Quakefire

Howdy,

I was watching TV, and while the show was in Australia they were dealing with brown snakes which can kill in 14 minutes. If you figure in a standard response time say 7-9 minutes do any of my warmer climate brethren carry some form of antivenom for snakes or spiders? And what determines there use? In Saskatchewan as far as I know we have no venomous snakes or spiders, I know in at least one area of BC they have rattlesnakes so I don't really have any experience in this area

I have used the EZIO and found it very easy to use, the BIGs that we used to carry I have heard of nothing but problems. The FAST is ment for the sternum, I think the only place you can't put the EZIO

That looks kinda antique, like the old lucas being air powered, interesting in that it appears to include a fixed rate vent as well.

According to research from the Heart and Stroke Association of Canada, as well as the American Heart Association shows that the reason automatic CPR machine actually decrease survivability rates (out of hospital discharge) is that people spend to much time putting them on instead of providing good quality manual CPR. In the designs of the Suretech above I would be very worried about the amount of time required to attach that device. Also where would you fit that in an ambulance?

I know what he means by that Artikcat. We used to use a long IV cathalon, think they were called jelcos, that withdrew the needle completely within the body, (annoying because you had to twist the needle off the cathalon) You had to use your pen to push on a white diaphram at the bottom of the flash chamber to force blood out of the tip of the needle for a BGL. Those look like most introcan caths where you can pull off the bottom of the flash chamber. We tested a sample like those where there was a diaphram to prevent blood flow once the needle was removed, because of this I dont know if you could just draw blood off the cathalon or if you would maybe have to push some fluid through first?

Im pretty conservative with my narcotics, as we only have entonox and morphine for pain (we carry fentanyl but thats only for the MFI protocol) If the patient needs medication ill give it, but I don't jump straight to morphine if I dont have too.

If they are bringing us all inline with the NOCPs regardless of your level your going to need to upgrade. Any information on what exactly is changing yet?

I love my big shears they work well, I do wear them across my back which doesn't bother me, I do get asked what the big metal things on my back are. I do tend to have to tighten the screw quote often on the shears themselves.

I'm assuming if there are additional pain meds it would be morphine, as that's all paramedics have for pain control (we have fentanyl but we cannot use it for pain)

I still don't see why they can't do the same training for iv starts as they did for cpap or king airways

Having used both the LUCAS 1/2 and my service currently uses the auto pulse I'll go over a few things.

Size: Autopulse is a good size as it removes the need for a second piece of equipment namely a spine board

Weight: Autopulse is too damn heavy, LUCAS has it beat there

As for the rest I think the Autopulse has it best, you could integrate an AED into it as you already plug your defib pads into it, and apparently soon you won't need to stop CPR for rhythm checks. User interface should be same as a standard AED, on off and shock. since different manufacturers use different pads and cables most ambulance services would probably just disable the machine and use their own (our service uses zoll products, but also supplies AEDs in our area, but we have to change pads at the hospital because they use life packs)

Big on ease of use and voice instruction, long battery life and low Maintaince

Island while I do agree it sucks to have things taken out of your scope, having a common minimum level across the country is a great thing. In Canada we have the National Occupational Competency Profile from the Canadian Medical Association, which sets minimum training requirements as well as a nationally recognized training accreditation which now makes travelling between provinces to work much easier.

ArcticKat I dont know about SIAST being required to do all the training, so far as new protocols have been introduced services have been able to train their staff with materials approved by SCoP, so I think if they are going to upgrade all of the EMTs to PCP and EMT-Ps to ACP levels it will be pushed on to the services, no SIAST. I just dont think there will be enough people for SIAST to care

In addition to pacing, you have to remember that there are other things to try before pacing, so some of it is knowing when not to pace, plus what you need know for when pacing doesn't work. Arctickat has once again provided an excellent explanation.

Has anyone ran a unit with the rumbler installed?

I found the job description to describe the qualifications of anyone standing on the side of the street with an old first aid ticket in their wallet. They describe Paramedics in a way that would make Ambulance Drivers of old ashamed and pass that off as career counciling advice.

I have a pair of Magnum side zips but ill be switching to the 5.11 Atacs with the blood born pathogen protection

This was posted to facebook, I find the "Career Overview" to be disturbing and disgusting. Thoughts?

http://www.careeroverview.com/usa/north-carolina/greensboro/transportation-and-material-moving/public-service/paramedic/

Should we just start calling you Mother Artickat?

I've wanted to pipe the tank into my air intake on my ambulance.....but I suspect the Diesel would explode spectacularly.

Actually Nitrous can be used on diesel motors, usually in conjunction with propane injection (propane for fuel and NOS for the oxygen) makes huge horse power gains. May actually stop some of the units from dragging their butts up the hills

Having read through most of the posts, most if not all provided a decent argument for or against, and this has remained civil. Thank you all for that. Dwayne thanks for stirring the pot

Wendy, what is the difference between removing a life saving intervention or applying a life ending measure?

The end result is exactly the same with the exception that those removing a life saving intervention are often doing so to then allow the patient to slowly suffocate in their own bodily fluids, while those administering are allowing a peaceful and more (in my opinion) dignified passing.

I've lost many that I've loved and been with them during the last days and moments of their lives as well as many patients in the same situation and I've never, if you leave God out of it with all of his 'gifts of suffering' seen any dignity nor benefit to end of life suffering...

I have to agree, the only argument that I can see for removing interventions like ventilators, IV fluids/nutrition, feeding tubes and the like is to allow a "natural death" allowing nature to take its course. Unfortunately with that thought I see the administration of pain killers or other medications to be against this desire to leave everything up to nature.

If you are allowing advanced interventions to artificially prolong life, I feel the opposite should be true as well, an advanced intervention to end suffering

Just put a digital clock in the back, best improvement I've seen in our trucks!

Congratz!

Yeah we have a hard name but easy outline. Atleast I don't live in Regina, the city that rhymes with fun....

7shifts isn't as automatic as I would like and doesn't allow you to have a recurring schedule put in

7shifts is a Canadian company with great features, trying to have it implemented at work

Carry Gravol, would like Ondansetron, or other anti emetic that doesnt cause drowsiness