bassnmedic

ummmm, let me see.....since this was found under the "funny stuff" category so I'm going with a ...............JOKE. If anyone were to think of this as anything other than a joke maybe they should reevaluate their sense of humor.

Good stuff EMS Girl

I work in the ER and Cath Lab here. In the ER my title is Paramedic and the hospital basically has us function as RNs, I have assigned rooms and can utilize all skill sets that the state allows me to use. However, in the Cath lab, I am pretty much a tech that preps the patients and does V/S etc... nothing invasive. Working in these atmospheres has given me a whole new outlook on what happens to the patients after we as street medics drop them off at the ER. Over the last several months I have developed a new found respect for the RNs that work in the ER. It has been an excellent experience for me.

Reaper I recently left the Atlanta area after 20yrs in the Fire Dept as well as EMS provider. Without a doubt, Grady EMS (local level 1 trauma center and burn center) is the best to work for. They offer excellent training and pay and no 24 hour shifts.

Other options are Rural Metro and Metro Atlanta on the northside. However Rural Metro I understand is on probation with Fulton County( 911 contract).

Hope this points you in the right direction,

Todd

I would think that a "shock trauma" guru would keep up to date on the latest trauma trends. Like Rid stated, Dr. Bledsoe's article should open eyes to that Golden Hour myth as well as taking the latest PHTLS class with the 6th edition, which also discusses that there is no golden hour rule any longer, only the "platinum ten".

I was wondering..............how many times must we have to read about how great and wonderful Canada's EMS education is and how the US just pales in comparison? VS, can you not come up with better topics that are less beat to death? We all know the US is light years behind most of the civilized world in EMS education, so let's move on, unless you and all your infinite wisdom has a glorious solution to OUR problem here in the States.

But, to answer the question in the original post....No, I would not work there, I am satisfied with my pay, I like having lower taxes and I like the Ga./Fla. sunshine.

Hell must be freezing over as I am typing this response........I'm actually going to agree with VS. I can't really add to the reasons we need a minimum 2yr. degree, they have pretty much already been stated.

Now, just to play devil's advovate, does a degree actually make a person a better medic? I have seen plenty of 4yr degree people that couldn't find their butt with both hands, much less be competent enough to handle patient care issues. Aside from the education level needing to be raised, I believe we need some sort of pre-entry screening to assure that the applicant is not a bona fide idiot. Just my two cents.

but now i must question are nibp's in protocol or in your scope of practice ?

i mean a monkey can use them but are you trained in them ? if not we probably shouldnt use them therefore documenting as such indicates you as operating out of your s-o-p and screws u more then helps you

i dunno just saying ...

Wow, NIBPs have a scope of practice? Maybe you could enlighten me as to how a basic or Intermediate shouldn't use one..........you put a cuff on, push a button and document the readings.......it's not rocket science. Or maybe we shouldn't use pulse oximetry unless trained on them either.

My score was 980.......

Just remember, Clinton had bin Laden handed to him on a plate 3 times, and rejected them all.......

I was a Clinton supporter, until I found that out.

I don't want my hard-earned money going to poor people who would rather sit on their asses with a big-screen TV in their public housing, and their kids sleeping on blankets.

=D> =D> =D> :occasion5:

Look, if Gore had become president, I still think we'd be somewhere in the late 90's. Remember them? X-Files, slacking off, worried about the Y2K bug, well, we probably wouldn't have still been worried about that, but I really believe that if the State of Florida had figured out how to vote, I could have had that lunch in the Windows on the World cafe like I had been meaning too, and we'd all just keep our mellow little vibe we had going for a while, which I really liked. It was far better than this whole Yosemite Sam lets get a posse together and round up the evil doers for Jesus thing that was instilled on us. I said it once in a previous post and I'll say it again, I don't care who we elect in the next election, Republican or Democrat, so long as I don't have to see lower Manhattan on fire, or American citizens dying of dehydration in New Orleans, and all of the brave men and women in the armed forces get to spend time with their families rather than end up being IED fodder, I'll be happy!

Asys, I must say, I definitely agree with your last sentence. 9/11 and Katrina were devastating, I just don't think a different party in office would have made a difference one way or another. Let's just hope we never have to find out.

Gore? President?......Scary, but maybe he could have gotten a patent on his invention of the internet... :roll:

And I highly doubt that the NY skyline would have remained unchanged because of him, that administration had already blew off opportunities to rid itself of that possibilty.

Edited so I could add.

While the original post was funny, I just wanted to ask the Dems. that have posted here if they think the Clinton Administration was better as far as morals and values. I tend to agree with CHP that both parties offer nothing to the country as they both have agendas that do not fulfill the needs of the American people. Too far right, too far left, I say do away with party affiliation and just put the best person forthe job in the White House.

Don't know what institution that is from ? The highest paid Nursing professor job I have seen offered is $38 K requiring a a PhD or DNSc. Unless you are discussing a chairperson position or one of the largest state university. Two of my associates was offered at the second highest tuition school in OK. a nursing professor full time position for $28 K a year ! They as well requested you have a Doctoral level within 6 yrs. They stayed in ER because they would have to take about a $15K year cut.

The average pay for RN's here is about $18-25 hr which is = $32-40k a yr. .. Managers make about $40-60k a year..

R/r 911

Rid, I'm not sure what level of education these people have, but this link is the University of Va salaries of Nursing professors in 2004 http://cavalierdaily.student.virginia.edu/...rsing:+Faculty+

I can respect that, but i got to say, it must be scary to be a civilian driver in California. :?

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21055.htm

Chapter 2. Traffic Signs, Signals, and Markings

Article 3. Offenses Relating to Traffic Devices

Circular Red or Red Arrow

21453. (a) A driver facing a steady circular red signal alone shall stop at a marked limit line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until an indication to proceed is shown, except as provided in subdivision (.

( Except when a sign is in place prohibiting a turn, a driver, after stopping as required by subdivision (a), facing a steady circular red signal, may turn right, or turn left from a one-way street onto a one-way street. A driver making that turn shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to any vehicle that has approached or is approaching so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard to the driver, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to that vehicle until the driver can proceed with reasonable safety.

© A driver facing a steady red arrow signal shall not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow and, unless entering the intersection to make a movement permitted by another signal, shall stop at a clearly marked limit line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until an indication permitting movement is shown.

(d) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in Section 21456, a pedestrian facing a steady circular red or red arrow signal shall not enter the roadway.

Amended Sec. 1, Ch. 14, Stats. 2001. Effective January 1, 2002.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21453.htm

That said,

21056. Section 21055 does not relieve the driver of a vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway, nor protect him from the consequences of an arbitrary exercise of the privileges granted in that section.

still applies.

I think it would be stupid to be sitting at a red light with your lights and sirens on. Kinda of defeats the entire purpose of an emergency response/transport.

We also started IV's on each other in class after we had the basic concept down using the arm. Also, we had a 60 hour clinical rotation on the IV team at our local hospital.

atropine

amiodarone

clonidine

diazepam

epi 1:10,000

epi 1:1,000

Lidocaine bolus/ drip

mag sulfate

bicarb

calcium chloride

lopressor

cardizem

glucagon

zofran

phenergan

benadryl

thiamine

D50

versed

etomidate

ntg SL and drip

romazicon

furosemide

morphine

meperidine

lovenox

xopenex

albuterol

asa

needles, fluids etc.....

edited because I forgot a couple

On my first student ride-along, the medic gave our pt atropine...his heart beat immediately went DOWN. He ended up having to pace him.

And that other guy's story about patient coming back after they ended resuscitation efforts was pretty good.

That is unusual, however not unheard of, Atropine sometimes when given in low doses will cause reflex bradycardia.

I can honestly say that in my area, it may be one of the best I have worked in as far as communications are concerned. Every Fire Dept and LEO Dept are programmed in our radios as well as each others. and communications between all happen on a daily basis. Once we arrive on scene and size-up deems it a critical call, we advise dispatch and a tac channel is assigned or if the call sounds bad enough to start with, dispatch will go ahead and assign the tac channel. Sound and clarity are of the best quality, I am not sure of what frequency we are on, but I would say either 800 or 900mhz.

Take care and stay safe,

Todd

We utilize the language line speaker boxes in our units so that we don't have to call dispatch. Language line is a very beneficial tool to have, as Mike pointed out it can provide several different language interpreters.

Take care and stay safe.

Todd

Doc, I am unfamiliar with the legalities of refusing to do said direct online order. With that being said and the facts that I am untrained in that particular procedure and the fact that it is outside my scope of practice, I would say I'd have to take my chances with refusing to do the centesis. As a paramedic I fully recognize the fact that the patient is in dire need of it and could die without it, I just can't see myself doing it and accidentally messing up and killing her.

Take care and stay safe,

Todd

Hypoestesia is a decrease in tactile sensitivity.

Now, what is Volkmann's Ischemic Contracture?And what are the S/S?

take care,

Todd

Hypoestesia is a decrease in tactile sensitivity.

Now, what is Volkmann's Ischemic Contracture?

take care,

Todd

Ragged red fiber myopathy is not all that rare, it is associated with mitochondrial disease and under a microscope is represented by mitochondria proliferation with red rim and speckled sarcoplasm. These cells cause a defect in muscle tissue. I also found this article and thought it might help.

MERRF

Long Name: Myoclonic Epilepsy and Ragged-Red Fiber Disease.

Symptoms: Myoclonus, epilepsy, progressive ataxia, muscle weakness and degeneration, deafness, and dementia.

Cause: Mitochondrial DNA point mutations: A8344G, T8356C

MERRF is a progressive multi-system syndrome usually beginning in childhood, but onset may occur in adulthood. The rate of progression varies widely. Onset and extent of symptoms can differ among affected siblings.

The classic features of MERRF include:

Myoclonus (brief, sudden, twitching muscle spasms) – the most characteristic symptom

Epileptic seizures

Ataxia (impaired coordination)

Ragged-red fibers (a characteristic microscopic abnormality observed in muscle biopsy of patients with MERRF and other mitochondrial disorders) Additional symptoms may include: hearing loss, lactic acidosis (elevated lactic acid level in the blood), short stature, exercise intolerance, dementia, cardiac defects, eye abnormalities, and speech impairment.

Although a few cases of MERRF are sporadic, most cases are maternally inherited due to a mutation within the mitochondria. The most common MERRF mutation is A8344G, which accounted for over 80% of the cases (GeneReview article). Four other mitochondrial DNA mutations have been reported to cause MERRF. While a mother will transmit her MERRF mutation to all of her offspring, some may never display symptoms.

As with all mitochondrial disorders, there is no cure for MERRF. Therapies may include coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine, and various vitamins, often in a “cocktail” combination. Management of seizures usually requires anticonvulsant drugs. Medications for control of other symptoms may also be necessary.

The prognosis for MERRF varies widely depending on age of onset, type and severity of symptoms, organs involved, and other factors.

Sources: Dr. Rolf Luft; The development of mitochondrial medicine. [Review] ; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ; 1994 ; 91(19) ; 8731-8 & DiMauro Link

Take care and stay safe,

Todd