BlissEMT

Wow, that's awesome! Thanks for reviving this thread. I start my program core in August, and I will definitely bring these pointers with me.

I had to read part of that for a Sociology class, based on the importance of heritage, and how it varies from culture to culture. It was an amazing book, from what I got through, but didn't get the chance to finish it... Is that your girlfriend's story??

Well, because the only women that would even think they could get away with something like that would match the definition of "trailer trash" perfectly... Surprised that she was a student in higher education, even if only for a brief period... and almost impressed (not in a good way) that she thought to fake birth certificates....

Wow... maybe it's just where I am, but when I took my LPN classes, we took a "Family and Community Nursing" class, that lasted for an entire semester (2 hours per week for 16 weeks), which was to prepare you for working at a place like Planned Parenthood and Unexpected Pregnancies. And at least one of the clinical/practicum specialties was OB... you could choose it for your "elective" specialty if you wanted to as well. There was 1/3 of a unit spent on it in my EMT class, too. Which isn't a whole lot, but sounds like a bit more than you guys are saying you got... Like I said, maybe it's Minnesota. Maybe it's just plain American weirdness. I feel like I'm prepared for a call involving a woman in labor. Which doesn't mean a whole lot, cause being prepared and actually being able to do it are very different, I know, but I feel like I at least know some of the possibilities, and how to properly deal with them.

One of the worst things to come across... My thoughts and prayers are with your friend, and all who were touched by the loss of such a young life.

I don't have a radio either, but if I lived rurally, I guess I would consider investing in one... As far as the cell phone goes, I keep my old personal one in my glove box, and swap it out every time I upgrade. You don't have to have minutes on a phone in order to call 911. Just a phone with a battery.

I can understand what he is saying. It's a valid point. I think the reason this is causing a problem is because he used the word "echoes" which, to a lot of people, means "repeats" or "parallels", which is slightly exaggerated. Do I personally think the relation of the Gulf oil spill to 9/11 is appropriate? In terms of our country's lack of preparation and emergency response, yes. In the way we will change our ways of thinking about certain things in the near, and far, future, yes. In terms of what parts of our country's 'psyche' will be affected, no. But, he was not saying this oil spill will put our country in fear for repeat spills, so I think he covered that base.

It's state law. If you can safely render assistance at the scene of an emergency, you shall. Neglecting to do so can be considered a misdemeanor offense. I got a printout with my state certifications that just came in the mail, I'll try to find the website and post a link. Or scan it, if I can figure out that new piece of machinery... You'd be surprised how many weird things can happen around here. Submarine, no. But neighbors that are injured/ill and you could have rendered assistance, yes. Personally, I can recount a couple situations when I felt like I was letting down my nieces or nephews because my helping someone in need made me late for a dance recital because another dad was having a seizure in the parking lot or I missed the game-winning soccer goal cause somebody's mom fell on her way to the sidelines and broke her ankle. So no, it's not about bragging rights, but when people who know me say "Oh, Ally's an EMT, I'll go get her", there's really not much I can do about it.

I think that would count as an 'unsafe situation'. Would you stop otherwise?

Thank you tskstorm. I can now see exactly the thought you've put into your reason to not stop. And, I respect it. Usually, I try to keep my thoughts away from the negative, and focus on the positive things my presence could mean. I never would perform skills without PPE, but I'm not ignorant enough to think that if I'm wearing them, nothing bad can happen. I know it is always a possibility, but it's a hazard of the job. The scenario I posed to you was not in any way to make you feel guilty for not stopping, just to make you wonder if you would feel differently if you personally knew the person. Being in MN, I have to stop, so I will, but I feel better knowing I did what I could, so you will not hear me complain!

The OP described the accident he saw and stopped for, so I've been posting with similar MVC severity in mind, I'll make sure to clarify that in the future. I'm not saying I stop for every little thing, but if there is a possibility that injuries have occured, I stop. Similar to appraising the damage to your vehicle before calling the cops for a fender bender. Here, they say not to call for a squad for less than $1000 damage unless there is a disagreement between parties (uninsured driver, etc). If I feel there was enough force behind the colliding vehicles to cause injury, I stop. If there is significant damage related to the method of collision, I stop. I didn't assume the reason you didn't carry gloves was space, but you said in an earlier post, " Further with no equipment, what skills am I performing?" I was just trying to point out that lack of equipment is not a reason to not stop. If you were one that would stop, but doesn't because you have no equipment in your car, all you need is a pair of gloves to perform some more basic skills. Also, I don't identify myself as an EMT, I usually say something along the lines of "I'm trained in advanced first aid, may I help (you/your child/whomever)?" If the BLS unit arrives there and wants to know more, I identify myself and my training level to them. As far as abandonment goes, you're putting this person in the hands of on-duty trained professionals that have the means to treat and transport the patient, and you're following the continuum of care, not just stabilizing c-spine, then walking away when they arrive on-scene. I don't see anyone finding that as abandonment. I may be misinformed, but I believe that in MN, I am required to stop. Some of the other people I personally know also say that if you are trained in skills that could be useful and can safely do so, you are required to stop or administer aid if the victim gives you permission, and you act within your scope. Driving by would be considered neglect, which is a breach of duty and can lead to liability. I may be wrong, but that was my understanding from the conversations we had in class and some of the conversations I have had with friends that are also in a medical profession. MN is weird about other things, so it would not surprise me. Again, with state-to-state laws varying so much, this may not apply to the majority of people here. If I am injured (say another vehicle hits me) while getting in or out of my vehicle, or approaching my vehicle, my auto insurance has to cover any medical costs I incur - ER, Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, etc. As for accidental exposure, my health insurance would cover my testing and care, as deemed "medically necessary" by my physician. So, I give you this for thought: You're driving home from work, and see a vehicle change lanes into another vehicle, causing that second vehicle to hit the gravel on the side of the shoulder, and skid into the ditch. You call 911 and report the accident, but drive on. The following day, you find out from your neighbor that her husband was the one in that accident, and has a broken leg, a couple fractured ribs, and is in critical condition because of the lack of oxygen from respiratory failure, secondary to the chest trauma, during the 20 minutes it took the BLS unit to get there. Knowing you could have assisted his respirations with just a pair of gloves and a face shield, do you think you might have stopped?

Well, thanks guys, I stand corrected. I guess MN just sucks as far as making EMS education easier for anybody. Thanks for the info. Still scares me to think of buying second hand off craigslist, where there's no reputation on the sellers...

Ooh, you're right, that was my bad. Um... not here. My CPR instructor had to fight with the AED supplier to get the trainers without a prescription. A friend of mine in rural EMS carries one in her car, and her Medical Director had to put the order in writing in order for her to get an AED for her work vehicle. If it's a hassle to get them in those situations, they definitely should NOT be sold on craigslist or e-bay without some kind of inspection, and I'm not even sure if that's possible.

I don't carry O2 in my car, but I have friends that do. They work rural EMS and the chances are high that they get a call and are closer to the scene in their POV, then driving to the ambulance bay and back. What am I going to do when I stop? CPR, assisted ventilations (mouth-to-mask), C-spine stabilization, bleeding control, treat for shock. All of those things fall under my scope and I have all the necessary equipment in my car all the time, in a kit no bigger than a tackle box, to do them. Are my interventions going to be life-saving? Possibly, but probably not. But I sleep better at night knowing that I stopped and did what I could. As far as it not being a 24/365 profession... well, when you have 27 first cousins that live locally and call you with any and all the medical questions they can find, and have 10 nieces and nephews that won't even let mom and dad put a bandaid on their scrapes without calling me first, I guess I'm just used to it being a part of my life 24/365. I have heart strings that are easily tugged upon, and a sore spot for kids especially, but I don't think that "mentality" is ever going fade. And I can't say that I want it to. But all it would take is a pair of gloves to have the equipment to do that, which can potentially be a life-saving skill. And while you're doing it, you can reassure the patients until on-duty EMS gets there. And I wouldn't ever recommend doing it without gloves. But, how much space do gloves really take? Besides my first aid kit, I keep a pair with my CPR mask in the cubby on my door, and a pair in my glove box (per my nephews insistence, because "why would you call it a glove box, if you're not actually going to keep gloves in it"). I'm not trying to argue or say that I'm right and you're wrong, everyone's entitled to their own methods, but if that's the only reason you wouldn't stop and help, it's an easy fix.

I guess you never really realize what people will sell without realizing it's not ok. I know this is illegal here... partly because you can't put a siren on a non-emergency vehicle. Also because you have to have a prescription for an AED. http://minneapolis.c...1734535855.html Oh, and I'm with mrsbull, it scares the heck out of me that people would sell/buy this stuff secondhand. especially the more ALS stuff. EDIT: repaired link

I'll probably get in some kind of hot water for saying some of the things I'm about to say, but I just gotta... I'm fully with +medic on this one. If I see an accident, either happen right in front of me or on the side of the road with no EMS/response vehicles present, and it is safe for me to do so, I will stop. I always have a first aid kit, with several pairs of gloves, bandaging for open wounds, face mask for CPR, etc... in my car. I also have a road safety kit in my trunk (has flares, blankets, water bottles, etc. in it). Here at least, if you are certified in any form of EMS, you immediately have a duty to act if someone else has not yet done so. This duty can be taken care of by calling 911, or stopping to help, but I always stop to help. I've had one-too-many stops that ended up being a positive outcome to not continue stopping. Good Sam laws protect caregivers as long as their care was given within their scope-of-practice. So, as an EMT-B, if I have O2 in my car, I can administer it. If the person has been stung by bees and has a current Rx Epi-pen, I can administer it. I have to have already called for on-duty EMS, but I am covered as long as I am not providing care outside my training level. I'm hearing a lot of the "well, without my ambulance, I can't do anything...." mentality, but I think that's baloney. If you were only trained to provide care within the safe, controlled realm of an ambulance, what good are you to EMS? (This is the part that I figured would get me in some trouble...) I'm not pointing fingers, but if your skills are no good without an ambulance to perform them in, are your skills any good at all? I'm thinking no. I got into EMS because all my life -- literally since I was 13 -- accidents and trauma incidents have found their way to me, and I figured if this is going to continue happening, a little more training will at least prepare me for the inevitable. My boyfriend calls me the "PVR" (personal vacation ruiner) but I stop because if I don't, I will think about what would have happened. And when I apply it to the past incidents when I did stop, and reverse the outcome, I can't just drive by.

Ya... even the Mac n Cheese color nobody could ever find a use for... still has the Crayola wrapper on it. OK, I understand that you're in the 101st Airborne. Congrats, you got an assignment with hype attached to it. Forgive me if I don't treat you as a superior officer, as my SO is currently deployed in Iraq on his 3rd tour, but doesn't have near the same ignorant, sexist, testosterone-fueled attitude you seem to have. Yes, in the 101st Airborne you won't treat a female soldier because there aren't any in the line you work directly with. But, in the above statement, you referred to "combat medics" so just because you are with a group of all men, doesn't mean you represent the majority of combat medics, who most likely do work with -- and treat -- female soldiers at some point in time or another. As far as being called an 'EMT', it's not meant as an insult here. But, "Combat Medic" is your military title. You are nowhere near trained enough to be considered a civvy Medic. And some of your previous posts make me wonder if you even deserve the civvy EMT title. We understand that being called a Medic is respected, but here you don't have enough training or intelligence to be pulled into that group. It's not that we're not understanding you, it's that we want you to know we disagree with your opinion and think your way of thinking is wrong. BSI needs to come first, regardless of the situation. Knowing you don't take the few seconds it requires to don a pair of gloves before administering what will most likely be life-saving treatment makes me nervous for you and for the people you treat. You say you can't wear gloves because the enemy will know you're a medic and will target your first, which is probably true, but what do you think they will think you are when they see you saving a soldier's life? And if they happen to put it together and realize you are not protecting yourself or the people you treat, do you realize how easy it would be for them to screw up the rest of your life? Bullets are easily contaminated. I mean no disrespect in what I've said here. I respect you immensely for being an American Soldier and for fighting for my rights to even say these things. But, just because I respect what you as a soldier represent, doesn't mean I respect or remotely agree with your opinion. Be safe. And please also consider the safety and health of the other soldiers you treat. Protect them as much as you respect them.

That's a good idea. Bring it up and see what they say. Personally, I would say you absolutely need to report him for this. The PCRs become part of the medical record (here at least) and medical records are legal documents. Falsifying it can equal the same punishment, if not worse (plus lawsuit possibilities) as falsifying a police report or court document. And if you're 'allowing' it to happen, you could be held responsible for aiding him in writing false reports. Of course, that's worse-case scenario. Not trying to say you are doing anything wrong, but I just wouldn't want you to get in trouble for not standing up for yourself, because you're nervous about being the 'newbie pest'.

I didn't get an e-mail from the NREMT after taking my test... Study those areas, I guess...

I agree that it is completely different in the individual documents that were fakes... but I also think it doesn't matter. These people were *allegedly* not completing their re-cert continuing education credits, which therefore makes their license to practice null and void. Whether they got fake certification documents or got fake continuing education course documents, it's still fake, and they should not be allowed to maintain their registration status. Whether they should be banned for good... that's up to the NREMT and the state, but if they are going to allow them to practice, it had better darn well be AFTER completing a nationally accepted course... Personally, I say fire them. Let other qualified individuals have the job they worked for and deserve to have, and the phonies can go back to school for something else, or flip burgers. Now, watch them all get fired and try to apply for unemployment benefits... Here in Minnesota, you can do that too, with the license number, which we have to provide in order to be employed... Double interesting? In Massachusetts, they have a re-certification course verification website, where you can enter an EMS personnel number and see what courses and hours they have completed... Apparently employers will have to keep up on that, now too... http://db.state.ma.us/dph/oems/default.asp

That's ridiculous. I totally agree that they should all be fired. All the services that were employing them are open to lawsuits, because even with the Good Samaritan laws, they were providing care outside their scope, and could have caused considerable harm. Therefore, are no longer protected and are liable for their actions. Imagine being a patient and now finding out that the people who helped you when you were ill or injured were phonies...

Did the infection cause your s&s or the original sting? Some doctors are just ridiculous... good call on switching. Even if you did get stung and could sue him, without the Epi-Pen, you might not get the chance. Not sure where you are, but here, response times are not short enough to where i'd risk it. See about the Twin-Ject. Has 2 doses in it. Really slick, if insurance will cover them. Then, you'd only have to carry 2 Check it out: http://www.twinject.com/