crotchitymedic1986

Well the only problem with the tea party is that they are the far right wing of conservatism, just as Pelosi and Obama are the far left wing of liberalism. We need more centrists from both sides who can negotiate, communicate, and lead. Few things in life are black and white, most are shades of gray.

Yes, any school, good or bad, is just the beginning step. Even if it is the best school, it cannot prepare you for every single patient you will ever treat. For instance, there are several disease processes that only became relevant or known about after I got out of school (ie.... Sarcoidosis, Lupus, Adult Cystic Fibrosis (most never made it to adulthood), HIV/AIDs). And about every 10 years there is a new event, disease, or pharmacological/technological advance that changes the way we do things; In the 80s PPE/Infection Control was born secondary to HIV and Hepatitis becoming more wide-spread, we all had to learn about WMD after 9/11, we all had to learn 12-lead, so on and so on.

The ambulance bill would not be paid by Medicare, so it would fall on the family or the hospice company. Most hospice companies have a contract with a non-emergency ambulance service that has discounted their rates. This usually comes about when someone is in hospice, and the family decides to pull them out of hospice (if they are in a true hospice building, not their home) and wants them moved to a nursing home or home. So if possible it would be best to get hospice on the phone and ask if you should transport or would they like to send their contracted ambulance to handle the transport. In any situation at home where the family is demanding transport (with or without hospices consent) or it is a "pseudo or real" emergency, I would transport and let whoever worry about the bill. I am there for the patient, bringing up billing issues just sets you up for problems. Its my job to treat, someone elses to collect or pay the bill.The whole purpose of hospice is to reduce the amount spent on the last month of life because that is when the vast majority of health care dollars are spent, usually needlessly (I think the statistic is like 25% of every Medicare dollar is spent on the last month of treatment for dying patients)

Yes, I would say take the plunge as well, because now is the time to make mistakes and learn from them. Hiding in your shell in class will not help you in the field when you are the lone medic who has to make the decision. Even if your employer puts you with a strong veteran, there will be calls that you only see once every 10 years or so, so now is the time to step up. If you are second guessing yourself constantly then I would say you either 1. Didnt learn A&P, assessment, and/or protocols fully or 2. You just dont have enough experience. Obviously if the first is correct, study more. IF it is the second you might go talk to your local ER manager and see is she will let you volunteer to observe (not treat) patients for a few shifts. You will see many different illnesses/injury and can see the step-by-step treatment process for each. I am guessing it is the first though since you are the only one being singled out, and the rest of the class started out on equal footing. You might try finding the star student in your class and ask how they study/practice and then mimic them.

Glad you said that Ruff, I was going to ask that question, but felt it might be inappropriate to ask in this thread since your friend died. My guess is that over 50% are probably not "necessary", meaning that ground transport would have been sufficient. I can remember having the flown patient close to being ready for discharge from the ER by the time the ground ambulances arrived with the "less" critical or "no mechanism of injury issues" patients from the same wreck many a time. But its been a long time since I have been in it, so I hope it has improved. Don't have any real statistics though, has anyone studied the proper use of helicopters at your service ?

Unfortunately scrat, the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality only works when you have boot straps. Yes Ruff I am aware of that, I am also aware that it was the 60's Republican Party that made the civil rights act possible; but for some reason republicans decided it was better to protect corporations and the rich once Reagan and Newt got elected, instead of the working (and now non-working) man. I am actually calling for a new movement, if any of you have the internet expertice to create the website, I say VETO 2012, which stands for V Vote E Everyone T The hell O Out In 2012, I think all incumbants should be removed, to send the message that we want a government that has true leaders that solve problems for ALL Americans.

Historically whites have always had more people on welfare, simply because you are the greatest percentage of the population, here is a time magazine article from the 90's that explains it (blacks only make up 17% of the population): http://www.time.com/...,974473,00.html Unfortunately, due to institutional racism, we are finally catching up to you, as unemployment is at 20% in the black community edited to add newer statistics from a different angle, who lives below poverty line: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sEnJtgO7GDQJ:www.npc.umich.edu/poverty/+24.7%25+black+poverty&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Vicks in your nose works, but I could never find it when i needed it. Wearing your hepa mask will help some, a strong cough drop (extra strength) also can help. Any rub/salve/ointment that can be put in nostrils or right under nostrils is helpful.

Really, Really ? So you are advocating giving a treatment based on your assessment skills when the equipment says you should not, and then you get upset when newbie morons who cant assess without equipment overrules your orders ? Seems like I read a similar thread where you argued the exact opposite just a few days ago. Why the flip-flop ? In case you forgot, I am discussing the thread where I advocated giving D50 (1/2 amp) to an unconscious diabetic patient with a normal glucose reading.

I agree with everyone, adrenaline rush is no reason for a career, and law enforcement is not near as "exciting" as you think, and when it is, it probably means your life is in danger, so I would suggest you try bungee jumping or join a sex club to release that adrenaline instead. But with that being said, in more rural areas, it is not uncommon for the SWAT Team to create a medic team from their existing EMS (not a civilian). So there is the opportunity for you to do both jobs, just probably not in the urban areas of the country. Larger police departments will send their own folks to EMT school.

It really depends on the situation, both sides are right. If the patient is just having a normal "textbook" asthma attack, where they are in low to moderate distress, and EMS is less than 15 minutes away, I would not advocate using someone else's (if for no other reason, not to pass cooties on to someone else). You said "girl" in your description which makes me think pediatrics, so an adult inhaler may be of a stronger dose than necessary. On the other hand, if the patient is in severe distress and you let them go into respiratory arrest because of rules, then you should get out of healthcare. That would be similar to you being at a pond that has a "no swimming - keep out of pond" sign up, and there is a child drowning 10ft from shore, and you won't go in because swimming is not allowed.

Sorry Ruff. Here is some information on air ambulance accident rates, that profession became the most dangerous job in the US in 2007. The NTSB has been promising to improve safety in this industry, but I don't know if they ever implemented any new standards. http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/speeches/sumwalt/sumwalt_050411.pdf

I was discussing a pacemaker alone, not an AICD

It probably wasn't v-tach, but an aberrant wide or narrow SVT, although it is possible to be alert and in V-Tach, or have runs of V-Tach that last for several seconds/minutes. Did they not try to fix with medicine first ? I agree people should be sedated, there are many drugs that have short half-lives that could be used.

I am sure the Congressman truly believes that the Tea Party's failure to compromise will result in huge spending cuts that will cut our social programs. You should be just as outraged as the majority of people on wellfare are white. It is funny how this works on boths sides of the aisle; When Democrats call out the Republicans for assaulting the poorest americans, the republicans scream because they do not want to be called racist. Then when democrats suggest that we cut some of the heavily bloated defense department, republicans accuse them of being unpatriotic for even thinking about cutting defense during war-time (does not matter that we have been at war for over 10 years). I do not listen to any politician because I know they are all lying and just playing a game to line their own pockets.

Come to think of it, I have never seen a white or black person working in any traditional mexican or chinese restaurant (not the fast food chains). In the name of unity, maybe we should all enter a class-action lawsuit -- cha-ching $$$$$$$$

You could have chose to treat the Afib with medicine (I am guessing the heart rate was high, causing a low b/p). I would also recommend switching leads to make sure you are not missing the pacemaker spikes, that sometimes are not visible in just one lead (yes it happens), it would be bad to shut off the pacemaker if the patient is 100% paced.

So God tells people to do stupid stuff so they will die ?

Again, show of hands, how many of you have a black supervisor or better yet, Chief ? I hear crickets again. The only way a black medic can get promoted is if he/she is a medic in the military. But of course silly me, we have thousands of members, representing thousands of EMS agencies in this room, and maybe ten of them have a black supervisor, but thats not racism. A court of law just past judgement on one of the largest fire departments in america, but again, most of you chose to defend the guilty, because you fear your department will be next, or that God forbid, one day you might actually have a black supervisor, and we cannot let that happen. So of course, the courts, the EEOC, the NAACP are all wrong and are all in cohoots to keep the white man down. Pleeeeeeaaaaaassssseeeeeeeeeeee. And yes, i do paint with a wide brush, as there is no reason to use a 1/2 inch brush to apply a layer of "truth" on a 4x8 sheet of plywood. But thank you for the discussion.

Yes I did read it, did you: A Nashville Fire Department paramedic is under investigation after posting a Facebook rant against gay and lesbian fire department employees, with one post citing that "the queers need to crawl back into the closet." It was on a closed face-book page, he did not say this to his boss.

I agree with all of that, but I dont think this guy was at work. How can your work punish you for an off-duty statement that does not relate to the department. That would be like two of you guys telling a "black joke" at a party, and one of you shares it with me, then I get offended and go to HR at work and demand you be fired. I am not trying to justify what he said, it was wrong, but in the privacy of his home, he has the right to say it.

Ems is far more racist than Fire, due to its short history on earth. So the fact that racial discrimination is commonly found in Fire, shows how bad it is in EMS

I wonder if his facebook page listed where he worked or if he had pics from work on his page. If so, or if he posted it from a computer at work, I guess I would agree, but if he did not, I believe we stilll have a first amendment right to free speech.

http://www.outandaboutnewspaper.com/article/4968 Was what he said while off-duty worth a suspension and possible loss of job.

Yes there are oppressed people in every race, I choose to speak for my race, as you have chosen to speak only for yours.