kndoug1

Nate, So, since Mobey seems to think that I need to actually SHOW him what I am talking about when I speak of a professional way to talk to someone, here it goes. It is never funny when someone goes around intentionally injuring themselves, especially when it goes to the extent of having to call 911 and resulting in them passing out. You will find that on this site, most people will actually be offended by stories like these because we take an oath to help those in need. And while you and your partner may share the same view of what is funny and what is not, most people here will take these stories in another way and not find them funny at all, and then an argument begins. Telling stories about patients that intentionally injure themselves to the extent that we are called in to help them is frowned upon and thought of as being unprofessional and as encouraging this behavior. And even though I'm sure this is not what you were meaning to portray, that is how some took it, so I would suggest not posting things similar to what you did here. We could all use a laugh every now and then, and I'm sure we have all laughed at patients that we have had that were similar to your story in one way or another, but I would recommend taking a look at what others have posted in this portion of the site before posting another story as to try to not offend anyone. Just a little friendly advice.

I never said that I am "a true professional" so don't start putting words in my mouth...All I said was that those with the wisdom and experience should be sharing it, not slamming everyone else and that no one should be bad mouthing professions that are different from the one that we have chosen for ourselves. I'm done having this argument with you both.

I never said that I have a problem with your expectation of intelligence and compassion for the members of the profession. If you read what I said, I stated that I have a problem with the way you are going about it. You are being very rude and unprofessional. You are being rude about the fry cook profession, and I just feel that there is no reason to speak poorly of another profession just because it is not what you have chosen for yourself...and seriously, this is not the place for arguments. I am not going to sit here and defend what I said about how people here are going about trying to change what the OP said. If you want to change the way people look at EMS, take a look first at the way you are representing it. I don't think that by attacking people, you will gain the respect that you are looking for. You said that if the OP behaves this way on an anonymous web forum, imagine what type of prehospital emergency medical caregiver he will be, but the same could be said for the way you are acting. You are sitting here attacking people, so what could that say about you to someone who doesn't know you? I wasn't trying to anger you or anyone else, all I am saying is that by attacking others, what does that say about us? what does this show about how we give care? Had I not met some amazingly sweet people during my training, and had this been the first place I encountered any EMS employees, I would honestly say that I would be affraid to be working in EMS based on how rude the comments I have read in this thread are. Try actually mentoring someone who has said something that as a community we see unprofessional and uncalled for. Give them some words of wisdom...you say you have been in this business for a long time and I'm sure that you have said something at one time or another that has offended someone. What did they tell you when that happened? Try giving the OP (or anyone for that matter) some advice on the do's and don'ts of EMS and how to better him/herself, instead of just attacking. Spread the wisdom that I'm sure you have gained from your experiences, not the anger you may harvest towards something that was said. How are the new people supposed to learn if everytime they do something wrong, they get yelled at? Thos with more experience should be sharing what they know and making EMS a better place is all I was saying. There is no reason to frown upon a profession that someone else has chosen for themselves, even if we think that it is not a satisfactory job. There is no reason to attack those who say or do things that we do not agree with. We are all working for the same reason and want to accomplish the same thing in our line of work. We do this because this is what we love. We do this becuase we want to help others, so why does helping others seem to only apply to our patients? Let's just stop all the arguing about this and get back to helping those on this site further their education and understanding of EMS and continue building relationships with those who understand what we go through on a daily basis. No one understands this life style like the ones who actually do it for a living, so let's just chill ok?

There are a lot of great study tools out there that she should look into. There is a text book by Prentice Hall Publishing called Prehospital Emergency Medical Care (I have seen it at the local borders/barnes and nobel) that has a work book that covers each section on the NREMT individually and proved to be great help to me when going through school and studying for the exam. Also, there are a lot of online study tools as well. I used id44.com and it has a bunch of scenario questions that were really helpful as well...But if she is really struggling, there are usually some classes that she can take to help prepare her for the exam. The school I went to did national registry prep courses, and I have seen them at many public schools as well, so you guys may want to look into signing up for one of those. Good luck to her!

Ok, first of all, I am by no means defending the original poster or condoning his actions. And I am certainly not condoing everyone elses's actions who have turned a simple judgement error into an online bullying forum. All I am saying is that there are better ways to change what was posted and to change the image of EMS...there is no need to attack people. And second, seriously, who cares if the local colleges don't offer an "associates degree course in 'fryology' or 'fast food preparation'". If that is what someone chooses to do with their life, then it is THEIR profession. Just because you don't see it that way, doesn't mean that it is a bad job...It just means that it is not for you. And if you want to start talking about trying to change the face of EMS that the general public sees, don't even start to frown upon someone who is making an honest living by working as a fry cook...you're just being rude and making EMS personel look like job snobs.

I'm sorry...so yes, the OP is definitely not funny. And everyone does make a good point about checking your grammar and spelling before you post, but seriously, is it necessary to be rude each other? Several of you said the same thing, and not to take sides or anything, but to post replies such as "you should go back to mickey D's and return to your job as the fry manager" is not necessary. You guys said that as part of the public safety community we are always in the fishbowl and that these forums are public, anyone can see them. So doesn't attacking someone with these comments just make you as bad as what you are all complaining about? People can see your attacks on each other, so in my opinion, that makes us as bad as who we are attacking. What if you really were the fry manager at mickey D's and you saw someone say that to someone else as an insult. Wouldn't that offend you? So yes, while we are trying to make EMS a better place for everyone and yes, we are trying to gain the respect that we as providers feel is deserved, but by attacking other posters with insults makes you no better than what you are upset about. Sorry, but that is how I see what just happened in this thread...

Also to tniuqs what do you mean by medicine? I am not interested in being an rn and I have thought about doing x-ray,ultrasound,nuclear medicine, but to me it is too much shcool for me and would be boring and less rewarding. Are there other similar careers for more pay or something?

Hi! First of all, welcome. You will get a lot of good information here. There are people who are new to EMS, as well as those who have been around a while, so this is a great place to start looking for some help! To start out, in what state do you live? I know that some (if not all) states require you to be 18 before you can start EMT school. Also, you have to start out as an EMT-B (or EMT-1). Here in California, I have noticed that the fire departments don't really hire EMT-B, you have to be an EMT-P and fire fighter. EMT-I is a good step for those who do not really know where they want to be, or at least from what I have seen. That is an intermediate step between being an EMT and a medic. They are taught limited advanced life support, but again, here in CA I have really only seen either EMT-B or EMT-P, not too many of the other. If EMS is where you want to be, then I would recommend finding out the minimum age requirements for your state/schools, get your EMT-B, and then go to medic school. Another thing to look into is the age requirements for your local ambulance companies. A lot of private companies will not hire you until you are 21. I am having this problem while looking for a job because I just turned 20. Even with a clean driving record, a lot will not hire under 21 because of their insurance policy, so definitely check into your local companies. But other good places to look into are your local hospitals. Once licensed, you can work as an ER-Tech, so I would highly recommend also taking an EKG course (basic 3 and 12 lead) as well as a basic dysrhythmias course. Both of these will help you get a job in the ER. Hope that helps and good luck! ~Kristina

Littman Cardiology III

Nate, Well thank you for that bit of advice! What you said definitely makes a lot of sense and has been the big debate for me the whole time. It does make more sense to do a medic to RN bridge, that way, as you said, I will have that experience to take with me and rock that ED! And I appreciate your kind words of encouragement as well about the job! Kristina

Well first off, I'm sorry people are giving you a hard time...that is NOT what EMS is all about! I met some of the most amazing people while on my ride outs for my EMT course. The people that you will meet will be more than happy to answer your questions and help you out, so don't let a couple of unfriendly comments turn you off to this life. And honestly, I would not start worrying about where you want to work until you actually pass the NREMT. I don't know how it works in Chicago, but here in California we have to do so many hours of ride outs with the local ambulance companies/fire departments, and I assume the same is true anywhere. These ride outs will give you a good idea of how your local companies work. And while I only spent 12 hours with most of the companies, I still was able to get a sense of where I would want to be employed, and where I would not be a good fit. So while it is nice that you are looking into this now, you have a long road ahead of you and will have plenty of time to figure out good companies to work for. I have found that most places offer some sort of over time, but it is not offered constantly. The good companies are staffed well and therefore over time is usually offered when someone calls out or a holiday comes around and they need as many bodies as they can get. Another thing to consider is where do you want to be in life? Do you want to only work as an EMT, or do you want to go on and be a paramedic, nurse, doc, etc? You will want to think about working at a company that you are a good match with and that will work with you in your goals for your future. And that may not mean promoting you into a paramedic position if you become an EMT-P, but at least be willing to consider moving you up if and when that time comes. Good luck with your class and with whatever you decide!

My EMT instructor posted this video to our class website on how to polish your boots and keep them looking great. I tried it, since after my first ride out my boots looked terrible, and it worked great! I only had to re-polish them like every other week...but as a student we are a little rough on our shoes! Check out the video...it was a life saver for my shoes!

Theresa, I just recently finished EMT school...It was definitely an exciting experience. Just from the limited amount of ride outs I have done and from the people that I have spoken to, EMS sounds like a great career, but I have to say that it wasn't as hands on as I thought it would be. You said that you were not sure where you want to go next but that you have a desire to be hands on with your patients...nursing school will give you more hands on interaction with your patients than working as an EMT or Paramedic, but all of these are great career choices...I spent time doing a hospital rotation and when I compared that to the ride outs on the ambulances, I noticed that in the hospital as a nurse, you get to spend more time with your patients. Where on the ambulance it was 10 or so with them and then you pass them off. So if you are looking for something to give you time with your patients, nursing school may be a better option...but it just depends on what you are really looking for. Good luck with school and everything! ~Kristina

Another good way to study those is to just go to any borders-like book store or community college book store and buy a pharmacology text book... I have found that the ones for nursing students are the most helpful. Also, I had to take a pharmacology course for pre-nursing students and I bought MediQuick cards...they are probably the best study aid I have ever bought! They have not only the mechanism of action of each drug, but they have the dosaging for the medication for both adults and pediatrics, the pregnancy category, indications/contraindications, the 5000 different names, etc...all on a flash card. They are really helpful and can be found at any borders or barnes and noble stores...good lcuk!

It's not wasting time...with the average wait being 4 years to get into a nursing program, this allows those of us waiting to make a move towards our careers in medicine. I chose to start out in EMS to figure out if medicine is really where I am going to end up. Being only 20, I want to make sure that before I wait 4 years to get into an RN program that this career path is not a mistake. You learn and see a lot in EMS. It is a lot of hard work, more so physically and mentally than any nursing program that I have come across. I am finding though that the more I am out in the field, the more going to RN school seems less appealing. I grew up surrounded by EMS personnel, so to see it from their perspective now has given me a different outlook on medicine as a whole. And the education will actually be beneficial once in an RN program because we will have been exposed to the information before hand. And EMS is definitely not a "stepping stone" into something else for most people, and EMS is recognized as a true profession and is well respected...if it wasn't, no one would spend their time getting an education in EMS. Those that use it solely as a stepping stone are missing out on the opportunity to be a part of something that is truly amazing. Don't get me wrong when I say I am considering RN school. EMS is a wonderful career choice, and that is why I am struggling with the decision of going to medic school or RN school, because I am on the waiting list for both programs in the fall...

So I've been looking through this conversation and I am amazed at how different each state is. I recently finished EMT school and did several ride outs on both ALS dual medic rigs as well as BLS medic/EMT rigs. There are pros and cons to each. I spent 3 days on a BLS EMT/Medic rig and I noticed that the EMT really doesn't do much. The medic really does to everything...all the EMT does is hand them things and drive. However, it is a great learning opportunity for the EMT. The crew that I was with, the EMT asked a lot of questions and seemed to be gaining as much out of the calls as I was as a student, and he had been with the company for over a year. So it's good from a learning standpoint, but other than that, I find that the realationship between the ALS and BLS providers on the rig are not so great. And, when you are going code 3 to the hospital and your patient crashes, I have seen that that is much easier to deal with when you are on a dual medic rig. The BLS/ALS combo rigs make it hard becuase of the limitations of the EMT. I spent 3 days on a dual medic rig at the local fire station as well, and not only were the relationship between partners better because there was no "I'm better than you" attitude, but the calls ran smoother because BOTH people were able to do the same things for the patient. Both were able to start lines, give meds, etc, so if one would start something, the other could finish it no problem. Here in California, out FD run dual medics, but most other private ambulance companies will run ALS with 1EMT and 1 Medic or sometimes dual medic...but they only run BLS with 2 EMTs... After being on both rigs, I have found that being on the dual medic rig to be much more beneficial to all because, like I said, there is no "I'm better than you" or "I'm in charge". The patients on the dual medic rigs seemed to be more at ease, and I think that largely was due to the fact that no one was there for no reason. Everyone was doing somthing to help the patient, so the patient could feel confident that no matter who ended up staying in the back with them, that they would be taken care of...but that's just a personal observation.

I am also having the same debate. I am a new EMT-B considering my next move in this field. I have looked a lot into EMT-I and EMT-P and here in California, they really aren't that much different. If I were you, I would go strait to medic school. Here, our fire departments will not hire you unless you are an EMT-P/firefighter. The schooling is only like a 3-6month difference for EMT-I and EMT-P (or at least it is in CA, I don't know about Mass), so you might as well just go for the EMT-P since it sounds like that is where your heart is. You already seem to know that it will be a lot of work, so at least you are prepared. You will go into the class knowing that it will be difficult and that you will have to study hard, but if this is where you really want to do for a living, then just go for it. You said you are already enrolled in a medic program, so go for it. You will be working as an EMT-B, so you can also talk to the medics and EMTs that you will be around to get some more information about the career choice. Talk you your local fire departments too. They are probably your best bet at getting the information and feedback that you are looking for! Good luck!

Hello! I am a newly registered EMT currently looking for work. I found this website via a yahoo! search. I am 20 years old, and have been trying to get into nursing school for the last year, but found that being an EMT is much more exciting than being locked in a hospital all day! So, I am debating between actually going to nursing school or going to paramedic school first...if anyone has any thoughts on this career decision, it would be much appreciated! Thanks everyone! Have a great holiday!

I recently ordered a shirt with that saying on it...I found it at http://shop.cafepress.com/trauma-junkie They have it on all sorts of stuff. T-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, etc.