nypamedic43

Extremity edema? And is the O2 helping the cyanosis? Also the lungs are diminished....what sounds? Wheezes, ronchi, rales? Edited to ask for lung "sounds"

Very cool idea Beibs:) paramedic and going to start class for my critical care paramedic license hopefully in the fall. I work for a private for profit service but I have worked volley and not for profit as well. Every service (besides the volley service) has done IFT's both short and long distance. Race medic-- Nascar, Indy cars and specialty clubs as well as motorcycles and horses. Although I've pretty much stopped doing any kind of race in the last couple years. Search and rescue I think that covers it

I tried to ignore the machine interpretation...but here goes. 1. The elevation in leads II, V3, V4, V5 and V6 are just 1 box. Could be the beginning of an inferior infarct, depending on patient presentation. 2. Sinus rhythm with PAC's 3. Left Bundle Branch Block in AVF but a Right BBB in II, III and AVL. No reciprocals in the V leads though except for may V5 but its wide throughout, which leads me to maybe a fast junctional rhythm as there are few P waves. 4. Left Bundle Branch Block in III, V2, and V3 but not in any other leads. Inverted T waves. could be old ectopy or the beginning of a new problem. 5. There is too much artifact to really see but its not atrial flutter. It isnt atrial fib either as its regular. Sinus Tach with peaked t waves which leads me to think about an electrolyt imbalance or maybe sepsis. I just kind of typed out my thoughts as I was looking at them. I also ignored the bottom 3 tracings for the most part.

amen to that and fast!

Wow Ruff!! I am so sorry that happened...but she came around and, finally they are going to get to the bottom of it. Sending lots of prayers your way! Thinking about you and your family, Teri

I'll Send one...just let us know where you want them sent.

What a torture for her family to have to endure. I'm not sure I could do it...even if it meant that my child would no longer with me. Lots of prayers for Stephanie and her family but most of all...a wish for peace. Fixed grammar

Welcome to the city summerstorm

I have to agree with all the above. You need to lay it on the line with your girlfriend or run away from the situation hard and fast. It doesn't matter that he isn't your friend and that you don't hang around with him. He hangs around your girlfriend and that alone will put your judgement into question. Guilty by association. You don't need that if you want to be in EMS. You really need to man up and stand up for yourself instead of coming here and moaning and whining about something that you have all the control in the world over. Take the advice given here. Make a decision and stand by it..regardless of the fall out with your girlfriend. Don't let this situation possibly end your EMS career before it even really starts.

I dont want to parrot whats already been said before but it will come together and any time now. We have all been through something like this and for some it comes together quicker than it does for others. However, that being said, now is not the time to be picking up extra shifts. Your grandparents will be much more understanding than your instructor. Missing that test was baad. But I'm not going to beat you over the head with it. Get yourself a pocket calendar...write everything down. Tests dates and times. Clinical dates and times and where they are. Reference it multiple times a day. I dont agree with the harshness of one of the earlier posts but I will say this. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and keep forging forward. Nothing in your life thats worth accomplishing ever comes easy. Buckle down, forge ahead....power through if you have to. Nobody is going to hand it to you, you have to work for it, even when your brain is mush. Now get back to the books!

If I'm told to stage, I stage. No questions asked. Mine and my partners safety is the most important thing. What I am reading in the OP's post is arrogance. That arrogance can get you killed...quickly. I've worked rural areas too. I knew most of the people in the area, however once meth hit the area several years ago, the people I thought I knew, were not the same. Now the OP's call was a bit different but I got called for difficulty breathing at 2 am. I knew the address, knew the people that lived there. I was totally unprepared for what was in the house...guns everywhere...very paranoid people milling about and lots and lots of meth making paraphanalia. The guy we were there for was sitting next to the door, we grabbed him and made tracks. Had we known what exactly was going on in the house, we wouldnt have gone in. We would have called and waited for law enforcement. Lesson learned. Just because you "know" most of the people in the area doesnt mean you "know" whats really going on with them. You take a huge risk if you go againt the staging policy. Is it worth that risk?

Kaisu isnt...but I am Dwayne..... naturegirl....oh where do I start. Ok..here goes. I went to medic school 4 yrs ago after many many yrs as an EMT. I was hired at the service I'm at now, the night I passed my test. I am the SECOND female medic EVER hired there. The first one is now the Director of Operations. Since I've been hired, there have 2 other female EMT's hired that work full time. There are 2 others that are very very pat time. This is most defintely a mans business....there are many many men out there that dont believe that women should be in EMS at all. And they show that by tearing us down in front of other co-workers, finding every little thing thats wrong and beating us over the head with it and yes...throwing us under the bus for something as petty as not changing the trash bag in the rig. BUT.... As a female medic, and pardon the phrase please....you have to grow a set. A BIG BRASS set. If you arent doing anything "wrong", following your protocols and the end result is the same as the tradtitional way of doing things, then stand up for your decisions and defend them. If you can run a call through your head and say to yourself " I wouldnt have done anything different" then you're good. I've been QA'd to death....seriously. PCR's fall out sometimes for nothing more than wording I use. I get frustrated. I get pissed. I get down right mad sometimes. I've gone through this " I dont know if I want to do this anymore" thing. But then I think about something....the 2 yrs I gave up to be able to do this job...the sacrifice that my family had to give....the REASON that I went to medic school in the first place. Now, most of the time...not all, I look at the QA guy and "say...ok, yup, uh huh...ok I'll do better next time. Thanks" and go on with my day. I adopted this philosophy early.."Its better to seek forgiveness than to ask for permission". It hasnt let me down yet. It's just getting to that point of saying screw it...mister you werent there, you didnt see what I did. I did the best I could and if thats not good enough for YOU then send me home cuz there's medic jobs are all over the place. Really there are. Keep your chin up. Dont give up...cuz then they win.

The only equipment I have ever bought is my stethoscope. If I put a bag together, when I was a volley, I got a cheap small duffle bag and got the supplies from the ambulance company. Things like trauma shears and lights to check pupils came from them as well. I don't know where you are...but having your own pulse oximeter is a big chunk of money and not something that you really need. There should be one on the rig. Good luck!

I've heard of it through Excelsior. One of the guys I work with was going to do it but changed his mind after he found out that all classes are done online and there is only 24 hours of clinicals...all done in one weekend. He didnt think it was a quality education.

The last psych transfer I did I really thought I was in for a fight for the entire ride. She didnt want to go, ran away from us...then the PA and 2 aides literally dragged her to the stretcher. Got her to sit down and was helping her get settled and she kicked one of the aides in the chest and punched my partner in the mouth. Got her seatbelts fastened and she is screaming the whole way to the ambulance. LOL!! So I told the PA that I wasnt going to put up with the kicking and punching and my partner got out the 4 point soft restraints. He was ready to tie her down for the trip. I talked to her and made a deal with her..if she behaved for the ride and didnt punch or kick, I wouldnt tie her hands and feet. It took a few minutes but she finally agreed. She calmed down except for occasional outbursts of how she hated her mother and sister! OYE!! Anyway got to our destination and she was fine...cooperative and calm. Fun times

The Alaska State Department of Health might be able to answer some questions too. Never been to Alaska...dying to go there someday )

We use Zofran all the time. We carry Phenergan in the back up if needed.

Feeling pity or compassion or not really depends on you and the situation. A life is a life, no matter what and yes it can be a stress reliever pumping on someones chest. I think that saving the pity and compassion, in this case, should be reserved for the kids that witnessed this. It will stay with them for the rest of thier lives. Not such a good memory to have I think. Good job on the field tube!

Welcome to the City!

Congrats Nat!!! And LOL at Dwayne

No it doesnt make a difference. This will come back to haunt him time and time again. As EMS providers, we are held to a higher standard, by our co-workers, the community, family and friends. How can a possible employer look at his application and positively say that he would be a great asset? When past decisions havent been so great? If he had an underage drinking problem, can they say that he doesnt have that same problem now...2 yrs later. I dont think that they can. I am assuming, Sarah, that you have no knowledge of emergency medicine. We go into peoples homes, in thier time of crisis. Our characters MUST be without reproach. Patients and thier families have to be able to trust that the people taking care of them or thier loved one are sober and can make fast decisions if needed. Everything we do is looked at under a microscope. Every action and every reaction. This isn't TV, where the paramedics win the day, every day. I have to agree with Dwayne and Mike....there is more to this story that isnt being told.

The letter may do the trick for them. I hope so anyway.