Echoburger

MedStar EMS or "The Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority" (or something like that)...provides 911 service to the citizens of Fort Worth, Texas and fifteen surrounding cities including: Blue Mound, Burleson, Edgecliff Village, Forest Hill, Fort Worth, Haltom City, Haslet, Lakeside, Lake Worth, River Oaks, Saginaw, Sansom Park, Westover Hills, Westworth Village, and White Settlement. MedStar EMS also does non-emergency interhospital transports and emergency critical transfers. MedStar 911 utilizes "System Status Management" to deploy ambulances in areas where calls are predicted to come in at certain times of the days. MedStar utilizes a combination of EMT-B's, EMT-I', and EMT-P's. Every unit is MICU equipped. It is not unusual to have 3 personnel on a MedStar unit. MedStar works along with TCC (Tarrant County College) for EMS ride-alongs for their EMT programs. I do not really know a whole lot about MedStar. In fact, if I can say this nicely, the majority of times MedStar has been in the news has been for negative reason. 1. MedStar at one point (approximately 6 months ago or so) was so short staffed that the Fort Worth Fire Department (FWFD) had to ask Firefighter/EMTs to work overtime on brush trucks to first respond to high priority medical calls. The brush trucks functioned as "Attack Units" and the system was so short of EMTs and Medics that the system had calls constantly on hold and units were clearing and getting calls literally seconds after calling in available. http://www.texas-fire.com/2007/09/11/fw-in-need-of-more-emergency-medical-personnel/ 2. MedStar was recently featured for having a response time of over one HOUR to a "non-emergent" or priority 3, seizure call. http://www.emsresponder.com/web/online/Top-EMS-News/Texas-Mother-Waits-1-Hour-For-Ambulance/1$7579 3. And perhaps one of the most stories about MedStar includes two EMTs that had sex with a 15 year old girl while she was on a ride-along. People called MedStar Paramedics "Pararapers" for many months after this incident. ...Don't get me wrong. Just because MedStar has been featured for bad response times and the "Incident"...it doesn't mean that the system itself is bad. I've met PLENTY of great Medics/EMTs that worked for MedStar. The sad thing is that the last story really took a toll on their reputation. MedStar's recruiting website: www.medstar.jobs MedStar's EMS Protocols: http://www.epabonline.org/ Hope this helps, chbare. Let me know if you need anything else.

Speaking of "breaking ribs" while doing CPR. Does the "crackling", or as Dust described it, "popping", of the ribs usually occur as soon as you start compressions or does the cracking/popping only occur after several rounds of CPR and stress on the chest? Also...in a previous post, I asked about CPR while moving. I've never actually seen the option where a person "rides" the rails and uses both arms...however, I have seen the one arm technique where the compressor just walks on the side of the stretcher and uses their strong arm to compress with one hand. Is that okay? It seems like the one hand technique would be easier, but you'd have to push harder though.

Is it me or does everyone find it a little freaky when in a cardiac arrest situation the patient just kinda stares at you. Other than that (and the smells, of course)...it's seems okay. Also...why do pt's in cardiac arrest open their eyes? I'd have to say that having the pt "stare" at you while you do CPR is kinda disturbing. I recently saw a cardiac arrest patient be brought in with her head tilted...when she passed me it looked as if she was just staring...lol. Any opinions?

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. Yes, I've seen a couple instances of people riding the bottom rails of the stretcher. However, I just have a gut feeling that the stretcher could tip over or something like that... The city that I ride out in happens to transport every (as in, a lot) of the codes due to fact that the medical control system is...well...crappy to say the least. I have never thought of holding the top metal rails in the ambulance and compressing with one hand. That sounds like an option, since it's so bumpy in the back. I guess you'd just have to push harder since you only have one hand compressing. :-)

Hi, I've been wondering, what is the proper/best way to perform CPR on a cardiac/full arrest patient while on a stretcher that is moving? Is it a wise idea to put both feet on the stretcher's bottom rails? Could you potentially distribute the weight unequally and cause the stretcher to fall? Also, one more thing. I understand that quality CPR is performed best when the person is directly over the person they are doing CPR on with their arms locked. In an ambulance situation, is it appropriate to sit on the bench and perform CPR or would it be necessary to stand so you could be directly over your arms when compressing? Thanks.

Ambulance: "Medic 77 to Region View Hospital, Priority 3." Hospital:"Region View. Go with it." Ambulance: "Medic 77, Paramedic Doe transporting a 34 year old male complaining of abdominal pain. Patient states pain is in LRQ, does not radiate. Vitals are: Blood Pressure 145/34, Heart Rate of 80-strong-regular, Respiratory Rate of 20-equal-clear-bilateral, SPO2 is 100% on room air. Patient rates pain as a 8 on an 0-10 scale. Normal sinus rhythm on the monitor, got a saline lock estabished. We'll be there in about 10, any questions?" Hospital:"Negative. See you upon arrival." An emergency report: Ambulance: "Medic 77, Priority 1!" Hospital: "Go." Ambulance: "34 year old male, full arrest, full ACLS, 10." Hospital: "See you in 10. Go to Trauma-1." Physician's Order: Ambulance: "Medic 77, Priority 1, Physican needed." Hospital: "Go, we have Dr. Doe here." Ambulance: "Medic 77, Paramedic Doe, I'm on-scene, I got a 89 year old male, medical full arrest---unwitnessed. Patient was found in asytole. We've done 30+ minutes of full ACLS. Got the pt. intubated. Pt. has been in asytole the whole time. Requesting permission for field termination." Hospital: "Has the pt. been confirmed to be in asytole in 2 leads?" Ambulance: "Affirmitive." Hospital: "Receive. Time of death: 1553" Hope this helps. E

Lord, help me. I'm serious. I guarentee, 100%, one day, if I become a Firefighter/Paramedic I will have something of this amount...just greater. This guy is an inspiration. I don't know who that guy is...but thank you. If I saved $17 dollars a week for 5 years, I'd have over $5,000 when I'm 22 (age I'll get EMT-P, bachelors in paramedicine). Beast.

Heck...look at this: http://www.kookycanuck.com/kookamunga-challenge/ 7.5 LBS Burger....finish it within an hour...get it for free. We have a local rest-a-raunt that does that here to.. 12,000+ Calories!

Ammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmen! Talk about it...serious food.

Me and another person were talking in chat about this scenario. If a pt. did consume this product, the member said that chances are the pt's airway will swell up quickly. Would an epi-pen do anything to help this pt? Afterall...this isn't an allergic reaction. Would pain management even help this patient?

This stuff: http://www.sweatnspice.com/proddetail.php?prod=429 Hottest stuff in the world...16 million on the scoville scale. They say it's not meant to be consumed and its for "collectors and experimental" purposes. The product only contains 1ml of the stuff...pure capsicum. If a person consumed this 1ml...what would be the signs/symptoms? How would you treat for a pt who has consumed this product?

...and yet I thought I was "special" What's wrong?! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: One word: W O W

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value=" "></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src=" " type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> ROFLMAO <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWCeriGsFkA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWCeriGsFkA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> I seriously could not stop laughing once I watched the 2nd video. I sat there...just laughing...felt like 5 minutes went pass.

:twisted: Okay, then...ITK, may I be the OFFICIAL EMT City PART-TIME Troublemaker? Just...part-time? ](*,)

*Pats Chris on back.* It's okay, buddy.