SWM_Medic

I'll be honest I was well on my way to become a full on wanker. I bought and stocked my own jump bag in EMT-B class. Although by the time I finished my medic class I had put it in my closest where it sits gathering dust. I have been known to start an IV on myself to help with a hangover in the morning. (I wouldn't recommend it, its messy). I do have an ems sticker on my car, I am not a wanker but I had to get it. It says "EMS trained to save your a$$ not kiss it"

The only thing that could possibly be in violation is working to many hours in a row and that's only illegal if you report it. Other than that it's all company decided.

When it comes to pt assessment I have found that you really got to have your own groove. Yes the SAMPLE and OPQRST are important and in the beginning do it that way so you don't forget anything. Eventually you will find your own groove. When I first started I would write those letters on a piece of paper like a check list and go through them. I agree with everyone PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and PRACTICE.

I was a basic for a couple of years before I became a medic. During that time I was working with a paramedic on an als unit. In my experience I feel that the complaints from the basic stems from a feeling of uselessness. Whether it's legitimate or imagined its there, and at that time I found every excuse to pick apart what my medic partner did. In reality I love my basic partners. There are times I would prefer a great basic partner to a good paramedic partner. Simply because it alleviates pt care arguments. When a basic says that I am arrogant, I simply respond "they are right". I have to be, it's just how I deal with it. If I didn't think I was the best at what I did I would never attempt those risky procedures in the field.

Your right that sinus tac gives you time espically if the pt is not showing any symptoms, but I wouldn't wait for a cath lab for treatment. This can turn into a fatal rhythm real quick.

I agree with you dustdevil on some things. I really don't feel we have failed to thrive over the last 35 years. In the beginning ems was just grab the pt and throw them in the back of the hurse and go. We actually start treatment now, and in some cases provide care so the pt doesn't even need transport to the ed. I feel we are moving forward, but people still see us as those load and go guys. We need to change out public face. The national registry was a great step in the right direction, but we need to educate the public. As far as the respect police and fire got, they had that before 9/11, it's just more widely known now. I didn't mean to sound like the management classes were useless, but good managers are something you are not something you can learn to be. My ops manager went to all those classes and got his degree in buisness management and he has the worst management skills of anyone I know. Anyway I am getting off topic of the thread so I am done. Thank you for your input.

Moving into a management position doesn't mean that we can change things. To get better pay and benefit's you gotta go after the guy holding the purse. Unless you start your own ems agency, you can't take his job. There is nothing wrong with going that extra mile to get the degree, I'm all for it. My point is you don't need a piece of paper to consider yourself a professional. It's not defined as what you have already done, its what your doing now.

Dustdevil, how full of yourself are you? I don't know about everybody but I still consider myself an EMT even though my license says Paramedic. Being a full time paramedic is a profession. I went to school as long as any nurse. I will give you that there are some four year nursing programs out there, but from what I hear those last two years are just admin and management stuff. Yes I want to be treated like a professional. I act like one and I perform like one. There was a time when people looked down on firemen and policemen. You know what changed? They stood up and demanded respect. Today those are the kinda jobs you can retire from. I feel paramedics deserve the same thing. We need to stop accepting that we get crappy pay and benefits. We have become complacent in our station in life. One final thought. Before you start blaming NEMSA for bailing on a bunch of EMT's. You need to realize that a union is only as strong as its local. The national end provides you the tools and they let you take care of yourself. Although if you need help they are there.

Well since he isn't showing any symptoms you can try and iv push of lidocaine. Although if that dosen't work your gonna have to burn him. Remember to synchronize.

EMS companies need union representation. Granted I agree you can ask for too much. I just feel as professionals we need higher pay and better benefits. How many of you out there who are strictly EMT's and working full time can say that you can retire from your job. Is that really to much to ask.

I don't know about everywhere but around here we don't get alot of new medics. So if you have been in the system more than a couple of years chances are the person interviewing you knows you already. The interview is more of a formality at that point. I always like the question "Tell me about yourself?" I always wanna list my turn ons and turn offs.

Brok Samson from the Venture Brothers. He can pleasure any women, kill all the bad guys, and still have time for a smoke and wax his car.

I don't care if your handicapped you threaten honest citizens and cops you get what you deserve.

One of the hardest things I have encountered on this job is making that balance between cold clinical decision making and still trying to remain human. Sometimes we have to hurt to heal. We don't like it, but we do it anyway. Never stop learning or asking questions stick to your protocols. Remember, you don't always have to be an jerk.

Sorry I should just have written it out T.O.D. = Time Of Death. In my system you gotta call a Dr and explain the situation to get one.

Ok so I had a call yesturday that made me laugh out loud. So here we go... I got called out for a 19 y/o female unresponsive. In case you haven't guessed it yet she was drunk. I think I caught a buzz of her breath. She had a bal of .28. I unlike her friends managed to wake her up and get her to my cot. Apparently my straps are uncomfortable when your trying to sleep so she keep trying to take them off and leave my unit. While I am traveling down the road. Now normally when I have someone in this condition I restrain them. However on this occasion the girl weighed maybe 110 lbs and my self weighing 250 lbs I am pretty sure I can handle her. She wasn't trying to attack me just trying to leave. Well she started screaming that she had to pee. We were close to the ED so I told her to wait. Which she told me what to do in the in mean time. When we got there she was screaming about having to pee. The first PCA (patient care assistant) that I found was a guy and I told the nurse(also a guy) she had to pee. So he told the male PCA to take her to the bathroom. While I am giving report and starting to notice that she has been in there for awhile. Suddenly who falls through the ceiling right in front of us. You guessed it my Pt. I go running up to her to see if she's okay all she can say is "owww man that hurt". She was apparently trying to escape. I found this the funniest thing I have seen in awhile. Now I know a bunch of you guys are working this weekend and dealing with the same overindulgence of alcohol as I am. So I am looking for you great stories of the weekend.

If most people heard what we joked about in the truck and at our base they would be horrified. But then they have never called for a T.O.D. on an autoerotic asphyxiation, or transfered a pt who "fell" onto something that is now stuck in there butt.

I finally got the title of my autobiography! Stripper Poles and Peep's

I have assisted ventilations on plenty of CHF patients alot like the one we are talking about. It helps. And to horrify some people in this forum I have done a nasal intubation on a pt like this. In all honesty mine was a little father along and resp rate was slowing. But the point is don't be afraid to do your job. If a patient is not getting good tidal volume because their inspiration time is insufficient. Then help them every couple of breaths. Yes I know they are filling up with fluid. I say bag'em. It's scary the first time, but you get over it when you see pt improvement.

I'll usually get pissed and rant about the call to my partner for awhile. Then Drive home smoking a cigar and arguing with myself. A stiff drink when I get home, then off to bed. I may bring it up with people later. But usually by morning I'm over it. It's my job and to be frank you see enough of them and they all start looking the same.

Sorry I guess I didn't explain myself very well. This was a guideline for pt's going straight to the cath lab. I was really just trying to make the point that you can't go strictly by what the 12-L says. Yes, we have a standard chest pain protocol that probably the same as everyone else's. It simply says if the pt has chest pain do this, this, this, etc...

I work in a private service that is about as nazi as they come. Luckely most of the people there are really close we joke around and have alot of fun. It seems the only people I associate with are in health care. I know its not healthy but I never said I was. Anyway my point, You can't help but get close to people you spend that much time with. It's not like the 9 to 5 jobs where your around hundreds of people every day. You know everybody you work with and get close with them. In my service there are three couples that meet there and are now married. I wouldn't do that, but I am just trying to say its impossible to avoid so just go with it.

I was told by the guy who gave the best 12-L lecture I have every heard it takes three things to justify and cardiac related chest pain. 1. could the chest pain be cardiac in origin. Make sure its not from a cough or what not you all know the questions to ask 2. 12-L changes. Hard to tell since we don't get an old 12-L. 3. Makers in the blood Now it only takes two out of three to justify our cp protocol. And we can't check the third. So do a good assessment and a good hx. Remember the 12-L is just a tool and we don't treat tools. (okay maybe lawyers but that's not the tool I meant)

I generally just introduce myself and start my assessment. Much like everyone else does. Although you can generally tell how bad the pt is by how serious I get. If it's a non-critical pt I have been known to make a joke or even sing (no I can't sing). I have a hard time with kids though. Adults I can ramble for hours, but kids I don't know what to talk about. I usually feel like I should offer them a beer and a smoke. jk. How do you make kids feel more at ease. Shy of brining the parent in the back and letting them do it.

Congrats on passing the test. I was one of the last one's to take the paper test I'm jealous. I wouldn't mind trying the computer one for fun. But then again I don't get out much.