they're pretty cool.

For the most part, the FFs we deal with are great about getting the PT ready for us and even driving to the ER. There was that one time, however that a guy with NO HELMET went over a moving car on his four-wheeler, broke both the front and rear windows out with his body, and slid down the back side of it, leaving a bloody trail. He looked like s***, and had cuts and scrapes everywhere. Now due to the MOI, the most important thing is immobilization, and here we had 6 FFs, (one of which was a "paramedic",) standing around, while the guy held himself up on the fender of the four wheeler. They are asking him questions and he's answering by NODDING HIS HEAD FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND UP AND DOWN!!! No c-spine, no long board, nothing. He was found to have a brain bleed later, which disrupted his functions and rendered him a veg. Now, he was C&A for the whole ride in to Grady and VS were stable. Here we thought he was lucky... One other time, the FFs gave us some "anomylous" BP readings, and were downplaying this woman's CC of tingling, facial drooping, and high BP, saying it wasn't a stroke, and they even had us slow our response. All we had was what dispatch told us with a woman CO feeling faint until we got there and assessed her. -Dumba$$es.

Sounds fun. I wonder if it would show up on a drug test? Prob not.

Twister, you nailed it. The fire guys dread the days they are scheduled to ride the hook, (rescue,) and so far, here in Gwinnett Co., GA, there aren't too many medics that want to, either. They all want to ride squad. The county makes them all get EMT-I certs, and foots the bill for it. They actually get paid to sit in class, on top of having the tuition, books, IDs, etc covered. Believe me when I say, I sat in class with 25 or so fire guys, and only a handful were actually into the material and a few even cheated on tests. They only made it through because they absolutely HAD to. They didn't want to do EMS -only fire. This compromises Pt care. I disagree with the money thing, though. 80% of Gwinnetts calls are "medical", and of those, only a small amount are legit or actually get paid for. I work for a private service that handles 911 for two counties, as well as transports. 911 pays crap. -No money in it. The critical care transports pay $10.00/mile with a flat base fee of $500.00, plus any goodies like physically lifting a Pt., O2 therapy, any drugs or Tx. The non-emergent transports don't pay as much, but it's a minimum $250.00 from Medicaid, I think. The county fire services do NOT do transports from hospital to hospital. It is funny when the crew conducting the "study" played the "What will EMS do if a car is engulfed with flames?!?" card... In the county I serve in FD is automatically dispatched to chest pains, person down calls, and MVCs. We get dispatched to structure fires for them. I believe that the FDs that want to take over EMS only want more grant money -period. I know the FFs don't give a flip for working EMS.

Young lady, Firstly, do not let the chapped and jaded responses get you down. Most people don't know how to maintain and keep a fresh mind; ergo the high burn-out rate and stored resentment. If you can find ways to recharge and refresh, and NOT take a LOT of things the wrong way, or put yourself too much in the middle, then you will do fine in EMS. You need NEED need a warped sense of humor. -That's my favorite thing about EMS: the people. What a collection of screwballs. Also some of the most iron-willed folks you will ever work with. There's camaraderie that's hard to beat, and inevitable. Another great thing about it is the adrenaline, though that wears off after a while and only the real s%*&-kickers will get you pumped. -It's still fun. The downside IMO are the hours. The missed holidays. The sleeping in after a crap night and missing out on half of your next day off. Try not to plan things for the next morning if you are working overnight. The worst part of ALL is when you respond to bad scenes involving kids, especially if you have some of your own. The other half of that same issue is when a parent doesn't restrain their kids, yaps on the phone, and has a rollover accident after plowing into an intersection. You arrive to find a kid here, a kid there, all covered in glass and lying in unnatural positions, and the mother still clutching cell phone strapped in her seat in hysterics. those kids can't choose who their stupid parents are, and they really become helpless victims. On the other hand, you are there to help. Being in a situation like that and doing everything you've been trained to do almost flawlessly among the chaos really feels good. Especially when at least one kid makes it depsite a double tib-fib fx, a hip fx, a hematoma on the forehead and soft tissue damage. You pray as the chopper takes off that they will make it. So even though you come in off a call like that and it rattles you, you can't help but think what the outcome would have been if you had NOT been there on time and ready. Just find the good medics who aren't too burnt out, stick with them, and you'll do fine. Don't let a medic put you in the back with something that is clearly in their scope of practice, and pay no mind to all the nay-saying, the bitching, and the gossip. -Pretty much a good rule for ANY job! -Good luck!