firedoc5

That looks like some kind of contest we would have had. Depends on who has the sharpest trauma shears.

"Radar Love" - Golden Earing

Good goin'. Keep it up.

Did you read my entire post? I may have not worded it right though. I'm not saying all flail chests need to be spinal immobile. But most of the flail chest I had was from MVA or other trauma that would call for spinal precautions. I know of several times that later on the pt. was x-rayed and showed compression fx's. and / or subluxation (torqued) vertebrae. Most requiring spinal surgery. I was just trying to point out possibilities, not trying to make a blanket statement.

Nope, I'm just being nice and not wanting to brag.

Now I do remember one doc that left a CA to go out and have a smoke.

Nope. But I've known many that has.

"Amazing" - Aerosmith

...that your partner was sicker than the pt. And the pt. was taking care of your partner.

A few MVA's mostly. One had very bad asthma. By the time she was 33 she had 1/3 of a lung removed. Two I know of from fights, but not with me. :wink:

Oh yes, I've had that many times. Most of them were the local docs that "had" to work the ER in rotation if a regular ER doc couldn't work. Guess they thought that seeing a pt., no matter their status, after office hours was a hassle. It is frustrating. Especially if you've fought tooth & nail on someone in the field only to bring them to a apathetic and complaintant doc in the ER.

What's a cell phone??? Oh, one of these new fangled gadgets. Didn't have them back....when. I use to leave the house to get away from the phone. Took some badgering for me to start to carry one, which I sometimes forget. But that's just me. I don't see banning them altogether, but as long as the privilege is not taken advantage of. Ring tones drives me nuts anyway so I can see about having them on vibrate or off and do like Kaisu does. And definitely no texting on duty, IMHO period. If you can't keep your mind on driving or pt. care, then you don't need to be on duty.

I think my wife is already burned out from what she's already made.

Eh, I've been bored. :roll:

Good luck. And have fun. :wink:

Congrats, Duke. That's about how it was for me when I took the exam many moons ago. Was prepared like you said and walked out thinking, "That's it?". So go forth young man and do your best.

Yep, and when I lived in LA too. Just not as many.

One day bro, one day.

I don't know if I'd do IO on her at her age due to osteoporosis, and I don't know how well D50 would push that route. Never tried it. Let me know DD of IO being utilized like that. If need be do a carotid vein stick if possible. Be nice and draw at least a red top tube of blood prior to IV being hooked up for hosp. lab. But I'd say her prognosis isn't too possitive.

We usually went with either a sandbag or a flattened pillow with tape. With any flail chest spinal immob. should be a must. I've seen too many times where the flailed segment is up front on the side, then x-rays showed disconnection from the ribs from the spinal areas. That might be hard to do always, especially if having orthropnea and can not tolerate a flat lay. But be sure to have them fastened down good and discourage any movement. If ALS and resp. are adequate, pain management, high flow O2. Watch for pneumo/ hemo-thorax.

Nope, but had a few gals that I loved become patients of mine.

When I lived in northern MI there were a few guys on the Fire Dept. that had $2000 on $200 POV's. It was rather embarrassing.

"Who Are You" - The Who

Help! I've got blood in my alcohol system!

A few. Once they become an officer they have the choice to drop their Paramedic. But all must retain at least an EMT-A. But the majority stayed with it. My best friend who is now Chief didn't drop his until he became Asst. Chief. The office work wouldn't allow him in the field enough. And right now I know that all but one of the Capts. is still active. So they can drop the ALS if they want, but still have to make EMS calls.