emt217

Well, it'll be more urban based due to my locale. It will cover as many agencies as will allow me. You nailed it with the last couple lines though. It is meant to portray what happens behind the scenes I suppose. Just the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial toll it takes. My ultimate goal is to provide the viewer with what our lives are like. It will span months of footage, personal stories, spouse comments, etc.

Sorry, I shouldve explained better. I didn't mean to sound like I was trashing the other shows. I was merely trying to point out the type of view they use. It's more entertainment based. Granted, there are nuggets of real life in there, but my goal is to view us from the more human side. Lack of family time, strained relationships, missing all those things our children do in school, sports, etc. The long hours without sleep, meals, or even a shower. Adding more shifts just to make ends meet. That's my approach to it. I guess you would view it as us not burning the candle at both ends, but rather dunking it in diesel and setting the whole candle on fire. Again, apologies for the misrepresentation.

In mid-January, I and some of my co-workers are beginning production of an EMS documentary. After much discussion, we have a general idea of where we want to go with it, but I would also like to open it to ideas here. There have been the "action" side of it with the Discovery Health Channels "Paramedics", the less than flattering side, such as "Trauma", and the darker and, (IMHO) slightly warped view in "Bringing Out The Dead". We want to come from a more personal side, showing the long hours, time away from family, the long term stress effects, how most of us need to work ridiculous hours just to make a living, etc. I want to make absolutely sure that it doesn't portray our profession in a negative light. Therefore, I am asking for any and all constructive input. What would people like to see in such a documentary? What would you like to see portrayed in a different aspect? Any parallels to personal stories? I know this may seem a little odd, but I just feel that we, as a whole, are either misunderstood, negatively portrayed, or commercialized for theatrical purpose. I want people to see us for what we really are. Human.

Here are a few more that seem to help on occasion: Medical Calc - Nice calculators for various topics, ie: Labs, Parkland formula,etc. IV Calc - Rapid dose/drip rate/infusion rate Full Code Pro-Code logging

I'll be finishing medic class in 10 weeks, and am beginning to look for interesting, progressive areas to work in. Yes, I may be jumping the gun a bit, but I like to try and plan ahead, as well as gain all info I can before making any decision. I've looked in the Carolina's, and found a few interesting services. I'd love to move back to Florida, but I don't think there are many services that aren't fire based. So I'm turning to you guys. I read this site extensively, even if I don't post much (sometimes I don't feel intelligent enough to!) Any and all replies/suggestions welcome. I'm looking for a fairly progressive system where I can use what I've learned. And after pulling 8 years BLS duty in West Virginia, this isn't the place for me. I don't mind the occasional renal or physician run,as these patients are as needing of our services as anyone else, but I don't wanna be an ALS dialysis transport forever, if you know what I mean.

Well I'd like to start off by telling everyone how very much I appreciate all the input. I'll try to skim over some of the replies. As far as the time is concerned, I only worry about it with the mannequin due to Natl Reg time constraints. For an actual patient, I use the technique this absolutely wonderful preceptor I now have taught me. Hold my breath until I get the tube. She said "If the pt isn't breathing, neither are you." I got three intubations day before yesterday. My IV skills have DRASTICALLY improved. The ER I'm doing rotations in kept pushing me to use 20's and 22's. I started pushing 16's and 18's and have nailed every single one, so I'm quite happy about that. I lucked up in the past week or so since I first posted and got 2 awesome preceptors. They have a "no pressure" attitude, and combined with not having ParaGod syndrome, I learn a lot more. Both tell me that I'm the medic, they're just an EMT. They kinda force me to "teach" them, which vastly improved my performance. Sounds odd, but it's worked quite well. My confidence is up, and I'm starting to get into the "Paramedic mindset" as they like to call it. My ridetime preceptor told me that if I think and act like I'm a medic, I'll start to feel and perform like one. He was right. It surprised me how much I've improved in only two weeks, but I feel I need to thank all that threw out extra ideas. It helped more than you could imagine. Now......anyone wanna hold me hand and walk me through 12 lead?? We started cardiology this week, and while it does seem a bit daunting, I know I'll get it. Again, thank all of you so much for the advice. If all goes well, I'll be posting the "I PASSED!!" thread around the middle of December.

Well I guess you could say the Paramedic program I'm in is a "Medic Mill" of sorts, but it also holds a very high reputation in the area. It's only one year in length, but most if not all requirements are above and beyond national standards. And the setup, in my opinion, is much better than other local college programs. As an example, Pharmacology at two of the other colleges is a one semester course. My program teaches it the entire year. It's broken down based on what we are currently learning in other sections. If we are covering trauma, we cover medications based on MOI. In cardiology we cover cardiac drugs. Pulmonology we cover respiratory drugs, and so on. It helps to tie the medication into the problem, making it much easier to learn. We are also given a list of 40-50 medications a week to memorize. These are the most common prescribed medications, and we are to learn generic and trade names, as well as its primary indications and contraindications. As our instructor said "Sometimes, the patients drug list is the ONLY clue you have to the underlying condition." Sure, a lot of the drugs overlap, but the repetition makes it easier to learn. Also, in cardiology, most of the other colleges are instructing on 3-4 lead. Ours only covers 12 lead. We get tested multiple times per class day, and have skill check-offs on a 3-4 week basis. During some of my clinical rotations, I have worked alongside some of the students from the 2 year programs, and they seem lost. Now granted, I posted a question in the student section a couple days ago regarding some issues I'm having, but those are related to my being new to some of the procedures, not the program. This is the programs 4th year, and of the previous three rotations, there has been a 90% passage rate on the National on the first try. Yes, I know that only means you can pass a test, but the program isn't geared towards that. Our instructors aren't teaching how to pass an exam, but how to be a competent provider. We are constantly given scenario's in which we most diagnose, implement a treatment, and adjust based upon physiologic changes. We complete a run-form, and in some instances, are given a mock deposition from a local prosecutor. All in all, I'm very pleased with it. It's gained so much local and regional recognition that one of the universities will accept the programs hours, along with their own subsequent CCT-P program, and award an A.S. based on it. While i would have to agree that most one year progs aren't great, I was lucky to find one that really is all it's cracked up to be. Just my 2 cents.

I'll try that. I spoke to my instructor, and he told me it sounded like I wasn't placing enough pressure. He advised the same as you, to just imagine that I'm intubating the dummy. He said it takes as much pressure an a live patient as it does the dummy to visualize the cords, and that I'm not gonna do any damage so long as I use the technique we were taught, and that if the blade seemed too big for the mouth (Mac 3) then I just didn't have the mouth open enough. He chalked it up to being new, and nervous, and said it happens to most students first couple rounds. Thanks again for the advice. Would anyone else chime in?

Yes, it's only week 3 of clinicals. One thing I have noticed about my IV issue is the difference in angiocaths between the ER and the service I do ridetime with. The caths on the ambulance have about 1/16th of an inch between needle and cannula. The ER's is about 3/16ths. I wasn't advancing far enough before trying to canulate. Blew the vein everytime.

Long time lurker, occasional poster. Read this site ALOT, and have gathered numerous tidbits. My class started clinical rotations a couple weeks ago, and although it may sound stupid, I'm wondering if I'm putting too much pressure on myself. I'm not really good at IV's yet (blow about 30% of the time), and today I did my first OR rotation so I could get my intubations. I had 3 patients to intubate. The first one I did place correctly, but didnt advance far enough. When the cuff inflated, it popped it out of the cords. 2nd attempt was a good placement. 3rd attempt, the cords were angulated anteriorly, and I thought I'd gotten in, but it slipped of the posterior cords and went into the esophagus. I guess what I'm wondering is if I'm expecting more out of myself than I should be this early into clinicals. Did any of you guys/girls have a tough time at the start?? I'm doing really well in the classroom setting, as well as my assessments. It's the skills I'm not so hot at right now. Any comments or thoughts?

I really appreciate all the responses so far. I already figured the numbers would probably include benefit packaging, and maybe even so far as to include certain levels of tuition reimbursement. A bigger selling point to me is the actual in-hand income vs. cost of living. I know here in WV, I can buy a newer home for less than $65,000, but i'll also top, TOP, out at around $10.50 hr as a medic. $14-$15 if I have my State CCT Cert. I;ve been leaning strongly towards Maryland, Texas, Louisiana (oil rig perhaps?) and NC, with a real interest in Wake Co. EMS. I've been doing some research on Wake Co., and while it's just an opinion, they seem to have a nice balance of pay, benefits, and aggressive protocols. My brother lives in Asheboro, which is only a couple hours away, but he tells me I can find affordable living halfway between him and the Raleigh/RTP area. I'd like to hear from some of you that may work/ have worked in these areas. I don't mean to keep throwing so much out, but I'm pushing 37, so I wanna make the most effective move I can when I do. I want to get alot of the homework done ahead of time. I've seen a few friends that went from EMTB to EMTP, hit the road, and come back 6 months later because they didn't take the time to ask.

Thank you sir, I appreciate the response. Actually, I dont plan on going fire route. I just know most places seem to be going fire based. I've been an EMTB for 7 years or so, heavy 911 volume. I'm hoping to go somewhere that has separate fire/EMS.

Thank you, I would appreciate it! I currently live in WV, and would love to relocate. We have a very conservative system here, with protocols that look like they came from the early 80's. Sure, I want to make a better living, but I also want to go where I can use what I've learned.

Top 10 paying states for Paramedics Looking for places to relocate after I finish school. Any of these places even come close, or is this Fire based?