BEorP

For anyone who thinks that this system is something magical, you may want to read this article by Dr. Bledsoe: http://www.bryanbledsoe.com/data/pdf/mags/Myth7.pdf I actually emailed the company asking if they had any journal articles that they could cite that validate their software. Surprisingly the Chief Operating Officer of the North America division of the company replied and said that he would be happy to give me a call to discuss once he gets back from New Zealand.

Could you please cite something to back this up?

Useless. There is no evidence to support that this type of system is beneficial.

Well, I don't want to start making confessions for other members, but I did see the vehicle below last month: We've got the spotlight: And even the light bar at the back:

There's no place for racism here.

Especially when with only 120 hours of training he could have been a real EMT...

Where do you work?

I agree, I'll also take the car. Does anyone have ay further details on this? From the article it sounds to me like it may just be a program of finding the competent paramedics and putting them on a response car instead of an ambulance.

Wow.... I hope that that quote is a joke. I almost don't feel like answering. Here is what it sounds like they were trying to talk about: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pi...300957206007350

The other major factor being that there are actually jobs there...

Maybe in posting after a night shift without enough sleep today I was unclear. The site only shows a fraction of the total number of ambulance crashes. Because of this, we cannot draw any real conclusions from it. Even as you stated in your initial post, "Of course, those crashes that are listed are voluntarily emailed to the site, it is not an all-inclusive list." Here are some things to read to get you started: Zagaroli L, Taylor A. Ambulance driver fatigue a danger: distractions pose risks to patients, EMTs, traffic. Washington, DC: Detroit News Washington Bureau. 2003;1-8. Weiss SJ, Ellis R, Ernst AA, Land RF, Garza A. A comparison of rural and urban ambulance crashes. Am J Emerg Med. 2001;19(1):52-56. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ambulance crashrelated injuries among emergency medical services workersUnited States, 1991-2002. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review 2003;52(8):154-156. Eckstein M. Primum non nocere-first do no harm: An imperative for emergency medical services. Prehosp Emerg Care 2004;8(4):444-446. Maguire BJ, Hunting KL, Smith GS, Levick NR. Occupational fatalities in emergency medical services: a hidden crisis. Ann Emerg Med. 2002;40(6):625-632. Proudfoot S. Ambulance crashes: fatality factors for EMS workers. Emerg Med Serv. 2005;34(6):71,73-74. Custalow C, Gravitz C. Emergency medical vehicle collisions and potential for preventive intervention. Prehosp Emerg Care 2004;8(2):175-184. Kahn C, Pirrallo R, Kuhn E. Characteristics of fatal ambulance crashes in the United States: an 11-year retrospective analysis. Prehosp Emerg Care 2001;5(3):261-269. I wish you luck in saving all of us who are still active in EMS. I won't be spending my time in engaging in a discussion with no basis in facts though.

crotchity, if your intentions are to do something useful for the profession then I cannot fault you for that. You are kidding yourself and misleading members of this site if you think that the numbers you are citing mean anything. Please review the literature on this issue, as many of the things that you are making guesses on have been examined in scientific studies. One that I looked at recently showed that only 43% of crashes occurred at intersections (as opposed to your estimate of 70%). It also had very different numbers than you did in regards to ambulance personnel injuries and fatalities. This of course is just a single study based in a single region that was not perfect, but it is much more scientific than looking at a database of less than 5% of American ambulance crashes.

The only way to enter the U of T paramedicine program as a non-paramedic is to enter the joint program. All graduates are eligible to write the AEMCA exam. Your #2 here doesn't apply because no other Ontario university offers a paramedicine degree.

Are you saying that from your understanding graduates of the BSc paramedicine program cannot write the AEMCA?

I'm sure it will depend on where you work for a number of factors like how much down time you'll have and how many trucks there are at your base (can't do much of a pot luck with two people). Even if not a pot luck though, food is always good.

I don't believe that TORIT was a ROC study.

Please define"alot of patients." I find your hypothesis hard to believe.

Since many paramedics nowadays have degrees anyway so it may help a large percentage.

There are places where you can do a BScN program in less time based on previous university education. The University of Western Ontario has one that is 19 months full time for people who already have at least two years of university (but usually a degree). I believe that U of T has a similar program.

If hot med students went out with you guys and you and Dust didn't call me to come back I may need to kill you.

Now that I have a moment to write, I just wanted to reiterate what the others have said about the lab. It was a great experience and a very interesting day. I would gladly again deal with the continual derogatory comments about Canada to be able to learn so much and realize how much more I need to learn. The residents did a great job, especially the guy at the cardiac station (Tony maybe?). Give him an extra day off or something! Oh and also the food was excellent. I'm not sure what kind of ungrateful hose monkey would complain about subs and brownies. Thanks for the opportunity to attend, Zilla! Also I do have just a couple pics of interest that I will try to get up in the next couple of days (there seemed to be a bit of a whacker there...).

I also had to inform Anthony that snow is not just a Canadian thing (first I had to show him a map to explain that there are states other than California). But yes, Matt, VSA is a Canadian term it seems.

I have made it back to Canada. I'm in need of sleep so I'll keep it short for now and just say that it was definitely an incredible experience.

Oh and CB, I'll have my car there and will be leaving on Thursday. I'm sure we can find you a way to the airport. When is your flight?

Alright let me just make sure I understand everything before I go ahead and cancel my reservation. Dust has two rooms for us all to use for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. One room is Dust, Jake and Anthony. Alex will be in the other room with CB joining him on the 2nd and 3rd and me joining on the 3rd. Did I get that all right? If that is right then I am going to go ahead and cancel my reservation at the other place. Now a more important question.... how much beer should I bring?