iMac

All but one service I worked for were/are rural ALS services. For all of them I would be able to respond from home or if I happend to work casual I would stay at the base. One service I worked for I worked in the ER during the day so I would be coming from the hospital.

what is math?...It's interesting to see that some of the best paramedics out there are also the worst with their math. I have worked with a large number of paramedics who really only knew how to do the equations required to calculate drugs, anything else out of what is required in medicine and they had no idea.

"We turn out doctors without making them become EMTs/Medics/Nurses/PAs first" I had never thought of it that way before. Very good point. Thanks Doc.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha...this is funny http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cvbi-T6LSw

Do what Dust says :compress:

I hate you all. I made 4.75 on call which switch to 17/hour when the radio would go off. I think I just rememinded myself of one of the reasons why I left that service.

Personal decision.Would be based on the pt's condition, distance to the nearest trauma centre, weather, extrication time, the golden hour. If you have a serious trauma pt trapped in an vehicle, chances are you might want to have a chopper ready to get him to the horsepital to make it that "hour". There are so many things that can affect your decision. I have only flown one patient. He was presenting with your classic MI signs/symptoms, unstable vitals and we were over an hour away to closest ALS backup as well as medical facility that could actually handle this particular case. Made the decision on the simple fact, to me he was very ill and we were away from everything (like always). I did second guess myself. Later learned it had been the right decision. It all depends on the situation. I've worked in a air medical dispatch centre and know the list of your typical reasons for putting a chopper on pre-alert or launch them, but having said that I know I second guessed that day. Situation dependant. I don't know it would be possible to make a solid yes or no list as to when you should or shouldn't send out a chopper. Just keep in mind that if you're flying your pt based more on you wanting a thrill, you're possibly putting someone's else's life at risk who might have actually needed that chopper. Use common sense.

I should start a thread about Dust... :twisted: :-#

Another really interesting post. Good points Rid.

LOL Dust. You're jealous admit it, you want to have a horsey to play with, it's ok I'll share mine with you :wink:

Working rural can be rough. The last dead body I had while on call, I can still remember clearly. It came in in the middle of the night initially as a unconscious/Fainting which was changed to a "life status questionable" right before we got on scene which took 35+mins. We arrived on scene ready to work a code. As it turned out, the patient had been for a while. Lividity present but because of the environment the pt was in, the body was warm. The pt looked peacful, almost as if he/she was only sleeping. I will always remember what it fel like. Even tho I knew in a way she had been dead for a long time long enough to cause lividity, I felt guilty for taking as long as I took to get to them. I felt guilty for not being able to attempt to provide care, I felt at fault that maybe I could have done something. (I knew in this case it would have not made a difference, but I had to learn to deal with it). It's rough sometimes to not feel guilty and realise you do what you can. We are only human

For one the FF was an idiot for driving at a high rated speed when his family is in the van. I can see how he would have wanted to assist the ambo, but who is going to be driving HIS family once he causes an MVC on the way to responding to a call while off duty?? anyways Second what the hell was the cop doing by pulling in front of an a vehicle that had lights? I could see how maybe he would have followed the van to its destination to see what it was about but stopping in front of it?! come on! Give me a break! What the heck is wrong with them people! Never heard of that happening here, but again one word: Canada

Thanks Dwayne, had never seen that post. Huge amount of interesting information.

LMBO...that is hilarious! a good ice breaker?! ha ha ha ha ha :sign11:

emsmonster, You need to be careful when you are in class. Sometimes due to the puncture wound from the I.V. starts you end up getting tissue necrosis and the arm falls off. Just make sure you have health coverage once you make it into the program. :bootyshake:

ah ah ah ah ah ah...thats a funny post. You'll see that everywhere. I think, correct me if I'm wrong, but a job where you need to take a certain amount of pride because of what it is the job sometimes involve. You do get on rare occasions a call where someone truely requires your help. Whether you make a difference or not is for you to decide but yes, you will get the ego because you need to be a very assertive, confident health worked when you're out there. I'm sorry its just a great post

(mental note) when you die, make sure to do it around co-workers. :occasion9:

you are all terrible...

Dust I hate you...

I don't know that specific set of vitals would really ever be considered bad (except for an obvious 50/20 for BP, that wouldnt be so good). Every single one of us is different and might be able to with withstand certain vitals while the next person might not be able to live off of them. Also depends what it is you are looking for, the problem at hand. Pt itself, general health. Most likely why there is probably nothing posted anywhere about vitals. There is nothing set in stone because no one patient is set in stone. Experience is what will get you to understand what is bad and what isnt.

awww...cupcake, had to change his clothes.

Waw that would have been a screwy call. Not sure I would have wanted to be around for that one. I would hope that the pt's Down Syndrome was not the reasoning behind pulling the tube.

When I did my EMT we did IV's on each other in class. Every afternoon we spent 2-3 hours in class doing scenarios where we would really actually start the lines, used O2, did ECGs etc. By the time I graduated from class and did my practicum, I had over 60+ I,V. starts and was very comfortable with the equipment.

Waw, didnt realise it was that disgusting. :shock:

Disrespectful