fireflymedic

Greetings, keep your boots on and jump right in. Glad you're here !

Annie - could simply be contact dermatitis - very common in the nursing profession where minor allergy, plus constant handwashing and dry skin. I have no problem with either, however, several years ago I did have a reaction to powder within the gloves - needless to say I've not worn powdered gloves since. I would check the gloves to ensure there's no sort of moisturizer or anything in them (I know one variety contains aloe) that perhaps you could be allergic to. Hope that helps you !

I was aware of them utilizing hyperbaric oxygen in "dummy foals" - baby horses born with neurologic damage with positive outcomes. Interesting to see how this progresses and if it becomes an industry standard. This seems to be a new field that is being explored for a variety of illnesses, and in theory it makes sense as improved oxygenation should improve function. Would be very interested though to see if it would have any effect on COPD patients. On the same token - I've been reading up on something in trial stages known as SLO - detoxified streptolysin O. Was used anecdotally on WTC victims that had significant lung injuries and also for burn victims and surgical patients for reduction of scars and adhesions. Is currently in very early stages, but wonder if it will progress out as a potential therapy to help those with COPD and ARDS ? Perhaps?

Been there, done that, ain't stupid enough to do it again. Thus the number one reason my hair is no longer long (and yes I did have it back) and also the number one reason if a patient is combative they are either going with a trooper escort or sedated for my safety (and theirs). It's not worth your life - as others have said, things can be replaced, but people can't and injuries suck. Smart move by the crew to leave 'em and it's a different call taking the patient like this when already known combative and fighting or one that decides to start. If they become combative enroute, protect self best you can (with restraint chemical or physical - but as always smart and safely) and get the guys who get paid to deal with difficult people on board ! Just my .02, but hindsight is always 20/20 - I'm learning that one the hard way today.

Might try the epilepsy foundation in canada - they deal with it from all aspects from trauma, to birth issues, etc. I imagine they should be helpful as well ! Good link there JWade !

Sometimes phil I just go

Was this what you needed squint ? hehe - you prolly scared the poor polar bear as much as he scared you !

I'm not going to rehash things, and I'm too lazy to type everything all over again. But here's my input on it. HOWEVER - I do want to make one comment - we excuse diabetics, known cardiac conditions, etc alot more and they are just as dangerous and the people potentially more unstable. Do I want to be in a buggy with someone with a known medical condition as the above? NO - not just epilepsy, narcolepsy, etc. It was a fail on all parts, but if you allowed someone else with another uncontrolled med condition to drive shame on you, and shame on them for not being responsible. That being said - TN requires a medical release upon renewal so in this case - shame on his doctor as well. As a medic, I don't think you should be required to drive - as a basic you're not looking at a good future in this field. But here's my full opinion : http://www.emtcity.com/index.php/topic/17243-news-feed-tennessee-firefighter-david-clines-medical-history-may-have-contributed-to-fatal-wreck-jemscom/page__p__232151__fromsearch__1&#entry232151 PA is a mandantory reporting state (one of only 4 in the US) - anyone over the age of 15, if you have a loss of consciousness or seizure, it is required that it is reported within 10 days to PA DOT and an investigation is done. Period of time without an incident is 6 months - however, that can be extended depending upon physician's comments on the forms they send to the medical review board. Reviews may be as frequent as once a month to as infrequent as once a year. http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/living/wellness/transportation/drivinglaws.cfm

Strangest place yet? A barn trying to extricate a horse who had managed to hang itself in it's stall and then got stuck against the wall. Part of my job with being with the fire dept was helping with the large animal rescue team at local animal hospital, so I got to spend new years. But we were rewarded - baby was born safely less than twenty minutes after we got mom unstuck ! Now that my friends is better than dealing with a drunk anyday !

For me there's a handful, and really just depends on the day, but here's the general ones : My Giva Damn's Busted - Jodee Messina (enough said !) Time for Me to Fly - REO Speedwagon ! Cowgirl's Don't Cry - sorry don't know who does it ! Dear Mr President - PINK ('cause it encompasses all the questions I'd like to ask of him) This is My Now - Jordin Sparks If you saw my music list you'd think I was schizo 'cause it ranges through everything, but these fit me pretty well !

I think this is what you are talking about, but there was also a book that said "who wants to die?" and various other phrases

Ummm mike - I think the cold is going to your brain....I think there is some repressed elmo hatred going on there ! However, after watching this, I'm seeing why you hold that opinion

soo not right, wish they would play those here !

Glad to hear it ! Always good to hear of moving up and doing well in this economy - good luck !

Yep scooby - that's the vast majority of things I have as well, with the exception of a few generic scene photos that were posted on our dept page. None of which show patient faces or are identifying in any way. The pics I do have up that are identifying are from training things with one exception of a cropped pic from a newspaper article that I ended up with my pic in (doing my first intubation several years ago). I actually removed a video I had up of my ambulance that someone else shot that was posted because even since I no longer work there, the chief found it unsightly for someone that is still a supporter of the service to have that posted. However, as I mentioned in another thread - there are several places that have a morality clause in their employement paperwork. Make sure you are reading what you're signing. If you aren't sure about it - ASK what is acceptable before you post it. Then document it because at least if it comes back to bite you in the butt, you show responsibility. But better yet if it's questionable don't post it ! I don't post pictures from where I work currently nor do I have it on public pages where I work out of courtesy to my employer. I worked way too hard to get where I am to lose it to stupidity. Be safe and smart people !

Yep - a major reason around here it's pretty tough to get a shirt from a service as they won't allow them to wear shirts in a bar area of a restaraunt, or if they are consuming alcohol. There was a crew from a prior service I worked with that was fired for going into hooters in uniform and parking the buggy right in the regular parking lot. It's called bad taste and many services now have morality clauses - don't think yours has one? Check and make sure - most do. I have yet to work for one that doesn't which allows them to extend out into your off duty issues and how they are "policing" the web and what content goes on there. Be smart, be safe people.

Ummm, a couple of things to this effect. First off, I'm sorry but if you have seizures you have no point driving an ambulance. That's too much of a risk, and too many lives you are jepordizing. There are too many things that can and do affect levels to be certain that you will not have trouble. That being said, I'm not against people with seizures driving their POV - however, to put your partner, possibly the patient's family, and then the patient at risk is of great concern to me. But it is irresponsible to drive an emergency vehicle with a continuous history of them combined with narcolepsy especially. I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here, and it is a terrible shame that this happened, but I could see it being prevented. He was a prime candidate. 1. Just came off a 24 hour shift to go work another job - this has got to stop 2. No seizure meds in his system - bad idea, shows he hadn't been taking them likely for a while, and if being weaned off should not have been driving (though TN is not a mandantory reporting state) 3. Adderall a stimulant made him more apt to have one - no coverage with the meds - we know stimulants can induce one in someone not predisposed, imagine a person that is 4. Combined with narcolepsy? Enough said 5. TN requires 5 years seizure free to get a chauffeur license which is required to drive a buggy there - ummm 3 years ago was last known by his coworkers - can't help but wonder if he wasn't reported by his docs (which typically doesn't happen unless they deem you a public safety hazard) then did he lie? The question is also asked on renewals - hate to say it, but alot lie because they find not driving a rather large inconvenience (and it is a pain) I'm not trying to crucify the guy, lord knows I fight for his right to do the job prolly more than most, but to do it safely is the key. And in this case, I would have never let him drive. Work for me? Sure, but he would be restricted to pt care. Don't like it sorry. I've always come from the concept of I'm not risking mine, my partner's, nor my patient's life just to say I can drive a buggy. It's not right and in the instance of a wreck - that is the first asssumption they are going to jump to right or wrong and the dept would be under scruitiny. It was irresponsible of the dept to have him driving with that knowledge and especially under those circumstances. I'm not suggesting they take his job away by any means, but I would have definitely restricted him to patient care only. Plus his doc comes into question because on recerts, TN requires you to fill out that little form signed by your doc saying that you can drive safely. There's a few checks and balances in place - all of which that failed. Sad because it cost him and his patient their lives, and his partner alot of pain. And the reporting is wrong - TN is 6 months, not 1 year. Just a terribly sad situation all the way around for everyone.

Please use the search feature as this show has been discussed on every level possible with feedback from every episode.

I apologize in advance, I know nothing of RI's systems or their structure, so I can't point you in a decent direction as I know absolutely no one from that area. Sorry. However, as I said, rural typically will give you your best experience and you will have alot less of your paragod mentality (from my experience) than in urban. That being said, urban has it's own challenges and you'll just have to give both a try and see what fits better for you. One isn't better than the other, but that being said, after working urban for a year, I RAN back to rural because I am used to doing everything on the fly and doing very little other than the absolute musts on scene because you were so far out. Also, some of the best teachers I came across were rural medics because they did the job because they truly loved it. On the flip side though, sometimes you see crappy providers because call volume is low, generally low acuity, but when it's bad it gets bad quick and very little safety cushion. Can be a major pucker factor for experienced provider, much less a new certed basic. But urban you'll likely be paired with a medic - so greater chance for paragod mentality, but you'll likely find better skill maintenance due to frequency of calls, and there is definitely a security blanket for a new person knowing the hospital isn't that far away. Take care, enjoy and have fun !

Yep - perfectly fine intervention. If they were shallow, he obviously wasn't getting adequate volume, labored he couldn't take in enough anyway, and rapid at 28 - sounds like a good candidate to me ! The evaluators will not fail you unless you perform a dangerous or inappropriate intervention. You passed, performed appropriate interventions, sit back and enjoy the fact you passed before the real work begins !

uh did it post now?