Ridryder 911

Good luck, Rodney!

R/r 911

I actually thought of this a few decades ago, using rubberized foam (similar to water rescue and athletic mats) made of. Never made it past the idea phase though...

R/r911

Ak you want to challenge me? I still lift, outrun, read those EKG's. screw the lines, intubate where the babes cannot... as well answer the medical questions that they have no idea about.

I witness 25 year olds that are "worn out" .. although I admit it gets rougher each day.

I will admit, I get more pleasure seeing a new medic I taught or precepted perform well and increase their knowledge, than to "run" the big one anymore.

R/r 911

Unfortunately, there are only two places to attend an official CCEMT-P (Maryland Critical Care Transport Program) in Oklahoma. Maryland's program is licensed to schools with exclusionary contract of no other courses within 200 miles of each other.

One is at Redlands College in El Reno, the other is Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah. Ardmore (Southern Oklahoma Ambulance System) has an occasional program. All have intermittent programs and are on demand. If you are a Paramedic at Muskogee, then you already work with some CCEMT/P's . I believe they attended the Tahlequah program. Ask them?

I have attempted to place one in OKC but do to the restrictions, will not be able to. As well, a committee for the State has just written what will be required for such courses and that will be published early this next month or so. Requirements of experience, education length, etc.. is mentioned in the code.

I will forewarn you; it is highly recommended that you have at least two years experience before entering such a course.

I personally attended Blue Springs, Mo course and recommend them. It costs much more, but worth the price. I again, would recommend at the least two years experience in an aggressive system or working in a ICU environment. Those that do not have such assume they can study and be prepared, but again experience is one of the best educators as some of the questions is in regards of trouble shooting problems. Such things cannot be taught directly'; rather gained by being there.

I suggest finding a moderate to high level EMS and getting experience first as a Paramedic then advancing on. Those in Speciality Care Transports such as Tulsa Life Flight, AeroCare in Tulsa, MediFlight, etc.. all look upon the type of experience much before than just a course that was attended.

Do your time as a Paramedic first and gain field experience, then advance forward.

R/r 911

I don't suggest it if there is an alternative route. I had to reprimand an employee as it is not a routine route of D50w. If they are able to eat, drink, why not give oral glucose or high protein food?

R/r 911

He was raised nearby, he was at one time a popular Evangelist. He was returned for his eternal rest....

R/r 911

This has all to do with transitional classes for those that are under the level of Paramedic level. Also if you considering Excelsior RN program you may want to explorer as more and more states are not accepting or requiring additional education before allowing one to be an RN in that state.

FYI: the new curriculum was developed by NEMSE for NHTSA. Again a lot of poor communication has been brought on by EMS forums that does not have accurate information.

Here is an article in reference to the changes. http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/arti...n_to_unity.html

R/r911

What do you all think of giving vasopressin to replace the first or second dose of Epi in a code?

Personally the only way I give med.'s and recommend my other partners to do so. Why not? It gives you time to get situated (LSB, ETI, load the patient, etc) then one can start the Epi route.

R/r 911

Hey Rid, I wasn't bragging about anything just pointing out the facts. Actually, what's wrong with the Ivy League other than most of those players are smarter than the rest of us! I would never suggest the Big Ten is better than some other conferences after what Ohio State has done over the past few years.

Live long and prosper.

Spock

Just joking.. I do doubt though the players has the same course load as the remainder of the fellow classmates. I know when I attended OKlahoma State I never seen those that were players except to sign their name and leave. I am sure they had more improtant things to do....

R/r 911

We still have one. With so many restrictions placed I have not seen any changes at all. In the 80's the subscription used to have not many restrictions and we used to be abused on an hourly basis.

R/r 911

Penn plays in the Ivy League. Penn State plays in the Big 10. Not to be picky or anything!

Live long and prosper.

Spock

Seriously Spock, I don't know if I would brag any of those aspects in regards to football.

R/r 911

Are we talking about the firefighter type heroes that depend upon the "idiot box" from the monitor to give an ECG interpretation? The same "aggressive" EMS heroes that are still providing the same care as was provided in the 70's? ... Of course they would not be able to recognize the difference. As one of the medical directors described, what more would expect .. .their firefighters?

R/r 911

R/r 911

There are some certain circumstances that Activated Charcoal is warranted and alike described Sorbital should be used for adults. I even still promote NG irrigation especially in cases for TCA (<30 minutes ingestion). I have found mixing chocolate milk (if possible) most people including kids will drink activated charcoal.

Yes, most of the time when EMS is notified it is too late for traditional treatments. After 30 minutes the medication has usually made it into the GI tract and absorption has occurred.

R/r 911

High dose Epi has not been proven to be any further beneficial in cardiac arrest as many assumed or still try to persuade.

Dopamine is not indicated in cardiac arrest as it increases myocardial oxygen consumption.

I have seen Cardiologist perform pharmacological shock. Using a a Beta such as Isuprel wide open then immediately using a pure Alpha such as Levophed. Usually if there is no response the arrest is terminated.

R/r 911

Hey all I know Mr. Ambodriver is if that BS degree helps you operate a ambo then more power to you bro. However let me break it down to you, you see we already have enough propeller heads in this industry that think that getting a masters and being a wizard is so much more important then street smarts. How about you leave the realistic life saving to the professionals (firefighter/paramedics) that don't worry about being able to recite a medical manual word for word. Reality is the key to sucess in the 21st century

Ohhh please! Okay, here we go let's make it more dumber than it already is. Geezzz street smarts, (excuse for not knowing medicine). Like it takes any brain matter to obtain street smarts. Experience will take care of that. Being dumb about medicine never resolves itself with street smarts, one will remain stupid. Remember, we attempt to really hire above the neck in EMS.

Sorry, you just proved the point and problem with EMS today. Let's uh... duh...be street smart. Yeah, that saves lives! Wow! Typical response from someone that does not understand medicine. Oh yeah, that right.. It's called E. M. S. Emergency Medical Services, not rescue, fire suppression, rather it is medical. So yeah, leave the medical for medical professionals.

If you do not see the problems that already in the system due to the lack of education (not training alike in Fire Services) where we could use texts written above junior high level, then you must be part of the problem. Field experience is essential and one can gain "street smarts" from just working in it for a while. Picking up tricks of the trade, and sounded short cuts. but just remember one that take too many or wrong will be judged and be expert witness by us (book smart) when testifying against those so called "street smart" medics.

R/r 911

As well anyone that knows real medicine realizes that a physician or any employee that had that type pf attitude to everyone would be fired. Period. Although, I enjoy the show; ever notice that they do everything and only have one patient ?

The only thing I will tell you is that I am actually I truly do fail to understand why you believe that you must have compassion in order to be good at your job, regardless of level. Compassion is not a requirement, nor is it detrimental to you if you choose to not access that particular part of you. Some of the best paramedics we have in the area I work in, are the burnt out, here to collect a paycheck, im just doing my job, kind of perception. And yet, they still out perform the touchy feely paramedics.

I am the driver of an ambulance. I never have patient care. I'm there on scene with my medic and I put the patient in the back of the ambulance, and outside of that, I dont know a whole lot that goes on. My company runs an EMT/Paramedic unit, so the paramedics get all the patient care.

But I continue to fail to understand why it is that all of you guys on here truly feel that I am wrong in the way I think. Compassion is not a requirement of the job, and if you do your job as you are taught to do, then where is the problem? Most of the time, what we do, is only comforting the patient for the time they are with us. What we do doesnt mean anything to the hospital because they do all of their own stuff. At least, that's how it is here. The hospital doesnt trust anything our medics do, and the medical director is severly holding back our medics. And by no means is any of this a result of rather our medics know what they are doing or not.

Hence the problem, compassion is a requirement of the job! Where you never taught this in Basic EMT? Being empathetic is an important trait. By whom opinion is those that are just "doing their job" actually providing good care? Please, just because your service sucks, does not mean the whole profession should be modeled alike that. Would you like a physician to care for you because its just a paycheck? How well and in detail do you think they will be? Yep, just enough to CYA and that's it. Yeah, I bet the care is outstanding huh? Now, do you see why the hospital may have the opinion of "not trusting your medics?" .. And you actually wonder why?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. The problem is does that opinion have merit and weight? Yourself admitted that you do not perform clinical care nor have the educational level for that position, yet you posted an apathetic attitude for those with obvious mental illness and clinical depression. Would you seriously expect anyone that chose and continue to choose to be in this health care profession to have another attitude? It does not matter if the illness is physical or mental, an illness is a illness.

I have been watching all of your comments since my post and im well aware of the emotions held within them. Now i will not apologize for what has been said cuz im truly not sorry about it, however, most of you are right in the fact that it could have been worded better to say the least. My motto has always been "Show me a person who TRULY needs EMS, and I will show you TRUE compassion towards that patient." I dont believe in shelling out compassion to those who dont need/deserve it. By doing that, all your doing is inhibiting those patients to continue to abuse the 911 system.

Having stated that, I am here because I do want input on a question I have in regards to the whole suicide thing:

Why do you feel it's necessary to show compassion to a person that wants to commit such a selfish act? Now, im serious on this question, as it's very obvious that all of you dont share my ideas. I do agree that the family should be shown compassion, especially if the victim actually follows through with their intent, but does the patient really deserve to have their hand held and told eeverything will be ok? Why not try a different aproach and inform them of all the consequences and suffering they will cause, should they follow through? Now i do understand that these people do have some wiring problems in their head, for whatever reason it may be, but that does not mean that you cant reason with them without kissing their ass.

Please feel free to input, as I'm looking to see what others' perspectives are.

Ever hear the phrase .. You are there for them; not that they are there for you? Really, what pompous attitude. It's not like you spent ten years post graduate studies to get where your at or your in such a demand that your absences would be missed more than thirty minutes. Hello!... You work in a ambulance. Let's get re grounded huh?

Do you have the same feelings for a person with an AMI ? Do you have such apathetic & judgemental attitude that they should had exercise more often, ate a better diet? Even in regards to fallen co-workers. You know really there is NO such thing as an accident, they all can be prevented. They should had known and do better... right?

Its obvious you have no formal knowledge or education in mental health. Definitely lacking in the understanding of those with psychological depression. I have seen many that took their life because there was not a clear option. Sure, its easy for one to judge if things and their current situation are going great. Again mental illness alike physical illnesses does not always allow the patient to make rationale decisions. They cannot rationalize what might occur, if they could they would be able to handle stresses. Unfortunately, it is not they do see the light in the end of the tunnel; rather they cannot even see the tunnel. Have you ever seen an AMI patient in denial or the hypoglycemic with altered mental status, should we criticize them as well for their actions that occurred during their illness?

It would be wishful to see those that practice in EMS have at least one year of psychological education with clinical sites. Almost every patient we attend to is in some form of psychological imbalance at the time, r/t pain, fright, etc.. How many are really themselves?

R/r 911

Be careful reading at work, one of our State employees was fired for reading and sending it to others at work...

R/r 911

We have that here already, except they wear bunker gear! ...

Texas Long Horns and [s:a766848951] Texas Tech Red Raiders [/s:a766848951]are much better teams. Penn is just getting sympathy votes for old man coaching them. :twisted:

Cough.... cough... Texas Tech.. uh oh.. 65-21...loss.

Sorry, touched a raw nerve for several reasons. I alike many rookies and non-intelligent medics at one time; laughed when a ER physician told a patient not to return to the ED after attempting suicide. They only took a few Somas; he said "next time go home and do it right". They did. Forty five minutes later, I responded to the patient that took a revolver & placed it in their mouth. Yep, as I told the Doc . "well, they followed the Doctor's orders"... huh? Definitely changed my and the Doc's life forever.

I also had to assist to intubate a former partner of mine not long ago. After decades of marriage, successful career, every thing went South. Job, home, family. Just alike many other in their days, they too did not understand the causes and complexity of depression. They do now.

On my Paramedic clinicals decades ago, a Psychiatrist described there are three types of suicidal patients. Those that do it, those that accidentally do it, and those that are crying for help. None the less, take all serious.

I agree, this person in the original post was probably seeking help. Unfortunately, many have became so calloused and apparently miserable in their own lives; that they actually encouraged someone to end their life! How sad of statement about our society. Especially to those that have mental illness.

Is there an easy fix? No. Apparently we have lost our common sense and compassion. That itself is depressing.

R/r 911

Hurray for him. he actually went through with it instead of calling 911 crying about how he wants to but truly doesnt have enough balls to like most of our patients. Its just ashame that he felt that he needed an audience. Considering he did it for everyone to see, sounds like he just wanted his 15 minutes of fame. Maybe all the other suiciders can learn something from him.

You know its post like this that reminds me how infantile those in EMS are. Instead of attempting to understand the psyche of the person as a mentally ill patient, we of course go back to junior high humor and attributes. Even seen this in station houses.

The same old B.S. line of telling them on how to do it correctly. We as health care professionals ? should recognize the seriousness of mental illness and the side effects such as those with bi-polar, clinical depression, and suicidal ideologies is a serious matter.

R/r 911

Well you have been fairly warned.

Good luck

R/r 911

Go to any EMS forum and just type in New Jersey and see all the postings. Any state that still has "first-aid" squads in lieu of EMS and many numerous other blunders.

I agree one state to avoid for a future in EMS or even to drive through......just in case something could happen.

R/r911