Roostmonkey

Capman... here's the world's smallest violin playing just for you... I'm not bitching about it, as I clearly stated; I'm just wondering about how significant others deal with our schedules, not asking for attitude.

Thanks for the positive input

New medic here, 3 months or so on my own at this point. I'm working a full-time nightshift position right now (three 12's and one 4 hr, 3 off) and absolutely loving it. I love that I don't have to deal with supervisors, fire-whackers, and the general public. I have a great partner, and I really just enjoy working so much that it doesn't even feel like work most of the time. How do your significant others adjust to your schedules? I feel like I'm never around for my girlfriend aside from a few days, and it just kills me. She knew what my schedule was like getting into this (the relationship) , but I know it has to be difficult. I know it would probably be awhile until I could secure a day-shift position, but I'm not entirely sure I would want to. Input?

I'm sure that all you guys do a SIVP of amio on a pulsed V-tach...

I've never had to actually hit a pt., but if I believed that a pt. was going to physically harm myself or my partner, and immediate physical intervention was needed to prevent that harm... I would not have any qualms about it. I'd rather have my partner and I walk away to fight another day. As far as being in the back of the ambo with a pt. who was getting violent... if he/she knocks you on to the floor, there is NO room to fight back up to your feet. You don't let yourself get there. Flee, use force, whatever you have to do. You don't want to be on the floor. PD rides with me when I have ANY question about the former two situations. That's what they're there for.

I'm really not trying to gloat here. I just wanted to share the excitement of being a recent graduate and new full-time medic with you guys. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it feels great to be in charge and feeling confident in your assessments and skills. Keep slugging along, and don't ever abandon your love of learning and what you do!

We don't administer Amioderone as a drip here (yet), but I would have done the same thing if I saw that strip.

EZ-IO is on two of the trucks in my service. I recieved training on their use and had the chance to sink one in the cadaver lab. They are extremely fast and easy to use.

As Dust said, more than likely it's not a equipment problem, but operator error.

Sort of off topic, but I thought it was interesting... Take your pressure sensitve Littmann and put it in the hard drive portion of your laptop and feel how much pressure it takes to hear low vs. high pitched sounds, it's not much. I was pretty amazed. Perhaps I'm bored after shift and having trouble sleeping? I've gotten to use my C3 on two shifts now, and the difference is really amazing compared to me clinical lite. Breath sounds are louder but also offer better tones, heart tones are amazingly improved, and BP's are much easier, especially in the back of the rig. It's not cheap, and I certainly don't have a lot of money to throw around, but it really was worth every penny. http://www.allheart.com

One of the BLS rigs around here has one. What an awesome tool. There is a manual release for the legs, so you don't have to sit there all day and waste battery life. Everyone that has used the unit has been impressed. Battery life is quite good as well. I can't really fault the thing. If it saves just ONE back injury from occuring... it was worth every single penny... and you know our patient's aren't getting any lighter.

Our closest burn center needs a 7.0 for a bronchioscopy. I've never had to ETI a burn pt., but you can be damn sure they are getting the biggest tube that will fit as fast as is humanly possible.

When I started EMT school I purchased a Puretone Clinical Lite. It's light as all hell (4oz) and is terrific in the hospital. I never miss a single BP. Working in the field is a whole other story. The ear pieces don't have enough pressure in them, causing the left earpiece to not seal when taking a BP from the CPR seat. The tubing conducts so much noise that I can't auscultate a BP while the truck is running. Since I started paramedic school I purchased a Littmann Cardiology III. Haven't gotten to use it in the field yet, but I'm hoping for good results. There isn't a single medic on any of the four platoons here that uses anything but a Littmann. We have some terrific medics here, and they all use either a Classic II, Master Classic, Cardiology III, or Master Cardiology. I chose the C3 because frankly, peds patients scare the crap out of me already, the ears in our peds bags cost about $10, and I like having the dedicated peds head. Also, I'm not the type of person that looses things. I've had the same pair of Oakley sunglasses for ten years. If I was forgetful, I'd tend to go with a Classic II.

I'm just a basic in medic school, but I check EVERY DAMN THING IN EVERY DAMN BAG, including drugs that I'm not even allowed to give. I know the medic has already done it, but it gets me prepared for the duty ahead.

I'm a paramedic student, so no uniform allowances. Hell, we even WORK for free

How do they fit though? I am usually a size 12 in Chucks and boots, 14 in anything else.

Search turned up nothing. Converse makes a nice comp. safety toe, side-zip boot. I need a new pair of duty boots, and I have been a huge Converse fan for many years, as size 12 Chuck Taylors fit me like a glove! Can anyone provide me with a bit of info as far as fittment goes?

Thanks, you hoser :wink:

I am currently in a paramedic technology program at Penn Tech. I will have my EMT-B certs in May, as I have a very good understanding of the material and terrific grades. I do much better in skills/written testing than my fellow students who are already EMT's (I never even took a BP until January). I have a degree in humanities already. I got into EMS because it was something that I always knew I should do because I have nearly unlimited empathy and compassion for people, as well as a very good understanding of technical subjects. Here is my conundrum. I feel sort of wasted here at school. I don't need my hand to be held nearly as much as it is here going through pt. assessments and such. I barely pick up my books and am able to get nothing less than a 90% on any test given to me. A friend of mine is able to get me a job back at home and completely pay for my medic school once I get my certs here. I know that it would be ridiculous not to sign up for a contract to work in a system and not get my medic school paid for. I could do that up here, but I HATE this town with a passion. Also, I just can't rationalize paying $12k a year to go here. I'm not from a well-off family, and $20k+ is a very large chunk of money to me. Problem: I won't get my associates if I go to medic school through Nova EMS, but I will here. What exactly is that worth in the real world? I would like a chance for advancement in this field, but I don't want to be pushing papers either.

cripes :shock:

Looks like me, heh

Thanks alot guys. The xray was particularly helpful. I'll ask about FOS, never heard of that before!

So far, one of my guest instructors has told me that spontaneous pnuemothrorax will NOT result in a tracheal shift, EVER. She pretty much told us that there is no way to tell a pneumothorax in the field, and it only comes up under xray. The other guest paramedic instructor today told us the EXACT opposite, which I am much more inclined to believe. I am pretty sure I would hear much different lung sounds in each case, and if the left lung was collapsed, wouldn't the trachea want to shift towards the right lung? I have taken interest in this particular condition considering that I am a very tall, thin, white, male smoker Thoughts?

A deaf medic is a danger to the pt. and should never be allowed. Would you hire a blind race car driver?