paramedicmike

This is a troll if ever I saw one. But I just can't help myself.

There is no *need* for IVs started by BLS providers. Obtaining IV access is an ALS intervention requiring education, training and understanding beyond what's available through a BLS training course. It's not a skill. It's a procedure complete with risks, complications and is not needed on every patient.

BLS education does not address or incorporate into the training (different from education) when an IV is needed, warranted, or required. It does nothing to address the thought process that goes behind the decision as to whether or not an IV will be initiated. If you, as a BLS provider are starting IVs for any reason, I hope your medical command doc has some kick a$$ malpractice insurance.

No, BLS does not need IV access. If anything, your BLS system NEEDS access to a paramedic staffed ALS system to ensure proper and even (at times depending on the provider) intelligent patient care.

And before you start going off about how we don't know what we're talking about, this topic has been addressed in several threads throughout the forums. Do a search, read the threads and then, and only then, come back with your questions.

-be safe.

Is this for personal use while off duty for one of those "just in case" situations or do you actually have to provide your own bag/gear for work?

If it's for those off duty, "just in case" scenarios you should probably check with the legal guys at your squad to see what you can and can't do off duty. Good Samaritan laws vary from state to state and it would suck for you to go out and spend all this money on items that you won't be able to (or shouldn't for personal legal protection) use.

Congrats on passing. Now don't stop learning. Continue with school and your education. And double check with the legal types in your state to make sure all that nifty IV gear you want to buy/carry is in fact a good idea.

-be safe.

I'm with AK. The first thing I'd do is call for help. The second first thing I'd do is cardiovert.

-be safe.

I guess I can add mine now. We were on a call to a "general malaise". Got on scene and the person is lying flat on the floor and couldn't look much more dead. My partner ran downstairs to grab the AED. I started compressions. I am all alone with this dead person pushing on their chest when all of a sudden she opens her eyes and grabs my hands! :shock: I said without even thinking "holy Ca Ca don't do that!" I stopped compressions just as my partner comes upstairs. He asked why I was doing and howcome I wasn't doing compressions. He said is she dead? I said I DON'T KNOW!!! of course he thought I was off my rocker and gave me crap. I said fine watch this...I started compressions and she did the same thing. I don't think I have ever seen my partner look so freaked EVER!!! lol The woman died.

I've heard stories of this happening before. It's never happened to me. But I've heard others describe similar events.

I even talked with one guy who had a patient in his local with some sort of condition where, once CPR was started on him (usually by his family), he'd regain consciousness and be able to talk with you for the ride to the ER (where they were familiar with him, his condition and treatment) all while you were still doing compressions. The guy didn't remember the condition but had transported him twice when last we spoke.

But back to the topic at hand.

-be safe.

There was a thread on here not too long ago dealing with the hearing impaired and jobs in EMS. (I'm not saying you're hearing impaired. That was just the subject of the thread.)

There was at least on other person who was either partially or completely deaf in one ear (I think. It's late. I'm tired.).

Try a search to see what you can come up with. I'd help you out with it but as I just mentioned it's late, I'm tired, I have to get up early, and right now I'm just too damn lazy. Nothing personal.

Good luck.

-be safe.

1.) Paragod mentalities. Simply stated, the "i am god, and no one measures up to me"

I find it funny this comes from someone who described his occupation as "God".

But seriously, I agree with what you've posted here as well as with your follow up . Most of this bugs even other paramedics, too. So don't think it's just a EMT perception of medics.

-be safe.

Let's be fair to 7fissy here. Maybe he's just uneducated to the point that he can't read what Dust wrote. Maybe if we sent him back for a solid education he could wax a little more eloquently...or at least spell and use appropriate punctuation.

7: just because you don't like what Dust wrote doesn't mean you have to sound like a 12 year old talking tough. Intelligent conversation will get you much farther than simple grade school name calling.

Got something to constructive to contribute? Have at it. Blowing smoke? Pardon us if we ignore you from now on.

Dust has it down. The *ONLY* way to change this profession is education. There is no other way to do it. And if you don't want to hack it, please move on to something else.

-be safe.

Care to explain what your research turned up that says this is legal? Care to explain why on earth you would switch to such a schedule knowing that you wouldn't be paid for certain periods of it.

I suggest you confer with the Department of Labor and a reputable labor attorney (yes, they do have those in WV). You may want to do this on the sly, however, lest the powers that be decide to fire you for rocking the boat.

-be safe.

Are you suggesting Philadelphia (properly shortened to Philly...only one "i")? As in Pennsylvania? As in the poster child for how NOT to run EMS?

Avoid Philadelphia like the plague. Thinking of visiting? Don't get sick! Got sick anyway? Call a cab. You'd be better off.

And I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but it's easier to spell check then post than it is to just post. Please use the spell check feature that admin has very considerately supplied for all. Thanks.

Where in West by God are you?

-be safe.

And because of these side effects I can't get behind BLS providing this intervention. Some of the complications that can arise out of this can lead to larger problems for the patient and the provider. It is not always a benign intervention. If it's going to be given it should be given by ALS with the appropriate tools to manage this patient once they start down the crapper.

From a BLS standpoint, support ventilations/respirations with a BVM if needed and transport to the ED.

But if you're going to give it, nasal is a great way to go.

just MHO.

-be safe.

You know this is the same B.S. I hear from LPN versus RN's........seriously folks, if you don't like being on the bottom of the pole then do something about it !.. Like, almost every other Paramedic did.. GO TO SCHOOL!.. Then guess what, you won't be on the bottom... you will be in the middle.. there will ALWAYS be someone over you !

Waa.. waa.. !.. Such egos..! Yes it is a team approach.. sorry the higher level is the captain of the ship.. want to be the captain, want more respect, do more procedures... tired of being "just the driver" ?.. then you know what to do about it .. Go to school!

Do you really want to get in pissing contest on how many F**k ups I have seen basics commit ?.. You know, nobody wins especially the patient & the system.

Now, if we are really soooooo concern about our patent's & really sooooo concerned about EMS systems, why don't we ask ourselves ... After 40+ years, why is there still even a Basic level ?.. Sorry, the "everybody starts somewhere" B.S. won't fly! Physicians don't start out as a CMA then P.A.'s then M.D.'s ... RN's don't start out as CNA, then LPN then RN so why in the heck do we ?.. Please.. save me the "oh, my poor community speech".. they have a nursing home, clinic, hospital... then they have a RN.. able to afford that didn't they? Yes, there is remote areas that will never have anything... & no I am not discussing volunteer issues either.

EMS has settled to provide the lowest care possible to U.S. citizens, & it doesn't matter on financial, political, or staffing issues. We are to blame.. we allow 50+ acronyms of EMT's to be placed.. all saying the same thing ; almost, based upon, similar, near -like, to the Paramedic level. We that are in EMS are to blame for hundreds of people daily NOT GETTING THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE , sorry BLS is not the best!. Short and simple... Again why is this still occuring ? We have the schools to teach it, we have the employers to hire them, we have the need of the patients to use them.. so again I ask: Why are we allowing lower level of care to continue ?...

Hmm wonder what it could be ?

R/r 911

Can I get an "AMEN" in support of Brother Rid, here? Come on! I know you got it in you! Let me hear! Say it loud! Be proud of your beliefs!

AMEN Brother Rid! AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!!

Seriously, folks. If people spent half the energy into furthering their education and getting themselves out from the bottom of the dog-pile as they do complaining there'd be a helluva lot more people satisfied in their position.

I'm also puzzled by all these advanced level providers, specifically paramedics, who say they would like to arrive and have all sorts of advanced procedures done on the patient. If you want all this stuff done by the time you get there, then why should you be called? Starting a line and pushing drugs is your job. Advanced airway maintenance is your job. Pharmacological intervention is your job. If you want it done prior to your arrival then you're not needed and you should go find another job.

If I'm called, it's my job to do all these procedures (they're not skills...there's a difference).

But I suppose that's another thread in itself.

-be safe.

I hope that paramedicmike was not posting in the spirit of being mean. I assume he was just making a few observations about the site and wants to know more about what the site is becuase you cannot get any further than the login page.

Perhaps a little blurb about what the site is along with the link you posted will help.

Admin

Quite right! All that was posted was a link with no additional info. A far cry from the now edited first post in this thread.

Whacker, thanks for the clarification. However, your edited post should have been what you posted from the start.

And just a friendly word of advice: if you thought I was being mean or negative you might want to toughen your skin a bit. Thin skin will not contribute to longevity on any forum-based site (or in the EMS profession for that matter).

-be safe.

Aside from the overly busy background making it difficult to read the whole screen, and the fact that you can't get past the home page without creating an account, what the hell is it?

And your post does nothing to help. What are you posting and why?

I'll agree with Seattle Washington's Medic One program.

I've heard good things, too, about Boston EMS and Richmond (Virginia) Ambulance Authority.

Hope this helps.

-be safe.

Why not? It can't hurt.

If you're resigning from someplace, your letter of resignation should read like a thank you note anyway. "Thank you for the many opportunities afforded by being a team member...". If they're pissed that you're leaving it might help offset that feeling. If they're happy to see you go, at least you've come out as the better person by maintaining some level of civility.

If you're getting fired, a polite, well written thank you note can't hurt your standing any further. It probably won't change the outcome of the situation. But it may change the perception of you that the others involved may have. And like Dust said, those bosses won't be there forever. You never know when you might wind up back someplace. And a good final note in your file can make a difference.

-be safe.

I agree with Rid. If you do anything, which you most certainly have done, before the medic's arrival it needs to be charted. Otherwise, there will be a hole in terms of care provided and you wind up hanging yourself, your partner and possibly the medic.

Didn't write it down? It never happened. Regardless if it's BLS, ALS or other it needs to be there.

Good luck.

-be safe.

I was thinking tracheal rupture, too.

Has your friend Google been of any benefit to you?

Try there. It's amazing the stuff Google knows.

Good luck.

Why not enough time to go to paramedic? Unfortunately, in most EMT-I programs going on to P is only a few months more. So why not spend the extra few months?

Or is this simply to get the job now?

-be safe.

Even in the humour section it pays to see if your topic is already here.

Like here!

http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3140

There is not a single problem that EMS faces which cannot be rectified by education. None. Education is the one and only answer to every question in EMS.

Can I get a collective, "AMEN!"?

Thank you.

After having been to a particular residence to pick up/treat/transport an elderly gentleman many times we finally arrive to find that the wife, not the husband (our regular), was our patient.

As my partner and I were packaging her for transport I asked, "Ma'am, will your husband be ok here by himself?" He had his share of problems and I wanted to make sure he'd be ok.

She looked at me and didn't say anything.

I asked again since I knew the wife to be hard of hearing.

She looked at me and blurted out as she started to cry, "He's DEAD! Ok?! He's dead! He's not going to be ok by himself because he's not here because he's DEAD!"

I felt about this --><-- big when she said it.

The cop on scene gave me an evil grin as he said, "Oh! Nice job there slick."

My partner, to this day, will not let me live it down.

-be safe.

There is a medical director for a local squad who had his POV outfitted with L&S. He has been known to respond to scenes using L&S.

However, I don't agree with L&S on POVs regardless of who you are whether you be Ricky Rescue or a medical director.

Sorry Asys...can't help you with the details for which you're looking. I'm fairly positive this isn't the guy you heard about.

Well, we're left out of the public safety network because we're not public safety. Dust is right. We are a medical service. We provide medical care. We provide that care while transporting to a medical care facility. Our job as EMS providers is different from public safety organizations (e.g. fire, police) in that we don't have any kind of prevention function. Fire departments do inspections as a part of code enforcement which leads to a greater public safety in the prevention of fire. Police are engaged in active patrolling and educational programs in order to keep and maintain a safe and crime free community.

EMS is a reactionary force. We don't have any role in the prevention of injury or illness. We don't have any role in the prevention of crime. We don't do anything but react to a specific individual (or group of individuals) needs. We don't affect any change on the safety of the public at all.

Therein lies our problem. Since we're not public safety those who control the purse strings aren't quite sure what to make of us. I will agree that we need to present ourselves better in terms of requesting/demanding funding. However, that gets into another discussion.

Now, if you want to argue that since you work for a fire department as both a FF and PM then you're different you can take that route. But you're going to have to provide more evidence than your last post to support your position.

-be safe.

Second, "sarcasism is one of my many services provided".

You're not winning any converts as it seems your poor attempt at sarcasm is only matched by your poor spelling skills.

I would say if they fessed up, yes. If they play stupid then it's hearsay and you can't really go by that.

Doesn't matter. You've got the FF who's willing to admit that he noticed it four days previously. Nail him for failing to report it, nail everyone in between, and then management has to decide on our original poster.

I disagree with the notion that our poster should be suspended over this. It was reported the same day he noticed. It's not like he let it go for four days worth of shifts. And if it did not pose a threat to the operations of the monitor, as our friend claims, then I think that lessens (but not completely removes) the response management should show.

Should he have notified as soon as possible after noticing? Probably. Have we all had something for management only to have it slip our minds until later? Probably. Should you, as you asked, have kept your mouth shut? Hell no! That could only make things worse for you.

If the story he presents is verifiable by management, then at most a verbal "counseling session" for our friend here with suspensions or letters of reprimands for everyone else. Otherwise, I think he's learned a lesson in prompt communication.

And I'd be thinking payback for some of my coworkers.

Good luck!

-be safe.