triemal04

Not to disagree or anything like that...oh hell, why not...the CPAT is far and away one of the most simple and easy physical agility tests out there. As far as a standardized test, it is the easiest. Period. If it takes someone 6 months to get into shape to pass it, 1-they were seriously (and I mean fixing to have an MI seriously) out of shape and 2-had no business even taking the test to begin with. It is a bit difficulty, I'll give you that, but all it really is is a representative test of the tasks that FF's routinely perform; it's made up like that so that nobody can cry foul! and say there was a bias to the test or it was unrelated to the job skills to be performed. That is a big reason why it got so much use (and still does), not because it is such a difficult test. With this it is much harder for women to complain that the test isn't fair. Which is bunk given that they, if hired, are expected to perform at the same level as the men on the departments. Many departments that give it still wash out a large number of people in their academys because they can't keep up; if it is such a hard test, how can that be happening? If someone shows up to take the CPAT and can't finish it, or barely finishes, that is someone that has no business being there in the first place. Wow. I feel much better now. For the rest of the question, if you mean EMS education, due to the restrictions and requirements for Paramedics here, no fire department runs a medic program. As far as CE education goes, I like it. I'd prefer to have more, but what we do get is pretty good. Our doc's stay pretty involved in it, and that helps. Be a bit more specific and I'll give you more.

Long as your state's laws allow you to report to them and not Childrens/Family Services or a like agency. That would be my route for the most part, though there could be exceptions. If the cops are already there, make it clear to them that you think abuse is going on, and they're obligated to investigate it. Course, the only problem with this is if it's Deputy Dawg who's the father Billy Joes second cousin (and brother but we won't go into that). Might be better in that case to take it up with someone else. The important thing to remember is that if you suspect abuse it needs to be reported and followed up on somehow. If you have to tell several people for some reason, that's fine. If you have to let someone else make the official report, that's fine too, long as it get's done. I'd rather overreact 10 times on a hinky child call than miss one true abuse case.

If that's what you do then that's what you do. If your service doesn't care then go for it. Personally I'd rather treat the pt's pn, pad around them to minimize movement and give them a gentle ride to the hospital, bypassing the areas that I know will be at a standstill. But that's just me, and if that's not possible where you are then keep doing what you're doing I suppose. I think you're misinterpreting the comment about getting units back in service. Unless you work for the perfect EMS agency, at some point your resources will run low, or all will be in use. (this should not be happening on a regular basis, if it is, then something needs to change fast) When that happens and an ALS call is pending, transporting a non-emergent pt code 3 to the hospital so that you become available for the next call is very appropriate.

I'll go a different way. I can see transporting code 3 simply to get back into service if a true ALS call is pending and there is no available unit to handle it. But for patient or crew comfort...unless I'm missing something, that has never yet, and almost definitely never will determine if I transport code 1 or 3. If you could explain that more that'd be great. For my 2 cents...MI's...CVA's with a confirmed onset of less than 2 hours, trauma entries, and post ROSC codes are the only pt's that will get a code 3 transport every time. Other's do pop up sometimes, but much more often than not it's a slow trip to the hospital. With a well-trained medic, most (not all) situations can be handled in the car. Far as BLS units go...if they're part of the system, they should only rarely be going code 3 to a call. When someone calls because their finger is dislocated due to a volleyball game, that does not warrant using the siren to get there. If for some reason they have to be the initial responders to an ALS call, that's a no brainer, but that hopefully won't happen often. And if the wankers in dispatch can't figure out using their flipbooks if it's emergent/non-emergent, then maybe they go code 3, but at that point it'd be better to send an ALS unit. Going to the hospital they should never be using their lights and siren. The only time is if it ends up being a true emergency that needs ALS care and there is no way to do an intercept.

We carry 12g catheters for chest decompressions. This might be one of those times to use it for an IV...after I stopped laughing of course.