paramedicmike

Don't give up on it. Are you somewhere stable? No PCS coming up? No looming deployments? Any local paramedic programs you could get in to?

What's the worst thing they can say?  "No"? "We don't talk about that"?  Call.  Ask.  Win.

I'm not immediately aware of any members here from Montana although there may be a few.  What other research have you done?

Welcome. 

I don't know that I have any specific information to help you. Cost of living differences need to be balanced with differences in income. You'll have to look at what you'll be paid in a job there, if you have one lined up, and budget accordingly. 

Ultimately, though, what you will earn is what will determine whether or not you can afford to live there. 

I'm sure you've already started but research the local job market thoroughly. Don't be caught off guard. 

Welcome. 

Is this an admissions essay?  Do they give you any guidance as to what they're looking for?  Along the lines of "I want to be an Army paramedic because..."?  Or something completely different?  You've got a lot of possibilities here.  Write about an NCO you know/worked with (also a paramedic) who inspired you.  Write about how you becoming a paramedic will better serve the needs of the Army.  Write about how you becoming a paramedic will help you better represent the Army.

Admissions essays suck.  I'll be happy to never have to write another one ever again.

This was in California.  I saw this last night before going to sleep.  It was reported at the time that the aircraft was simply missing.  Unfortunately, I knew it wasn't going to be a good outcome.

It's never a good time to lose people like this.  It's never a good time to have a mishap.  It's never a good time.  Around the holidays, though, just makes it worse.  Peace to the families, friends, coworkers, loved ones of those lost.

I'm not clicking that.

What happened to our "report" button?

Smart watches will evolve. First gen items aren't going to live up to the potential of the device. However, would you rather strap a watch like device to your wrist or a Galaxy or iPhone 6+?

Strapping a cell phone to one's forearm just sounds ridiculously impractical from size and usage considerations. 

To the OP.  I saw your smartwatch reference.  You and I are both thinking the same thing.

So essentially what you want is a smart watch networked to your phone. 

White Rose, eh?  That's the same organization referenced in this thread.  Don't do what they did.

Also, welcome to the forums.  Stick around.  Learn lots.  It's worth your while.

What kind of experience are you going to get with your local volly FD?  They only have a utility truck staffed with one EMT.  That's probably not going to get you the experience you're looking for.  Is there an ambulance service in your community?  There should be... at least of some sort.  South East PA does pretty well with ambulance coverage.

And really?  It's a fire department.  Do you want to be an EMT?  Or do you want to be a firefighter?  That's a decision to consider now, too.

If you want to take the class then take the class.  It's not going to hurt you to take it.

With regards to your age it will prove to be a limiting factor in how much you will be allowed to do and when.  You won't be insurable to drive any of the vehicles.  While you may not like to hear it there are age considerations that need to be considered.  How others choose to address those factors, and how mature you are in being able to address those concerns, will be more telling about you than your decision to take the course.  Please recognize, too, that the people offering their thoughts to you with regards to your age in all likelihood know more than you on the subject.

You haven't answered any of the questions I asked.

Perhaps what would be helpful here is reading what problem the OP is attempting to solve. 

What's the problem with getting to our phones?  What problems getting to our phones are of concern to you?  How are you defining "emergency situations"?

There's too much that's unknown for anyone to be able to reasonable answer any question put forth by the OP at this point.  More clarification is needed.

Much more.

Seems this ambulance (click me) was stolen from in front of the patient's house when the crew went inside.  Fortunately, at least according to the story, there was no negative outcome.  However, there was an unnecessary delay.  A delay that could have very easily been prevented.

If your service doesn't have kill switches that allow you to take the keys and lock the doors *every* time you leave the ambulance your service is wrong.

If your service has these features and you don't use them you are wrong.

Lock the damn doors.

And be safe out there.

This +1.

Welcome.

Ok.  I'll call myself out here.  Please excuse my embarrassment. 

It's "Valsalva".  My apologies for the error.

I heard about this recently on an emergency medicine podcast I listen to.  Thought it was interesting.  I'm not entirely sure how well it would work in a field setting given time and space limitations.  However, I found it interesting that there are, in fact, ways to make (or at least help make) valsavla maneuvers actually work. 

Linky, link.

Linkity link to Lancet abstract.

How much room for textbooks worth of material do you have?  You are not going to be able to compile enough information in a notebook.

It sounds, perhaps, like you're looking to make a list of differential diagnoses?  That is, a list of things that can be causing the chief complaint?  Take a look at your treatment protocols.  These will give you an idea of the most common presentations of complaints you will encounter as an EMT.  Take any given complaint, chest pain for example, and start reading about what can cause chest pain.  Create a list of differential diagnoses (chest pain, for example, can be caused by, among other things, angina, MI, AAA, PE, pericarditis, effusion, pneumothorax, trauma etc...).  This is all information you'll have to think of on the fly as you're dealing with a patient.  Chances are excellent you're not going to be able to pull out your notebook in the middle of a call especially if you have a really sick patient.

Part of your responsibility as an EMT is to continue the learning process after you've completed your training program.  The best way to do this is simple.  Read.  Read a lot.  Then read some more.  Encounter something you've not seen before?  Read about it when the call is completed. 

Then read some more.

Or have I missed the mark with regards to your question?  If so, please refer back to my previous comment and be much more specific about what it is, exactly, you're attempting to do.

Pathos (a quality that evokes pity)?  Pathologies?  Pathophysiology?  Please be much more specific with your query.

Guess I should've been more specific.  The longer you've been in the less you carry in your pockets.  The newer you are the more you carry in your pockets.  Or try to.

And I'm pretty sure you knew what I meant as this is not a new discussion to these forums.

There is an inverse proportion as it relates to items carried by a provider and time spent in the industry.  The longer you're in the less you carry. 

Aside from everyday items such as a wallet, keys and cash I never carried more than a stethoscope and trauma shears.  Even then there was a stethoscope and set of shears in the bag.

I never carried Vicks, dog biscuits etc...

You're new.  This is still all new and exciting and you want to be prepared.  However, you'll find that all those neat little tips your instructors talked about are either rarely used or just not necessary. 

And welcome.  Congrats on completing basic school.  Don't let your education stop there.

I'm curious by what you mean when you refer to an EMS physician's limited scope of practice.  Care to expand?