lremt

As for clinical times, for basics we were required to do 24 hours in the er and were encouraged to do more. We had to have a minium of four transports during our time on an ambulance. We were encouraged to do as much as we could and ride with several different crews. Medic students have to spend so much time/have a certain number of skills in each of the hospital departments that they are rotated through in several of the area hospitals and they spent almost 6 months working on an ambulance, approximately 5 days a week. They have to have skills checked off and have done a certain number of each skill before they can be cleared.

These aren't sayings, but are a few things that bother me: The "tattleteller" at the substation that has to run to the "big boss" about every little thing instead of either 1. handling it through correct channels, or 2. keeping their nose in their own job and out of everyone elses. Or the person or crew that is on the opposite shift who leaves the truck/unit dirty and un-restocked or those that raid your truck of supplies......between shift changes..... Those that gripe and complain about every little thing, instead of getting off their duff and doing something about it. Or those that want to do all kinds of practical jokes and other silly things to others, but can't take a joke himself/herself. Those who won't work as a team member......there isn't a lot of room in ems for one person shows.....

At the moment we are still required to do the standard AHA cpr for healthcare providers except when/if you don't have bvm/pocket mask (and O2) to ensure bsi....our paramedic students were told to just do chest compressions in that case, unless they feel comfortable doing mouth-to-mouth. AHA has put out new guidelines for the layperson with the "just chest compressions" only cpr.....AHA instructors were given the information recently, but it hasn't been implimented in the "classroom" as of yet, or it wasn't last month here. One of the reasons for the layperson to just do chest compressions is that with just a pocket/face mask or mouth to mouth you'll give person only about 16% O2.......we breath in about 21% from the atmosphere......so to simplify things and seeing as there isn't THAT much benefit from layman's 16% ......if ems has been called.......circulating the O2 already in the bloodstream would be about the same as them trying to give rescue breaths and do chest compressions and monitor patient's condition......learning to use an AED that could be available to buy time for the patient when ems has been called would be more important.........