RavEMTGun

It's a 56 hour classroom program in my state (+24 hours of clinicals). I guess that is why it takes longer here.

I wish I could find a one week CNA class here. I think it would look good on a BSN application... maybe? Most of the programs here are 4-16 weeks long. I'd almost be worth it to fly somewhere for a week program because the amount of driving I'd do in the 4 week program... ugh!

The research shows that CISD on the whole is not recommended because while it may benefit a few, for most it does nothing or actually causes harm! Look for bbledsoe's article on the subject.

+100000000000

What if people stop calling 911 in legitimate situations out of fear of $1000 charges or having to wait around and go through the trouble of sending in the rebate? Lots of people are that uncaring and lazy.

This is a good idea if the patient called in. If someone else called (like for a fender bender) that pt is going to be rightfully pissed about a bill for services neither requested nor rendered.

Semantics. "semester hour" = "semester credit" Most colleges operate on a 16 week semester and therefor, 1 credit = 16 contact hours. That is excepting labs where you usually get half credit for time spent... or less... No debate there. And certainly, poor instructor quality is a major issue in EMS. But is time a worthless measure? ABSOLUTELY NOT Take two equal professors and give one 48 hours to teach his students Algebra and one 16 hours to teach his students Algebra, guess whose students are going to be better (assuming the students are equal). Now take two equal EMS educators and give one 200 hours and another 400 hours. I bet they can take that extra 200 and put a lot good information to help their students understand WHY they are doing what they are doing in the protocols which will make them better care givers. As well, they'll have more time for their students to do proctored practice. So all students being equal, which class is going to create the more competent provider? I'd place money on the longer one. As it is EMS classes are too short to cover, for example, in depth pathophysiology. Wouldn't TIME to teach that be a GOOD THING? Or more advanced A&P? Or pharmokinetics? Great question. Actually, I said: I preferred 300 hours, but I'd rather have the 300 hours spent creating a provider with a smaller scope, but who understands their medicine better vs a provider with a larger scope who understands it less. Of course the ultimate goal is to get the provider with the larger scope who understands it better. But that takes even more TIME, effort, intelligence, and ultimately money.

Ready... for what? What should we measure in? Colleges do the same. A semester hour generally means 16 hours of classroom time (except for labs). Certainly quality of education is key, but you have to have time to impart and practice that knowledge. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you... do you not think classroom education and practice are crucial?

I'm not insulting anyone. I am strongly opposed to the idea of making a 300 hour I99 course the bottom level of EMS and I do think that the I99 concept is a stop-short in terms of educational thoroughness (the aforementioned 1000 hour rarity is a violation (in a good way) of the I99 concept!). That is a criticism of the system, not the people in it. Now stow your 'tude, dude. So Canada and New Zealand are the "perfect world." OK... I wouldn't mind living in either place... but don't we like to think of ourselves as slightly more perfect? Why can't we do what they are doing? They are more rural than we are!

No. I did not make a big generalization. I am talking about classroom hours ONLY. Please educate yourself: Most EMT-B classes are 100-120 hours in the classroom. EMT I/99 is usually 200-400 hours in the classroom. EMT-P is 700-1200 classroom hours (the DOT requirement is actually only 500 not counting the A&P prerequirements (usually about 200 hours)). If you had over 1000 hours in your EMT-I, it would be a statistical outlier, a true rarity. Even if that 1000 hours included field time, it would be a rarity. I find it hard to believe because 1000 classroom hours is equivalent to two years of college classes.

That is really really silly. I99 can do almost everything a medic can do but they have to call in... because they only go to school for 25% of the time of a medic!!!!!!! I99 was a regression in terms of educational thoroughness. That is why it is gone now. Most calls don't need those skills. I'd rather see an EMT-B class that was 300 hours long instead of making the basic level of EMS a 300 hour EMT-I99. Better yet, let's make I99 skills the basic entry, but make it a 2 year associates degree. Then paramedic can be another year or two for a BS degree and have expanded scope. (Like CAN and NZ)

It's an improvement, but not much of one. I think Canada and New Zealand are the models we should be following. However, If they are going to do it the way they are going to do it, I think they should have given AEMTs needle thoracostomy. Agreed!

Found the studies: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16766969 CONCLUSIONS: The majority of trauma patients transported from the scene by helicopter have nonlife-threatening injuries. Efforts to more accurately identify those patients who would benefit most from helicopter transport from the accident scene to the trauma center are needed to reduce helicopter overutilization. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15674165 CONCLUSION: Ground ambulance transport provided the shortest 911-hospital arrival interval at distances less than 10 miles from the hospital. At distances greater than 10 miles, simultaneously dispatched air transport was faster. Nonsimultaneous dispatched helicopter transport was faster than ground if greater than 45 miles from the hospital. http://journals.lww.com/jtrauma/Abstract/2004/01000/Effective_Use_of_the_Air_Ambulance_for_Pediatric.15.aspx Conclusion : Retrospective analysis was not able to demonstrate any benefit to direct transport from the scene to a trauma center. Hospital stabilization before transfer by air ambulance may improve survival and shorten ICU stays for patients with major trauma. http://journals.lww.com/jtrauma/Abstract/1998/07000/A_Critical_Analysis_of_On_Scene_Helicopter.29.aspx Results: Patients transported by helicopter were significantly (p < 0.01) younger, were more seriously injured, and had lower blood pressure. They were also more likely to be male and to have systolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg. Logistic regression analysis revealed that when adjusting for other risk factors, transportation by helicopter did not affect the estimated odds of survival. Conclusion: A reappraisal of the cost-effectiveness of helicopter triage and transport criteria, when access to ground ALS squads is available, may be warranted. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12169944 CONCLUSION: The majority of pediatric trauma patients transported by helicopter in our study sustained minor injuries. A revised policy to better identify pediatric patients who might benefit from helicopter transport appears to be warranted.

The literature I've read definitely shows overusage. (Goes to find those articles)

I continue to refuse to watch the show.

In order from most pain in the butt to least pain in the butt to deal with: Red Cross AHA ASHI

So if I majikally lose 5 reputation points every night after the counter resets... I guess that means I permanently pissed off an elite member, right?

This looks mighty useful for rescue situations where bagging the patient is very difficult, much less regular bagging. Sometimes bagging is even a hindrance to extrication (think confined space, MVC entrapment, high angle, wilderness).

Why would they miss a change to charge you for another card?

NOTHING is better than gravy and biscuits... NOTHING

Great info and a great link... sometimes I really think I should go RRT instead of RN...

HERE YA GO! EMD flip cards (50 of em)! http://www.state.nj.us/health/ems/documents/guidecard.pdf