medibrat

Another EXCELLENT point. Course that means that even MJ's death was doing someone a favour...and don't everyone jump on me...I'm just saying relative to Farrah's death.... Brat

Funny, I asked a friend the same question last night, and she was horrified...course I think I proposed a betting pool... FM65: that's exactly what I was thinking....I remember the original Charlie's Angels, and she was always the one I wanted to be...sigh...I was so sad to hear that Farrah was gone...although we'll hope she is in a better place...as for MJ...can I have some of his $$? Farrah deserves better. Brat

...but I snickered all the same! Brat

...easy to convict cuz he did everything sooo secretively. We all know that the rich and famous who have nothing to hide let the press see EVERYTHING. *sarcasm*. He was a weirdo. He was a ridiculously RICH and famous weirdo. But he had talent, and he made a lot of people happy. He died. I'm curious to know COD but it won't change anything...I'm still bitter that I was left out of the will! Brat

Congrats Eydawn! So happy for you! Enjoy the west coast, and be sure to educate the uneducated...maybe that can wait until AFTER the honeymoon! Brat

Here, we do both as well...and the training is the same for all. However I think cos has a good point about making medics well rounded. (and I'm sure I'm going to catch flack for this). Transfers are a great way to learn how to TALK to your patients. I have seen mostly emerg services and they have little idea how to make a conversation with their patient. I have found transfers useful for learning too...lab values and rare diseases and such. And I have my days when I think I will probably cry if I do one....more....transfer... but they make you appreciate the true emergencies even more. (adrenaline junky by nature). I think the danger of an all transfer service, is that if you do nothing but transfers for several years, and then something happens and your post op patient springs a leak, or your psych patient suddenly throws a widowmaker, you end up lost. Heck, I went back to school cuz I was getting rusty...and our call volume is pretty good! Just limited on some of the stuff you see on a daily basis. And for what its worth, some of those patients are going through some of the worst things in their lives...and a little knowledge and a little experience on both sides of the coin helps you give them a better ride. You need to know when to just sit and hold a hand...when doing nothing is the best thing you can do...and an all emerg service wont give you much opportunity to learn that....just my 2 cents... Brat

Better one of your deer than one of our moose! Course, at least then there would have been meat left for you to take home! Brat

I had a really good giggle about this...that's what I was thinking...I even talk through Grey's sometimes...I know I know, but I'm hooked on the drama! Call me weird, but I actually really enjoyed that trailer, as did the partner I'm with today. Somehow really entertaining when you're on the job! I will watch. For a lot of the same reasons I watch House....they say all the things that I really REALLY wanna say, but would lose my job if I did. And they do a lot of the cool stuff that we only ever see a couple times a year (out here in the boonies anyway) That being said, the general public would have a conniption if they saw what really went on for some of our calls the singing over the codes, the jokes over the traumas....politically incorrect and all that jazz...Heck maybe I'm only going to watch to criticize the medical procedures...or lack thereof...I mean, how long had that guy been down with only cpr before she gave him atropine and he magically regained his pulse and opened his eyes?

Amendment noted, although all are bugs that bite and provide itchy red bumps...whatever! To answer your question, I have absolutely no idea. We get our dope from BC (so I'm told). I'm not sure what the connection is! Brat

Wow. Ok, I have been watching this thread since its start, and I have to say, as being a member of a service whose contract is on the line, as we are up for sale to the highest bidder (the whole service will cease to exist december 31) kudos to the medics who are not willing to compromise their patient care. Sure it's been going on for 2 months, but 2 months is better than years, and taking the beginning steps is a start. Support is what is needed for these medics, and we should be learning from their situations, NOT slamming their attempts. The joy of government run health care is that nothing happens quickly, and if you screw it up from the beginning, it's screwed up for good. Screw this up, it will be another 5 years before any progress is made. Again, good on the medics for starting it at all. Cojones. All of them. As to our flea bitten province (thank you squint, I won't even argue with that today), emergency services, though provided by various methods...hospital, municipal, and some private transfer services, we all still answer to the ministry of health. Hence, nothing gets done in a hurry. I work for a service that is staffed 20 hours, and 4 hours on call. It's taken us 5 years to get that 4 hours of our night shift paid. I'm not getting into semantics...I'll put myself into a hypertensive emergency and it will all end badly. But I understand. I see the different standards. I can't believe an area that size still has on call medics. That's. just. irresponsible. IMHO. Dust. I have always supported you, and been humbled by your knowledge. In this case, however, knowledge does not equate to wisdom. You have contradicted yourself so many times in this thread I had a Linda Blair moment on more than one occasion. Happi and Annie took offense. In fact, I took offense, even though I am not close to the situation (noted, we are also a CUPE service, so we are taking notes and learning). I understand the reason you posted this thread. The posting of the thread is not what was offensive. It was the ROTFL comment that headed it off the got everyone's hackles up (girls, correct me if I'm wrong here). Posting of the thread was necessary and educational, as would have been suggestions, however far-fetched on how to solve this. Laughing at the provinces medics and calling their efforts a failure was not educational, and if you somehow missed that your opening comment would NOT stir the sh!t, you are, indeed slipping. Provincially run health care is not one of the things you have on your resume...to the best of my knowledge. To make changes effectively, they have to start small and start properly...for the good of everyone in the long run. Big jumps and drastic measures mean jobs lost and lives lost in this industry. Again, kudos to our brothers and sisters out west. Stand strong. Same scene, same pay. Brat

I would take the sample. Maybe you can get something brought in in the way of ABG kit? As he lives near sea level, he may be suffering the effects of altitude sickness. Granted he isn't super high up, some people just don't have the tolerance for that kind of thing. I would settle for a pH...at least for now (I know I know, convince the runner). How long has he had the tenderness in the RUQ? What kind of family history? Cancer? He mentioned his bowel habits were normal...what is normal for him? Has he ever spent any time at an altitude like this before? And listening for bowel sounds...15-30s should do... Brat

I would like to know where he normally lives, (what elevation), what his hobbies are (like is he climbing those said mountains?) Breath sounds? New SOB? Rogue cough producing phlegm? If so what kind? What is he doing specifically at the camp? (did we ask about allergies?) How much time is he spending around the fuel tanks with/without breathing apparatus? How long on site? (sorry if I'm repeating...it's late and I'm tired). Blood gases based on his answers to the questions and a blood sugar just to cover our bases. (I know the blood gases will be on the runner's list...just saying it would be good to take a sample to the lab) Brat

Without a full body CT, we don't KNOW that its a useless effort. PEA and agonal resps with deviated eyes says dead, but not way dead (as someone previously mentioned). Given distance to the hospital, work it, yes. Depending on the size of your city, and the capabilities of your hospital, perhaps this patient only had a head injury, and could have made a great organ donor? Frankly if that were my dad, and he could have saved several other lives with organs that were good, The cost to me would be worth it. That being said, the guy across town that you're speculating about? That's the joy of EMS. There will always be a life that could have used us more. That's the way the ball rolls. Brat

We used to have one of those 'not quite right' patients who would call the ambulance cuz it was cheaper to use us to get to the other side of the city, and she might get some cool stuff. The fun part was that if you asked her specific questions like, "does it hurt behind your left eye when you pee" and "does your knee bend?" she'd say yes. To everything. And straight faced. We'd shake our heads sadly, tell her that she was right, it sounded serious, and load her up. (we can't refuse to transport) It was the most fun in documentation and reporting that I've had in a long time...~sigh~ Brat :angel8:

Man, I'm the only girl on my Fire Department in a small township (1200 souls, give or take) so EVERYONE knows what I do for a living. I get phone calls at home from people wondering if they should take their family member/friend to the hospital. That being said, I got over the weirdness of people asking me medical advice. They ask my opinion, I ask so many questions...some of which are a little personal healthwise. If they really want help, they stick around. If they start to look at you really funny when you start asking weird questions, ask WEIRDER questions and they will go away. I ask enough to learn if they're serious or just being a pain...if they're being a pain I have fun with it....just sayin... Brat :angel8: