Relish

I've noticed this first hand. After leaving the hospital from visiting a family member, I was a bystander to an old lady who's wheel broke on her walker and she tumbled down a cement step. I grabbed C-spine after witnessing the fall and noting that it was necessary. Security called for back-up and I was soon surrounded by 15+ docs and nurses, not a damn one asked what really happened or talked to the patient or me! No one took over c-spine, no collar was present when they rolled her (without notifying me- who was at the head, this woman was just all of a sudden rolled) PLUS she was complaining of pain at her left hip- which they rolled her onto! I was in a skirt lying on the cement at 9pm and the doctors and nurses slowly dwindled in #'s as they were all heard to be complaining of how cold it was outside. Then I was still holding C-spine as we rolled her into Emerg. STILL no one took over. Finally a collar was found-and applied horribly, but they did not apply blanket rolls until I inquired about protocol and c-spine. "oh yeah, I guess we should put blanket rolls" says one nurse. I could not believe the gong show that I had just witnessed. The whole thing took half an hour- from time of fall to getting her inside the building- she was right outside the front doors! EMS could have driven across town in that amount of time. Still shocked by the stupidity that surrounded me that night.

Also curious to see what anyone knows about what the life of a Dispatcher is like compared to an on-car position. I realize that most schedules are set alike- 4 on 4 off, that sort of thing, but do you work 4 days- 24 hours- staying at the station? Or 4 days, 12 hours-go home and sleep then come back? Or how does that work? Does anyone know of any centres that are hiring in southern alberta? Or just of any centres that i can contact? Have been digging for info for months and finding it hard to find what I need to contact centres, as I don't even know what all is out there. Anything that you know would be helpful! Thanks!

To further my point- over a month after leaving Red Star Emergency, we're STILL fighting to get the money that's owed to us! They have ads on the ACP website and on the Alberta Health and Safety Training Institute site....warn your friends to steer clear!

Why oilfield? Some quick cash, and it was close to home...no other reason....

That's exactly it, everyone is just trying to cash in and get a piece of the pie, which is what this was. We thought that we had checked it fairly thoroughly before hand, but it wasn't what they had set it up to be. Luckily we wasted no more than 24 hours there before we had caught wind of what the true story was - watching one girl quit and the other get fired for leaving her truck dirty (it had been pouring all day, the house was 30 mins on the dirt roads...she figured she was saving them a few bucks, but she got canned for it). BBB, yah exactly, that and labour board!

Please be aware of a company called Red Star Emergency Medical Treatment, they operate out of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta doing Oilfield work. They are only in the business for the money and really don't care about their employees. Pay checks are hard to come by, accommodations are poor for employees, there is no training, no safety measures are taken for the workers themselves and the owner is never available. With so many job opportunities available to EMS, there are many options available where you are looked at and treated as a member of the team, not just a work horse. If you choose to work with them, don't say you haven't been warned! Work Happy!

Thanks EMS GIRL, safety ed is the school that I've taken all my courses through, and with what I've experienced, I'd rather not take anything else through them... Anyone know of Dispatch centres to call that are within an hour of Calgary? Relocation is not possible for me....

CBEMT- where do you work? The easier the better i suppose! Just anxious to get started somewhere near home, but have had a hard time finding contacts to call....

EMSEDU- do you know what type of courses that smaller communities are looking for? That's likely where I'd go, I figured that the cities would be looking for someone trained in all 3, needing to be graduated from a major 8 month course- such as what SAIT offers, that's what I figured anyhow...$23 is pretty good, would likely be less in a small town, but still not horrible I'm sure...

Must have been sleeping...thanks!

Thanks for all the info...I"m located in Alberta, and am also looking at it as a second choice-have finished my didactic portion of EMT, but already have messed up my back, so i'd like to have this ready and waiting for me, just in case. This way I can still feel connected to the industry. Anyone with Alberta info?

Have been intersted to find out more about Dispatch. I was wondering where a good place is to train for it, as well, I know that SAIT has an 8 month course that covers medical, police and fire dispatch, and there are other 3 day courses that cover just medical. Is it necessary to have all 3 to get a good job, or is there lots of work for those with just Medical training. Also, is there an ACP equivalent with dispatch? Do you have to take a provincial exam and be registered, or once you graduate from a class, are you ready to work. Also, what can one expect for a wage range? Does it pay well enough to make it worth it? I've heard that some are making $22/hr...does that sound right or completely off the mark? Any info on the job and training would be great....

yes, it's a compressed course, so it's full-time, and intense, $10,000 is the cost for tuition, plus books, plus supplies, plus uniform, plus most importantly, living expenses/bill payments for the 6 months during class and practicum costs. So, yes, it sounds like a lot, but it sure adds up. That's Canuck dollars too.... :wink: so like $500 american...haha Not right away like i should have, it was the end of the day and most people had already left. Today at the end of class we were to do the stretcher carry on the stairs and I asked my instructor if I could sit this week out of the Physical portion due to the back strain that I sustained yesterday. Unfortunately he didn't sound happy about it (said,"It's only 1 jug, not that heavy, but sure, whatever..."). But whatever, he can think what he wants, it's my back and my career. I just feel so stupid as I was the only one in class not able to lift the stretcher, and then having to sit out today... :oops: . Thanks for all the advice, it really means alot to have all this help! (One of the other students is a competitive body builder, he felt sorry for me, so today he brought me a weight belt to try when I do lift again for support...which was nice) I've been taking it easy and thank god, it's feeling better already, it's never felt better this soon(perhaps the little weight lifting I've done HAS helped!) I will watch it carefully and do all that I can to keep it healthy. Don't worry, I don't give up this easy, I'm going to fight as hard as I can to achieve this, I WILL do this career, the only thing that'll stop me is if I break my back and I'm in a wheelchair! Thanks again, it really picked up my spirits, I was really upset yesterday. I know that it won't be easy starting this career with this issue, but I've always liked a challenge! haha... Would it be beneficial to wear a back support daily under my uniform-not a weight belt, but a support? Anyone had any experience with them, do they help or are they a waste of my much needed money?

I am extremely upset and disappointed right now. Today was the first day of my EMT course, at the end of the day, the instructor loaded the stretcher, with not quite all of the 250 lbs we are supposed to carry...and told us to go see what it feels like to lift. Granted, I know that it was alot of weight for me, I have just started a weight lifting program to help me out. However, with my first attempt, the girl on the other end of the stretcher cranked her half way up at the count of three, I was not able to lift it that fast. Therefore, the weight was leaning down on my end, so of course I couldn't lift it from there. I tried again, she did the same thing. So, now I sit here wincing in pain as I totally wrenched my back during this. :crybaby: I had a previous back injury from last year and it was just starting to feel better, now I'm back, no actually behind where I started from. We are not able to go on our practicum until we can carry the weight up and down two flights of stairs. But now because I've screwed up my back, I can't start lifting weights until this subsides(likely a few weeks). What experiences have others had with back injury? Am I kidding myself that i can do this job? I want this more than anything, but I'm scared as hell that I'll fail with the physical part of my course and waste $10,000 on a career I can't possibly do?! Do I back out now and take a course in dispatch? Any help on the issue would be greatly appreciated....I'm desperate and totally discouraged. (Also, does anyone have clarification about the weight of a stretcher? I heard they were 70lbs alone, loaded with 4, 5gallon jugs, which i heard were 50lbs a piece-10lbs per gallon, If those calculations were right, then we were deadlifting 285lbs -as they also had a 15lbs weight on it as well. And the full weight to lift is that plus one more water jug=335lbs up and down 2 flights?!?!? What the hell? Am I wrong, or are they wrong?)

Has anyone tried an "Ultrascope" ? I have read reviews that put them up with a Littman and some even put them above a Littman, but does anyone have any first hand experience with them? http://www.ultrascopes.com/about.html