mediccjh

Look for the bald goateed guy in the kilt.

I'll have to dig for the research, but no healthy individual shot with a Taser has ever died. Those who have died after being hit with a Taser were either on drugs or had cardiac issues.

Personally, if I have a person shot by a Taser, I work it up ALS.

As someone who is a member on DFD's site, and also worked in the ghetto, here's my 2 cents.

It's all about RESPECT.

Treat your patients and the families with respect, and the citizens will do the same. Yes, there are times where they will try to act tought, but as long as you stay calm and professional, you will have no problem.

When I worked in Newark, everyone who was older than me was referred to as "Sir" or "Ma'am." The older ladies loved it!

As for appearance: Look professional. Yes, I wore a vest for a little bit (after the KKK hazing incident), but after that happened, most of the public supported us. Why, you ask? Because we went out, did the job to the best of our abilities, and were professional about it. Yes, there were some snide remarks, but words will never hurt me.

I am a Ghetto medic and I am proud of it. I loved working there. The public weren't fond of the cops or the firemen, but very few people f--ked with the ambulance. Why? Because we will always come and take care of you, no questions asked.

Working in Newark, which is the busiest per capita in the nation, honed my skills, taught me things I didn't know, and with the exception of some management, was a very positive experience which will look great on my resume.

I am a Ghettomedic, and I am proud of it.

As I was in Paramedic Limbo (Passed the test but not allowed to practice paramedic skills yet), I went out with one of my friends on a chest pain. One of the local rescue chiefs went also since it was down from his house. He looked like crap, and we diagnosed an inferior wall MI a la LP 10. We get him into the truck, and as my partner is trying to start the line, he does the gasp and arrests. I look at the monitor and scream "OH SHIT! V-FIB!!" My partner said to check the leads, to which I replied, "I already fuckin' checked-they're attached!" I grab the paddles (I miss using paddles), to which he grabs them out of my hand and sparks him at 200J. He goes into sinus rhythm, and after I bag him for a bit, he wakes up, asking what happened. We explained it to him, and he didn't believe us. We showed him the strip, and he is flabbergasted (The patient worked for a cardiologist). He walked out of the hospital.

For about the next 2 weeks, he would stop by the station every day to try and thank us; however, every time he was there, we were not.

There is no better feeling in the world than saving someone's life. That's why I do this job.

Excellent case!!! Everyone has already mentioned what I woulda done.

Do I count as one of the older ones, with 7 years as a medic and 12 on the job? Heh.

Once again, the poster children for why EMS SUCKS in New Jersey. And the hooples wonder why the Paramedics treat them like brainless twits.

It's everywhere.

As a return to my annual tradition of having a Christmas DOA, I had one Christmas Eve in a trailer. Had to climb over garbage, newspapers, birdcages, and lots of other things in a trailer to get into the unlit back room in the trailer to pronounce the 400+ lb woman who was dead. And of course, the smell. Bird droppings everywhere, and the Whiskey Tango smell. One of the cops looked at me afterwords and said "If you ever need anything, let us know. I don't know how the hell you did that; you're a better man than I."

And people wonder why I obsessively clean my apartment. I see the filth at work; I don't want to come home to it.

Worst comes to worst, give 3 rounds, and if no change, pronounce.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, here are the poster children for why New Jersey's EMS system SUCKS.

I agree; however AZ does not have beta-blockers on the truck.

Aortic aneurysms run in my family. At least I know how I'm going to die.

Arizona, its been awhile since i have been in EMS, so I realize some things have changed, but I dont think ntg and morphine are the way to go. Both drugs dialate, and I would think the last thing you would want to do is dialate an artery that is already tearing apart. If I am wrong, please correct me, cause you never know when i might get back on the bus one day. Good scenario though.

They are used for the vasodilatory effects by reducing stress on the walls of the arteries. You want to avoid ASA though, since it thins the blood, and can increase bleeding. Target B/P range is 70-90 systolic, because you don't want any pressure against the wall where the tear is.

Obvioiusly from Canada (no offense, just a testament to geographical distance). They won't. There will be no privatization of EMS in the District of Columbia. Too many polticial road blocks to that ever being brought up. During the Commision's investigation into how "best" to improve DC, I only ever remember reading about them discussing the Pinnelas County, FL SunStar system (PUM). I think the closest they ever got to "listening" to a third-service EMS agency was Boston EMS, which is run by the City of Boston.

As much as it pains me to say this as a true-blooded Noo Yawhkuh, Boston has the best big city-run EMS system in the nation. If it weren't 225 [s:d4a3ef36ac]miles behind enemy lines [/s:d4a3ef36ac] away from Mecca, I would go there in a heartbeat.

I'm already in Medic Hell. I work in New Jersey.

Any chance it's the weed laced with formaldehyde?

I'm sure I'll see it up here in the Poconos in 2 weeks.

It's rare when everyone on the board agrees about something. I suggest you listen to us.

You left Newark? Where you headed?

Back to Stroudsburg, PA for a bit so I can figure out my next move.

Take it from someone who just left working in Newark.

RUN THE F--K AWAY!!

If you have a brain, and work in NJ, it will atrophy because of the sheer stupidity and incompetence of the volunteers.

It will atrophy because the standing orders suck.

It will atrophy because trying to be a Paramedic in NJ is like trying to be one with you hands tied behind your back while you're being beaten like a pinata.

You get what you pay for..... Stop (NJ) Volunteer Ambulances, like my bumper sticker says.

It's a felony in PA.

The medic did a great job. He defended himself, then assisted in restraint.

OK, my turn to chime in, being the burnt-out ghettomedic I am working in the busiest per-capita system in the nation.

To the Memphis guys, it does take a lot of guts to come in here and talk. We can be intimidating and such; that's because we don't tolerate unprofessionalism.

oneilljb and the other Memphis gentleman who was first to respond:

Thank you for the intelligent posts. You have helped start a PROFESSIONAL adult conversation/debate, which seems to be going well.

MemphisE34a:

You attitude is what got you the responses. Get off your high horse please, leave your gear at the door, and please act like an adult if you're going to continue.

Now for my thoughts:

I do not condone fire-based EMS. The best example has to be New York City. I have worked there, and it is horrendous. The FD treats EMS like shit, and most (not all) of the firefighters have the same attitude. This kills EMS Morale.

As for ALS engines, they are bad. Oversaturating an area with paramedics increases mortality, not lowers it. This has to due with skill dilution. If an ALS unit has 100 intubations a year, it translates to about 25 per provider per year. Keep adding ALS units, and the numbers go down. This counts with IVs and other things. There is a study that was done in LA area that proved this.

Forcing firefighters to become paramedics tends to equate to crappy patient care. Look at it from a human nature perspective: If you were forced to do something you don't like, are you going to do it well? Personally, I have no desire to be a firefigher; I'm happy being a paramedic and cutting cars. All my firefighter friends respect this, and I respect that fact that they are firefighters. If I were forced to become a fireman, I know I would not be a good one.

My esteemed colleague from Boston (p3, how's it feel to be beaten by amateurs?!!) hit the IAFF issue on the head. The IAFF's own papers have stated that they intend to take over EMS wherever possible to save firefighter jobs (paraphrased).

Personally, I'm in favor of the third-service. Boston probably has the best setup in the nation (Bet you thought you'd never hear me say that, p3).

Let's go back to the education aspect for a minute. As you have seen from our boards, we all want to see EMS move towards a degree-based EDUCATION. As one who doesn't have one, I kick myself every day for not having one. Paramedics should be educated in college. That is one of the changes most of us on this board are pushing for.

Gentlemen, like I said, I welcome your dialogue (as long as 34A cuts the attitude and Paramedic-bashing). Productive dialogue can be produced here.

Respectfully submitted,

The World Infamous Herbie of the World Famous Medic 9 Paramedic Service of Bangor, PA

aka

"Hot Job" Herbie of the Brick City First Aid and Rescue Squad, Newark, NJ

DISCLAIMER: My thoughts and my thoughts only. Not my employers', just mine.

Any of you in LI know anything about Mamaroneck?

I just got a report that one of their volly ambulances just crashed into a car and killed a civilian.

Mamaroneck is in Westchester County, not Lawn Ghiland.

Trauma, TBI in particular is a small subset of patients requiring prehospital intubation. San Diego and Los Angeles have medics coming out of their ears, way too many providers and very little skill use. 2 tubes a year doesn't cut it. Don't know much about Baltimore other than it is run by an east coast fire department, and the Wang study in Pennsylvania looked at the entire state, no just a city like Pittsburgh (3rd service) and I don't believe it addressed RSI. The data out of the Pacific Northwest goes contrary to the data from the California fire services, and our data, although not yet published would suggest and improved outcome in the TBI population, as well as other, non trauma patients as well. I agree that as it stands today, not every medic should be performing intubation, but the answer lies in education and experience, not on removing a potentially life saving skill, in my opinion.

Wang can't address RSI in PA, because we don't have it.

OK, I need to rant.

I am farking sick and tired of all these doctors saying that Paramedics shouldn't be allowed to intubate. Well, isn't it hard to finesse our work if we aren't taught correctly?!!!

I've been a medic for 7 years, and I've only been unable to intubate 6 patients (1 was last night, because she was clenched). I intubated 26 patients last year, most of them on the first attempt, and I'm up to 12 so far this year.

[/rant]

No guts to go after NJ? :wink:

Sorry, our "Stop Volunteer Ambulances" page was shut down 2 years ago my friend.

Next year, I'll be the guy camping out in the World War II pup tent. And the Yuengling in a Mermite. And I'll be wearing a kilt.