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There is no reason for a medical student to know the difference between BLS and ALS because in the hospital there is no such thing, in the hospital it is called practicing medicine. This is not even close to your situation with the buff equipment. As for the last comment, yeah whatever, because most paramedics and EMTs aren't full of themselves. Nice stereotype there. Most med students who have never had pt contact are scared as hell of it because they respect what they don't know.

A fifth grader asked her mother the age-old question, 'How did I get here?' Her mother told her, 'God sent you.' 'Did God send you, too?' asked the child. 'Yes, Dear,' the mother replied. 'What about Grandma and Grandpa?' the child persisted 'He sent them also,' the mother said. 'Did he send their parents, too?' asked the child. 'Yes, Dear, He did,' said the mother patiently. 'So you're telling me that there has been NO sex in this family for 200 years? No wonder everyone's so grouchy around here!'

Goggle search .. use of the big "T" http://firstaid.about.com/od/bleedingcontrol/a/07_tourniquets.htm Pretty much cover's it for a lay person.

I read the link, and recall then NYC Mayor Giuliani, and former New Jersey Governor Whitman, assuring everyone at "Ground Zero", the World Trade Center collapse zone and surrounding areas under the resultant dust cloud, that there was no danger from breathing the air in the WTC area. I've lost track of the funerals I have gone to from WTC Dust related resperatory illnesses.

I didn't personally do anything out of the norm, but I was once dispatched to a haunted house. There was this very superstitious Mexican family who called the sheriff because the "ghost was getting angry". The father was feeling a little nauseous, and the family was blaming the ghost. I asked the father what he had done throughout the day and he claimed he had gone to work (construction in the hot summer sun). I asked the father what he had eaten (a few spoonfuls of Corn Flakes in the morning and he skipped lunch). I asked what he had drunk (a bottle of water in the morning). And they were blaming all of this on the family ghost... They wanted the deputy to force to ghost to leave. He was nice enough to go inside and give the ghost a trespass warning. I advised against encouraging them, but he defeintly went out of his way.

And, what's very interesting is that PHTLS and AHA First Aid are now both teaching the use of tourniquets. No more raising the limb or apply pressure to the closest artery...simply applying a tourniquet. Me, not had the chance yet. Biggest bleed I've had so far was on the head, and I just couldn't figure out the best place to put it. Toni

My phone woke me up at noon today with alerts about this. Crazy! You never hear of anything going on in Norway. I figured frostbite was their biggest threat. But anyplace you have a "labour party" with "youth camps," you're bound to have problems. That's how the Nazis got started.

Hmm...my "outside the box" duties aren't as cool as that. I changed the battery in a hearing aid and set up a refusal with ice cream and a spoon so he'd quit falling when trying to get it himself from the fridge.

Actually, they all seem like things that might be touched on but not covered in a first aid field guild for the novice. And I'm not sure by what definition of a troll this poster would fit? Polite, respectful, responds directly to every statement directed at them without being an ass.....what about any of that is trollish? For your question...yeah, I have used tourniquets, am positive that I will use them again in my career, but their use is very, very rare in EMS and a really bad idea for the novice. The problem with them for the novice is that there is so much adrenaline and so little education that a lot of damage can be done with a tourniquets. You see, you only want to stem the flow of blood, not stop it. If you twist a tourniquet tight enough to completely stop the flow of blood there is a decent chance that you'll damage the vessels under it as well as starve everything after it. In the earlier levels of first aid you often have people that can only see "Bleeding=Bad", therefore, anything that stops the flow of blood=Good, and that's not the case in most instances. Many, yes. Most, no. At the paramedic level we have to worry not only about life, but limbs as well when we can. Saving a life while needlessly losing a limb is the worst kind of bad medicine. Dressings and bandages are good because they avoid rescuer added vascular damage that tourniquets can produce if put on in the wrong place or too tightly. Also, dressings protect the wound margins (The edges of the wounds that the smart people at the hospital may be able to use to close/repair the wound if we haven't damaged them in some way.) and keep them moist. So, if you have a big wound, dressing and HARD pressure, if it bleeds through, more dressings WITHOUT EVER lifting the first, and then more. If you see someone with their arm cut clean off...dressings or tourniquets? Dressings if possible...we want the blood to continue to feed the wound ends without causing a significant continued loss of blood. How about two legs and one arm amputated with blood spurting everywhere? (Reference 2c4s post above) Tourniquet, tourniquet, tourniquet. See what I mean? This dude is hosed anyway, but you just can't manage him with dressings on that many severe wounds. If you're not sure if you should use a tourniquet or not? Don't......It's a good rule of thumb. Dwayne Edited to correct a typo. No other changes made.

Assuming this is a critical patient, would there be a need during a 2 hour drive? Also, how would you do the paperwork? I'm under the mindset that if I start with the patent, I should end with the patient. Not to mention...how do you explain to the non-critical patient, "I'm bored and will now be switching with my partner. It's been fun, though." Toni

When you approach the patient, and the first thing that comes to mind is: JESUS! HOLY S#!T! OH F##K! DO YOU HAVE ANY BLOOD LEFT I WISH I HAD TWO MORE HANDS WHERE'S THE REST OF IT ET AL, ETC... You should probably use a tourniquet. Our protocol allows for TK use, when direct pressure isn't working. They're pushing them for use now, no longer as a last resort. In fact, Pennsylvania has made commercially produced tourniquets a requirement. Several years ago, we'd probably have just stopped and got a stick somewhere and used a cravat. I've used TK's three times, all related to rural industry. The one that sticks out the most involved an arm caught in a grain bin drive belt. There was bone left, unfractured, but all the tissues, muscles, etc, were ripped away. The hand was degloved, and partially amputated, the radius and ulna were there, and they were feeling lonely. The blood loss was horrific, I don't know how the patient was still alive. Off the beaten path, very rough roads to get there, at least 25 miles out. I asked if there had been water in the room before, as to turn red and mock blood. No. So, wow... He survived, but with out an arm, which as a farmer... Is kind of throwing yourself into early retirement.

Figured I'd stop in and say hi, names Matt, from Wisconsin. Been an EMT Basic since 2006, ran on a service part time for 3 years and spent a stint working in Milwaukee, did my thing down there, wanted the experience... and well I got it. Service I was with for 3 years ran fire as well. I've currently got 3 1/2 months of paramedic class left. Some ask why I want to do what I'm doing, and the best answer I can come up with is I've had a person die right infront of me when I was new, mainly because I couldn't do anything about it, and I don't want to have to live with that again, atleast now if they die well, it was either their time, or I messed up haha. Gotta have some sense of humor.....

Welcome aboard, Nightshift. Even with best effort of myself, partners and/or BLS crew, with Paramedic ALS on the call, I've lost patients. It is an an fortunate reality of our jobs. People die. If you can't save them, have the friends/family/bystanders know that you did your best, by them observing you giving that effort.

Hey man, Welcome to the City. Yeah, being a medic pretty much guarantees that you will have way more people die in front of you while there's little or nothing that you can do than ever before. But that's the gig brother. At least now, if you're in a good program, you'll have a better understanding of why. You should feel more comfortable knowing that there was little you could do, and for some, it's simply their time. But, those patients are rare in the Grande Scheme of things. Good to have you here man...jump in, be brave, ask, answer, debate....just don't be a baby... :-) Dwayne

I am not a EMT or an active student. I am a private citizen who is highly interested in learning all I can about Medical Emergencies, Trauma Care and First Aid. I am currently finishing up three different medical / first aid kits: 1) Individual VOK / Trauma kit 2) M3 bag kit 3) Medical Backpack I also have plans for an organized, resupply case/trunk. I joined here to learn as much as I can and to help get me pointed in the right direction for good civilian training. Thanks, LB

Yep, I am former Marine infantry ( 0311 knuckle-dragger ) looking for knowledge. Not looking to be a superman save the day type. Just want to find out what I need, what I dont need and to learn how to "properly" use what I do have. Not really on the look-out for nuke toting zombies or swarms of E.T.s... we don't get those alot around here, but thanks for giving me a headsup! =) Not really looking to join a local or volunteer team at the moment. But maybe in the future. I live in a small rural county that sits next to a large metro county. Both counties are located on a large but long dormant fault line. We have had a few local public gatherings about disasters and disaster recovery/relief and honestly I was dis-heartened by their lack of prep and organization at the political level. The first-responders will have their hands full for a long time. My family and several of my friends families that are very close knit decided to do some preps. Nothing overboard by any means. but better than sitting around wondering why the govt. has not saved us yet...I am not trying to be the end all of all things medical. Not looking to perform surgeries, I just want to be prepared as much as I can. I also enjoy several shooting sports and carry a small kit in case someone is injured. I could possibly apply a dressing/tourniquet and help keep them alive until the cavalry arrives. I know that gear is not enough, hence why i am here to learn what I can or to listen to advice on what classes are available for someone like me. Yep, I believe I have seen that bag with all the narcotics on the Internetz.... I am sure the Airsoft / Zombie forums were drooling. Some ppl have alot of money to buy alot of stuff. If they enjoy doing that then, hey, it's a free country. Its just not cup of tea to try and impress alot of ppl with expensive gear. I believe experienced ppl can do more with less, than the clueless can do in a hospital full of stuff. Also, I do not have any plans of stocking narcotics so that is not a concern of mine. We have thought alot about all those scenarios and some times you have to just do what you can do. You can prepare for everything and then lose it all, God forbid, in a house fire, a tornado or a multitude of chance disasters. Like I have said, I am not a medical professional and not interested in wanting to pretend I am one. Just looking for solid skills to use with a bare bones kit. 1) A small kit for Trauma 2) A larger M3 kit that would be easier to tote than a backpack and capable of handling multiple injuriesas well as a boo-boo kit for non serious stuff. 3) The backpack would be a resupply for the M3 bag as well as overflow gear / items that are seldom used but could possible be needed at some point. All other overflow (bandages, dressings, etc) are in sealed plastic totes. These kits hopefully will never be used. But in case they are, I want to be capable and confident. Thanks for the tips on reading material. I have already been eyeing several of those titles. Please keep the questions and advise coming! Thanks, LB

Because EMS is run by these people. But, ever notice that most of these incidents are with fire departments? Obviously there is an intelligence gap there.

Medical school is hard & complex enough without this added annoyance. Unless you're planning to work in an ER, EMT training is going to be of little practical use. Granted, all students should know BLS & ALS practices, but why if somebody wants to be a dermatologist, then why should they have to ride an ambulance to do so? Hell, if somebody wants to be a general practitioner, why should they have to ride an ambulance? Remember when you guys jumped on me for carrying LE equipment and having combat training? This is similar to that. Doctors and EMTs have very different jobs, and I think it's silly to require that doctors learn how to be EMTs. Plus, I'd probably hate to ride with a med student. I have a strong feeling they'd be full of themselves.

Wow, are you guys really this obsessed with me? I'm near NYC, but I don't live in NYC. I don't want to give my exact location/department, as I don't want my employer to easily identify my postings. All too often nowadays background checks involve internet checks. I like to keep myself anonymous. "Bus" is the slang term we use amongst ourselves here. RA is the way we refer to ourselves over the air, and outside agencies request an ambulance by asking for a "RA". And if you listen closely to the North Hollywood radio transmitions, they send the RA to the CP (which I believe stands for command post). I assume this is probably a few blocks away from the war zone.