Connie31079

I don't start an IV on all my patients that I transport either, but what do you say to those nurses who whine "What? No IV??" when you're wheeling your patient into the ER who doesn't have an IV in place? Unfortunately, this happens to me quite often, and I just have to bite my tongue, because most of the time, they're not listening to my reasoning as to why I didn't start an IV to begin with. Embarassingly, in the past, I've started an IV on some patients who I felt DIDN'T need one, just so that I didn't have to put up with the wrath of some of the nurses in the ER when I get there. Sometimes it's just easier that way....anybody catch my drift??? Fair to the patient? Certainly not....but they don't get billed for each individual procedure we do here. Wether they get O2, 2 IV's, cardioverted, paced, and 3 meds during transport, or if we just sit there and chat with them pleasantly along the way, they get billed for the same amount regardless. I try and treat my patients as I would like to be treated, and I know most people don't like needles, so if I feel they don't need an IV, 95% of the time, I won't start one, or do a blood glucose, or anything that's remotely invasive, that might cause pain. If it needs to be done, I do it, if I can justify why it didn't need to be done, then I do that on behalf of my patient as well. Except to shut up the nurses..... Oh yeah, as to the original question, I'd love to work on a double-medic truck, but that NEVER happens here. If I come to work, and paired up with another ACP for the day, guaranteed we're being split up, and turned into 2-ACP units, usually with a PCP for a partner. Which I don't have a problem working with either. I'm just glad to have a full-time job.

I either wanted to be a chef (I love to cook!) or a meteorologist, because the weather fascinates me to no end!! Or an OB-GYN. There are many other things besides paramedicine that I wanted to do!

I had an incisional hernia repaired in 2000 (after a botched appendectomy in 1999). The doc knew the nature of my job, so he said he "put double stitching in it" to make sure it would hold! LOL! But I've never had an problems with it, lift heavy patients everyday, just know your limits, because your back will give out first! Make sure you give yourself enough time to heal. If the doc says no heavy lifting for 8 weeks, take the full 8 weeks to heal before going back to work. I think that's where people run into problems, they're itching to go back to work so much, they don't take the full time needed to completely heal. Take care, stay safe! Connie

Hey Relish: Was just looking at the link I posted for you earlier, there's an EMD course being offered in Calgary Sept. 28 of this year by Priority Dispatch. (course # 12348) Don't know if you saw that or not in the link that I'd posted, so just pointing it out to you. Connie

Back in 2001, I took my EMD training, not planning on switching to a full-time dispatch job, but just wanting to have something to "fall back on" incase my back gave out while working on the trucks. I know someday I'll have to give up working the trucks, so I thought this was a good idea. I took my training from a company that is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The name of the company is called Priority Dispatch. They were awesome! They actually came to Nova Scotia to give us the course, we didn't have to fly down there to take the course from them, just incase you were wondering!! LOL! Here's a link to their current EMD courses that are scheduled: http://www.prioritydispatch.net/courses/emdcourses.php This was just for EMD, not fire or police related. Mine was a 3-day course (as you mentioned), but then I had to go thru additional dispatch training in the actual dispatch center that I untimately worked casual at for a few months. I believe that they DO give the Fire & Police dispatch training courses as well, though....I just never took them. Hope this helps you somewhat! Have a great day! Connie

I voted "no", simply because all we have for pain relief here is Morphine. We've been asking for another narcotic for years, but so far, no dice. I've had multiple patients over the years with an allergy to morphine, and guess what? I couldn't give them anything for pain, and they had to wait until we got them to the ER in order for the doc to give them something for pain. It's so frustrating at times.

Here in Nova Scotia, all levels of paramedic (PCP, ICP, ACP) can do a 12-lead, so I usually leave my partner to do that While I'm getting the IV, especially if the patient is so hemodynamically unstable, that if I don't get the line NOW, I probably ain't gonna get it later! I normally work with a PCP partner, and I always like to utilize them as much as I can, so I enable them to do all that they can within their scope of practice. Let them get the vitals, 12-lead, etc, while I get the line, good history, listen to the lungs, find out exactly what's going on....we work best as a TEAM! The I re-assess enroute, and treat accordingly. Connie

Thank you, Marty, for posting exactly what I was feeling.... Pretty soon you won't be able to fart in public without someone screaming "LAWSUIT!!!!" Connie

Just one that I didn't notice on your list, Dwayne, that might interest you. We have a huge problem with it here in Glace Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada (and surrounding communities). Oxycontin = "Hillbilly Heroin".....just because it's cheaper to get than actual heroin, I suppose??? Glace Bay is officially known as "CottonLand", because of the amount of Oxycontin floating around. There was actually a documentary done on Glace Bay not too long ago, and that was the title of the show, "CottonLand". I can't tell you how many Oxy OD's I"ve done since I transferred here.

My company gives us a $550 dollar "education allowance" at the end of April every year, that's supposed to be used for EDUCATION! Guess how many medics actually use it for education??

some, yes. Hense the reason I don't post much anymore, somebody is always jumping down your throat for one reason or another..... Sorry.....back to your originally scheduled thread.

What has EMS taught me so far? This is a loaded question, in my opinion, but I will try and answer.... When I graduated high school, I was taking the course necessairy to become an EMT.......I knew I wanted to be involved in the medical profession in some way, and I actually went to university, taking BScN for 6 months, until I realized that being a nurse isn't want I wanted to do. So, I became a paramedic instead. Because of the way I am.....and by that I mean, I'm a "pleaser", which is someone who basically bends over backwards to get along with people, who tries to be a perfectionist so that everyone will like me, etc.....I'm sure you get the picture....EMS is not the ideal job for me. I'm my own worst critic. I don't handle criticism very well. If I miss an IV or a tube, I beat myself up over it for days. Because of my nature, people take advantage of me in so many ways, because they know they can. They know I have a hard time saying "no" when they call and ask me to work an OT shift, even if I've just worked 10 shifts in a row and I'm utterly exhausted. They know they can "count on me" to do something, even when I really don't want to. I don't know if any of you can relate to what I'm saying, but I feel better just being able to say it, I guess..... :oops: If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change the path I took, because I love my job, but I wish I could change ME. Wish that I could talk back to people more, and have a "backbone" without dissolving into tears. So, I guess EMS really hasn't "taught" me anything other than it's a cut-throat world out there.....literally and figuratively speaking. I've seen people with their throats slashed, and I know some medics out there that would cut my throat and use my body as a stepping stone without a second thought. But I'd like to think you'd get that in any profession, not just EMS?

T1: Why would I want to get to know somebody who constantly insults me, and does out in the open for everyone to see???? And he gets away with it? No reprimand, no apology, nothing? Would you want to get to know somebody like that? I know I certainly don't. Sorry, I might be stupid, but I'm not that stupid. And I think the worst thing is, he gloats about it afterwards! And then he turns it around, and makes it look like HE is the victim! Unbelieveable!!! I honestly believe he enjoys pissing me off?

I wonder why somedic thinks he's entitled to give me any advice when it comes to my lifestyle? Do I give you advice, somedic, when it comes to your big mouth??? Go pound sand, buddy.....you know where! And people have no right to tell me not to be offended, if there's any aspect of my life that I DO NOT require advice in, it's my weight! I know I'm fat, people don't need to tell me that I'm fat, and I'll lose weight IF or WHEN I damn well please! Just because I'm fat doesn't mean I'm not human. I have feelings just like everyone else (surprise!!!) Just because I'm fat doesn't entitle somedic and others like him to treat me or any other obese patient with disrespect. That's exactly what this thread is all about. It's about bashing fat people. I knew it was going to turn out that way then I saw the topic of the thread. How else did we think it was going to go? Did people actually think there was going to be praise for fat people in this thread?? I'm sorry if somedic has turned this into a personal pissing match, but please people, put the blame where it belongs! And it certainly isn't with me! I have a right to stick up for myself, and I don't deserve to be belittled and disrespected because of my weight. I wasn't the one who sent this thread in the wrong direction, somedic was. And he seems to have taken great pleasure in doing so, judging from his last post, because he's STILL trying to tell me how to lose weight! I don't need (or want) any advice from you, somedic, so how about just shutting that hole in your face?

Ummm, yep, I think this was directed towards me, so yes, I do feel as if he's singling me out personally. I think it's the "Connie" part at the beginning of his quote that gives it away.

Problem is, Ruff, it DOESN'T have to be a bumpy ride at all, if somedic would just knock it off! He's being such a dick, he knows he's being a dick, and he loves to push my buttons, because he knows I'm fat. Somehow, he thinks he's being cute, or he feels he has the right to insult fat people(and his fat patients, whom he calls "fat asses" and "tater hogs") in EMT City, and he's being allowed to get away with it! I personally think his ass should be banned! And I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way!

Is that the best you can do, somedic? Awwww, I had such high hopes for you.... I'm actually sitting here laughing my fat ass off at you, you're funny! Connie

EMS49393: In replying to somedic, I think you're doing this....... ](*,) But I applaud you anyway! =D> He has no compassion or empathy what-so-ever for any of his patients, if he'd refer to obese patients as "fat asses" & "tater hogs". Just read some of his other posts in here, you'll see what I'm talking about. Keep up the good work! We need more compassionate and caring medics out there, rather than those with the "you call, we haul" attitude. Connie

Glace Bay, Cape Breton here, Chris......but I'm sure you knew that! LOL! Have a great day! Connie

Cheap Lobster? where??????????? $8.99 a pound here.....i certainly don't find that CHEAP! LOL!

Even though I've never used our PEEP valves yet, I know we're only allowed to go as high as 10cmH2O, and this in a normo-tensive or hyper-tensive patient. Hypotensive patients, PEEP is contraindicated for us. We can also use PEEP for near-drownings, as well as acute pulmonary edema. http://www.gov.ns.ca/health/ehs/Medical_Di...ls%20Master.pdf (look under "near drowning" and "Pulmonary Edema-CHF" of PROTOCOLS) Connie

What about posting a TASTEFUL picture of yourself in your uniform, because you're proud of what you do and the company that you work for, and the company still gets mad, simply because you posted a picture of yourself in your uniform??

Thanks kevkei! That's good to know. I learn something new everyday, and today, it was you who taught me. Have a great day! Connie

Good, dear, good! Chris, thanks for asking, buddy!! I've never had the chance to use our PEEP valves yet, actually.....was told we could only use it if we intubated someone with acute pulmonary edema. Would it work if you were just using BVM (no tube) for flash-PE too?? Somehow I don't think it would, because the airway isn't properly secured? Take care, keep saving lives in Amherst! Say "hi" to Adam McNeil for me, he went to Holland College the same time as I did (10 long years ago.....) Connie

Here's our protocol for Lasix (look under furosemide): http://www.gov.ns.ca/health/ehs/Medical_Di...ns%20Master.pdf Connie