sirduke

I notice that my earlier post was connivently ignored. So I will ask again. How would the Firefighters like it is it was EMS trying to take over their "profession"? So that EMS could control the funds. And how much goes into EMS equipment and training as opposed to how much is spent on shiny red fire trucks and fire toys? How many calls per year actually require a fire engine as opposed to how many calls require an ambulance? And again, I am talking about really REQUIRING a fire engine, not how many just got a fire engine because that's how you roll. The bottom line is Fire wants to take over EMS because they want to control the money. Just like grandma in the back room with the crackheads living off her SSI. On any given day, compare the number of fires against the number of medical calls, we've figured out how to reduce fires, but we've yet to find a way to stop aging and dying and injurys. Fire was quick to see this and start moving to take over so they control the money. We were sleeping because we'd been running all night.

Leave it, don't like them, Waylon Jennings Greatest hits on 8 track

But Doc, when busting someone's chops about spelling a grammar, one should make sure he uses the proper word... THREW, as opposed to THROUGH. Sorry, couldn't resist it.

What? Paramedics aren't needed? Why the Hell didn't someone tell me before I spent two years in school.....

Check your mail

Go with your training, keep your cool, no one gets on a truck for the first time and is Supermedic. Experience takes time. I think your service should evaluate their policy though, you should have had at least several months with an experienced partner prior to being thrown to the wolves. Good luck.

It is a problem you need to correct, and quickly. Too much nasty stuff out there, and a sharps, is the easiest route of entry. Thank God we don't have the Jelcos anymore here. We use the Autocaths with the spring retract, and I for one think they make it easier to start a line. You just need to make it habit to automatically dispose of it into a Sharps container as soon as it clears the cath. You can alway do a finger stick to get the BGL, with less chance of hitting a bump in the road and gaining an exposure. As for the "you wasn't no Basic" issue, I'm of two minds about that, it helps in many ways, but if you have a brain, which your post prove, then you obviously don't need that. Everyone progresses at different levels and speeds, perhaps they needed that time to find their ass's without both hands, a flashlight, and a roadmap. Some do, some I know have been Intermediates for years and still don't have a clue. On the other hand, I've seen Street to Medic providers that were LLMF when they went to work. It depends on the person. (Dust will shit when he reads this) When you pull that catheter out of the IV kit, start mentally thinking MUST DISPOSE OF PROPERLY until it becomes automatic. Good luck

I just had an epiphany!!! Here is the plan, let EMS take over Fire and then we could be in charge of the money. Because from all I've read, seen and heard, that is the real issue here. Lets face it, firefighting has evolved dramatically over the last 50, hell 25 years, building codes have changed, safety engineering has advanced, and the incident of fires isn't nearly what is was when we all lived in wooden houses, and the average Joe worked in a dusty fire trap factory. With these changes, there has been a decrease in the amounts of fire calls, and thus, you can drop by any fire station on any day, and see the firefighters polishing trucks, driving the Lazyboy, etc. To protect their jobs, fire must make themselves appear necessary, thus, take over EMS. Now you can throw a Star of Life on your engine, show up on scene and grab the glory. It reminds me for all the world of these families that keep granny in the back room and live off her social security check, they don't give a damn about her, except that money. I would be interested in seeing the amount these fire based services spend on firefighting equipment and training vs what they spend on the ambulances and EMS training. My question to all the firefighters is this, how do you think you would feel, and how loud would you bitch if the shoe was on the other foot and EMS was trying with all its' might to take over your profession? Another question just popped up, How many of your calls really require a fire engine as opposed to how many require an ambulance? I am not talking about calls where the fire engine shows up because "thats how we do it" but calls where it is a Necessity. Just one man's opinion

I would love to go back to Germany and have the opportunity to experience a different country's EMS. Hesse uber Alles. Mein Duetsche is sehr slecht, sorry.

Sounds like your company needs to reevaulate their sexual discrimination/harassment policy. People can only take advantage of you if you let them.

This thread is getting to be like wrestling with a pig in the mud, everyone gets muddy but the pig enjoys it.

Tried to insert a link, but the site won't work. Go to www.bainbridgega.com Go to the story "Clerk murdered at Inland Store" Listen to the treatment given by this joker... Apparently they forgot to teach me this in paramedic school, ice applied to the throat to keep a GSW victim coherent. By the by, I worked this one, she didn't make it.

I've seen too many cases where the patient's vitals are taken on scene, they are loaded up, and then the EMT, I or P, sits his/her ass in the captains chair and starts report, and never looks at the patient again until they arrive at the hospital. I prefer the constant monitoring mode myself, palpating the pulse, watching the chest rise, talking to them to gauge their mental state, etc. I don't like or trust the automated cuff as it will give inaccurate readings especially in transit. The old fashioned way works better for me, and if you have old ass ears like mine, and can't hear good bouncing down the road, palpate a B/P. At least two or three sets of vitals to see any trends, and by taking up time with the patient, you make them feel comfortable, or at least that you are concerned for their wellbeing. After all, isn't that the reason we are in the back of the truck anyway, the Patient? As for "stable" well, I've seen several "stable" patients that crashed and died while being described as "stable". Just one man's opinion.

Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd

WTF ? We had a problem with this where I work, and a policy was enacted that forbid the use of cell phones while driving or when there was a patient present, UNLESS the medic in the back was using the cellphone to talk to Med Control. Did it work, Hell no. Some idiots will continue no matter what until either they kill themselves or someone else, or get fired. My current partner and I have an understanding, turn the damn thing off when we get in the truck, or leave it at the station. I have had the lovely experience of having to listen to someone's stupid ass ringtone at max volume while we were working a code. And who ever it was calling them couldn't seem to understand they were at work and kept calling every two or three minutes. I too, grew up in the era before cellphones and ipods and all the other electronic devices that our younger generation seems incapable of living without. People couldn't get instant access to us then, and guess what? WE SURVIVED FINE ! Just one man's opinion.

Dust, you forgot to say "Welcome to the Chat room" !

Getting the teeth of the Fire Depts out of EMS's throat is one step that has to happen. Then the next step is getting a National Standard, and I'm not talking NREMT, but a national standard like nursing and physicans have, of training and requirements. With that in place, then we can progress towards becoming a real proffession. Higher education standards are a must, and I for one, can't understand why someone would refuse to continue to gain education. I guess they aren't really interested in patient care, but merely in this for a check.

take it, depending on what we're doing.... leave box of chocolate covered ants

Stick with Mr/Mrs, Ma'am, it works and it should be the standard. I just took a GEMS course, and it devoted almost a whole chapter to this, I thought it would be common sense.

Sure, send him down to Dixie

Works pretty good for immobilizing a hip fx on slender people too.

I wouldn't take that bet, I saw a fool on a crotch rocket riding through an intersection texting yesterday. You can't fix stupid.

take them, mine are worn out, leave a exhausted braindamaged paramedic student in the last quarter of school

Knowing that what ever I say will be wrong, I'll give my two cents. I would due to the nature of the injury, call this ALS, as several people have pointed out, it has the potential to turn into a life threatening injury quickly. Could be developing a hemo. At any rate, if ALS is there, take the patient to the damn hospital rather than making him wait for a BLS truck to arrive. Where is the sense in waiting? Are they worried about call volume, or are they worried about getting back to bed or the card game? How many times have you responded to a "BLS" sounding call, only to arrive to something serious requiring ALS intervention? Or had a patient who had no specific complaint turn out to be in crisis? As my old drill sergeant often said, " when in doubt, whip it out." Just one man's humble opinion

Take it, need the parts, leaving a slightly deranged Calico Cat