crotchitymedic1986

The american society at its best: You can watch all the simulated murders, crimes, and mutilation of the human body on tv and at the movies, but god forbid you see someone naked, next thing you know those teens might decide to dance or something. This is just the modern version of "you show me yours, I will show you mine".

I see your point, and realize that things dont always go as planned, but I always preferred to let the person ride third a few shifts, then placed them with the same partner for their orientation period (for some of the reasons already listed, I wanted consistensy). If that partner wasnt available for a shift or two, then i would put them with another strong person. Now after orientation is over, I have no problem putting them with everyone. But typically in EMS, we put the new person with the person that no one else can work with, and you can watch their attitude slowly worsen, shift after shift.

I dont think putting new people with "anybody that works there" is a good idea. If you want the employee to be successful, they need to get a good "start", and some people just dont have the patience to work with new people. Even if the new person is experienced, they may not know your company's way of doing things.

Reaper, I like what you are saying, but i am not sure how feasible it is in a service that already has staffing issues. As you are aware, many services just throw the newbies to the wolves. Give me some more detail about how it would work if you designed it: who would mentor, how many newbies would that person mentor, how do they mentor if they do not ride with them ? Does the mentor just deal with emotional issues or does he/she handle performance issues as well ?

Sorry, imagine columns in there.

Depends on your budget, number of seniors versus rookies, and how many of those seniors have the temperament to manage rookies ? I like the following for all new employees: You create a checklist of every important job function that an employee needs to be competent to do, and a place to check off that they have been shown how to do it, and another column for a future date when you check off that you have actually witnessed them doing the skill, procedure, treatment properly. Then you place them with a preceptor for "x" amount of time, until the check-list is complete. For instance: Competency: Date Taught Date Witnessed Comments 1. Checks vehicle fluids 01/09/09 01/10/09 2. Proper IV technique 01/10/09 01/13/09 missed first 3 ivs, has been consistent in last 10 sticks 3. Emergency Driving 02/01/09 02/11/09 Too rough on accel, didnt stop at red light, takes curves too fast. Now drives safely. You can tailor it to what is important and/or unique to your organization, and you can make as in depth or as shallow as you desire. But you should atleast hit all the major responsibilities and pieces of equipment, so that you dont get the "no one ever told me or showed me that" later on.

Now that is a real ambulance !!!! As far as the service, most funeral homes are very profitable and recession proof, so it may be better financed than many municipalities.

From the male side, of course there is nothing wrong with harmless flirting (of course we probably need to define what is harmless and what is irritating), but from the female side, it must get old to know you are going to get hit on 10 times or more every shift (especially if you are already in a relationship). So ladies, from your perspective: what percentage of hits are harmless, irritating, and stalking ?

Hard to tape down a tongue IV, but try if you wish. As far as EMTLIFE, you know what is really funny is how many of my topics from this site (that were poo-pooed, were used buy members of this forum, in that forum. I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

I would urge everyone to get a degree, not necessarily an EMS degree BS in Healthcare Management or Business). There are very few jobs that you can do for 40 years, retire, and get the gold watch anymore. Having a degree gives you the opportunity for management careers in or out of EMS, and may give you an alternative to EMS if you are ever injured so bad that you can not work on the truck anymore. To all the rookies out there, I would also suggest getting your instructor certifications while you are young and still remember everything.

Here is crotchity's law: Dont poo-poo my 22, when you have nothing for fluid to travel through. Is a 22 ideal ? No, but is it better to have a successful 22 in that little vein, or an unsuccessful 18 in that one little vein. On another educational note: The superficial dorsal vein of the penis is always there, and easy to find. But if you cannulate that vein, you flunk the "Baptist Heaven Entry Test", and will spend eternity in hell.

Although it may have nothing to do with this case, I remember a class I took regarding head injuries in the elderly. It seems that your brain shrinks over the years, leaving pockets between the brain and the skull. Which means that when the elderly fall and suffer head injuries, they may not exhibit signs for hours later because there is space for the blood to go before it starts compressing the brain. Here are some statistics regarding elderly falls: http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/shn/2008/gs519.htm

very nice scuba, it is just missing a statement about "receiving quality (or the best) patient care". I like it -- thanks for submitting it.

Here are the statistics from 1/1/09 to 1/10/09. It should be interesting to see the total 2009 numbers. Ambulance Crashes: 12 EMS Personnel Injured: 20 Ems Personnel Killed: 0 Patient Injured: 0 Patient Killed: 0 Other Vehicle Injured: 7 Other Vehicle Killed: 1 http://www.emsnetwork.org/cgi-bin/artman2/...ncludeSubcats=1

i would probably opt for an inch and 1/2 line off the fire truck for you --- but instead of D50, I would administer Jack Daniels

Unions arent big in the south. I would be real careful about who you choose in this economy, lots of services are going to go under or merge this year. If you have a DUI or criminal record that prevents fire employment and you have to have a private, I would stay away from AMR.

you may use the wheels and roll them, just dont walk them

when the churches in your zone have burglar bars on the windows and doors (and i dont mean the chicken church's). On a similar note, if you have more than two restaurants that offer chicken and waffles in your zone.

be thankful that i would know how to save your life, while the others watch you circle the drain

Adding some new ones: 10. The patient should not have to see or smell tobacco spit bottles/cups. 11. The ambulance should not smell like cigarettes or fast food. 12. The ambulance should be spotlessly cleaned. 13. The patient should not have to lay on the same sheet that several other patients have used (no, a sheet does not have 4 sides). 14. Patients have the right to the best response time, which means medics should know their territory like the fireman do. 15. The patient has the right to expect a properly equiped ambulance which at a minimum is ALS, with temperature controlled meds, IV pumps, biphasic monitors, 12 LEad, Capnography, thermometers, stair chairs, etc......

A patient should never ambulate to the ambulance. Once one of your patients falls into or out of the ambulance you will learn that costly lesson. Lets face it, we all know someone in EMS or Fire that has fallen out of the truck, and we are used to stepping in and out of them. Now I will put on my "spenac" mask: If the patient can walk to the ambulance, why are you transporting them ? Put them on the stretcher (if you need to use a LBB, stairchair, KED, or scoop to get them to the stretcher, so be it).

uuummmmm, because its your job.

Same reason the pizza delivery guy has to come to your door. Why cant he just sit in the car and beep the horn, and let you walk to him ?

Please accept my apologies, as the alcohol has damaged too many of my brain cells. The condition I was referencing was hypoplastic left heart, not the condition the poster listed. Here is some info if you want to read about that condition: http://books.google.com/books?id=qsQWI-v50...1&ct=result

Its a new year, and i think we can do it.