Just Plain Ruff

I would highly recommend the book "The Missing Protocol. How to write a legally defensible report" It was originally written by Kate Dorneceau but it's also written by Denise Graham. It's out of print but if you can find it it's well worth the premium to pay that you might have to pay on Ebay or somewhere. I'm still looking for my copy. Lost it in a move somehow.

I seem to remember a angioedema patient I took care of a long time ago. We were told by her not to touch her where she was swelling because it made her worse. In fact, she said that the only time she ever really had a bad case of it was when she either got hit in the face with something or she had some foreign body irritate her mouth/airway. I remember having her doctor say don't touch her in the swollen areas because that will make it worse. So if that was the case for angioedema, wouldn't intubating these types of patients cause more harm than good. This memory is from long ago so I'm not sure if I remember the entire conversation with her doctor.

Sorry somehow I had someone else that I thought started this conversation and I know she has boobs and no testicles. Just don't ask me how I know!!!!!!

Well they do say this, once a cheat always a cheat. But investigating their mistresses, sheesh.

I would suspect that if we looked at the label of the juice she drank we would see quite a high number for niacin. May not be a full niacin flush but she did say it wasn't a major incident but dizzy and lips numb. I have a health food/supplement supplier and I'll ask her what she thinks.

Niacin Flush maybe? Beets are very high in Niacin. I'll bet you got a niacin flush.

I've had numerous friends in EMS who have gone down the road you did with painkillers. NOt the felony road but the addiction road. Much thought and good vibes to you. Michael

coming in late to this conversation but a large hospital Chain in kansas City just put into effect an ems liaison. If you want to PM me your deet's I'll put you in touch with her. She can maybe help you decide what you want in an EMS liaison.

Dwayne, I remember when you first came here. You asked many of the same questions. I also did the same on my arrival. some of the best advice in the past year has come from Dwayne. Even though Dwayne and I have had some monster disagreements I still count him as a cloase EMT city friend.

But the same could be said for stopping and rendering aid, doing the wrong thing or just doing the right thing and you can still get sued. As the plaintiff you really have to prove that my not stopping resulted in further injuries to you. If you can prove to the jury or judge that had I have stopped that I could have kept you from being further injured or not dead then by all means you will win. But with no equipment in my car other than opening your airway if it's obstructed or keeping c-spine immobilization(and you have to have a spinal injury for that one to fly) then what good am I to you? Now for those who have that jump kit with oxygen and pulse ox and/or IV supplies, don't you put yourself at a significantly higher liability for stopping? Would love to have a lawyer that knows about these things chime in here. There was a case on this forum a long time ago, maybe 2-3 years ago that a EMT Stopped and pulled a patient out of the car fearing fire, and did cervical spinal damage I believe leading to paralysis or some deficit. that emt was sued because she was just stopping and helping. So again, i'm not saying you are wrong for stopping or you are wrong for not stopping. It's personal choice. If the highway is deserted and I'm driving on it and there is an accident I'll stop and offer whatever aid i have in my car, be it a blanket, or a couple of napkins to put over the bleeding and what not and then I'll call 911. I'll tell the people in the car that helps on the way. I'll get an ETA of the responding units from the 911 operator if I can. Depending on how far out the responding units are I'll either just be there for support or do what I can do within what I have in my car. if the ambulance is 10 minutes out and there is a person who is not breathing and pulseless I'm probably not going to start CPR. Heartless, nope, just a realist. I have to say it's all dependent upon circumstances and whether I have other plans that I can't miss out on . If I have my child in the car, I'm not going to stop because on a busy highway or a uncontrolled highway the danger is too great to leave them in the car unattended.

I am now better informed than I was earlier today. I am also not belittling those who stop nor those who don't stop. I also am not belittling those who carry a separate ambulance in their trunk. I just choose not to do so. In my opinion it's ok not to stop at a scene. I also think that it's totally ok for you to stop. You have to be the one to make the decision. Keep asking these questions.

We honestly wish nothing but the best for you. We all come from various experience levels and we all remember what a feeling it was when we were at your stage of your career. Just slow down, learn everything you can and listen to most of the advice here. Remember, just because you don't have a fully equipped star wars transport vessel doesn't mean it's not going to be there when you have some experience under your belt. Just remember, they will always be making better toys and the ones you have today will be obsolete by the end of a year of you working. You can always upgrade to Trauma shears 1.12.22.123.43 over version 1.12.123.42

Plus, aren't pulse oximeters consider medical equipment and you need a Dr. Order to buy one? Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I am. Let me ask the collective hive here. What do you think of the EMT or Medic who stops on scene to help the person, you arrive and are met by said EMT who has put the patient on oxygen and a pulse ox. Seriously, what are your initial thoughts about this person on scene? I've been on both sides of the coin. More often on the negative response from the arriving ambulance than good. Was told by a fireman who was the only guy to get on scene in a fire truck. Ambulance and other trucks still on the way. Rollover accident on the interstate. Three patients, three ejections, 2 of three critical. The guy tells me, "You can leave now, I've got it" I told him I wasn't leaving. He got pissy, said I'm the shift captain and I'm in charge. I said fine, are you a medic or EMT? He said emt. I said I'm a medic, I've already begun treating these people, they are your patients but I'm the highest medical person on scene so they are mine until your ambulance gets here. First arriving law enforcement officer arrives, the fireman tells him to remove me from the scene. I told the cop the same thing and the cop said I could stay. When the ambulance got there I gave them report and they said thanks. I did tell the medic as we were loading one into the ambulance that the captain tried to force me off the scene and the medic said "The guys a tool. He's the last person I would want treating my dog" or something to that effect. I sent a letter to the fire department but I never received a response. I also had a great response from a small ambulance service when our ambulance stopped at a bad crash. We initiated treatment, resuscitation as a matter of fact. Ejected patient with significant head injury. Crash just happened. We had patient intubated and worked the patient until the responding ambulance arrived. Got a letter of thanks to my EMS Supervisor for the help on that one. But seriously, think about what your response would be to the off duty emt or medic, out of their jurisdiction helping out by putting Oxygen and a pulse ox on the patient? I'm sure viscerally it's a negative one.

A good friend of mine and I had a really long talk today. my thoughts- everyone is a little bit racist. some much more than others. Blacks are racist about non-blacks Whites are just racist (he was jokingly making fun of that part) Orientals are racist about non orientals Women are sexist against men Men are sexist against women straight versus male gay versus straight Everyone has their own experiences that they bring to the table. As long as there is no ill intent or malice then everyone should be able to speak their mind in the terms of their experiences. You bring your past experiences or your "toolbox" to the discussion. What you have in that toolbox is what you use. but if one of your tools is broken or in need of sharpening then you either get a new one or you repair your tool. So if you bring your perspective to the table and can see where each and every person in the discussion is coming from then that sharpens or helps to repair your tools and you now have a broader more equipped toolbox. So if I bring my perspectives, past experiences and formed belief structure to a discussion about race or sexual orientation or whatever and I agree to listen to you and if I need to, to re-define my thoughts by listening to yours, then we both come out of the discussion better people and seeing the world in a new way, maybe not eye to eye but your side of the discussion is enhanced by this experience. What brings the discussion to a low or a bad outcome is those who refuse to hear more than their own side. When you refuse to listen to others viewpoints and are obstinate at refusing to consider the other persons side or the other side, then you damage the argument to the point where no-one wants to talk to you anymore. If it's all about you and your opinions then you get no-where. Rodney King said it pretty good. "Can't we all just get along" I'm not saying we have to all agree on everything but at least have the courtesy to listen to the other side. Many people who get so emotional about these subjects refuse to listen to opposite viewpoints and that makes those people unattractive to talk to. It goes for both sides.

Nicely done website though. Is this organization trying to become the NREMT that the US has?

Buy these three things 1. Quality but not bank breaking stethoscope 2. Trauma shears 3. Package of Bic or similar pens(they go missing faster than you can replace them) These will work if you are working a transfer service or a 911 service. Once you get out there working you will determine what you need more of or need to purchase additionally. I was that EMS Geek when I got my emt. I got a fully loaded jump kit and all the extras. Maxxed a credit card out to get all that stuff. I still have the jump bag, fully loaded with an empty oxygen tank (couldn't find any place to get it filled without showing proof of why I needed it). for the life of me I have never understood the need for 5 different types of hemostats, 3 different sets of scissors and those 98 pocket pants that are out there. Seems like extreme overkill. Just my 2 cents. If anyone wants to buy my jump kit, I'll sell it cheap.

I see it now. European EMT City get together. I have enough frequent flyer miles rightnow to get there but not get home. I also have enough hotel points and car rental points to stay in a 5 star hotel with an extra attached room. anyone want to set this up?

True Dat Crotchity. I'm all for pranks that do not injure or hurt people. My being on the end of a nasty prank has been well documented here and that's the type of prank that I do not condone. Minor pranks, they are part of the lifestyle of EMS/Fire/police One prank I pulled on a new guy at the movie theater that I managed. I told the new guy (dumber than a box of rocks) that he had to inspect every kernel of unpopped popcorn for a dark spot in the middle of the kernel. I told him he had to do it on every kernel or it would make people sick. I sent him to the supply closet and told him to go through the 50 pound bag of popcorn. We weren't busy that day, so he spent 2 hours in the room before I felt sorry for him so we all went back to get him. He had made it through about 20 pounds of the popcorn. He was pissed but you know what, he became one of my best closers. Very meticulous. I promoted him to head usher about a year into his stint. He now manages one of the big theater chains theaters in Kansas city. He still keeps in touch and says that he will eventually get back at me. that was 20 years ago.

But I don't shove my heterosexual lifestyle down anyones throat, why should you do the same.