pinkemsprincess

They are quite capable individuals in many ways. These people are not hobbyist. They are simply citizens helping their community, a term apparently vacant from the vocabulary of many on this network site. Do your homework before you go bashing on other EMS agencies ways of working. This particular service can not afford to staff that many paid providers, not to mention they have 2 medics, 2 WHOLE MEDICS!!! The rest of their service is comprised mostly of ECAs and EMTs. These are not stupid or lazy people. Just because they have some other full time job does not make them less of an EMT, ECA, or Paramedic for that matter. If anything it broadens their ability to help others for engagin them in the empthetic aspects of the job. By the way, the State of Texas is perfectly aware of systems that work in this fashion. They MADE IT THAT WAY!!!!! Because they have sense enough to realize that not every area will be needy of fully staffed and paid services. Nor could they afford it if they wanted to. There is far too much terrain to cover. Take note. I work for a private company, we do 14,000 calls a year in a city of 110,000 roughly. We also serve over 90% of the county we operate in, not to mention some thousands of miles of area in 3 other surrounding counties. We also provide mutual aide for some 6 or 7 additional cities on a regular basis. But we have investors and billing companies and non county acquired funding. If your county is underpopluated, you simply can not afford paid services to the extent of what some people on here are suggesting.

These systems usually have more than one first responder on scene. Math = 2 ECAs + 1 driver= the best full crew they can provide. This posting is nothing more than the product of someone who has nothing better to do with their time than dig up crap to make fun of with out fully understanding the entire basis behind it.

Did I miss something? Why is this such a fail? Because they are in need of assistance from their community? Not all EMS services have enough funding to maintain enough personnel to meet their calls and require the need to have a "driver" to meet their needs. Most of those services are lucky to have EMTs, they usually can only get ECAs. These are people who volunteer, they give of their free time to help their community..... Soooo, again. FAIL?! Why, because it sounds hokey to you?

Poverty Questionnaire 1. What race are poor people? any race 2. Are poor people all alcoholics? no 3. Are poor people all drug abusers? no 4. How old are poor people? any age 5. Do they live in city or suburbs? everywhere 6. Are more poor people male or female? maybe even 7. Are poor people lazy? not always 8. Do all poor people have one or numerous kids? not all of them do 9. Is lack of education a reason for being poor? it can be 10. Is low minimum wage to blame for being poor? it can be 11. Are all poor people unkept? not always 12. Is government assistance enough for poor people to survive? no 13. Is social mobility (moving up or down in class) possible for the poor? in some places 14. Do the poor pay taxes? some do 15. Do all poor people steal? not all do

While I definitely can agree there needs to be some regulation of the medevac industry. I firmly believe they do serve a very relevant purpose. I have worked in 2 very different EMS service areas that are fortunate enough to utilize flight services and with proper equipment their benefit increases substantially. But as was stated previously, due to the competition from overgrowth in the industry we see less than acceptable employees, aircraft, equipment and overall patient care and the abuse of the system by flying any and everything. So, yes, good job Dr. Bledsoe!

I know this isn't an EMS related death, but he was somoeone I have worked with a lot over the years. Officer Rodney Holder, a motorcycle officer, was hit during a traffic stop this afternoon. All of us here will miss him a great deal. Please be thinking of APD, his family and those of us who knew him. Thank you.

Are we attempting to rule out the possibility of miscarriage? How many hours are we deciding is "one day"? If we are saying 8 hours for a day, I would deem 5 pads to be normal, that's a change almost every 2 hours. How much difference would there be in your definition of a "full" pad to hers? I would think a typical pad could handle 20cc of fluid. But there are so many variables when questioning flow rate. So, she hasn't had a period in 2 months. Is it normal for her to be irregular? Is her flow tyically light and now this 5 pads is a lot for her? Are you really only curious how much it can hold, or are we going somewhere with this?

So, I can see where they are coming from with the legal aspects of age and what not. However, it has been thrown out there in multiple posts so far that making something illegal won't make it less attractive to a teenager or anyone for that matter. I had several variations of "sex ed" during my public school affair. They were all mortifying. The first encounter was 4th grade. It was reminiscent of the "women are flowers....as they grow and bloom..." Uh-huh. I am going to bleed for several days and this is okay?! I was 9 and scared to death. They sent me home with some maxi pads and a pamphlet for discussion with my mom. Yeah, no. My mom was never one for inspirational or bond developing conversations about anything. When I was 17 she sat me down and said, "I am taking you to my gyno, you are getting birth control." WTF?! "You aren't going to be a young mom like your sister and I were." Oookkaaayyy. Thanks? Luckily my mom has some common sense in place of her lack of emotion. She wasn't lost in the fact that just because she was a parent doesn't mean she can't remember being a teen herself. I stilled learned most things at school, from friends, and my much older sisters. I was warped. I still am straightening out. But bottom line, I have a daughter, I am already thinking about the conversations we are going to have. I don't want her to go as long as I did with poor ideas about sex, sexuality and the differences. Information is never dangerous. People are human; we have brains capable of making decisions. It happens all day long. Some are good and others aren't, but if we weren't informed, how could we distinguish the bad from the good? Someone noted earlier that in the rural areas school is often the only place these kids will get this information. So give it to them. I don't by any means agree parents should give up their custodial responsibilities and throw it back at the schools, however, kids need to know. All aspects.

Everyone has had very true and real things to say about this topic. I most definitely agree and can relate. The very first call I had as a Basic was a code. I was entranced with what I needed to do, it was surreal. Even with my first DOS/DOA it was not very immediately impactful, I found myself discussing my lack of emotions later with my partner who concurred it was natural. Everyone is different. So worry not, you are not weird. Well you might be, in this field you have to be. But this "lack of emotion" is not what makes you weird.

Most people here don't pay us enough attention to realize what we are doing in that grill, nor are the wanna be crackheads intelligent enough to figure out the benefit of hijacking an ambulance....

Our older units have external unlock switches, we do not generally lock the doors while we are on scene with the vehicle running, it has not been an issues. We also have newer units with built in systems, they are Chevy models, where you remove the key while it's running and if you step on the break the engine will shut down. The only time we have had a unit stolen was a few years ago from behind our main station. The crew left the truck running and unlocked and some teenager took off in it and wrecked it to nothing. We are supposed to lock them because of that, but generally if they are running on scene we don't. We shut them down otherwise and lock them.

Okay, that makes sense. Except the " Sky Hook", never heard of it. But none of this is covered very well at all in school, nor even Nasal intubation.

I know very few people who have successfully utilized this in the field. I have really small hands, but my fingers are kinda stumpy, I am not sure I could reach. Not to mention, as others have said, the fear of losing my beloved fingers.

Here is the link, http://finance.yahoo...285145.html?x=0 7 Things Your Boss Should Never Say to You Karen Burns, On Wednesday March 24, 2010, 11:24 am EDT Last week, I listed seven things employees should never say to bosses. A look at the various comment threads shows that a few bosses out there could also benefit from a review of the basics of good workplace relations--not to mention a quickie refresher of what constitutes good leadership. [see the best careers for 2010.] So, bosses, are you listening? Here are seven things you, as a boss, should never say to your employees: 1. "I pay your salary. You have to do what I say." Have you not heard? It's the 21st century. Threats and power plays just do not cut it anymore (and they were always a terrible way to manage). Yes, you pay people's salaries but that doesn't mean you're their lord and master. You are their leader, however. Leaders lead by inspiring, teaching, encouraging, and, yes, serving their employees. Good leaders never need to threaten. So keep your word, set a good example, praise in public, criticize in private, respect your employees' capabilities, give credit where credit is due, learn to delegate, and when you ask for feedback don't forget to respond to it. (Another sentence to be avoided: "Do what I say, not what I do.") [see 7 things never to say to your boss.] 2. "I don't want to listen to your complaints." Hey, boss, you have this backwards. You do want to listen to employees' complaints. That's part of your job. You should be actively seeking feedback, even negative feedback. It may be annoying, even painful, but that's why you get the big bucks. Complaints point to where your processes and practices need improvement. And even if a problem absolutely can't be helped, allowing your employees to vent can go a long way toward restoring morale and building loyalty. 3. "I was here on Saturday afternoon. Where were you?" This kind of "subtle" pressure to work 24/7 is a good way to burn out your employees. You won't get that much more productivity out of them, and you will destroy morale. You may choose to work seven days a week. That's your call. But your employees shouldn't have to. If you observe that they are working way more than their job descriptions call for, consider that maybe it's because you're overloading them. Look for ways to fix this problem. [see the 50 worst job interview mistakes.] 4. "Isn't your performance review coming up soon?" Maybe you're trying to motivate an employee to do a better job. Maybe this is just a ham-handed way to remind underlings of who has the power. Who knows. Either way, a statement like this is not only tacky and passive-aggressive, it's ineffective. If you really want to motivate people, consider giving them a stake in the success of your enterprise. Show employees you value them. Let them know what they have to gain by doing a good job. The results may surprise you. 5. "We've always done it this way." Want to crush your employees' initiative? This is a good way. News flash: Your employees may actually have a pretty good idea of how to do their jobs. Maybe they know even more than you. Your job as boss is to encourage them to have the energy and motivation to be innovative. In fact, employees who come up with better ways to do things should be celebrated and rewarded. (Hint: Cash is nice.) 6. "We need to cut costs" (at the same time you are, say, redecorating your office). Nothing breeds resentment more than asking employees to tighten their belts while you, to their eyes, are living it up. Even if the office redecoration can be totally justified in business terms, or the budget for it was a gift from your uncle, it still looks hypocritical and is demoralizing. Being sensitive to other people's feelings is good karma. Leading by example is the best way to lead. 7. "You should work better." Managers need to communication expectations clearly, to give employees the tools they need to do a good job, to set reasonable deadlines, and to offer help if needed. When giving instructions, ask if they understand your instructions. Don't assume. You may not be the stellar communicator you think you are. If your employees are making mistakes, or not performing up to par, consider that maybe it's because you're giving them vague instructions like "you should work better." The bottom line is that in the workplace respect, a little tact, and a good attitude go both ways. What do you think? Anything to add? Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use, recently released by Running Press. She blogs at www.karenburnsworkinggirl.com. I seriously wonder what they would think if they heard some of the things that come from my bosses mouths. For instance, this morning the DO said to my friend/co-worker "I'm going to start kicking the shit out of these stupid people up here." And that is one of the milder comments he has made. Anyone else have this unfortunate experience?

I was just reading about this in my respiratory chapter, and it made me curious to see if anyone has done this or would. I have not, and I have had the oppertunity, but frankly, it's creepy to me. So what about you?

If I am not mistaken the penalties the government wishes to enforce for lack of health care is meant for employers. Because so many companys, like my own, REFUSE to even offer ANY kind of health care or reimbursement for the health care I carry privately. I am definitely stuck in the "middle class" here. I also can not buy a home with my credit if I do not have a substantial down payment. Even though my rent costs me more than a mortgage would. WTF?! How does that make sense? At any rate, I have medical bills, a lot. They are very expensive, because I have to carry my own coverage. My parents are about to lose their coverage. My mom developed a cancerous tumor on her kidney and had to have the kidney removed. My dad found out this year he is diabetic. They also have some other health concerns. As they should since they are getting older. My uncle who is mentally retarded, is apparently not disabled enough to have medicaid. Really? But the pyschos I pick up off the street are mentally ill enough? This has to be better. We don't have a choice but to try to make it work. What we have now does not work. I worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield, those people are the devil. And someone mentioned earlier about how other people's healthcare costs raises your premiums, absolutely. You better fucking believe it. What I have not heard is pharmaceutical reform. Ticket number 2 for your insurance premium cost. I would actually say it is more accurately number 1. When you have prescription coverage, as I do, you are lucky enough to not absorb the entire cost of that drug. But someone has to. It doesn't get written off. Your insurance pays for it. I had to get medicaid when I was pregnant. I have private insurance. I didn't have maternity coverage. Nor could I afford to spend the rest of my life paying the thousands to pay that off. I don't make as much in 1 year as that whole 9 months cost. So, yeah I pay for those leeches I pick up and take to the ER for no good reason. But at some point we have to consider everyone else. Me, I have insurance, its not great, but I fit it into my budget. My uncle is on my mom's policy, barely. They already have gotten the letters about "undertmined future coverage", she pays for coverage. PRIVATELY! How is that fair? Okay, so we pay out the nose so we can have REDUCED health bills. But the crack head with out any coverage at all, pleads with the hospital to get a reduced bill because he has no job. That does suck. Again, can this option maybe be better? Really?! It has to. I have family that travel to Mexico and Canada for health care. Because like someone else said, it is still cheaper. I don't think now is the right time either, but as our society continues to plummit uneducated into a sea of ignorance, when will there be a good time?

We have something similar to this in Texas. I am not sure if it is involuntary consent or under implied consent, but basically if the patient threatens to harm themselves or is deemed as a potential threat to themselves, they forfeit the right to make decisions regarding their own well being. I have used this many times. We do not require the patient to be in police custody unless we feel they may be a threat to us or our crew. Also, putting them in custody can cause additional unnecessary distress to the patient. They may become uncooperative, when they otherwise would not have.

Hahaha, proof that I watch way too much children's television programming. The very first thing I thought of was Handy Manny. My daughter loves that show.