usapride2004

What's so bad about their site? lol And they do, for the record.

I would VERY strongly recommend Educational Resource Group's Paramedic programs. The instructors are really great, and highly knowledgeable. They have a program coming up in Wrentham in the Fall. Educational Resource Group

No atropine? Like, at all? Why? Do you guys even pretend to follow ACLS? As for Vasopressin, ACLS makes it clear that neither is better than the other. We don't carry it at present, and I don't expect us to start any time soon. It seems unnecessary, since it's not any better than Epi...

Had a pt a few weeks ago, s/sx of CHF. SOB, tachypnea, bilateral rales, pedal edema, diaphoresis, tachycardia, hypertension... My partner decided that since we were about 6 mins from the ED, we would just screw. No IV (one failed attempt), no ASA, no NTG, no MSO4, no Lasix, no 12-Lead... just a NRB. We got to the ER, and watched the pt sit in triage for 20 minutes on our stretcher (while the "triage" nurse took a hx on a stable pt who wanted an Rx refill... with 3 rescues waiting, 1 SOB, 1 OD, and one ankle sprain), then sit on a stretcher for another 20 minutes, while the nurses chatted about stupid, non patient care related, CRAP. I went back in to check on the pt before clearing the ER after deconing and restocking, still no tx, they just kicked his O2 down to 2 LPM via NC. I think from now on I'll stay and play. At least we can treat these people. What's better, being treated in an ambulance, or waiting in an ER? There are some ERs I know I can rely on to treat my patients, but there are some others... I had another call upwards of a year ago, also a CHF pt--could hear her gurgling fro down the hall. The SNF we were t/p from is on the hospital campus for our trauma center. We took her in there with just O2, and respiratory was waiting for her in a critical care room, and had her on BiPAP within 2 minutes of t/f off our stretcher. It was beautiful. That's the only hospital in the state that knows the definition of triage.

You don't need 25 lbs of pressure with the pads, the 25 lbs of pressure is to ensure you have good, solid contact between paddles and patient, so nothing comes off... try to take a quick-combo pad off a patient--it isn't going to fall off, lol. I would definitely prefer the pads. No doubt. It may be somewhat anticlimactic, but it's safer for me and my partner, and you can defibrillate safely while moving. That's pertty nifty. Plus, you can use the Quick-Combo pads for all kinds of Edison Medicine, so once you set it up once, you're good to go. No gel to rub, no 25 lbs of pressure, no worries.