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I think that it simply illuminates that fact that politics has everything to do with obscure agendas and very little to do with creating a safe, healthy country for us to live in. I think that we should show Deep Throat to kids in about the 5th grade. There's not a girl on the planet that will have sex before she's 30 after watching it. (Ok, not really.) This attitude simply shows a blindness for real life. kids ARE having sex. Regardless what we tell them, they are drinking, getting stoned, exploring their sexuality. It's unavoidable with the constant exposure to sexuality in our popular media. And I personally think that it's a good thing. Sex is real life. It's vital to passionate, loving relationships. It's not evil, we're all doing it, and sometimes in ways we'd just as soon not talk about to others, yet we want to pretend that it's only good when 'we're' doing it, for others it's wrong and dirty for some reason. Perhaps we stop short? Maybe we should, along with teaching the use of contraceptives, teach oral sex techniques? (Heh, I could just hear Republican sphincters slamming shut all across the City.)I'm actually being serious here. Children are hardwired to begin to distance themselves from their parents at puberty. The most logical way to separate is to rebel against adult rules and thinking. Tell your kids that they can't have sex, and they'll use that to distance themselves from you. Tell them that they're not mature enough to have sex and they'll use sex to prove you wrong. As an act sex isn't good or bad. It can be made either by circumstances. Children need to learn how to mitigate those circumstances, to come to understand it as a vital part of life, though one that requires more thought and care than most other things. I loved the line, "Southworth is trying to censor what students learn, usurping the role of parents." I don't really get this. Teaching your children about sensuality, sexuality, and eroticism is the role of parents, both through instruction and example. If you've left that to the schools, yet find that they will no longer be doing your job, then I'm afraid you'll either be forced to step up to the plate, or send your kids out into the world unprepared. And we know the decision that the majority of parents are making by the abhorrent attitude on these subjects many young people are expressing. Too often they're expressing it with unwanted pregnancy, casual sex, sexual disease and sexual crime. Tell kids that they have options. That sex is awesome and amazing but that it comes with responsibilities. Explain those responsibilities, how to approach them responsibly and how to mitigate the possible consequences and most kids are going to listen. They truly aren't the ignorant little beasts that the adult media would lead one to believe. In many, if not most cases they are kind, intelligent, inspired young people that have been left adrift by past generations that have 'cared' for them by censoring necessary information from their upbringing, I vote a pretty much straight Republican ticket. But just watch, it won't be long before Mr. Republican, Christian, church going "Don't teach kids about condoms because it will make them have sex" will have pics of him being spanked on his bare ass by a transvestite wielding a Ken doll floating all over the internet. A byproduct of the "Sex is dirty so let's not talk about it" generation. Great article Matty. I hope it generates the discussion it deserves. Dwayne

A question directed toward "older" and more experienced EMS personnel: How do you feel about working with a partner that's significantly younger than you (i.e. in the 19-21 range)? Assuming that they are competent and professional while on the job, does the age dif make a difference in your work relationship? Personal relationship? If you had the choice would you instead choose an older partner with more years on the job? I myself am a younger EMT and have been extremely priviledged to work with a group of awesome EMS professionals that have been on my side and rooting for me all along. Even the senior ones have chosen to treat me with respect and seem extremely genuine in their desire to be not only my teacher, but my friend. They've made a large effort to make me part of the group, despite a significant age difference. I cannot say what this has meant to me! They've truly helped me to grow into myself and develop confidence. Young people need mentors like this. I'd like to know how other EMS agencies function in this regard. Is this common? I pick up off this site (from some) a certain level of cynicism and belittling toward anyone "below" them, as in level of training, ect. Am I mistaken in that assumption? (I do realize that a LOT is to be said for training and experience and that it deserves respect - I'm not downing on that.) Everyone starts small. What if all the more senior EMS professionals were to, instead of belittling and degrading the less experienced, become encouragers, inspiring their younger EMS brother's and sister's on and challenging them to better their work ethic and all other aspects of their job? Leave a legacy, so to speak. Thank you to those of you who already do this. You're the horoes.

8-11 an hour in Pittsburgh may be equivalent to 15 an hour in a large city like Boston or NYC. 15 an hour in these cities won't get you very far. I made 32/hr in NY as a medic and that was barely enough to pay the bills without OT or side work.

Disagree. You collect insurance premiums, YOU buy it, no matter whose fault it is. However, I would agree that it would be good form to offer to pay for it. Or better yet, insist on it. But no, it's not his responsibility, just a classy move. In reality, nobody will pay for it. They're not going to replace the rim for a microscopic dent.

I disagree with all of the posts that say "Dock them the pay." Shit happens. People are going to bump curbs. It's a cost of doing business.

Thats about right here for CA. I would definitely not go into EMS to make money. I think you really have to have a true passion for it to force the negatives to outweigh the positives.

I really like working with most of the younger people in our service, though most of them could be considered younger when compared to me. Age is really unimportant to me. I love to watch people learn, like to watch their confidence grow. We have a kid that's a full time fireman working with us as a part time basic. We ran a call to Detox, an intoxicated pt well known to me. He was working fire and asked if he could get the IV. I said sure, "Get me a 14 or 16." I wanted to make him uncomfortable, as he's not had much experience starting IVs. He was, but he jumped in, grabbed a 14 and proceeded to miss his stick. I told him to go again, he did, again with a 14 (I really liked the fact that he didn't default to a smaller catheter when he got nervous) and got his stick. He simply trusted that I knew what I was doing, jumped in and did something that made him nervous, and asked later why I did what I'd done. After the call I explained to him that the Detox crowd isn't popular with our local ER and that most often they will simply be cleared and returned, where often we'll run on them again in the next few hours. Much of their discomfort comes from being dehydrated by the alcohol and that I can run a full bag of fluid through a 14-16 in the time I have them and mitigate some of their suffering plus possibly the need to run them again in the next few hours. (People sometimes believe I use these sizes to punish our frequent fliers, but the opposite is actually true. I want to see that they get treatment, and in this group of pts, that takes a larger IV I believe.) Anyway, my very long winded reply is meant to show that it's spirit that I cherish in a partner, the desire to show up on scene and actually use the tools available when we can, to be smarter tomorrow than we are today. Ask questions, mention my mistakes, debate everything you feel educated enough to disagree with, volunteer to do things that scare you, be pt focused and I'll love you forever, regardless of your age. Dwayne

stick with honesty but don't give up without a fight. To have taken the blame is honorable but if you have no idea how it happened then the truth is 'you have no idea'. If you did and failed to report it then look them straight in the eye and tell them that and give your reason. good luck

I take no credit for writing this. I found it at: www.medicmadness.com If Chuck Norris was a Paramedic March 20, 2010 Posted by Sean If you have never heard of Chuck Norris, then you have been living under a rock with no daytime cable. From the “Delta Force” to “Walker Texas Ranger”, he has shown the world that he is one certified badass. Now today we are going to talk about what happens when you take Chuck Norris from the role of kicking ass to saving lives. So now the big question…… What kind of Paramedic would Chuck Norris be? Shifts Chuck Norris doesn’t work shifts. He tells people when they are allowed to have emergencies. This is done around his busy schedule. At no time will he be tied down to scheduled hours. Scene Safety We all know the “Texas Ranger” doesn’t need to cleared to a scene. As a matter of fact, he prefers to live life on the edge. The more dangerous the scene, the better. My guess is law enforcement wouldn’t be dispatched to any of his calls. Response Chuck Norris doesn’t respond to calls. The calls respond to him. When he gives the OK to have an emergency, patients will make their way to his location. He can’t be bothered with driving and trying to find peoples homes. Vehicle Chuck Norris doesn’t need a vehicle to respond in, as he doesn’t respond. Patient’s seeking his services must provide their own form of transportation. Partner Come on now…..we all know Chuck Norris works alone! Equipment Chuck Norris doesn’t need medical gear, tools or medications. Disease processes quiver at the very sight of Chuck Norris and have no choice but to immediately comply to his demands. Patients suffering from trauma usually got their injuries as a result of a Chuck Norris beating. There isn’t much treatment that can be done to improve their condition anyway. You can’t end a post about Chuck Norris without including some old Chuck Norris facts….. Here are some health/medical related Chuck Norris facts that I found for your reading pleasure! The leading causes of death in the United States are 1. Heart disease 2. Chuck Norris 3. Cancer TNT was originally developed by Chuck Norris to cure indigestion Chuck Norris will never have a heart attack. His heart isn’t foolish enough to attack him. Chuck Norris doesn’t get frost bite. Chuck Norris bites frost. Chuck Norris’ tears can cure cancer. The only problem is, Chuck Norris doesn’t cry.

I absolutely have no problems with younger partners. If I did at my age, I would have nobody to partner with! But I have always judged people on their merits (and demerits), not on age, sex, race, height, or anything else so superficially insignificant. As you say, if they perform professionally and competently, and are pleasant to be around for 12 or more hours, then that's all I care about. I've had no more problems with the professionalism and competency of younger partners than I have with older partners. That said, I can't honestly say that I have worked with many under 21 people, since I have rarely worked for an agency that would hire them. As for everyone starting small, this is not at all true. Many, many, many EMS personnel start their career as a paramedic, with a degree even, without ever spending a day on the street as an EMT. And in my thirty-five years of practice, they tend to become the best medics. There are some notable examples of these people on this forum. EMS is serious business, not a hobby or a game to be figured out on the job. People's lives are at stake with every single decision or move you make. To start out with less than the best possible educational preparation is recklessly negligent, as far as I am concerned. Sure, everyone is in a hurry to hit the streets. But medicine isn't about you or what you want. It's about our patients and what they need and deserve. So again, not everyone has to start small. Only those who think small will do that. I don't work with small thinkers. Which means I don't work with EMTs. I want a partner, not a helper. Does that mean I "belittle" anyone below me? Nope. I simply follow the hierarchy that is already established by the powers that be. I didn't make up the chain of command. I didn't put EMTs below Paramedics. It is what it is, and I have to live by it just like you do. If you go around blaming paramedics for recognising the limitations of your training, you're not going to get very far in this profession. Instead of making excuses for your inadequacies, you'd be much better off just working on moving up in the profession by getting more education. After all, it's not my fault you're not a paramedic, it's your fault. So don't run around the field with a chip on your shoulder about having to be "small" or "under" someone else. You are what you make of yourself. Nobody can make you what you are not. And just FYI, once you're a paramedic, you're still going to be "under" somebody, who will probably be belittling you because they have a whopping six months seniority on you. It never ends, even after thirty-five years, so don't worry, you're not the only one getting picked on. There you go; the very best inspiration, encouragement, and challenge you will ever receive in your career. Free of charge. If it helps you, then consider donating to EMT City. If not, I'm sorry, but I honestly tried. Oh, and SPELL CHECK FTW. Best of luck!