crotchitymedic1986

I wouldnt be so quick to judge. On the surface, it seems excessive, but we do not know all of the facts. Maybe so little was spent on training because they have inhouse trainers, and already have a wealth of training equipment and materials. If your training purchases have been made, and you allow training to occur while on-duty, then there would not be a need to spend alot on training. Also, we do not know what was accomplished at these "parties". I worked at an organization that used such events as planning sessions. We all talk about the amount of stress that is in our jobs, maybe this is the way they relieve some of that stress. What better way to build unity and teamwork than to have a large picnic where EMS families can mingle and enjoy each others company ?

I believe the next big thing will be: Some type of personal hovercraft to replace the automobile. We will finally get the dick tracy watch (for the younguns, dick tracy was a cartoon from way back, but they were able to see each other and talk to each other on their wrist watches). Obviously we are pretty much there with the blackberry, just has to get smaller. And honestly, i can see some type of robot that is very lifelike that is marketed for sex purposes.

actually the poster stated he got fired for "wreckless" driving, isnt that what we all strive for ?

You cant just up and fire someone for what they did off-duty unless it was an illegal activity, or an activity that is forbidden by your policy-procedure manual PRIOR to the event. If he has a clean record at your facility, and you fire him with no documentation, you open yourself up to all kinds of trouble. I would want to know what the patient endangerment was just for my own knowledge as his supervisor, but the other employer should not tell you why he got fired, as it should be confidential. What you can do is talk to his partners, and enquire about his driving ability, or you can follow him on calls and transports to witness his driving habits. Once you determine there is a problem, you should follow the progressive disciplinary process with him, if he does not improve, then you can move towards firing him. He may very well straighten up now that he has been fired from one place. But if you are a supervisor, and you have knowledge of dangerous behaviors, you have a responsibility to follow up to insure that you protect your employees and patients.

First person on scene is in command until relieved by higher rank or skill. Most services then allow each agency to be in charge of their area, with the highest level EMS or Fire rank in command of the scene, but that could vary by region and by your resources (ie... Medics in charge of patients, fire in charge of extrication, PD in charge of traffic control, vehicles, and investigation). This is in reference to regular MVCs, not mass casualty incidents. This should be spelled out in your community's disaster plan.

Would you be feeling any different about their deaths if you were the towns garbage man ? When friends die, it hurts, no matter what profession you are in. But you have defined some of the problems of working where you live. I always cringed when they toned out an accident with entrapment when i knew my teens were out on dates. But there is also some benefit to working where you live: no commute, close to home if something happens, you are usually more dedicated when you work where you live, and I dont know that not knowing the patients makes their death any easier. But with that being said, if you have developed an ulcer, you need to make some changes. See a counselor or change employers. I know someone who lost 40lbs and was diagnosed with MS, he retired from EMS and all his symptoms disappeared within two weeks, he didnt have MS, he was just too stressed by his job.

I understand you may not want to discuss the "personal reasons" for you first departure from EMS, but I would really think about why you left before you dive back in. If you really didnt like the job then, I doubt much has changed since you left, so maybe it is time for a new career. If you left for some reason other than burn-out, then the paramedic school decision is a good idea. Good luck.

First of all you have to calm down, you are probably psyching your own self out, since you are not have problem with the other formats. So take a deep breath, and think before you speak. It is always ABC first. Practice with your classmates until you have every conceivable hick-up fixed. While you guys are practicing, intentionally try to trip each other up.

I would look at the thomas packs that contain medicines and airway stuff in one big back pack. The rest of the equipment list would be determined by what type of vehicle you would be using, if any. http://www.thomasems.com/

Some good news, JEMS was able to locate the first Nationally Registered EMT/medic. I have copied and pasted their email message: Well you’re in luck, sort of. Bill Brown says the first paramedic certified by the National Registry of EMTs was Steve Schmid, who was a paramedic and EMS instructor in Ohio. It turns out that the NREMT Board Chair Jimm Murray was the second EMT nationally registered. Brown says the person given #1 as EMT never took -- or passed -- the test, so there was NO #1 EMT, only #2. If you’re interested in doing a story on this, check out our author guidelines at http://www.jems.com/about/Author_Guidelines.html. In the meantime, I suggest you pose this as a question on JEMS Connect. To become a member, just go to http://connect.jems.com/ (you can also access it from the orange bar at the top of JEMS.com) and sign up. Then click on “forum” and add your discussion about the first EMTs. I’m sure others would love to chat about this, and it would be especially interesting to hear about all the stories. Thanks again for being a JEMS reader, and thanks for sending the story idea. It’s been fun for us to find the answer for you!

You just put a bandaid on the problem. IF aerosol treatments solved the problem, the inhaler the patient used 7 times before she called 911 would have stopped her symptoms. Pt should be transported.

Are you saying it is impossible to do two things at once (maintain medic skills and shoot a gun). I dont think you have to sacrifice one to do the other. Its not like you have to fire a gun every hour of the day to stay proficient. I am sure most police officers only practice shooting bi-weekly or monthly. But you do make a good point about the difference between being trained to shoot a gun, and being trained to use deadly force in all situations. Good point.

I find it very ironic that every hospital has a 1000 page disaster plan that a team worked for months or years to create, but they choose not to handle the daily disaster of patient flow.

I am guessing 5 or 6, it involved a big wheel, a homemade ramp, and alot of mercurichrome -- that should spark some memories for some of you. At what age did you realize you werent a kid anymore (by your actions, not your growth) ? P.S. That is a Big Wheel, as in the plastic tricycle.

Door to door salesman is making a sales call in a woman's home. He notices a large bowl of peanuts on the coffee table, with a sign next to it that says "dont eat the peanuts". When the woman leaves the room to get her checkbook, he could no longer restrain himself, so he grabbed a big handful of the nuts and ate them before she came back in the room. After taking her check, the salesman asks, "you know i just have to ask what is the deal with the peanuts, why would you put a bowl of nuts out on the table, and then put a note beside it saying dont eat them ?" THe woman replies, oh those are grandpa's nuts, he doesnt have any teeth to chew them with, so he just sucks off all the chocolate.

What does a person with leprosy tell a prostitute ? Keep the tip.

Dust is right, i would spin it the other way: You dont trust your partner with a gun, but you do trust them with life and death patient treatment decisions ? Children can be taught to operate a gun safely, it doesnt require any medical skills or even above-average intelligence.

An update: I emailed JEMS Magazine about this, as I figured the late Mr Page would have known who it was, and may have shared that information. They wrote back and stated that they know who #2 was, and are trying to contact that person to see if they know who #1 was. They have forwarded the suggestion on to the editors to see if this is a story they want to follow up on and maybe do a piece on it in the magazine. (they didnt tell me who # 2 was).

I can relate itk, but its still poor management. Every Mcdonalds has to have a plan for what to do when a bus full of people unexpectedly pulls off the interstate for a meal. Every hospital should do the same. If you are on diversion on a weekly basis, the CEO is poorly managing that facility.

I am well aware of that. In my humble opinion, when you go on diversion, you are saying "the hospital is overwhelmed". If the hospital is overwhelmed, they should be in crisis mode, and all elective procedures should be cancelled, so that staff can be diverted to assist with the crisis. If you are holding patients in the ER because you have no beds, you should not have "nonurgent" patients occupying beds upstairs. Tell them to come back next week for their elective procedure. But diversion does help you identify which hospitals are the most poorly managed.

The only way to fix that system would be to dismantle it and start over from scratch.

Much like we address patient care mistakes, discussing your or your companies managerial miscues may keep someone from making that same mistake. I think mine were: 1. Early on as a new supervisor, I tried to be the supervisor everyone loved, which was a big mistake. If you are the supervisor everyone loves, you are not doing your job. 2. Believing an employee who swore to me that she didnt have a drug problem, I should have tested her at the first sign of trouble.

I think you are right about ireland anthony. To clarify, I am wondering who the first "certified or licensed" paramedic was.

oh they filled out a report. I imagine it just mysteriously got misplaced.

It would only happen in the US if the medics were really stupid. Once you show up on the hospitals property they have to treat the patient. Sure, everyone at that hospital will be pissed off, but you have to do what is best for the patient. So if you guys ever find yourself in this situation, just show up at the ER you feel is best equipped to treat the patient. This diversion crap really pisses me off. If I were king, no ER could go on diversion until the hospital had cancelled all elective surgeries that day.