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It's due to the popular misconception that there is some magical treatment held only at the hospitals which has mysteriously been left out of the hands of the medical providers in the most crucial position to make a significant difference to patient's suffering from out of hospital cardiac arrest, the potency of which is so great that it overrides and undoes the irreparable damage that results from ceasing CPR to transfer patients from scene to the ambulance and the additional damage incurred by poor CPR in the back of a moving vehicle. What I would consider an ideal system: ROSC or bust, or in special situations where there might be some treatment or diagnostic measure not commonly carried on ambulances due to prohibitive costs or other factors that could possibly make a difference, place that tool (be it iStat, equipment for non-routine resuscitative procedures such as a portable ultrasound for in field pericardiocentesis, etc) on a supervisor's vehicle OR if that isn't possible then at minimum a mechanical compression device in its stead to ensure that either the specialized treatment comes to the patient or that transporting the patient to the specialized treatment does not compromise CPR--which holds precedence over all other treatments, save for defibrillation with which it is on par. Zmedic, while transporting a patient to the hospital to perform those diagnostic tests may be helpful in uncovering reversible causes of the cardiac arrest (though in my opinion not as good as bringing those tests to the patient), it's meaningless and useless knowledge to know what the cause (reversible or not) of the arrest was if by the time the patient reaches the hospital their heart and brain are shot from the inadequate CPR en route. You can reverse the arrest, but you'll only be bringing back a brain-dead body.

Two reasons....... 1. Medical Directors still make providers bring dead people in, so that they can determine that they are.......dead. 2. Uneducated/Under-educated or unsure providers are too wrapped up in "what if's" than science and safety....... But that's justmy anecdotal self speaking.........

I've been a medic for 4+ years. Frequented ems forums (this site and others) when I was a new medic but haven't been online for quite some time. I worked 3 1/2 years at a busy and troubled inner city FD as a single role paramedic (no fire suppression) and now i work at a rural hospital based ambulance district. Our closest level 1 is over an hour away by ground with good road conditions, no traffic, and the EMT driving the rig hard. I consider myself an experienced and knowledgeable paramedic but also am grounded an know the limitations of our profession and the training we receive. I am confident in my abilities, but because of my experiences I stay humble in knowing that I don't know it all. Between long distance transfers of critical patients (when flying is not an option) and working in the ED around the nurses, I have come to realized just how little medical knowledge paramedics have. I like being "in the know" so i've enrolled in a semester long critical care program that starts in January. I'm sure i'll have questions that come up (and yes of course i'll ask the instructors my questions but I like to hear from multiple sources too) so i'd love to hear from any critical care guys/gals or flight medics out there that might have any suggestions for me. Also, i'm pretty sure I want to start focusing on becoming a flight medic. We have 3 air ems services in the area and i've started applying with them.

Solid Dwayne: I agree on your point of view. It seems we as humans experience a special type of delight when we can crush a person's spirit. I see religious zealots and hard core atheists try to do this all the time. Ruff: At the end of the day, any faith based conclusion you make is still one based on, well...faith. You are ultimately trying to define things that are not defined. Personally, I am am good with whatever conclusion you reach so long as you don't berate me with your beliefs. Of course, the same should also be true for me. Herbie: It is quite possible. At a certain point, I think many people at least come to a realisation that the concept of an interventional, divine mechanism does not really fit into what we know of the physical world. This does not mean I lack faith per se however.

I as well see nothing to hammer on. I have two uncles that are preachers. I went to one when I was younger and said, "Uncle, Christians want me to believe that the bible is perfect. That despite having questions that I am simply supposed to believe harder. That I'm supposed to use the bible's intelligence in place of my own, and I just can't do that." He said, "That's one of the many 'untruths' of religion in my opinion, that blind faith is perfect faith. Blind faith isn't perfect, is simply blind. God is flattered by your questions. He's inspired by your search." Not sure why that stuck in my head verbatim, but I still find it to be inspiring. One of the most open minded yet religiously educated people I know, and I, were having the "God, no God" debate one night in the ambulance bay while waiting for a call. I asked him, "What if I could prove to you, which of course I can't, but what if I could prove that everything that happens that you attribute to your God, I could explain completely with behavioral science?" He thought for a few minutes and then said, 'Then I would be forced to stop believing in God. I'm not looking for a happy fantasy." To me, that quote is equally as inspiring as the first. I have no respect for 'perfect faith' followers of any religion. One of the things I loved about the Buddhists in Mongolia is that they question everything, discuss everything religious, but argue nothing, or so that's how it appeared to me. I don't think your questions show that you're lost, or that you've been fooled Ruff. I believe that perhaps they are the beginning of a truer faith, or lack thereof. Both of which, if you come to a place where you truly feel validated, are good things right? The same as I am confused by Christians that can't see the point of view of the skeptics, I'm confused by the skeptics that seem to find a huge joy in trying to crush the faith of others. It seems to me that in the middle ground lies peace... Carl Sagan was equally confused by believers and non believers alike. He certainly wasn't a Christian, but, as a lack of evidence isn't evidence against felt that those with confidence that there is no God were just as ignorant of scientific concepts. Questions are always good, unless the truth might crush your spirit. Then perhaps, ignorance is bliss. Dwayne

If you cannot blame "him" for all that goes bad why do you thank "him" when it all goes well?

Fixed wing ambulance presents themselves as an extension of ground ambulance. We have no one to blame but ourselves STARS "sell" themselves as lifesaving hero's much like Fire, and they reap the rewards of that. We too have the same option but CHOOSE not too. Here we are back to the problem of needing an association to represent us .

Yes, there is such a thing as personal responsibility and taking responsibility for your actions. You have the will to do anything you want in life, turn to crime, your choice, turn to god, your choice. But my belief is that God gave me free will and I act on that free will every day. If something bad happens to me, I don't say "Curse you God, you did this to me" Nope, I say "I know not to make that mistake again" Let me let you in on a little personal experience. My wife when pregnant with our "son" William the pregnancy was a rocky one. From no heartbeat at 6 weeks gestation and the OB doc then wanting to do a D&C on Jenny. Jennifer requested a 2nd ultrasound 1 week later and after the asshole doctor agreed we went to the ultrasound. At that ultrasound there was a heartbeat. Little light blipping on the screen of the Ultrasound monitor. There was also a small blood clot on the placenta.(ominous sign but we went with the flow though). For the next 10 weeks we watched this little life grow inside my wife until my wife felt a funny feeling in her stomach. We called the new OB doc's (high risk perinatologists at a top notch hospital in KC MO). They had been her doctor for about 8 weeks and they scheduled the ultrasound that eventually was when we found out that our child had died in utero. We scheduled a delivery for three days hence. Jennifer went through this with all the emotions you can expect. I was the stoic one of course. I've seen death, I've seen life, you know, the works. Jennifer delivered a 17 week gestation baby boy. He was formed perfectly but just dead. I'm a religious guy, many on here will attest to that. I did not blame god even though many people in my church asked me if I did. I know that death happens, I know that there are just some things that are not to be. Is that God's fault, no. Is it mine, no it isn't. But what I did ask God was why. I know I would not get an answer. I didn't expect one. My wife did not either. There are just some things not meant to be. Do I blame God for that or anything else that befalls me, no I don't. It's not the way that I believe and not the way I look to religion. do I believe that the baby is in heaven waiting for me? I'm not sure. I think so but since I don't know what happens after we die, if we just cease to exist like some of my atheist friends believe, or is there a definate place called heaven and hell? I don't know. I do know what it says in the bible, and it says there is heaven and hell. I believe the book but until I make it to either place or just cease to exist I have to be skeptical. I hope that there is a heaven but it cannot be proven to me other than what a book says so I remain a skeptic.

The same reason ER doctors order a CT on every patient with a bump to the head, the LAWYERS. The public has been educated by TV and Movies that every patient magically is saved in the ER. Medics have been sued for failure to transport because the family believed they took away their only chance of survival. Is it right ? No And then occasionally you read that story where medics declare someone dead, and then have to go back and work the patient when the coroner or funeral home found a pulse or saw the patient breath.

Private Health care for the rich, famous, royalty, military leaders, politicians is NOT a new trend ... btw what the HELL is this romney crap about .. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz !~

According to the people who did the billing at one place I worked, you can't bill for the call if you don't transport. They didn't like me much. They couldn't bill for a good number of the codes I ran because I called them. Otherwise, you need to talk to your medical director.

Don't assume you have to be an EMTB or EMTI before going to Paramedic, for alot of states, it is an assumption, not a rule or law. It is just one of those things that have always been done that way. With that being said, if your state does not require it, your college or tech school probably does as it is a way to make mo money, mo money, mo money.

Not to bash your or anyone else's religious beliefs, but isn't this the "beauty" of religion? If you can't explain something, it's God's will. If you CAN explain something but don't like the outcome- it's still God's will. To me that makes it too easy to absolve yourself of responsibility for your actions. Do we not have ANY free will or choice in our lives or are we just puppets performing according to some master plan? I know there are plenty of folks who believe that but I'm sorry- I just don't buy it. I hear it all the time- a dirt bag gang banger gets killed because he chose a life of crime, violence, and drugs and finally ends up on the wrong end of a bullet. They interview the grieving mom who says it was God's will that he died. NO- it was his stupid choices that made him dead- God had nothing to do with it, unless you think God wanted this kid to sell dope, kill other people, and ruin countless lives. If that's truly God's plan, I'm thinking he has a sadistic side to him. I get what you are saying,but "all things are possible" is a bunch of malarkey. We as human beings have limitations. We are fallible, we make stupid choices, and even among the best of us, sometimes bad things happen we have no control over. (posted before i was finished) In the topic at hand, if we make choices that save, fix, alter, or even end someone's life, that is essentially playing God to some religions, which is why some eschew modern medicine, others refuse blood products, others simply rely on praying so God can fix their diabetes, cancer, MS, or any other problem they may have, That's fine- your choice, but I'm glad I was not raised that way- I'd probably be blind right now. Thankfully my parents took me to a top notch eye surgeon who saved my sight instead of praying away the problem.

And I conclude that your inherent belief that none of us ever consider an opposing point of view until you show up and show us the light highlights your supreme arrogance and may explain your negative score.