Arctickat

Welcome to the club. We're all a bit green around here...some with decay.

You forget Ruff, I'm a privateer. Any money I have left over is supposed to go into my pocket, and the more I can gouge out of patient care, the more I get to keep.

I already have a veinlite.

Here's the true life scenario... 16 year old male kicked in the LUQ and complaining of ABD pain. Skin is pale and diaphoretic. Heart rate 95, BP 104/70, RR 20, SPo2 is 93%. Nearest trauma centre is a 2 hour drive, air transport is unavailable, doc in the box is the nearest option 15 minutes away, however all he has is Lab, (no ABGs) X-ray, and colloids. Current practise dictates we stop at the doc in a box, waste 2 hours while he does labs, gets x-rays, and sets up the referral to the trauma centre, then continue transport. If our u/s gives us the ability to identify free fluid in the abd from a splenec rupture, I would opt to bypass the doc in a box and head direct to the trauma centre.

Sorry Ruff....I'm a bit naive here...misused in what manner? My organisation is small enough that it would only be used by me and one or two others. Thanks for the info Medic, I wasn't aware that STARS was using them. My plan is to be able to transmit the feed to the trauma centre.

Anyone out here using handheld ultrasound in their vehicles? If so, what was the learning curve like? Do you use it for finding gross anomalies that would result in changes to your destination facility? Do you use it for less acute situations, such as fetal monitoring? I'm thinking of getting one to try out on one of my ambulances, but I want it to have purpose rather than be a toy.

Me: "Do you want to go to the hospital?" Patient: "No!" Me: "Okay, bye."

I know some people are on a tight budget, but cheap just doesn't compute when compared to quality. As you've noticed, a cheap light doesn't last. Do you wanna spend 30 bucks a year for the next ten years replacing a cheap light, or do you want a high quality $200 light that will last for 20 years? I've got a Hollis LED6, cost me about $150 bucks at the local scuba shop. Waterproof, durable, and bright as a blue eye.

We come across mental health issues every day...heck, we usually see them when we look into a mirror. You want to be compassionate for the suffering of the mentally ill, but how can you in the face of this? http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/suspected-killer-took-photos-of-dead-woman-3-children-in-tisdale-home-relative-1.3045892 The godfather of my children is a retired paramedic and coroner...this was on his turf.

I was afraid to, given that it was presented by a spammer, that it likely had some sort of malware attached to the link.

Has anyone bothered to follow the link?

Here is the info regarding our recent change. http://www.collegeofparamedics.sk.ca/cme/spinalmanagement.php

Meh, they've been doing this on Grey's Anatomy for months.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/obituaries/article16525841.html

That's the issue Secouriste, it's supposed to be the same way here as it is where you are.

I'm in Canada and voted. We recently implemented a spinal protocol that essentially eliminates spineboards with the exception of extrication. Even then we remove the patient as soon as practical. C-Collar stays on though.

My thinking is that they figured they knew what was better for him than he did.

Interestingly enough we had a similar issue here recently. The patient refused to be transported by helicopter, multiple times. He was lucid and unimpaired, yet the flight crew administered 30mg Diazepam to sedate him because he was too agitated for the flight. Fortunately it wasn't sufficient and they elected to send him by ground. I wish i would have been there though, there is no way I would have allowed them to do that. Turns out as soon as he knew he wouldn't be flying he calmed right down and had an uneventful trip into the city.

From our paramedic association: It was with great despair that the Association of Saskatchewan Paramedics learned of the sudden passing of our brother, Jack Spyker on March 18. Jack had been employed as Primary Care Paramedic for the past two years at WPD Ambulance in North Battleford, Sask. The loss of his friendship has left many asking the question, Why? Tributes from around the world are appearing on facebook, messages of condolence and of loss. Many will miss his friendship, companionship, and loyalty. The loss Jack’s compassion and empathy for his patients is a torch that others will bear in his stead, for his brothers and sisters will always be here to lift the burden from sagging shoulders. https://www.facebook.com/saskmedics?ref=hl

I'm sorry for your loss. Just for my statistical purposes, were your friends part of the First Responder family?

Did you contat the HR department for that company and tell them what you just told us?

http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/pilot-dies-in-helicopter-crash-near-slu-hospital/article_1b5477bc-9913-56ab-8d0c-57f14dd39145.html?mobile_touch=true

Hell, I think every routine poster here has PTSD. That's a disability, isn't it?

That would likely be a better question for a forum for lawyers than for paramedics. Although I am not American, I do know that my application has the same question with one subtle difference. In your case, you would be quite safe in answering no. On your application, I would have described the disability. The other question is whether or not you actually have a disability. It's rectified completely by a hearing aid. If you can still use a stethoscope, all should be well.

I must admit, I have been having second thoughts regarding Mikeymedic's apparent indifference to the suicide rate in EMS. Back when I was on the cusp, I had much the same attitude. It wasn't until recently that I realised that my indifference to the suffering of those on the job around me was not only causing them harm, but more importantly, myself. The attitude that if you can't hand;e the heat, stay out of the kitchen is rampant amongst those in our line of work, and truth be told, those words came from my mouth as well. Until I realised that it was just my cover, my denial and bravado was my coping mechanism and it was a hair's breadth from failing me and those I love. Since then the world has been a much better place for me, my family, and my friends. Kelly Grayson's words of wisdom regarding depression quite likely helped to save my life.The gist of what he said...or how I chose to interpret it...was that once you recognise and acknowledge the cause of your drepression, it no longer has a hold over you. You can see it for what it truly is and deal with it in a healthy manner. Shea Emry is a professional Canadian football player, and he started a foundation called www.wellmen.org to teach men that they don't have to be tough guys and fight through their depression...that there are better ways. I recently discovered his foundation and I plan to work with him to develop something for first responders of both genders. Mikey, please, you need to deal with your issues in a healthy manner. Acknowledge them and accept them, only then can you begin to deal with them.