Just Plain Ruff

I'll bet that if enough of the EMT whackers wannabe's make a big enough stink then TNT or TBS will take it on like they did law and order.

Phil, we've disagreed on this for many times and neither of us will change our minds I don't think. In the Kansas city Area and many other areas of the country, the public see's the fire truck arriving before the ambulance and they have come to expect the dual response, ambulance and fire truck. I don't see that as a bad thing. I completely agree with letting those who want to be involved only in EMS do EMS and not force them to put water on a fire. Again I agree wiht the not hinging wages on holding an ems qualification to those who choose to fight fires. But seriously, no-one gets into EMS to make big bucks. Why not pay EMS the same as firefighter? What a concept. The person who is in EMS in the fire service should be paid the same to keep equity in the ranks. I think that we have enough agreement on things to overlook our disagreement on the semantics and processes. We can look towards the future and work to make things better for all of us.

I agree with the statement about the fd versus EMS argument. When someone in the community calls 911 they expect an ambulance and maybe a fire truck. Do the give a flying F if it's a firefighter medic or a single role paramedic. the community just doesn't care who comes but what they do expect is that they get a competent provider to help them in a situation that they can't help themselves. When my fire department came to my house when my wife thought my 2 year old wasn't breathing and I was in Michigan, did she or I care if it was a fire medic or a single role medic. My son was just having a adverse reaction to a cold medicine given to him(Hypersensitive to the medicine in Pedia care). Did I care if the paramedic was a firefighter or a single role medic. NOT ON YOUR LIFE. I expect that the responder is competent and good at what they do and I believe the crews at our fire/ems service are competent. I am hereby boycotting any fire versus EMS debate on this forum. It is counter productive because the same people say the same thing. Some say Firemedics are the worst thing that has ever happened to EMS while others defend them. I for one don't give a rats butt who comes to my house, as long as they get there and are competent. I have read more about accidents and bad patient care on single role providers on this forum than I have read about bad patient care of the firemedics. (not withstanding the entire group of firemedics being told they can't practice in that florida city). More private service paramedics/emt's have been featured here as bad drivers or inappropriate care than fire service providers. correlation? don't know? but the majority of errors in calling someone dead and then their actually being alive I believe the majority have been single role medics. Coincidence? Who knows. It's time to end our constant bickering about firemedic/Fire departments versus EMS. It's old, it's tired and it's counterproductive. Just my 2 cents. for the record, I know just as many firemedics as single role medics and I'd put my life in each of their hands.

So if your on duty ems crew goes out to a constipated patient, attempts to release the fecal impaction and is successful is that what we call SCROLL DOWN GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DOODY??????

A google search comes up with quite a few items. Some are from Wikipedia so be careful there.

ok let me ask this question. Should we even be eyeballing drip rates on meds such as Epinephrine, dopamine, dobutamine or any other intensive medications?

This is a nasty and bad way to off yourself. Sugar Creek Missouri had one just in the past couple of months and 2 or 3 providers were injured. I don't know if there was a note warning the providers or not but if there was bad bad bad form. Be careful any time you approach a scene where a person in a car is unconscious. The gas is invisible and deadly.

Or mabye this Spenac, emt-p, I kill for hire.

You seriously believe that training someone to do this will create jobs? How many executions have been carried out this year? Or last year? 52 last year. I can't imagine that for the states that have executions which 11 of 35 states carried out executions last year. I can't see how you can say this will create jobs. You can train a monkey to start an IV and to push the button for the execution to start. You need a doctor/nurse/medic/guard to mix the drugs. So equating the death penalty and carrying out executions as a job creator is a stretch. I Yeah how bout this title Michael N. Ruff EMT-P, bringer of death, executioner.

I can guarantee I'd get the IV the first time, then push the right button after making sure the right drug right patient. Let a guard do it and it's liable to be mucked up. but seriously, I don't have the desire to do it nor the wherewithall either.

Do not lie don't relate stories of your heroism or valor or whatever. Theyve been there and seen much more than you have. Be forthright but don't talk more than necessary. Some poeple like myself and others I've interviewed tend to talk more about the question than is necessary. If you see the interviewers eyes glaze over that's a good indication you've talked to long. NEVER NEVER NEVER interrupt the interviewer with your answer. And finally, the first question that the interviewer will ask you will most likely be the make or break question. You either get the job or you don't based on most first questions. One other thing, when you get there, engage the secretary or whoever is there that makes the call back saying you are there for your interview, engage them in conversation because sometimes those people in the front office are there to observe you and how you act before your interview. Absolutely DO NOT Hit on the receptionist. That's a make or break thing. Hit on her or him then you are out.

http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/35-more-secrets-the-er-staff-wont-tell-you/article175030.html good stuff. I know a couple of people who were quoted in the article.

Dude, why do you think I'm taking the sabbatical? I already tried the Drugs.

OK, I'll bite I have three scanners. One in my room that if I hear a siren I can turn it on. ONe in the living room/kitchen that I have on only if we are under severe weather. Funny how often I hear about funnel clouds in my area before the television news or weather radio puts it out. The third scanner is in my home office and it's always on to my counties frequencies. I also take that 3rd scanner with me when I travel. Fun to hear the other services traffic and know that our service is no more professional/unprofessional than any other. So I like listening to the scanner.

I am taking a sabbatical from life for the next day or so. I'm not answering emails, phone calls, texts and anything else out there. I will be rebooting myself and hopefully come back a more grounded and happy individual.

ok, so I haven't got the job yet and not sure if I'm going to get it or not. Frankly, I'm good either way as I know who the other candidates were. But on a side note, does anyone know where I can buy blue and pink stork pins? I need to get two pink ones for myself and my partner after we delivered a baby sunday morning. Would not have thought that I would be buying stork pins so soon after deciding to use those as recognition materials.

OK Reprieve got word that the guy doing the hiring did not get to talk to everyone he wanted to talk to so my chance is still out there. Let's hope this is a win and not a loss.

Well update on the job. It appears that with no phone call I have received another resounding NO from the employment gods. I have 29 NO's marked on a sheet and 0 yes's. Got turned down for another job today also. Discouraged - You bet your Ass I am. I am going to WalMart tomorrow and applying for a job. At least it will be a steady paycheck.

Solidarity to my Canadian EMS Brothers. I do not plan on watching any of the olympics on tv. I think that it's truly a waste of time and effort in my attempt to procure a paying job. Good for the athletes, it's a good thing they are competing. Bad for EMS up there. I have other things I need to be doing with my evening time besides watching the olympics. The only reason I'll watch is to see the ice Skating. If Katerine Witt was stil skating I'd watch but I do like the skating. Not much else to watch.

You will find Tnuiqs that I am the furthest from a fire basher that you will find. I have worked with Fire based EMS and I have no problem with it. I am not a hose monkey, I'm far from it. I became a paramedic to be a paramedic not a fire fighter. That was never even in my career plans. I too hate this hose monkey/paramedic debate. I don't see what all the fuss is. Settle down, I didn't mean to touch your last nerve.

Why not just let fire take over.

I think it should be two midget firefighters both with Masters degrees in EMS and firefighting. The one manning the foot petals should be tactily challenged and the driver should both be deaf and blind in one eye. The medic in the back needs to have a pirate patch over his left eye and the other eye needs a monocle lens. The patient is the only one not handicapped

Like I said, no offense intended. I know that if I saw someone getting ready to start an iv and they had to use a magnifying glass of a pair of glasses, I don't think that would make me too confident in them getting me the first stick. Maybe they can hit it just fine but the concern is there. Again, like I said, no offense. It seems I've offended enough people today with emails.

Socmob, good day to you and welcome to the site. My biggest question is this "Do I want someone who can't see sticking me with a IV Needle?" Do I want someone trying intubate me when they can't see? No offense Socmob but I am just leary when someone with coke bottle glasses comes toward me with an iv cath. As for driving, can you get corrected down to 20/40? or 20/50 I don't know what missouri's requirements are but someone who has no depth perception, should they really be driving?

nah, not grouchy, just cantankerous