8151 Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Wash the medics feet at the end of each shift. Prep the medics bed by laying out his/her blanket or sleeping bag and place a fresh chocolate mint on his/her pillow. :wink: Listen to Dusts advice and take his advice. :thumbleft: Learn,learn,learn.......have fun too! :newb: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnmedic Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Never, never, never "test" or challenge a veteran Paramedic (i.e., ask complex medical questions out of the blue) to help illustrate to others you know more than he/she does or to trip him/her up on something to prove some rhetorical point. This goes hand-in-hand with knowing it all and making sure others are aware of it. That not only ticks off the medics, it really bugs the crap outta everybody and is a surefire way to alienate yourself. And NEVER get into a pissing contest with a Paramedic over things like procedures, protocols, experiences, etc. You may be up to speed on one or two things, but a seasoned Paramedic has a unique "in the real world" perspective as an ALS provider you more than likely won't have. None of us are perfect and we rely heavily upon good EMTs to get us through at times. As a good EMT, you should have humility, accept a certain amount of fear/emotion, take constructive criticism well, know your limitations, be willing to learn and show respect, especially toward someone who has been in EMS longer than you have been alive. Yes, we're not necessarily smarter. We're just a bit wiser. "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." -- Mark Twain ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Ah, the cellphone thing is a good one! :thumbright: Another excellent suggestion was don't hang out in the ER after dropping off the patient. Once he or she is off the cot, you need to be on your way out the door with the cot and all equipment. Even if the patient has a really awesome gunshot wound to the head. Even if they were doing something cool to the patient. Get out of there. Get out of the way and get us ready for the next run. The next move is to immediately move the ambulance to a different parking space if you are taking up one of the spaces nearest the ER entrance. Don't make somebody with a critical patient (or anybody else, for that matter) wheel their patient around you because you were too lazy to move your truck. In fact, unless you had a critical patient, you shouldn't have taken that parking spot in the first place. After the truck is moved, the cot needs to be cleaned, disinfected, the linen changed, the floor cleaned, the squad bench and all work surfaces cleaned, all supplies replaced in the jump bags, and the trash emptied. Only then should you return to the ER. And if you found any patient belongings or EKG strips while cleaning the truck, take them back in with you. Here's a few more: Don't strap a pillow down on my cot. Don't EVER leave my ambulance unlocked. Never. Nowhere. Not even if we are in it. Every door and compartment shall remain locked at all times. ESPECIALLY if we are in it. Don't put your feet on the dashboard. Or the cot. Or the squad bench. Or the couch. Or the table. Or the desk. Or the bed. Or anyplace else that was not specifically designed as a walking surface. Don't use tobacco products while on duty. None. Not in the parking lot. Not out back. Nowhere. Don't hang an IV bag on that hook right over the cot where the tubing bangs the patient in the face all the way to the hospital. Find another place for it. (I want to castrate the idiots who put those things there in the first place. WTF were they thinking? Obviously they have never been a patient on a cot.) Don't give me any $hit about wearing body armour. Don't do anything half-arse. There are darn few things that we do that we are in such a huge hurry for that we cannot take our time and do it correctly and completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghettomedic351 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Have been away for a while, but it is good to see things are consistent. :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPINFV Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Don't EVER leave my ambulance unlocked. Never. Nowhere. Not even if we are in it. Every door and compartment shall remain locked at all times. ESPECIALLY if we are in it. Horton Ambulance's power locks on all the outside doors for the win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicInMichigan Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 This is entertaining just to read you guys!! I have been a Specialist for almost 2 years and will be a Medic as soon as I get my results back, so I was a newbie EMT at one time....just remember...don't move on to another level without being a GOOD basic first. I think everyone should be a basic for at least 2 years before becoming a Medic. Good Medics are always excellent basics first... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Continue to Learn, read anything and everything, study and keep yourself educated. Just because you completed the course does not mean the education and learning end. Quite the contrary, its just beginning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallout Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 This is entertaining just to read you guys!! I have been a Specialist for almost 2 years and will be a Medic as soon as I get my results back, so I was a newbie EMT at one time....just remember...don't move on to another level without being a GOOD basic first. I think everyone should be a basic for at least 2 years before becoming a Medic. Good Medics are always excellent basics first... As has been said many a time around here, no other medical profession requires one to be a LVN before a RN or a RN before a physician. Why should prehospital medicine? I really can't see anyone with any brains taking two years to learn to do what a basic does in terms of medical care, which is essentially put patient on backboard, apply oxygen via some appropriate method and get to a hospital or drive to ALS intercept. It is important to have a handle on the fundamentals of patient treatment, but two years? Some go from joe off the street to RN in that amount of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPINFV Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Some go from joe off the street to RN in that amount of time. And have a college degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Sure, but they don't have sirens or a badge, so who cares? :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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