Dustdevil

Go with that. Minnesota chicks beat NoDak chicks any day of the week!

During Ramadan. :roll:

LMAO!! That's funny right there, I don't care who you are! I wish I could see the video! Did they actually leave the patient in there the whole time??

Just to clarify, I want a pillow on my cot. I just don't want it or anything else strapped down. Nine times out of ten, you don't need a pillow, so whoever is pulling that cot out needs to be able to toss the pillow back into the ambo without having to undo any straps. Which reminds me... DON'T bring a pillow on the cot to my scene when the damn patient is obviously going to be backboarded, or is in full arrest! :roll: I don't want another thing to have to carry back to the ambulance with me, and I don't want to have to steal a replacement from the hospital after I leave that one on the scene. In fact, if you do that, we are going to take YOUR pillow from YOUR bunk at the station to replace the one from the ambulance. I bet you don't make that mistake again!

Sure, but they don't have sirens or a badge, so who cares? :wink:

Upon further reflection, I have to amend my concern about our lack of a unique identity. It's not so much the lack of a unique identity that is the problem, as it is the identities that we are currently linked with. In other words, it would not be a particularly bad thing to share an identity with the nursing or medical professions. That could work for us, given the right political relations with those groups. But being linked with the fire service and public safety is very definitely not working for us. I agree that ideally, we would have a unique professional identity that let people know exactly who we are, what we do, and what we are worth. But so far, it isn't happening and I don't even see the slightest potential for it. Consequently, forging an alliance with an existing medical profession may be a valid option, at least for the short term. And, of course, having a unique identity that shows people exactly who we are can be a very bad thing if, as we currently do, we suck! Therefore, again, it all comes back to education.

I've seen new EMTs do that exam. I did that exam when I was a new EMT. I still do it. It takes a lot longer than what you are insinuating, especially when you are brand new and have not done it a million times before. Those tests and steps don't just pop right into your mind, rapid fire. You don't run through the sequence from memory. You sit there and think, and think, and think some more. You're like... "uhhh... okay, I did the grip test. Now what?" Then you fiddle with the blood pressure cuff for a few minutes while you think of some other test to give. Then as you're finally about to load them on a cot, you think of something else to check for. And, of course, all of that is only if you actually remember any of that stuff at all. Yeah, in a perfect world, with a well seasoned and well educated medic, things run fast and smooth. Then there is the real world.

Just for the record, in case you were talking to me, I did not, have not, and will not get into that debate. I don't have a problem with young partners. I do, however, have a problem with undereducated partners, regardless of age.

It is of the utmost importance that you first realise that the ER is not the real world. Nursing also is not the real world. Therefore, the normal rules of human behaviour do not apply. Nurses are living proof that it is not only men who are shallow. ER nurses are always much friendlier to hunky firemonkeys who make 60k than they are to a fat slob, 20k a year ambulance jockey. So, as in most every other pursuit in life, looking good helps you to succeed. Unfortunately, as much as we like to try and present ourselves as consummate professionals, don't get too carried away with this in the ER. Make sure you come across as competent, for sure. But don't get into a lot of medical discussions with the ER staff, trying to show them how much you know. They don't care. They don't work with you. As long as you don't show up with grossly inappropriate treatment in progress (NRB @ 2lpm, Salbutamol on an MI, MONA on GERD), all they care about is how easy you are to get along with. How friendly you are. And, of course, how good you look. So don't try to be their co-worker or team member. Just be competent at your job, and be their friend. If you fail at either, don't try to make up for it. You'll just compound the problem. Just stay away from them as much as possible.

I completely agree with JPINFV and his points. You were not wrong in your decision, and this "senior EMT" is a knob. I would, however say that you were wrong to have spent that much time evaluating for something that you could do nothing about. Unless, of course, all of this pointless evaluating went on in the ambulance while enroute to the hospital. And yes, your system was wrong for sending an EMT staffed unit to an emergency run.

When was the last time there was an earthquake in Louisiana? :? And how is this a "Non-EMS Discussion" topic? Anyhow, the lower the frequency, the longer distance the RF propagation, generally speaking. That means you can have more distance between repeaters in the VHF range than you can in the UHF or 800 mHz range. And those repeaters will be heard farther too. Unfortunately, these days the choice of what frequency range you choose frequently comes down to what is left over. In many urban areas, there are simply few VHF frequencies to be had. And no, digtal does nothing to increase your range or clarity. It shortens your range and makes everybody sound like Donald Duck. Perhaps a better understanding of the organisation would produce a better understanding of the problems they face. Is it really an EMS agency? Or is it just a volunteer organisation that responds to help out in disasters, search and rescue, etc...? Do they respond to 911 calls on a routine basis, or is this a "call out" squad that goes to help some other organisation a few times a year? Do they have a dispatcher? Full time? Do they need one? How many units? What size area do they cover? What is the source of their funding?

Two hours? That whole maze is going to smell like urine after two nights. :? And making out with girls never loses its allure! :twisted:

It's the only thing I don't suck at. And luckily, it pays damn well. And you can't beat the travel benefits!

Thanks for the insight, mtnmedic, and welcome to The City! But as a former resident, I have to say that Solano County sucks, so don't waste any tears on their behalf. As many of us expected, NEMSA talks a good game, and puts on a great dog-and-pony show, but fails miserably at achieving anything of value that was not achievable by its predecessor. Typical union politics. Sell you a bill of goods, get your name on the dotted line, then abandon you knowing that you now have nobody else to run to. So, where exactly are all these dues being spent anyhow? Anybody looking into that?

Ah, the cellphone thing is a good one! :thumbright: Another excellent suggestion was don't hang out in the ER after dropping off the patient. Once he or she is off the cot, you need to be on your way out the door with the cot and all equipment. Even if the patient has a really awesome gunshot wound to the head. Even if they were doing something cool to the patient. Get out of there. Get out of the way and get us ready for the next run. The next move is to immediately move the ambulance to a different parking space if you are taking up one of the spaces nearest the ER entrance. Don't make somebody with a critical patient (or anybody else, for that matter) wheel their patient around you because you were too lazy to move your truck. In fact, unless you had a critical patient, you shouldn't have taken that parking spot in the first place. After the truck is moved, the cot needs to be cleaned, disinfected, the linen changed, the floor cleaned, the squad bench and all work surfaces cleaned, all supplies replaced in the jump bags, and the trash emptied. Only then should you return to the ER. And if you found any patient belongings or EKG strips while cleaning the truck, take them back in with you. Here's a few more: Don't strap a pillow down on my cot. Don't EVER leave my ambulance unlocked. Never. Nowhere. Not even if we are in it. Every door and compartment shall remain locked at all times. ESPECIALLY if we are in it. Don't put your feet on the dashboard. Or the cot. Or the squad bench. Or the couch. Or the table. Or the desk. Or the bed. Or anyplace else that was not specifically designed as a walking surface. Don't use tobacco products while on duty. None. Not in the parking lot. Not out back. Nowhere. Don't hang an IV bag on that hook right over the cot where the tubing bangs the patient in the face all the way to the hospital. Find another place for it. (I want to castrate the idiots who put those things there in the first place. WTF were they thinking? Obviously they have never been a patient on a cot.) Don't give me any $hit about wearing body armour. Don't do anything half-arse. There are darn few things that we do that we are in such a huge hurry for that we cannot take our time and do it correctly and completely.

LMAO! That's beauty! I have to agree with Paramedicmike, of course. There is not a single problem here that cannot be addressed by improving education. That is the common denominator that it all comes back to. All of it. The lack of a unique identity is indeed a dilemma that faces us. I think this too is an issue that is solvable by education, but it is a significant issue that it should be addressed from multiple angles. So, to answer the question, bearing in mind that issues 2 through 5 are actually the same as issue 1: 1. Inadequate entry level educational requirements. 2. Inadequate advanced level educational requirements 3. Inadequate continuing educational requirements. 4. Inadequate educational requirements for educators. 5. Inability to establish a unique identity separate from public safety and private industry.

Well, I would agree that this topic has drifted considerably from the original question asked. Our new friend asked very specificlly what NOT to do. He did not ask for everybody's ideas of what he SHOULD do. Had he asked that, my post would have been much, much longer! But no, I don't think anybody is asking too much from him. As was already stated, the vast majority of what has been stated is indeed just common sense. It's basic human relations and has nothing to do with EMS. Unfortunately, the schools aren't teaching students the basic work ethics and people skills needed to function as part of a team, especially in a close quarters environment like EMS. There's another forty hours that should be added to the standard curriculum, right there! I might agree, had the poster not specifically asked for it. He's interested enough in professional success to look for a leg-up on the process by asking for honest suggestions. Why would you sabotage his success by giving him anything less? It's not like anybody has criticised him. Like what? Which suggestion was unreasonable? I realise that you got a raw deal in your early days on the street by some a-hole partners and preceptors. Unfortunately, that happens. But might not you have been better prepared to deal with those people if you had some honest suggestions from veterans in the field? Quite the opposite. Those people remember exactly what it was like to be tossed into the field with no practical preparation, to sink or swim. I think it is almost as impressive of them to share their advice with him as it is for him to ask for it. Striving to be the best you can be means soliciting feedback from others and taking it all into consideration as you begin to develop your professional practice. That's what he is doing. As for doin just what he was trained to do, he was not trained on any of the suggestions that have been offered here. It takes more to be successful than just taking the very, very, very basic little training you got in 120 hours of EMT school and applying it. That doesn't even begin to cover what an EMT-B needs to function competently in the field. Exactly. But remember, there IS such a thing as a stupid question. Questions like, "What's the grossest thing you've ever seen?" and "Do we get half price at this Dairy Queen?" and "What's your favourite siren tone?" and "Where can I buy a badge?" are indeed stupid questions. But wouldn't it be great if he did? Kudos to him for trying!

I wish it were. Unfortunately, it is serious business. Like this... Two weeks ago, three Navy SEALs were flown into our ER after suffering shrapnel wounds from a grenade attack. One of them died of his injuries. I wasn't sure this would ever make the news, because most of what SEALs do never does. But today, this appeared on my hometown (Hamilton, Ontario) newspaper's website, so the word is out. Not that it will bring Mikey back, but I certainly hope his family receives the ultimate medal in testiment to his ultimate sacrifice. http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs...l=1112101662670 Throws Himself on Grenade to Save Comrades The Associated Press CORONADO, Calif. (Oct 14, 2006) A U.S. Navy SEAL sacrificed his life to save his comrades by throwing himself on top of a grenade tossed into their sniper hideout by Iraqi insurgents. Four SEALs said Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, above left, had been near the only door to the rooftop structure Sept. 29 when the grenade hit him in the chest and bounced to the floor. "He never took his eye off the grenade, his only movement was down toward it," said a 28-year-old lieutenant who sustained shrapnel wounds to both legs that day. "He undoubtedly saved mine and the other SEALs' lives, and we owe him." The members of the elite sea, air and land force spoke anonymously because their work requires their identities to remain secret. Monsoor, a 25-year-old gunner, was killed in the explosion in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. Two SEALs next to Monsoor were injured. Another who was three to four metres from the blast was unhurt. This week, fellow SEALs remembered "Mikey" as a loyal friend, a fun-loving guy and a quiet, dedicated professional. One said that Monsoor's father and brother are both former marines and that he had a deep respect for other troops. Adios, Mikey. We miss you. See you at that big Officer's Club in the sky.

I understand what you are saying, and what Tracyd was saying too. But the analogy is invalid as presented because you cannot "go back" to CNA school if you never went there in the first place. With CNA not being a nursing school prerequisite, it is not analogous to EMT school, which is a Paramedic prerequisite. Now, you could make a valid analogy by stating, "What if you were told that you had to go back and re-take A&P all over again before starting nursing classes when you already took them once?" That would be a valid analogy since A&P is an actual prerequisite. However, for many many people, that is indeed the case. Most nursing schools won't take any science credits that are over 2 to 5 years old. A lot of people have to re-take them. I had to re-take microbiology for nursing school because my original course was 7 years old. No, I didn't whine about it, appeal it, or try to get a waiver. I retook the course and learned things I did not know or had forgotten. And I am a better nurse and a better medic because of it. Tracy is right. The way the State of Illinoise is handling this transition sucks arse. It's totally ambiguous, misleading, and unfair to those in the system. Prospective paramedics should know exactly what they are getting into when they sign up for these classes. But, apparently the state is keeping everybody in the dark and then just ambushing them with the bad news later on down the line. The best solution to this is two-fold. First, the EMS educational commuity needs to hammer the state with both complaints AND constructive suggestions on how to improve the situation. And second, they need to make sure their prospective students are given a realistic overview of the current educational situation in Illinioise EMS so that they can make intelligent choices about the path they choose. I am not an anti-EMT-I person. I actually dissent from the majority here who believes that the EMT-I level should die a fast death. If anything, the EMT-B level should die a fast death. EMT-I is a decent (although not ideal) entry-level of training. Certainly better than EMT-B. But that skill level should be accompanied by at least four times the education it currently receives.

Minus five for a horribly inconsiderate and thoughtless subject title.

Ahh... this is becoming a bit clearer now. I never knew whether or not this scenario applied to you personally or not, which is why I said I didn't know enough to judge you. From what you wrote, it was not clear. But when you accused me of cutting you down, you seemed to be saying that you were the EMT-I in question. I appreciate that. But it seems as if you are sacrificing the above principles for the expediency of letting a few people call themselves paramedics. Why would you do that? How can you hold to the above principles, yet at the same time basically tell people they already know everything they need to know and don't need a review to become the best medic they can be? Can you clarify exactly what your dilemma is? What keeps you from simply telling people, "Hey, if you want to be a paramedic, you need to go to paramedic school"? Why would that be a hard thing to do? What option would you prefer? No, it is not. Nursing starts in nursing school. Nursing isn't a tiered system like EMS. I don't know where you heard that, but you heard wrong. I dated an Illinois RN for a year, and I know for a fact that she did not go to CNA school before entering the university nursing school at age 17. And you came to the right place for that. I apologise that I and others apparently did not fully understand the scenario that you were presenting. This happens to all of us on the Internet. This is the cause of the war of words, since apparently we are thinking alike, regarding the big picture.

They were cut downs only if the scenario applied to you. I was truly hoping that they did not apply to you. But yeah... if you are indeed that dangerous person I was talking about, then so be it. Then they aren't trying hard enough. No sympathy. Amd you're telling me they don't need that review? They wouldn't benefit? They already know EVERYTHING that is taught at the EMT-I level? Boo hoo. It's a profession, not a hobby. Give it 100 percent or get out. We don't owe anybody a certification or a job. You have to earn them. It's too damn easy to do today as it is. It is simply impossible to sympathise with anybody who isn't willing to do everything they can do to be everything they can be. And if you do anything less, you are not worthy of the profession. Invalid analogy. CNA is not a part of nursing education to begin with. And that is exactly the problem with such a disjointed paramedic education model. You're given three pieces of the puzzle, which don't even fit together properly, and expected to make a full picture from it. It is a horrible way to "educate" people who are utilising advanced and invasive medical procedures on the sickest and most unstable human beings in society. I've been through EMT-B three times. I've been through full paramedic school twice. I didn't whine when, after four years as a military medic, I had to go take EMT school. I embraced it. All $500 dollars worth of it. When I let my paramedic cert lapse for a couple of years, I didn't whine about having to retake it. I embraced it. All $3k of it. And I learned things I didn't know and I became a better medic for it. And to address your analogy, when I chose to become a nurse, I didn't whine about how with 21 years as a medic I shouldn't have to go take classes over things I already knew. I embraced it. All four years of it. I learned things I didn't know before, and I became a better nurse and a better medic for it. Am I that much better than you? Am I that much more professional than you? Am I that much more devoted to the profession than you? I'm not judging you. As I said, I don't know you. You have to judge yourself. Honestly. Are you as committed and devoted to the profession as I am? Are you honestly not getting it? Perhaps someone else here who you perceive as less hostile can explain it to you. Because this is my profession. I am not a hobbyist or an EMS tourist. This has been my life for thirty-three years. I have given blood sweat and tears to this profession that you can never imagine. When you cheapen my profession, you cheapen my life. That is personal. When you get personal with somebody, hostility is to be expected. It does not compare to the hostility you will receive the day you show up to work on my mother, my wife, or my children and don't know WTF you are doing because you "don't need all that book learnin."

Texas seems to be on the same course as most other states these days. EMT-I is alive and well in many rural areas, but is all but extinct in the metropolitan areas. It appears that even in those rural areas, finding the completion segment is becoming increasingly more difficult as the colleges take over the education lead from the community hospital based programmes. I hear this same complaint from many Is in Texas. It's time to read the handwriting on the craphouse walls. EMS is elevating its game and its level of educational professionalism. No longer will a piece-mail approach to paramedic education be acceptable to the profession. I don't know you, so I cannot judge you. However, I would be quite willing to put a Ben Franklin on the belief that you need every bit of education you would receive in a complete paramedic course. Even the stuff you think you already know. I've been at this for over thirty years, including a nursing degree and full paramedic school TWICE, yet nobody ever heard me whining about how I had to go back to EMT-B just to renew my expired license last year. And you know what? I learned stuff I didn't know or had forgotten. You will to. EMS isn't going away. If it takes you an extra three months to get that silly disco ball on your sleeve, big deal. You'll be a better medic for it. Maybe even an adequate medic. Be a professional. Embrace every last minute of education you can obtain throughout your entire career. You are NEVER too smart or too experienced to learn, even from a review. If you think you are, get out now because you are dangerous.

There are some truly great quotes coming out of this unlikely topic!

Correct. The picture -- as well as those in my photo album here -- is of me, and I am 49, if you must know.