epi-do

I have lurked here for quite a while, but have posted only a handful of times. I am really hoping to change that and to try and become a more active part of this community. The middle of July I started a new job as part of a new civilian EMS program with one of our local fire departments. We had 3 weeks of training and are on our second week on shift in the fire house. Throughout our training we took a ton of pictures and I put them together into a slide show. I just thought I would share it with everyone and sort of use it as a way to introduce myself. LFD Civilian EMS Recruit Class If you click on the picture of the badge, the show will start. I am the one all the way on the left in the first picture of the 6 of us. Editted: Sorry, I don't know my left from my right tonight. I am the one all the way on the right, not left.

Still using the Littman Cardiology II that I bought about 7 years ago. I have a hard time hearing anything with the cheap ones and this one is still working great for me.

I can't really comment on sleep time since the company I work for does not do 24 hr shifts. However, we were bought out the end of last year, and since that time they have begun deducting a 30 minute lunch from every shift you work. If you are unable to get that time at any point in your shift, you must fill out paperwork stating such so you don't get docked the time. A bunch of us were standing around talking about it, and a couple people made the comment that it wasn't legal because it doesn't matter if we are eating lunch or not, when a call comes in we have to take it. I no longer have it at my fingertips, but I did research Indiana case law about the issue and found out that they can dock your pay when you are not busy in certain circumstances. From what I read, it all comes down to whether you are "waiting to engage" or "engaged to wait". The IN courts defined "engaged to wait" as a situation similar to being sent for stand-by at a football game. You may not actively be doing anything at the moment, but you are unable to go or do something else. If you are "waiting to engage" you are free to do things such as stop for lunch, run an errand, etc. The way the case law reads, your employer has the option of paying you anytime you are "waiting to engage", but must pay you the entire time you are "engaged to wait". I don't necessarily agree with it, and think you should be paid the entire time you are on the clock, but at least around here they aren't doing anything illegal. Just because it is legal, doesn't make it right.

We are allowed to use restraints in situations in which the patient is "exhibiting behavior that presents a danger to themselves or others." We are only allowed to use padded leather or soft restraints. The only time a patient can be restrained with handcuffs is when law enforcement rides in the ambulance with the patient. Protocol here states that the only time we can restrain a patient without involving law enforcement is if a life threatening emergency (or the potential for one) exists. The protocol goes on to explain how the patient should be positioned on the cot, how often we are to assess the extremities for PMS, what to include in our run sheet for documentation of the situation, and what to do if an unrestrained patient becomes violent during transport. On a recent run where we did need to restrain a patient (I had been punched in the face, and my partner kicked in the chest) we used kerlix to do it since we don't carry padded leather restraints. We aren't allowed to use any sort of chemical restraints.

I am afraid of falling, but not from just anything. It is only falling from man-made things. I can go rock climbing, hiking along the tops of ravines, etc. and it never bothers me. I absolutely refuse to ride a Ferris wheel. I just know the entire wheel is going to come loose and go rolling down the midway with me still on it. I won't climb fire/lookout towers either. I am convinced that someone made a mistake when putting that thing together and it is going to collapse when I am at the top of it. I will however ride a roller coaster, because if the track is going to collapse, it will only do so behind me and since the train is moving on the track, it can outrun the part that is falling down. Totally weird, I know. (And my wonderful husband sees fit to remind me of that every chance he gets.)

We have a box that has been modified, and a custom made cot that supports up to 2000 lbs. There are ramps the cot rolls up/down, and there is a wench at the front of the truck to automatically move the cot into and out of the truck. The "only" thing we have to do is get the patient onto and off of the cot. I know there was once an article done on the unit, but I can't remember where it was published. I can look around and see if I can find it, if you are interested.

Just like others have already mentioned, I always advise the family to leave before me, not to follow if I am going in RLS, etc. There has only been one time in seven years of doing this job that I had to call PD and have them stop the family after they tried to follow me while running hot. That being said, I do have access to westlaw, but don't have my password handy at the moment. I am working a double tomorrow and then have to teach CPR on Saturday morning, but over the weekend, I will take a look and see what I can find for you.

Heard this one today: Dispatch: Medic 2, are you in service? M-2: Affirmative, marked in at 17:22. Dispatch: Clear. I need you to start emergant for Hooverwood. M-2: Uh....Negative, dispatch. We have a patient on board. And then there was this one. It has been a few years ago. Dispatch: Ambulance 9, 123 Main Street, in the XYZ Apartments. Possible suicide, woman with a gun. Stage away from the scene. Amb. 9: Dispatch, we are clear. Show us on-scene, staging at the funeral home.