Dustdevil

This has always been successful for me. In all these years, I have never had anybody follow my ambo after being asked not to. I always lay it down initially, as described above, for the benefit of the patient. If they do not immediately at that point pick up their keys and head for their car, I tack on the part about the probability they will go to jail if they are seen behind us. Never had it fail in over twenty years. Must be nice in places like NYC where nobody has a car anyhow!

Ok bro. Sorry that idea didn't pan out for you. Good luck!

I start my employer evaluation process in the parking lot. What are their employees driving? A bunch of ten year old pieces of $hit, indicating they are paid poorly? Nicer and newer cars indicating they are paid comfortably? Are there a bunch wankermobiles with red lights and stickers and antennae all over them, signifying a young, inexperienced, unprofessional workforce? Are the management's vehicles (the ones parked under the covered, reserved parking near the front door, of course) Mercedes and Porches? Is the owner's yacht parked out back? You can tell a lot from the parking lot of an EMS agency.

Best I can tell, it is the ONLY stuff that is any good over time. Especially if your vehicles are not housed indoors. It is definitely brighter. And, unlike Scotchlite, it is vinyl clad, which protects the finish and the reflective properties, much like Reflexite. I simply don't see anybody getting anything other than Diamond grade striping around here anymore. Of course, there is the legitimate argument that degree of reflectivity isn't of primary importance since it is only a factor at night when your lighting should be doing the job. Although I believe that NFPA standards specify reflective striping now, the colours of your apparatus, and the contrast they provide to the surroundings, is a much more important concern, especially during the day. Just curious what your salesman has to say, and what company he is from. And what exactly is the controversy?

That's certainly a valid dilemma. I guess I have two major considerations for you: 1. Which school is better? Which school is longer (EMS subject contact hours, not calendar length or semester hours)? Which school has better clinical facilities? Which school has better internship facilities? Ideally, the BEST education should be your primary concern, taking precedence over financial concerns or expediency. 2. Should the Nova school be the better choice, don't sweat the degree thing. With your current degree and a paramedic certification, you are only two semesters away from an EMS AAS down the line. And yes, it does make a difference in how good a medic you are to have formal Anatomy & Physiology, Chemistry, and Microbiology courses, which your humanities degree probably did not cover. And there are an increasing number of states that will not let new medics register without those courses, even with another degree. But it is very easy to go back and get all that done part time in a couple of semesters while you are already working as a medic. It really sounds like a great offer, so long as the Nova school is quality and not a wham-bam patch factory. Good luck!

Another winner from you guys! $7 bucks is nothing compared to the time and effort it would save anybody looking for that information! Nice job! I admire your vision for finding solutions to the problems people really care about.

You took him to lunch? :?

How is denying them full-time professional medical care "helping" them? Anybody who thinks that (as I once did myself) is incredibly short-sighted and thinking only of their own personal priorities, while ignoring the greater needs of the community. The whole absurd volunteer issue aside, EMT-I or CC is still a stupid idea. If you are really and truly in it to do your best to "help" people, then get serious about it and go to paramedic school. Don't be a half arse. Don't look for shortcuts to glory. Do your best, or go home.

I bet it's not upsetting to the babies. Too bad they can't vote.

Agreed. I think a lot of wannbe's go to these tactical courses thinking they are going to learn some serious combat medicine. The disappointment comes when they realize that there is practically no medical component to any of these courses. It's all about -- gasp -- tactics! Imagine that! So, you end up with a guy who knows how to suit up and integrate with a tactical unit, but he is really no more medically qualified than the next guy. And when it comes down to it, that's really as it should be. Every street medic should be competent and knowledgeable in the same care. There is nothing special about it.

That's insane. That would be like me not knowing normal vital signs. You talked to idiots. Contact the PT and OT schools around you. That is what OT is all about. They know this stuff. They were just being lazy. After my accident, the rehab people pulled the national standards for my job right out of a book that listed every occupation in the country. Nobody got released from work rehab until they had been rehabbed to those standards, whether they were a cop, fireman, medic, mechanic, baggage handler, or whatever. These days, it's just a keystroke away on their computers, I'm sure.

Some places it is. Most places it is not. No structured program to train a new grad. It's sink or swim, and you have no idea if you are doing things right or not. And the people you are working with quite likely have not much more experience than you -- just the occasional volunteer run -- so they are in no position to positively influence you. Rarely is volly experience quality experience. Most of the time, it is counterproductive to your professional growth. Your mileage may vary. There are some good, professional, and busy volunteer organizations out there. Well, just remember that one of the reasons that it is so hard to find a PAID EMT job is because so many people want to give it away for free as a volunteer. So don't be a hypocrite. Let the community pay for their services like other cities do. They can and will afford it as soon as the supply of wackers dries up. Some people have a 911 job waiting for them the day they graduate. Most don't. Many never find a job. And most who do aren't happy with it or the pay. You had best do a LOT of serious market research in YOUR specific area before you even think of laying out a thousand bucks or so to take a 150 hour course that is quite likely to not land you a job. That means find out exactly who hires in your area. Find out if they hire new grads. Find out if the often have openings. Find out what their requirements are. Find out what they pay and if you can live on that pay. Way too many morons get all excited about lights and sirens and take an EMT course only to find out that the best hope they have for a job is driving a non-emergency transfer ambo all day to dialysis clinics for $7 dollars an hour. Then they come here crying for some sympathy. Don't be that guy. Good luck!

The "Edit" button allows you to go back and fix your own posts without double posting. You ratted yourself out! Nobody would have known if you hadn't told us!

You're absolutely right there, Patty. But remember, the reason your community won't pay for paramedics is NOT because they cannot afford it. It is because people like you give basic and intermediate service away for free. In the long run, that is not "helping" your community. It is hurting it.

I know the feeling! It's spooky when they sneak up on you like that. Suppose the MI was just enough to cause LHF and a slowly progressive PE that took awhile to knock him down. With those sats, I was leaning towards pneumonia on this guy til the end, so he had me fooled too. The high "index of suspicion" thing simply cannot be overstated, eh?

Dude, if you can't handle a couple of weeks, don't even think about going to Canada. They'll make you wait a few months and charge you a thousand dollars for the privilege of waiting. There are only so many people working in these EMS offices. And there are hundreds of people a day sending in applications. Sure, we could hire a tonne of people to open mail and process applications at a fast pace, but you wouldn't wanna pay what licences would cost then. Just be glad you're from Texas and not some state with lame arse standards whose people get über scrutinized anywhere they apply for reciprocity. Suck it up. EMS will still be hiring in a few weeks.

Neither one. Both are a waste of time. Half-arse steps for those who aren't serious about the profession. Go to paramedic school. Do it as soon as you can possibly get into it. It'll teach you a lot more than driving an ambo will. If it's a college degree based program, start taking the prerequisites now. If it's not a degree based program, it probably sucks, so look elsewhere. Or at least go take the college courses (Anatomy & Physiology, English, Algebra, Psych, etc...) before you start the crummy medic school. Anybody who disagrees with me is wrong, so don't listen to them. Good luck!

The backboard makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. It's not going to keep somebody's arms or fat arse from hanging over onto the side rails, which is really your only concern. With almost all defibrillation going to pads these days, accidental shock of EMS personnel is an increasingly rare probability. Of bigger concern now is that a patient grounded out on metal cot rails will dissipate some of the energy that was meant for the heart, rendering the conversion ineffective. On the old thin Ferno cot mattresses, a backboard didn't even make that much difference on CPR. But with the newer, thicker mattresses, it is definitely an asset.

It's not on the NHTSA site http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa...30811060008a0c/ And, surprisingly, it is not on the Dept. Of Labour site http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos101.htm I suppose with your experience, you have been through physical therapy. Contact your physical therapist or occupational therapist. They have outlines of the nationally recognized and established physical requirements for just about every occupation you can imagine, and would be happy to share a copy.

But wouldn't that make you a.... ? :shock:

For real. I have a friend in Lawrenceville, KS and they got hit pretty hard on the KU campus there. Luckily, she was out of town at the time.

Don't know if it is universal, but it works in Texas, at least. Got a buttload of CE credit for nursing school classes. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone!

I don't. I judge them by what they choose not to read. :wink:

:oops:

Don't make us ask where.