txemt

One thing I think no one asked was the size of your IV. I know the radiology folks at my hospital like a 22 or bigger (since we're a peds hospital) having said that I have seen IV contrast pushed thorugh a Iv started in the thumb when that was our only access. I'm not sure about the consequences of the contrast but our hospital says all infiltrates must be reported. So in the end it would be the nurse who would be at fault since how you are under their supervision.

Good teaching vids. Working in the Pedi ICU at Children's I can tell you this time of year our unit is full of these kids. Plus at least once a shift we get MET paged for resp. distress on the floor.

They do back up 911 coverage in Beaumont. They have the 911 for Orange and Jefferson Co. also.

Needing some imput on something. I was recently discussed a job with Acadian's Texas operation. Anybody on here familiar with the Beaumont operation. Acadian took over Metrocare's service in Feb of this year , wondering how smooth the transition went. What happened to the managment? Did they stay or did they run for the hills/ Just trying to get enough info to make a decision. Thanks guys!

I just took it last week and passed. The questions where confusing and I just knew I failed. Honestly that was the 2nd time I took it. THe first time I watched the clock and hurried. John Puryear has a NR review, it's like 90$ and it has a lot of good info. IT's basicly the paramedic course in 2 days. You can also get it on CD and listen to it on your Windoes media player. His site is Nationalregisrtyprep.com I think. I just went to the library and got the study guides and took every test available. Good Luck.

I worked as a cashier at Walmart when I was in EMT school, then went to work as a basic at a small transport service while in medic school, I didn't have a day off for like 6 months but it was worth it. Taking the NR test in July. I went through the community college and got pell grants

all right guys here's the deal. I appreciate everyone who took the time to read this and post any replies. Since posting this I have completed paramedic school, taken the skills test and wil be taking the written test soon. I have decided that nursing sure ain't for me and have decided to stick with EMS. It's what I love. I have made some good contacts and have an idea of the direction I now want to go. Once again thanks to everyone

I just finished and took the practicle exam already. Talk about nerve racking but I got theough it and you will too. Remember relax and deep breaths. My instructors advice don't look at your sheets the night before the exam, have a beer or two and do your best. You'll suceed.

I didn't get an EVOC class either. In fact I asked my instructor and the basic instructor where I could take the course and why it wasn't included in any of our classes. The answer no one knew why. I found out the hard way about the EVOC test. I had never heard of it untill I got hired to work for a local EMS service near my home. I was told I had to pass it after we began orientation. The class was given the 2nd day of orientation and on the third day we drove. I had a hard time with the practice driving, was told there was no way I could pass the driving test and unceremonisly fired from the company. In fact they told me to get my things and get off the property. So including this course would be helpful!

I worked for 2 different transport companies in the Dallas/Fort Worth TX area. One paid me 11.50 hr to start but didn't provide a lot of hours. The only patients we transported where dialysis patient. After that I went to FREMS, which is another local transport service. We did back up 911 also. Made about 10.00 hr there with unlimited overtime. Plus we got to chase the ponies at the local horse track.

RN Medic; I understand the whole pay thing but EMS isn't just about better pay and recognition. We don't get enough respect as it is. Whining about what we don't get and telling someone to drop out isn't the answer. A wise man once told me you come to EMS for 1 of two reasons : The pay or the toys! It's up to you to decide what's more important Rathbone : Good Luck in your classes they're fun and go as far as you want! I'm in medic school now and there's nothing better!

I took my national back in feb of this year. you get to retake it once before you have to start with the whole review. 1 student in our class had to retake it. Rember there may be more than 1 right answer so they want you to pick out the " best " answer. I got a NREMT review guide. It helped me understand the way they wanted the questions answered. Good Luck! You've had a set back but you'll get past it. :wink:

I wanted to thank everyone who replied. I did get to see some interesting things in my ER rotation includinga trach and chest tube all on the same patient. The doctor who I worked with was great too. After we finished with the patient he asked me what I had learned and then quized me about procedures and what could have been done different i the field.

Part of the point I was making was in letting us practice our skills, the nurses' lives and jobs become easier. I had a nurse who asked me if I knew how to do something and when I answered yes, I was sent to do it, this freed up the nurse to go attend to the needs of the next patient , while I got to practice my skills. Simple as that, and the fact that the "problem" nurse didn't want a student doing anything, was the real problem. She had her own set of issues. I simply made myself scarce when she was around then she wasn't my problem. But I didn't only follow a nurse, I made myself accessable to the doctors, pa's and NP's. They where open to teaching new skills that aren't really designed for the medic but where pretty freakin cool :D/

There are a lot of different types in the hospital where I did my clinicals. Most where extremly helpful. There was one doctor, who loved to quiz me, which I thought was great. We discussed cases and how to handle them in the field as oposed to the hospital setting. I had another DR. who would sit at the desk and ask me to sit down and tell him what I learned.

Our instructor was informed. This is more of a venting thing since it didn't involve me directly. I do not have a problem with the day to day routine stuff. I have wiped asses, walked more miles than I can count to the lab and held kiddos down so the lab tech could draw blood, none of this is a problem for me although through the grapevine I heard other students bitching and complaining about things that where beneth them. The problem really was the one LVN, she's been a pain the ass before. She's in RN school and she really just has that whole holier than thou attitude. no problem, I just go where they tell me to go and do what they ask if I'm capable

All rght guys, this past weekend I finished my last ER clinicals for the semester ( new semester starts in like 3 weeks). On Sat. I worked with a nurse who had been in the field for 30+ yrs. Good nurse, he asked me what I felt comfortable doing and the let me go to work ie: iv insertion, im injections etc. I worked my butt off. I was happy, Sun. when I come in I notice they're not letting me do as many procedures, doing lots of grunt work ie: UCG, changing beds etc. I work and don't complain, later in the day I'm told by a nurse that the reason for the grunt duty is due to the fact that a nurse overheard another nurses' conversation about what paramedic students can and can't do and stopped the students from being able to do anything but basic stuff, ie: bandaging, etc. so the question I guess is what's the point of going to the ER to learn if they won't teach you due to one nurses' bad attitude toward students? On a saide note, the nurse bitching was an LVN and the nurse I had worked with who wanted to teach me was an RN. I think that they miss the point that having a student there can make their lives EASIER.

It depends on the service..the last one I worked for only required you to have a City Of Dallas Ambulance permit. This involved getting an application signed by the employer and then attending a regular defensive driving course then turning in the certificate and volia you can drive the ambulance.

All right here's the question. I recently found out that at my college if I work as an intermediate while finishing medic school, that I can then turn around and go throught the paramedic to ADN transition without being out in the field a year. Well when I first started this whole thing I thought that nursing was the last thing on my mind but now I'm not so sure. I love EMS but I don't know how long I want to lift the 300lbs, one legged dialysis pt, plus in this part of the state of texas i'm in, in order to work a city 911 service you have to be the medic/ff and when thoses postions open up there will be like 5 spots open up and like 200 candidates. I don't know what to think any thoughts on this?

today was the first test we had covering EKG's. We have been looking at the 2 lead 6 second strips. Well I aced my first test. It was great. I know that I have a lot more to learn but it feels good to know that the info is penetrating my brain

Allright guys I am at my breaking point and need some help and advice. After droning through 3 days of EKG lecture I think I have it down. But not because of our instructor...because he's not even in the classroom, we see him via teleconference, the gentleman who he's sent to proctor us has been a GODSEND. He doesn't have a teaching degree ( required by the school) but he went back over the rhythms with us last night plus a few we hadn't covered and we all understood. The most frustrating thing is we where supposed to begin clinicals this weekend and now the course instructor pulled the plug on that since we where unable to check off on all of our skills. But the class he stands in front of while he tc's us got to do their skills check off and is able to begin their ride time. The best parts of this whole thing, this semester is only through August...summer sem. but he was gracious enough to tell us if we weren't able to get our 100hrs of ride time done, he would be gracious enough to give us an incomplete and when we come back in fall we could finish up the time. I didn't think you could go to the next class with an incomplete..I've decided to call the college and complain...but this has frustrated me to the point of considering droping out.any other suggestions?

well the bigger picture on all this is that we have a similar site already set up through the colleges website. We use the quizes posted on the college website as part of the overall grade too. I think the instructor just needs to clarify himself better.

All right guys i'm gonna let you all know now. We opened that Emt achieve thing yesterday, I payed 15 bucks for an access code. And the instructor didn't tell us yet what we're supposed to look at on the site :evil:

I had a driver's license but had never driven an ambulance until i got my first EMT job. I live near Dallas, Tx so we're required to get a Dallas County Ambulance drivers permit. All that's required to get it was a application from my employer and a defensive driving course, not even an emergency type driving course, just regulare defensive driving. But the never have driven before wasn't a problem for me

if anybody knows about this thing let me know it counts as 1/3 of my grade