SA_Medic

Evening Folks,

I am in the process of setting up a decent dispatch / alarm centre and was wondering if anyone here would be able to help me out with something. Some years ago I had the good fortune of taking a tour of the US of A and managed to fit NYC, Boston, DC and Miami 911 Dispatch into my tour schedule with the help of some friendly folks.

They used a flip chart of some sort to aid them in taking details and give basic first aid via the phone to the caller. I am trying to find one of these charts. If anyone knows where I can download it that would be great, I am willing to pay for postage if needed to.

Thanking you in advance

S

We don't get NBC here so nope, I won't be watching. I never even saw the first one. I will however keep my eyes one the forums to catch the feedback. LOL

Got to be a regional thing there in SA brother...cause in the US there is no such ruling.

Thank you Sir,

It's been a while, how are things on your end of the world? This place has sure changed, I am finding it hard to navigate around. Will still play around with it though.

On my last trip to the far east, I had took the opportunity to do ACLS Instructor and a few other little instructors cards. Yesterday the senior ops manager came and asked me for all the stuff cause they wanna open a training facility and need a record of all the instructors they have. I obliged and gave her copies of it which she scanned and sent on to the regional head office.

5min later she gets a mail back from the medical director accusing me of lying because "a paramedic can not be a ACLS instructor, it's reserved solely for MD's". Has things changed in recent months on this or is it just a South African thing?

Thoughts would be appreciated,

Regards

S

Well well well, seems all I had to do was sit here at work one night and keep trying and eventually I remembered the password!

Thank you for the welcome back everyone, Terry I do remember the promised supper and I will still make good on that. CH my friend, it's been like forever! Glad you made it back in one pice and had a blast there.

Do any of you have tattoo's? If so, what and where?

In South Africa we have people that are simply to stupid to be human...no idea what you call them in the US but we call them Dutchman...just an example of their "intelligence".

Dearest JOHNNY

I'm writing this slow because I know that you can't read fast. We don't live where we did when you left home. Your pa read in the newspaper that almost all accidents happen within 20km of home. So we moved.

I can't send you the address, because the last family who lived here took the house numbers when they moved, so they wouldn't have

to change their address.

This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine. I don't know that it works so well though. Last week I put in a load of clothes

and pulled the chain. We haven't seen them since.

The weather isn't bad here. It rained only twice last week. The first time for four days, and the second time for three days.

About the coat you wanted me to send you. Your uncle John said it would be too heavy to send them in the post with the buttons on, so we cut them off and put them in the pockets.

Jim locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really worried because it took him two hours to get me and your father out.

Your sister had a baby this morning but I don't know what it is yet, so I don't know if you are an aunt or an uncle. I was told that it is almost black. I think she spent too much time in the sun when she was pregnant, always helping Jonas the farmhand with the mealies.

Uncle Will fell into a whiskey vat last week. Some men tried to pull him out, but he fought them off and drowned. We had him cremated. It took five days to put the fire out.

Three of your friends went off a bridge in their grandpa's truck. I always knew this thing was dangerous. Jack was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety. Your other two friends were on the back..They drowned because they couldn't get the tailgate down.

There isn't much more news at this time. Nothing much out of the normal has happened.

Your favorite aunt

Hanna

P.S. I was going to enclose $15 but I already sealed the envelope !

Howdy dust,

Thank god i have not seen any of it there in Kazakhstan yet. While on the road in SA I saw plenty MDR cases, this new XDR straine seems to have scared the crap out of the SA health dept. More and more cases are reported daily.

All I can say is, thank goodness I am not working on SA nomore. 8) 8) 8) :wink:

Be safe and have fun.

Regards

S

Hi All,

Thought yuo might find this interresting.

____ ____________ __________ _____________________ _______________________

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/...3/en/index.html

Emergence of XDR-TB

WHO concern over extensive drug resistant TB strains that are virtually untreatable

5 SEPTEMBER 2006 | GENEVA -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over the emergence of virulent drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB) and is calling for measures to be strengthened and implemented to prevent the global spread of the deadly TB strains. This follows research showing the extent of XDR-TB, a newly identified TB threat which leaves patients (including many people living with HIV) virtually untreatable using currently available anti-TB drugs.

What is XDR-TB?

MDR-TB (Multidrug Resistant TB) describes strains of tuberculosis that are resistant to at least the two main first-line TB drugs - isoniazid and rifampicin. XDR-TB, or Extensive Drug Resistant TB (also referred to as Extreme Drug Resistance) is MDR-TB that is also resistant to three or more of the six classes of second-line drugs.

The description of XDR-TB was first used earlier in 2006, following a joint survey by WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Resistance to anti-TB drugs in populations is a phenomenon that occurs primarily due to poorly managed TB care. Problems include incorrect drug prescribing practices by providers, poor quality drugs or erratic supply of drugs, and also patient non-adherence.

What is the current evidence of XDR-TB?

Recent findings from a survey conducted by WHO and CDC on data from 2000-2004 found that XDR-TB has been identified in all regions of the world but is most frequent in the countries of the former Soviet Union and in Asia.

In the United States, 4% of MDR-TB cases met the criteria for XDR-TB.

In Latvia, a country with one of the highest rates of MDR-TB, 19% of MDR-TB cases met the XDR-TB criteria.

Separate data on a recent outbreak of XDR-TB in an HIV-positive population in Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa was characterized by alarmingly high mortality rates.

Of the 544 patients studied, 221 had MDR-TB. Of the 221 MDR-TB cases, 53 were defined as XDR-TB. Of the 53 patients, 44 had been tested for HIV and all were HIV-positive.

52 of 53 patients died, on average, within 25 days including those benefiting from antiretroviral drugs.

Scarce drug resistance data available from Africa indicate that while population prevalence of drug resistant TB appears to be low compared to Eastern Europe and Asia, drug resistance in the region is on the rise.

Given the underlying HIV epidemic, drug-resistant TB could have a severe impact on mortality in Africa and requires urgent preventative action.

What action is required to prevent XDR-TB?

XDR-TB poses a grave public health threat, especially in populations with high rates of HIV and where there are few health care resources. Recommendations outlined in the WHO Guidelines for the Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis include:

strengthen basic TB care to prevent the emergence of drug-resistance

ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment of drug resistant cases to cure existing cases and prevent further transmission

increase collaboration between HIV and TB control programmes to provide necessary prevention and care to co-infected patients

increase investment in laboratory infrastructures to enable better detection and management of resistant cases.

____________________________ ___________________ ____________

Regards

S

Ok, let me ask my few questions.

First let me recap a little:

The patient is 15 years old, has a history of asthma and was treated with MDI. Although it has not been used in several years.

September in your area would mean autumn early winter.

Questions:

1) Complete set of vitals please...

2) Upon checking the patient, was there any signs of nausea, headache?

3) If not, did he experience it after the event?

4) Did he have any meals that day, if so what?

5) Any allergies?

That is about it for now.

Just for information sake, usually the one everone expects it least of is the one that uses narcotics, and parents are also the last ones to admit there is a problem.

Regards

S

While I can not help you with the FF qualifications, I can advise you on where to go with the EMT qualifications.

direct your browser to the following site:

http://www.hpc-uk.org

All the info on reciprocity is available there, as are the costs involved etc.

Hope it helps

Regards

S

I had the joys of helping a dog once. I was driving towards my base with the responce car when I noticed a young boy (about 6 -7 years old) sitting on the curb with his dog crying. I stopped and he explained to me that his dog was run over by a car and was now dying.

I checked the dog out, I have no idea what normal heart rate is for a dog. It seemed to have broken both back legs and sustained some damage to the "pelvis"? I managed to calm the boy down, inserted an IV (Saline) on the left front leg, leaving it TKVO and took the boy with the dog to a Vet.

I got disciplinary action taken against me by the company for using the company property for non emergencies. Had to pay for the IV etc and got a final written warning on my file. To top it all off, I had to pay the vets bill later that month.

Good one JW, you made some family very very happy.

Regards

S

I have read with interest everyones views thus far in this thread, and I must say, it is extremely fascinating.

With regards to fakers, I have had my fair share over the seven odd years I spent on the road. Mostly in SA it is fainting that gets faked. I have on more than one occasion felt like using the biggest bore jelco I can find and stick in, but then I remember why I entered this service, what attracted me to this line of work and what keeps me studying and sucking up information.

Yes I know lots of you will say "here comes the old BS story", but I truly and honestly entered this line of work cause I get immense joy out of helping people. If they fake it, I do everything that is needed in front of the family, since 90% of the time that is the reason for the faking. Once we start the transport, I do not allow any family member in the back with me. It is then that I would try and find out from the patient why he or she is wasting my time. Should it be something I might be able to help with, if not I make sure they get the help they need.

As for the Dianetics story, I prefer looking at it this way. Sure I do not agree with everything Hubbard says in it (I must admit I read the first three chapters, set the book down and never opened it again). Should you look at the other side of the coin on this one, bear in mind that some of the most brilliant scientists of the previous century, ie: Einstein was also seen as a cast out etc etc since he did not conform to the historical way of thinking or doing things.

Just my thoughts

Regards

S

From my point of view,

If we had to have the amount of resources dispached in SA mentioned above, the system would would implode upon itself. There is alraidy a huge fight ongoing between EMS and fire in the area I live, to such an extent that when they do get dispatched to the scene I usually worry more about the fist fight that might break any moment than being run over by some drunk idiot thinking the ambo is a disco or something.

An utter waste of money and resources. If fire is not needed, leave them in their station and let EMS do their jobs. If PD is not needed, leave to eat their doughnuts in peace (just kidding).

Regards

S

Yes my Dear,

You might be right and I might just be a fool with old school believes. I firmly believe that out there somewhere is the true love of every person. In a local SA language we have a saying, I will translate directly:

Every pot has a lid

I tend to believe it, if you do not search for that person, that half that will make you whole. You might be destined to loneliness and more than one unhappy relationship. There are (according to me) far to many people in this world that just get married for the sake marriage, or for fear of being alone. That I do not agree with.

True and unconditional love is something to strive towards in life, it is the one thing that will make it complete and dare I say a perfect little piece of heaven on earth.

But as I say, it is just my view of the situation......

Regards

S

Ummm, let me get this straight, you are calling beegers flirty????

HAHA,

If they had to do a criminal history check on medics in SA, half would be unemployed.

Regards

S

Ummm,

I will never get heart disease WOOO HOOOO

:oops:

Regards

S

Ok, let me try and get in on this one.

Obviously you have covered the primary survey.

How about including the vitals right about now??? Since the patient is not breathing, I will take steps to secure the airway in the most reliable way for the moment. Whether it be invasive or non invasive will depend on the rest of the vitals.

IV will be established (vitals will decide whether it be bilateral or not), all other necessary precaution will be taken in accordance with "rather over protect than under-protect" what c-spine is concerned.

Vitals will also indicate what drugs, if necessary, will be administered....

Please do be so kind and supply us with vitals, this will allow us to treat the poor guy and get him carted off to casualties.

Bear in mind though, he has been laying in said ditch for more than ten days (original date of this post). which means he is past saving and is most probably infested with "nasty little critters".

Regards

Teacher

Whoever get's to translate this, will, in my eyes, have the top spot for atleast 8 1/2 hours.

я на верху!!!!

HAHAHAHA

Terri my dear, once I am on TOP and stay there, I will gladly share the TOP spot with you.

But right now, I have to go and sleep....... your joy will be shortlived though,

When you wake up, I will once again be on TOP, how is that for a forth comming nightmare !! HAHAHAHA

Ok well, I have wiped the drool off my face, and now I am standing happily and triumphant at the TOP once again.

I know you are good sweety, but a little competition never hurt anyone.

I B ON TOP

I'm back

TOP