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Dust makes some really good points and it's true. Networking and actually going to visit the stations, just hanging out and talking to the people and having a chat sometimes helps you find out what they're looking for and how to move forward with getting hired by them. Also, see if there is the opportunity to ride along with them specifically. As to other volunteer things, alot of paid departments don't take kindly to volunteers as most don't train enough to keep up their skills and also only show up to the "good" calls. They don't want to drag out at 3 am. Also, it may seriously hurt you in terms of pay. They see that if you did it for free - why should they pay you as much when you will work for less? Just something to sit back and consider. By all means good luck - but go on and get your medic.

In other words, forget volly gigs. Education is paramount, far above all other concerns. A degree is what will get your "foot in the door". Think about it: You got two people with no experience wanting their foot in your door. One has a three week EMT card, and the other has a two year paramedic education. Which one are you going to let in? It's a no-brainer.

Herbie, I respect your opinions & most of the time I think you are right. We did have the same situation here with free/purchase needles, but now all get them free. What concerns me is the attitude that all junkies (herioin/narcotic users) are street scum that dont deserve the same treatment as everybody else. There are just as many people addicted to narcotics that live in the suburbs. Lets not forget them. There is another solution that I alluded to earlier. Legalise it. This does a number of things & will actually over a relativley short period reduce the number of addicts. Legalisation will reduce crime, make the drug more available & able to be taxed. Lets supply it to registered users. Supply them with a safe place to inject. but then all the mystery of performing an illegal act will be gone. Criminality will be gone & if you go one step further & legalise cocaine as well, then all the money spent on detection, all those billions, could be redirected into providing a first rate FREE ems system to all US citizens!!!!!

This brochure is causing a huge push for our EMT's to be given Narcan to administer under the premise if a heroin junkie can be given an auto injector with narcan, why cant a trained medical professional do the same. Here in NYC EMT's are not responsible for any injections except auto injectors. So if they were given Narcan in auto injectors the training needed would be minimal, the other thing that has been mentioned is nasal atomizers, so the EMT's wont even have to deal with sharps, as EMT's don't regularly use any sharps. Brochure over all good idea. Can't hurt anyone ... People who are going to do these things will do them anyway.

Just want to get your opinion on the best ways to get your foot in the door. I just completed the TN EMT-IV program and passed my NREMT a couple of weeks ago. I am coming into the world of EMS a little later in life (age 43)and want to get on to Paramedic school as soon as I can get some good practical experience under my belt. I already have a bachelor's degree in Marketing- contemplated a bridge program for nursing but fell in love with EMS. Husband is active duty Air Force, so I don't require benefits. What is the best way to go about networking? Volunteer with the Rescue Squad? Ideas are greatly appreciated. Leanne

I thought you guys might be interested in my interview with Keith Lurie, M.D. where we discuss the ResQPOD and the ROC PRIMED trial. http://ems12lead.blo...h-lurie-md.html Tom

Once name calling starts in attempts to invalidate education, it just provides more evidence there is a need for increasing the education at the entry level. There reason most of us moved on from being first aiders at an EMT level is to provide a higher level of care with more indepth understanding to our patients. BTW, you are the only one who has directly used the word "ignorant" in reference to the EMT.

I am all for harm minimization, although I'm sure of the efficacy of pamphlets specifically. I listened to a couple of speeches recently. One by Dr Alex Wodak and another by Norm Stamper. Both on the uselessness of the "war on drugs" (seems likes its been a popular topic on ABC radio of late) and the supposed benefits of the legalisation and regulation - it seems solid to me. They've got my vote. People will always want to have sex, get wasted and seek various other thrills. Simply trying to stop them doing it is short sighted and unrealistic. Chastity this and promise ring that, prohibition, banning condoms, zero tollerance drug policies...none of these things ever seem to work. You may as well accept that people will always want to be involved in this kind of behaviour and try and minimize any harm that comes from it.

Spend that year doing nothing but taking the college prerequisite courses necessary to establish a foundation for paramedic education. Then, when you have the ability to devote serious, full-time commitment to it, you can go for paramedic school. This is not a first aid course. A full-time commitment is necessary to excel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OymNjx55pPw dusty made me think of this.

Most of the med students that are being placed into preceptorships while still in first year are at med schools with a primary care emphasis and these students are usually placed with family medicine physicians. They typically have already completed gross anatomy or are in the middle of it in school. They are also in the middle of whole classes dedicated the the physical exam called something like "physical diagnosis" (which the hours they spend in this lab class in a 2 months probably well exceed the EMT 120 hours) Like the whole point of this thread, first year med students do not go into a room and work up their own patient and do what they want, they do what their preceptor tells them too. I, nor anyone else, is arguing against allowing EMT students to palpate an abdomen. I am arguing against an EMT student deciding to launch into an exam on his own accord, without the permission of the preceptor (which you will realize if you re read the original post in this thread). They just do not have the education to decide for themselves what is indicated or not. Comparing a medical student with four years of biological science intensive undergraduate education, with a 120 hour first aid class student is really the extreme end of apples to oranges.

I believe the "3 week card" reference was as to possession of said card, not the time it took to acquire it. Anyway, welcome to the city, and good luck with either, or both, continuing your EMS education, and the job hunt. Richard B, the EMT, Member, FDNY EMS Command.

Hell, somebody reading the run reports would be an improvement for most departments around me.

Think about it: You got two people with no experience wanting their foot in your door. One has a three week EMT card, and the other has a two year paramedic education. Which one are you going to let in? It's a no-brainer.

I have been using the Phillips Heartstart MRx for over a year between two services. They're making it seem like it's all that and a bag of chips, and while it's a great monitor, it's no substitute for a well-educated practitioner. I am particularly bothered by the statement that "it detects thing I wouldn't." I can tell you one major reason it detects things I do not is because it's incorrect. You simply can not rely on your monitor to interpret your 12-lead, period. It may produce a correct analysis 99% of the time, but it's that 1% that will bite you if you can't interpret the reading yourself. It is unable to interpret the 15 or 18-lead ECG correctly for obvious reasons. Don't get me wrong, I love my Phillips a whole lot more that I ever liked the lifepak, but in my experience it's produced an incorrect analysis on numerous occasions. In particular, it has trouble interpreting sinus bradycardia or sinus tachycardia. It often interprets them as normal sinus rhythm despite the high or low heart rate. I've also had a lot of problems with it telling me the patient is in asystole, even when I see a beautiful sinus rhythm and I'm talking to the asystolic patient in question. Bottom line, don't expect your monitor, no matter how fancy or expensive, to do your work.

When working on a truck when have you gotten an indepth discussion about A&P exactly as you would in a college classroom and a lab? And if it was you palpation that caused the pain or aggravated the condition due to uneducated and untrained hands? On a sick patient in the back of an ambulance is not a good time for someone who has knowledge of A&P to get their first practice. What do you call the cadaver lab they get in med school? How about the pathophysiology classes they get in med school? They don't just take basket weaving classes in med school or at least those in the med schools in Florida don't and I'm pretty sure the UC med schools don't either. Somewhere they are taught what the body is made of. Have you been to their lectures? Their cadaver labs? Med students still look pretty ackward trying to figure out a ventilator even after we lecture them for 40 hours. Howe much lecture and lab is done for the EMT on "medical conditions"? Medical illnesses are the weakest link of all for the EMT as their primary focus is first aid and CPR. You are comparing med school to a 110 hour EMT first aid course?

This will be an unpopular view and I can't wait to see how many people give me a negative response to it. Don't care... To me, this is like throwing up your hands and giving up on the problem. This whole notion of things like handing out clean needles to addicts or putting out a how to inject heroin manual is insane. How does this really help the drug addict, or even society in general? Of all the friends, coworkers, and acquaintances I have, from all walks of life, I know of NOBODY that has become infected with HIV or even things like Hepatitis B from anything other than engaging in at risk behavior. Treat the addict, come down HARD on the dealers, or decriminalize, which takes the motive out of the equation- profit. If we are treating this idea- putting out a pamphlet- as a PSA and a public health initiative, then why don't we hand out info on ways to get free booze to alcoholics too? After all, people engage in all types of illegal activities to support that habit which results in injuries and health problems to them and to others, costs millions of dollars, so what's the real difference here? We're OK with the notion of handing out free needles to drug addicts yet someone with a legitimate medical condition like diabetes needs to BUY their own needles. Doesn't anyone else think this is crazy? Let the flaming begin...

Why do we insist on sticking our head in the sand!!! We Have addict better teach them how to be safe&not spread diseases by sharing needles?

Volunteer if your town has one, as for getting experience for Medic school, get a job as an ER tech in a busy trauma 1 hospital. That's what I did while I was in paramedic school, learned a lot working with excellent doctors&nurses. Best Of Luck

Agree with Spenac......Start on the education, but if feasible, try to get whatever experience along with the schooling, whether volunteer or part-time. School and full-time may be difficult, but if you get hired at the right place, they may make schedule provisions to do both.

First and foremost go straight to your education. There is no reason to delay starting the Paramedic Degree. Second go out and personally visit EMS stations even if they are not advertising job openings. Also if you see an ambulance crew out in town on break stop and visit quickly maybe buy them a drink, you would be surprised how some of the guys on the ambulance carry weight in deciding who gets hired. Never rely on mail or phones looking for jobs. No reason to spend time in the volly ranks. In fact some places will not hire if you were a volly.

I feel you girl, I started in my mid-thirties. I volunteered with the fire dept. and did ride alongs with everyone in sight. I fell in love too--9 years later and I'm still loving it most of the time. Occasionaly I threaten to go be the wal-mart greeter at three in the morning but this is it for me. Good luck and stay clear of politics. The young ones don't care who they throw under the bus on their way to glory--lol.

Legalise it, make it easier to access & control it. Take the criminality away. Provide injecting rooms & appropriate counselling. Whats the problem, with a damn brochure?

while some live by the saying of "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" i am not that person. To be labeled a "trouble maker" is ignorant when you don't know what really goes on. While my thoughts and ways of doing things definetly come out of left field sometimes, there is sanity to them and cause. Since meeting Kaisu, i've become a better person. She has taught me things and is what I consider to be my best friend. Management knows they couldn't get me to throw her under the bus. We would end up going down together. However, thank you for your concern and looking at another aspect. No hurt feelings.

Ive seen some local fire trucks around here at Subways, KFC, and the such. I wonder just how wrong, i.e. funny, it would be if one of these trucks pulled up at KFC with the PETA ad on the side...lol And I just have to say that meat is muder.................... Tastey, tastey murder. Yummmm *I wonder if I will start getting negative votes now lol

Good to know. Thanks for the new info. I think we both understand what eachother is saying.

General (inorganic at some schools) chem and biochem. I honestly don't see a need for o-chem for EMS. In fact, one of the few things I remember from O-Chem is that SN2 reactions does it from behind.

Where do you write it?

Umm, decaf maybe? Pretty sure he was talking about demographics being the only thing he writes down EN ROUTE. Not "at all." Since that's what the last few posts were about- documenting en route versus waiting.

We don't "hunt and steal." State law requires them to resupply us. Now. If you ask why that law was enacted.... I have a few theories.

1. Piss poor medics that were thrown through a minimalistic half assed run course with piss poor preceptors. 2. Piss poor equipment, crappy protocols that do not address even the basics of patient care. 3. A Fire Department that places little emphasis on caring about the medical needs of the community. 4. Poor and minimally involved medical direction that is not current on evidence based medicine. 5. A city that has decreased faith in the department due to multiple political and racial scandals. Need I continue???? The study did try to address the logistic issues, but many turned a blind eye and listened to a Fire Chief with no EMS background and one who had no interest in EMS. Add to that a time where medical direction was weak and with its own scandal, it all added up. These folks are over worked in an undercaring system. I'm not sure it can be saved...................

What are you saying Syphilis? That Lisa's appreciation of the people who cared for her is not so sincere as that of Cst. Czapnik because her medical emergency wasn't quite as severe? That is how I interpret your comment. All she is stating is that she appreciated the efforts of the paramedics who treated her and can empathize with the appreciation that this officer felt. There are enough medics out there who bitch and moan that ours is a thankless job, it doesn't help matters when our peers belittle those who express their appreciation for a job well done.

This was a little more than tonsilectomy ... What kind of cop WOULDN'T have a vest on? Unfortunately they don't make them for tracheas ... This was an extreme situation that doesn't happen every day. DUH, I think we all know these medics SHOULDN'T have done what they did. Great thing to point out there rock ... I only hope I have the same courage to do what they all did, should I ever be faced with that situation because I know I couldn't live with myself if I ran away. Yup.

I realize I'm going to infuriate a lot of these 'super medics', but what I don't understand about the whole 'Basics keep your hands off patients' mentality is this: not one of you were born with this 'super brain' pre-filled with all the knowledge you've acquired over your years of college education. Some of you were 'educated' in EMS practices while the program looked a lot like what we saw on "Emergency!". Many seem to have forgotten that they too, started out as the same 'advanced first-aiders' that you refer to the EMT-Basic as; and your education at that time was even LESS than what's being required today! The whole point of what we do, is to gather as much information about the patient's condition on scene as we can; (whether we actually are able to understand it or not), and pass that information on to someone who actually DOES understand it. In order to gather this information, we have to TOUCH our patients *gasp!*. There has been a lot of comments about the EMT-B being 'ignorant' because they don't fully know what they don't know. But who is actually more 'ignorant'? The Basic that doesn't know that they don't know, or the 'old-timer medic' that seems to have forgotten that they didn't always know what they know now? I've been in this profession long enough to have seen the arrogance of some medics manifest in many different forms. From being 'too good' to respond to the late night nursing home call because it was 'beneath them', to what I'm seeing now. *DISCLAIMER*: I'm in no way implying that ALL medics exhibit this mentality! EVERY job/profession/career has an 'entry level', EMS is no different! The biggest 'difference' I see is that only EMS tries to eat the young and drive them from this field. You don't see the lawyers circling like sharks around a paralegal, you don't see the MD's/DO's attacking interns like piranhas that haven't eaten in a month either! Only in EMS do we smell 'fresh meat' and attack like a pack of wild hyenas.... It seems that the whole mentality has shifted from 'teach those that know less than you and encourage them to continue on in their education', to 'seek out those that don't know as much as you and drive them from the field after destroying them'! We've all bitched and complained about how 'short handed' the field is, but you have to ask yourself if it MIGHT be a direct result of the latter mentality listed above.... Just because the 'lower license levels' may not know as much as you 'super medics', doesn't mean that they don't belong in EMS; nor are they to be relegated to only putting 'band-aids on boo-boos'! There are a lot of medics out there that have the 'collegite credentials' that still can't function without 'the book', and not everyone without a college education is a 'blithering idiot'! It seems that 'ignorance' has been confused with 'not knowing' lately. Ignorance is not admitting that there's things out there that you DON'T know, and a lack of knowledge is NOT ignorance. Remember people, arrogance can kill just as fast and just as dead as ignorance!

Most of 1-5 sounds like opinions, rather than facts. I mean piss poor medics unless you ride out with each and every one of them how do you know?, as far as the equipment well thats just opinion, as far as the department placing little emphisis on the needs of the community, well that is upper level politics and mission statement type of stuff again opinion. Those are not fact evidence of why you , in my opinion don't like HFD.

Nooooooooooooooo really?

We usual have like 70% of it filled out by the time we get to the hospital. My state doesnt take EMTs serious at all though. Our verbal reports end up being very short as the nurses just blow us off. This could have something to do with how quickly we get out of the hospital.

So you're not even in EMS yet?

So I am wondering: If you don't think you are very smart, why are you doing it? You are basically denigrating your own peers, your own profession. I am sure your local peers would appreciate hearing what you think of them. Nice team mate.

So I decided to be the first one to make a topic for mad people. Seems as though some feel that a topic for a deceased brother is a good place to tell someone how ticked off you are. Well, I disagree. Several topics here get so far away from the actual point, frequently due to someone misunderstanding and going on about how correct they think they are. So here's the perfect chance to air your frustrations about someone who's ticked you off in a topic, without that topic going wayyyy off track and having people make themselves look ridiculous. For those who want to participate, you can start with me. Who wants to go first? Oh, I should add ... keep the language clean of course!