Dustdevil

...which should not be confused with STATS. I had a corpsman this morning tell me my patients O[sub:e3a80c2747]2[/sub:e3a80c2747] "stats."

Does it really need explaination? Do you really not understand the point that everybody on this board seems to pound home day after day? BLS before ALS, as you yourself has already said here, is the point. So it makes sense if you say it, but not if I say it? Ummmm... that is because it was -- as is this last post -- too silly to even respond to. Speak for yourself. It is indeed what I am discussing. Somehow you have gotten sidetracked on a personal ANALysis of my personality, but my focus remains the topic at hand. And that, my Friend, is the very root of the problem. This pervasive attitude in EMS that "I don't need to know that." It is the number one factor that keeps EMS in the toilet. I agree it is not the best next step. But then again, I never said it was. I used it as one little example of the multitude of basic bits of knowledge that every practising EMS professional should learn, but does not. What good is knowing how many bones are in the body -- which is taught in probably every EMT school -- if you don't even know what they are? Hell, I'd rather have a partner who knew what they were but didn't know how many there were. Wouldn't you?

Are you serious? Do a quick search of this board. It has been discussed at length, ad nauseum. Plenty of systems do it, worldwide. I would almost be willing to write your ignorance off to being stuck up in the Northeast where the progression of EMS is only slightly ahead of Uganda, but the mecca of spinal clearance in the US is Maine, which utilises it statewide. So it's hard to believe you have never heard of it. Yet more evidence that you should do a little reading before you open mouth and insert foot. This entire topic is just more of the same old "I don't need all that book learnin'! I just need more skills!"

Hey, I'm just impressed that they actually have Q-Tips on the ambo! I don't think I have ever seen one on an EMS ambulance before. @ anty-bodies

That cannot possibly be a serious question. You're smarter than that. And neither do I. I never said I did. I just pointed out , off the top of my head, several medical situations I have faced in the last week. But they are questions that anybody who wants to be the "best EMT they can be" should put way ahead of learning advanced skills. They are going to teach her EKGs in paramedic school when it is time to learn it. Right now, her priority should be learning all the things that they gave her only the slightest, most basic introduction to in EMT school. The most important "skill" in EMS is patient evaluation. It is also the hardest, especially since schools spend so very little time on it. EKGs? Paramedic school spends plenty of time on that. Forsaking your basic skills so you can learn something that you will eventually be given at the proper time anyhow is simply a very poor choice of priorities. And it is about as far as you can possibly be from being the "best" EMT you can be. And no, fuzznut, the Ottawa rules are NOT for radiologists to determine the specific location of an injury. In fact, they are the basis for the spinal clearance protocols currently utilised by every professional EMS service in the country. I would say that is quite relevant to the practising EMT. Perhaps you should actually know what you are talking about before you make such "assenine" statements.

Not bad, but what made them "stable?" It takes more than one set of vitals to determine stability.

Yes. That's because it is generally considered a state issue, not an NREMT issue. Unless you are military, you have to be sponsored by a particular state to take the NR exam. If NY endorses you as being "equivalent," then you can test. If not, you can't. NY state EMS is pretty screwed up, so I wouldn't get my hopes up. Why on earth would you want to do that? :?

Why would you drive "like crazy?"

That's sure not what it sounds like. Sounds like you think you already are the best EMT you can be, and now you want to skip ahead. Can you tell the difference between cholecystitis and diverticulitis? Can you tell the difference between Bell's Palsy and a CVA? Can you tell the difference between GERD and an AMI? Do you know what sibilant rales indicate? Would you know them if you heard them? Can you name all the bones in the feet? Can you recite the Ottawa ankle, knee, and spinal clearance rules from memory? Can you tell me what approximate percentage of oxygen a nasal cannula delivers at 4 lpm? Did you score 100 percent correct on your EMT exam? If you answered no to any of the above questions, then you are no where near the best EMT you can be, and you are not ready for EKGs.

Exactly! Now, if he had reqested that you run hot, and you did not, then he might have a legitimate beef. The onus is on him as the responsible medic. I would report him on all counts. I would report him for hostile behaviour (for which he should be immediately fired, no questions asked). I would report him for poor medical judgement (for which he should be immediately fired, no questions asked). And I would report him for not communicating with you regarding patient care (for which he should be immediately fired, no questions asked). But now, the one thing that has been bothering me since the original post is, what is your definition of a "stable" patient. What exactly did you see that made him "stable?" The term "stable" is SERIOUSLY misused in EMS by people who really have not the slightest idea if their patient is "stable" or not. Can you clarify your observations and rationale for us?

So you have already learned everything there is to know on the basic level? Congratulations! Personally, I am not impressed by a basic who can read EKG's like a pro unless she can also answer each and every basic anatomy and physiology question I throw at them. Can you? But yeah, if you are bound and determined to skip the important stuff in order to move on to the sexy stuff that you can't use, and will get in medic school anyhow, then Dubin is the only way to go. I wouldn't worry so much about pissing off medics (who will be embarrassed that you know more about cardiology than they do), as I would worry about pissing off your paramedic instructor, who will think you're a smartass. :wink:

Word. :thumbright:

So, by that same logic, what is it worth if it causes one back injury?

Nothing special about those three states. It is your legal right to organise in every state. The only difference is, in the non-socialist states, it is your legal right to not organise if you so desire.

I'll give you a break on the spelling, but minus 5 for using local codes that nobody else will understand. :wink:

What is unclear? Only one person dragged this dead carcass from the grave.

I completely disagree. Maybe if you work for an urban transfer service, where all you do is roll up and down tile hallways and paved parking lots, but not in real EMS. There are simply TOO many times that it is necessary to carry the entire loaded stretcher. Over obstacles. Over dirt, grass, gravel, potholes or speedbumps. Up and down steps and stairs. During those times, the extra weight will be a con, not a pro. And during those times, that weight will contribute to injuries, not prevent them.

The search function is your friend. Here are a few previous threads that may be helpful to you. http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...sc&start=15 http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...iew&start=0 http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...light=interview http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...light=interview http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...light=interview http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...light=interview Good luck!

Minus 5 for bumping an old, dead topic with nothing worthwhile to add. :roll:

Excellent points from both of you! The posts on this page right here should be required reading! :thumbright:

LMAO!! About halfway through the first paragraph of this story, I was sure the guy was fixin' to say somebody peed on him! Hell, when I was a beach lifeguard in Florida back in the late 60's, we used ammonia on jellyfish stings. After that, we applied Pontocaine ointment to soothe the pain. Even back then I knew about the whole urination approach, but I can't say I ever used it! But back to the real topic... this is excellent timing for this article! It goes quite well with the current discussion of Evidence Based Medicine. This story clearly illustrates exactly what we mean.

If you're interested, I can show you a place where you can work in the desert and still have a high patient volume! Hay CHiP, wassup!? :salute:

Sweet! Neither Physio nor Zoll can touch Philips products. Especially the AEDs. Too many idiots in EMS just continue to buy the same brand year after year without ever considering for a minute that there might be something better out there. Same mentality that permeates EMS as a whole. :roll: New Braunfels is awesome. Did you check out the opportunities in the area? Hayes County is a great service. You want great goodies, go to a medical conference primarily for physicians! That's where we get the REALLY good stuff!

The most useful thing they could teach a "Shock Trauma Tech" would be how to drive faster. :roll:

Well, if you do that in Louisiana, they're going to look at you like you have a third eye in the centre of your forhead. They don't do the whole fire-EMS thing in Louisiana. If you personally know somebody in the FD there in Cali, then sure, ask them and maybe they will do the leg work for you, or even sneak you in the back door if there is no official ride program. But if you don't know anybody there personally, I recommend that you either try and find a personal contact and meet some guys there, or simply go through official channels. That means call the fire admin office and tell them your story, or at least tell them the story you think they want to hear. Hey Equivalentrade, what are these LEDs you are talking about hooking up? They made you wire up their new light bars or something? :?