JTpaintball70

Welcome to the City I'd say go for your RN first, then if you want to later become a medic. Working in a hospital isn't quite as bad as you make it sound, especially if you get hired down in the ED (coming from someone who tech'd on every floor of a large hospital in NM). I'm doing it a little backwards as I'm currently a medic student (or will be come Weds ) who wants to go one to get his RN and eventually become an NP in the ED. If I could switch around the order I'm doing it in I would in a heartbeat.

When I first started I carried a green spiral bound paramedic drug reference and the Informed ALS field guide usually in my pack just in case I needed to look something up. I see no problems carrying one to refresh you memory on something that you don't use every day. I see a problem if you have to refer to the guide for every call even on simple things however. But something you don't use often on a call at 0300 is a good time to look it up to double check that you're giving the right doseage or drip rate (I do this wiht Flumazenil almost every time). I know now that I use an Android phone I have one 'home screen' setup for work use. It's got phone number shortcuts for PD dispatch, county hospital, city hospital, along with Epocrates, Informed ALS app, Skyscape med-calc, and a few other apps so that I can get to them at work quickly, and not have to carry those books around. If you're worried about carrying those books, and you use a smartphone (Droid, iOS, BB) consider looking for the Informed apps in your app store. Those and a few other apps all on your phone means you've got all the reference you'd need at your fingertips in one easy package that you probably already carry around on all your calls anyways.

If it's like most flight agencies you need 3-5 years of high call volume paid ALS service along with PALS, ACLS, PHTLS, FP-C, and a few other alphabet courses to even apply.

Oh yea, also an SVN, NRB, and NC. O2 is on the cot.

First in bag: Lots of bandaging supplies, ET roll, Narcan, Romazicon, D50, Xopenex, Albuterol, Glucagon, BP cuff, finger pulse ox, CBG monitor, 1L bag of NS, assortment of syringes and needles, assortment of IV catheters, 10 drop tubing, extension set, start kit, combitube... I think that's basically it.

Just curious if you searched before posting this question? It's one of the dead horses of the forums. That said, I use an UltraScope and love it. I have a Littmann Cardiology III that just sits around collecting dust since I got the US

For EMS, NREMT is your best bet... don't know about the hosemonkey certs though

Most companies hire people to do both. And your partner most likely will want to swap off with you so they don't have to attend the entire shift (and do all the paperwork)

You do have a point. Which would be one reason I prefer nights over any other shift

Ive worn polos, white button downs and now I love my current uniform. Dark navy zip front shirt that looks like a button down, with cert patch on left and service patch on right sleeves. Name plate on right breast above pocket. Black or navy pants (most wear cargos or EMS pants) and black boots. Under the shirt we do wear dept tshirts with name and cert on the front along with our dept logo. Comfortable and looks professional.

I tried to tie in the blog feature with my blog... but I think it's smarter than me. Anyways. I'm getting excited that I start P-school again in about 3 weeks. It's gonna be a long year with a lot of time on the road to get to and from class, but I'll hopefully by testing for my NREMT-P at the end of next year, and getting that disco patch in the mail (followed by my red state patch) will make it worth it. I'm planning on getting my AAS also, so by the end of the next year I should be transitioning to my state gold patch. I'll also stay dual certified, at least, in NM, since I'm only 90 miles from the border and after I get my AAS I'm likely to move back to NM to complete a BS-EMS in clinical and critical care. Speaking of NM... I applied for a PRN job jsut over the NM border from me at a transfer service. I was told that everything looked good and once they got all the confirmations from the checks back (most likely after the new years) I could start picking up shifts and training up there. And on that note I also went and talked to a service that is 45 miles directly south of me (a County service, with a county name that is pretty ironic considering where I live now. Now I know why the City lvl 2 gets confused when I call them on the phone to give report at times) and was told they are looking for PRN/Part time people and that I should be good to go once I get them some paperwork done and get through all their checks. I'm gonna have a busy few years it looks like And to finish this post up with, here's a couple photos. One today was on the way home from Pecos County, and the other was what I got to work with on my last day shift. Yay for rollover accidents.

I'm an I (I/85 and TXs in between level) and I say P. What do you mean that it's too high?

Sounds like you're in Acadian territory. I actually was hoping to go to work down in Orange for them before I got hired on with Pecos

I detail the inside of my truck after every call, and decon every piece of equipment that we use. My steth included... outside though... Umm... since we have to wash them outside, and it's been 55mph gusts of wind blowing sand all over the last two weeks... At least two weeks since we washed the outside of our units. If we were to wash them now it would look like a mud colored bus

Think about the reason why the market is oversaturated. Think of how many programs there are in your area. Each of them puts out (at minimum) one class of new providers out into the job market every semester. That's three times a year. There might be demand for the, but like everywhere else, it might take forever to get hired.

Welcome from out here in BFE West Texas Look at some of the online study guides for NREMT-B tests. I never took the basic NR test, but I've heard good things about some of the online guides

NEwest update that I could find http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/blog-2564-santa-fe-emt-in-critical-condition-following-crash.html

FUnny you should mention them. They're actually settin up their operations down here in my county... I'm still not sure how I feel about that. And no new news from my buddies that are still in NM I'll update when I get some more news.

http://www.abqjournal.com/abqnews/abqnewseeker-mainmenu-39/25805-breaking-fatal-crash-shuts-northbound-i-25-in-santa-fe.html Good thoughts going out to the crew of the bus involved. It was from a company I used to run into several times a shift when I worked nights in ABQ. Hoping the crew comes out of it ok. Last I heard the medic who was airlifted to UNMH is in surgery.

Who's driving? I was sitting in the passenger seat of the bus while posting

Knowing thank yous ate few and far between is who I only work for paid services I refuse to vollie anywhere.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone treat an asymptomatic new onset BBB. Usually if it's new onset and there's symptoms, the symptoms get treated (Ie: CP=MONA)