medicgirl05

I don't think there is any benefit from this technology. Especially since it often takes more than one attempt to transmit for it to be succesful. I don't always have time to play with technology as I am treating a cardiac patient.

Yeah...that pretty much ruined the fun.

Great way to spend money though.

I'm surprised no one has offered to give the poor thing more beads...

Everyone in our region has the capability to do this. When I transmit an EKG it goes to our medical director, my administrator, and the receiving facility. We have been doing it for 2 or 3 years. At first we transmitted all 12 Leads, now we transmit only ones accompanied with STEMI alert. I haven't really seen that it has improved patient care though.

I've learned that you can never have expectations as to how someone will react to a death. I am also a firm believer in field terminations and when notifying the family they may react in all sorts of unexpected ways. I have learned you just have to roll with it. I've had people become very angry and some who actually laugh and some people who don't seem to understand what you are saying.

I had only one experience that really bothered me. We left the scene and drove about 2 miles and my partner pulled over so I could vomit. After I was sick it was all over. I wouldn't say you get used to death but I think people in EMS see so much suffering that we tend to look at death differently.

I have seen circulatory compromise in the digits and sometimes extremities in patients nearing death...it is actually pretty common. I just found the BLACK color strange on the face.

I can assure you that this patient was very much not viable...

I welcome muddy water...always room for learning!

I might have missed this above, but where was he found? I'm curious because it sounds like lead poisoning caused by bad moonshine. Any indication of alcohol use where he was found?

He was found at a place that doesn't allow alcohol and there was no evidence of recent alcohol consumption. However, I won't guarantee that he hadn't been drinking.

Well let us know what you find out. My surgery is November 12th. I was scared but I am just ready to be out of pain. Good luck!

I agree with A-fib with RVR.

I knew nothing about the patient. He was from out of town so the receiving hospital had no info about him either.

I returned to work 3 months ago but am occasionally still in severe pain. I tried chiropractor, acupuncture 2 steroid injections, and 2 moths of physical therapy with little improvement. I am having a micdrodiscectomy in 10 days to remove the herniation.

My symptoms are tingling and pain along with a dull feeling in my thigh and severe lower back pain. I have a hard time with bending.

I have almost this exact injury. I don't have dimensions of my extreusion though it is central and broad.

A disc extrusion is when the nucleus pulposus(central material) extrudes out of the annulas(a ligament I think). S1 nerve root compression can result in neurological symptoms such as numbness, tingling,or weakness on one or both sides accompanied with sciatica along the dermatome. Extreme cases may cause cauda equina which afftects bowel and bladder control and is a medical emergency.

Treatment is usually physical therapy and anti-inflammatories followed with more invasive procedures such as epidural steroid injections and finally surgery.

Good luck to you. I'm curious what symptoms you are experiencing?

There was no AV-block. I don't know what MAS-syndrome is...12Ld was after the asystole.

Heart rate was 30 for maybe 4 minutes. I didn't give Atropine because I didn't have a line yet. I didn't get the line until the asystole was over.

I didn't smell the breath.

Thanks!

I had a recent patient that we found unresponsive. He was found by bystanders at a highly populated area so it is unlikely that he was down long. Everything about the patient is unknown except that the guy who sat close by him earlier reports he complained of back pain. Initial pulse is 30'ish. Breathing shallow. During transport he went into asystole. CPR initiated for about a minute and during the first pulse check we had a pulse back. Patient became tachycardic at about 130 before settling back into the most beautiful NSR ever. Nothing on 12 lead. Blood sugar was perfect. Patient started coming around and was combative. When we got to the ER he started becoming alert.

Test results showed a high ammonia level. The nurse told me it was over 100. I have done some research on ammonia levels but nothing that really shows how this patient coded and came back with just compressions. Anybody have any ideas? Maybe it had nothing to do with ammonia levels? The day after the event I learned his admitting diagnosis was hepatic encephalopathy...

I think I presented the pertinent info on how he presented but if there is something else that is important I'm happy to fill in the blanks. I just was completely confused by the way the call went.

Thanks for your input!

I have an L5-S1 disc extrusion and have had 2 epidural injections with no relief. I am scheduled to have a microdiscectomy in 3 weeks. Hopefully that will get me back to fully functioning.

I would definetely give Adenosine before attempting to cardiovert.

This was a very lucky man! I've been to a few tractor accidents and the ending is usually not happy.

I almost feel sorry for your poor wife. No wonder she keeps you gone for long periods of time. She needs the time to recover.

Dwayne- are both your hands broken? You need to fix this situation as it is becoming dangerous...

The first story is epic! I read it and was rolling around on the couch laughing. My coworkers asked what was so funny so I read it to them, it took a while to control my laughing fits...we were all dying laughing. Well worth the cost!

I would skip the guidance counselor for this, maybe seek out an EMS agency in your area. A guidance counselor doesn't really know the innerworkings of EMS.

How is your stamina? Lifting is important, as well as squatting and maneuvering in small places.

I would definetely look into your options and make sure you are physically capable of doing the job before you invest time and money.

I'm sorry to hear about your accident and good luck to you!

When I have been a patient I hated being called "baby, dear, sweetheart, etc." I an't speak for everyone but it just rubs me wrong. As a provider, I am guilty of doing this, mostly to the elderly patients who are nervous or seem lonely. I'm interested to learn what others think...

This really bothers me. I don't know your particular situation but it sounds like you are a basic who thinks he knows more than he does. Don't assume that you know protocols better than your paramedic does. The way that paramedics think and the way that basics think in some areas is very different. I have worked with basics who have criticized moves I've made without even being able to grasp the situation.

So, good luck to you. Stay positive. Don't judge the paramedic before you work with him. If you have a question about the way he does something wait until the call is over and politely ask. It is possible that he can explain his reasoning and you will understand.

The only thing being female truly affects when I'm on scene is possibly lifting some of the heavier pts and then the fire department is great about coming out to help with that when we need to.

Let me clarify, this statement I interpreted as meaning that females in general are less capable in lifting than men. I don't think being female affects my lifting abilities at all. I can lift more than some men I have worked with. Maybe I am misunderstanding the intention behind the statement. In that case I'm sorry. I agree that there are most definetely patients that require lifting assistance.

Captain- I have been thinking about that...too expensive.

Rural- If you need men for the heavy lifting you better hit the gym. We are already an inferior species in EMS and we don't need any more men talking about our inadequacies when it comes to the physical demands of the job. Just saying...