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Scaramedic

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Posts posted by Scaramedic

    Field lab draws by ALS

    in Patient Care

    Posted

    When I worked in Denver it was protocol to draw a rainbow when you administered meds. We would tape the tubes to the IV bag and when we got to the hospital the Nurse would throw them away. It was a total waste of time.

    If there are any Denver area medics out there it would interesting to see if they still do it.

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    Old National Reg Patches, Big $$

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    Nobody's spending $28 bucks for that farking patch. I think the seller is shill bidding his own auction to hype it. Besides, there's just something wrong with that patch. Look at it. It's crooked. It's a reject.

    I agree with you Dust I think the seller is bidding it up. Here is the bid history..

    streetdoc_2002 ( 0 ) US $28.00

    emttrauma_98 ( 118) US $27.00

    emttrauma_98 ( 118) US $25.00

    streetdoc_2002 ( 0 ) US $25.00

    streetdoc_2002 ( 0 ) US $20.00

    emttrauma_98 ( 118) US $20.00

    emttrauma_98 ( 118) US $15.00

    emttrauma_98 ( 118) US $10.00

    bjrangel ( 44) US $9.00

    baasmedic1119 ( 210) US $2.00

    I would bet cash streetdoc is the seller, notice he has no transactions, that's a good sign its a fake ID. What I thought was interesting is that emttrauma is willing to pay $27 for a patch. It does look crooked, maybe its like baseball cards, defects are worth more.

    :dontknow:

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    Poly Heme

    in Patient Care

    Posted

    I voted yes on the studies for PolyHeme, but I am concerned that this is just another "world changing" advance that in the end will have caused more harm than good. Yet, we do need something to replace volume and restore hemoglobin levels, so we must give PolyHeme and Hemopure a chance.

    AnthonyM83 don't forget to vote, as of this post there are not any votes against the study. It will be interesting to see the outcome on this vote.

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    Squmpers

    in Equiqment and Apparatus

    Posted

    When I worked in Denver one of the suburban FD's had one of these units, I can't remember which department though. I never saw the use of a "squmper" to transport patients. The biggest problem is that to load the cot you had to lift it four or five feet in the air, there is no way this is practical if you had a patient on it. This might have changed on the newer units, I don't know. The only use I could see was it was a great place to store equipment, but the unit I saw was not good for pt transport.

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    Hair cuts

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    Sorry to embarass you itku2er, but I couldn't pass it up.

    Trust me bald is not a good look for me.

    Which brings me to a cheap plug...

    For the last three years I have shaved my head for St Baldrick's. St. Baldrick's is a national event that happens around St Patrick's day. People around the nation volunteer to raise money and shave their heads. This year events were held in 274 locations and raised over 7 million dollars. All the money goes to childhood cancer research organizations, in 7 years they have raised 18 million dollars. I think it is a great cause and it is really fun raising the money. Here's the link if anybody wants further info.

    http://www.stbaldricks.org/default.asp

    This is not a hijack attempt I just wanted to let ya all know about a great cause.

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    No NR test??

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    The NCLEX is set up a little differently that the NREMT exams. Like the NREMT the goal of the NCLEX is to test someone to a minimum competency level. As you take the exam the questions get more complex and head toward the set minimum competency. If you start answering incorrectly, the questions become less complex. This game of getting more complex as you answer correctly and less complex as you answer incorrectly goes on until it is determined that you can consistently answer questions correctly in the minimum competency level or you cannot answer questions in the minimum competency level. One that is determined the computer will stop spitting out questions and you are done. This can be as little as 75 questions or over 200 questions. You are not graded on a percent correct, but solely on you ability to achieve the minimum standard for competency. It is a little complicated, but I hope that helps.

    Take care,

    chbare.

    During my recent refresher we had a National Reg representative speak to us about the new Computerized Adaptive Testing the NREMT is starting in 2007. It sounds about the same as what you said chbare. Here's a link if anybody wants to read about it.

    http://www.nremt.org/about/article_00028_A...ng_Valuable.asp

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    When would you use your "Easy Button"

    in Funny Stuff

    Posted

    An easy button would have been nice for the 600lb woman I once had in an MVA, she somehow fit herself into a Geo Metro. I am getting chills just thinking about again.

    I always wanted a strangle button on our radios. That way if dispatch said something stupid we could give them some street justice.

    "Priority 1 Cardiac Arrest, 26 yo male states he is in car..aaaaaaaaackkckckckckcckckc"

    That would be sweet. :lol:

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    Noloxone...should EMT-I's be able to administer?

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    I suppose I am just used to having converstations with people that actully lead to something productive.

    Nahhh, it's more fun to sling insults at each other. :roll:

    That is a pretty detailed protocol FireGirl911, scaramedic is impressed. Do not take anything here personal, you walked into the middle of a pretty heated debate.

    13 pages so far, that's one page short of the record for EMS discussion. Go team! :wav:

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    No NR test??

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    Let me throw in my .02 on this. I also have problems with the registry, but its not their fault. When you create a standard you create the danger of schools teaching only that standard in preparation for testing. They teach whats on the test and are lax on things not on the test.

    We have the same problem in Washington, here they created the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). The WASL tests public school students level of knowledge obtained in grades 3-12. My sister is a student liaison for the district we live in, her job is to monitor how students are taught and also to help students with problems at school and at home. Even my sister, who works for the school district mind you, is critical of the WASL. The problem is teachers are using the WASL tests as a blueprint for their lesson plans. They in essence are teaching what students need to know for the TEST, not what they need to know for educations sake.

    This is what many EMS schools are doing with the National Registry, they teach the test. This is a good theory to make your school look great with a 98% pass rate, Unfortunately it does not always create good caregivers.

    The answer to this problem is beyond my little Paramedic brain I'm sorry to say.

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    P.S. Nate, you went to conventions for continuing ed? Wow, I only went to get the free stuff in the lobby. :lol: Last time I netted 78 pens, 42 notepads, 18 stethoscope name tags and 4 penlights.

    EMS Personnel Are Most Apt to Report Errors in Emergency Tx.

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    I believe an argument could be made it has nothing more to do with honesty than it has to do with the repercussions. An MD makes a mistake he is more liable than an RN, and an RN is more liable than an EMT. The higher the education, the higher the responsibility and therefore more liability. EMS personnel are at the bottom of the food chain in this situation, they have less to fear and less to lose. So when it comes to admitting mistakes EMT's might be more likely to report it because the repercussions will be less.

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    Finding a place for wilderness EMS.

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    Here in the Northwest the only thing I can think of is the RAT Team that is part of AMR in Portland. The Reach and Treat (RAT)Team works out of quarters in Sandy, Oregon. They are a specialized unit that does wilderness and mountain rescue including going up on Mt Hood. I do not believe it is an entry level position though, I would try and contact AMR Portland to find out more.

    Here's some articles from about them.

    http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/N...ndyHeadwall.htm

    http://www.wemjournal.org/wmsonline/?reque...3&page=0208

    http://www.amr.net/news/releases/2004/051804.asp

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    Ambulance Driver, an evil term?

    in Patient Care

    Posted

    The term "ambulance driver" used to bother me when I was still new to the business. Then one day I had an epiphany, and I started to think about what the public sees. They see a big vehicle, it can be white, red, yellow, blue, or any other combination of colors, it usually has the term ambulance written on it, both backwards and forwards. It has a steering wheel, behind the steering wheel sits someone, male, female, trans-gender, Basic, Intermediate, Para, etc. The public puts 2 and 2 together and comes up with the title of ambulance driver.

    Let's be honest 99% of the public does not know, nor even care about the cert levels of EMS. We are not the only profession that has this problem. Do you think Mary & Joe Public know the difference between an LPN or RN, and really could care less about such things as CCRN, CRNA, CNS, CNM or even NP. So you can go to school for years and you will still be called a Nurse just like an LPN or even a CNA.

    I personally don't care what I am called as long as they remember we are there to help.

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    Stupid things Doctor's offices do

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    Having recently worked in a medical lab I think I might have an answer here. Many times when calling results, or having a Doctor's office call us, we had to deal with a receptionist. Most receptionists have absolutely no medical knowledge, but yet many times they will try to appear that they do. You would not believe some of the stupid stuff I have heard. To make it worse some of them are temps with no Dr's office experience at all.

    So I am theorizing that might be who called the patient back and told her such an asinine thing to do.

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    emt-b pay scale

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    So, obviously a frontal assault is suicidal. The firemonkeys will shoot us down everytime. That means if we are ever to be successful at elevating the profession, fire service involvement has to be either emasculated or eliminated. That is just as likely, for the same reasons.

    Consequently, if Bledsoe and the other heavy hitters of our industry can't get it done, then grumbling about it is just about the only option the frustrated professional is left with, besides moving to Canada. So really, I see no point in begrudging anybody their rant on the topic. It's all we have.

    I have an idea, here me out on this one. We pick a day, mmm how about May 1st. We all refuse to go to work. Of course all of us not being at work will only hurt a small percentage of people, you know those pain in the butt patients. We protest all across the country, tying up traffic, chanting, and screaming into bull horns about EMS rights. We can also have all EMS school students walk out of their classes, so what if they miss something stupid like the pharmacology.

    Of course there is a slight chance we might just alienate a lot of people. Nahhh.

    Lets do it! :director: :protest:

    What? Oh forget it. Someone else is already doing that. DAMN!!!

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

    EMSA-Oklahoma

    in General EMS Discussion

    Posted

    And EMSA "brainwashing"..

    When I left EMSA I found groups like this helped me adjust to normal EMS society..

    http://www.cultawarenessnetwork.org/

    OK, that was a cheap shot. I liked EMSA and like Rid said it has its good and bad. I also agree with Rid's comment about the density of the protocol book. I just recently found my old Denver Metro Protocols and was surprised to find out how straight forward and small it was compared to the EMSA bible.

    Peace,

    Marty

    :thumbleft:

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