emtbasic13

Hi are there any emt or medics out there who have a nystagmus or work with someone who has one ? I was formally registered as a emt and wanted to get re-certified, but I have a nystagmus known as dancing eye syndrome. And wanted to know would this stop me from getting a job in ems. My vision is a 20/80, but I have prescription contacts that make it a 20/40 but but still nearsighted. I can legally drive a car and have no other vision problems. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge of working in ems with this condition.

Does anyone have any experiance working for Charleston, Berkeley, or Dorchester. Co. EMS in SC? If so what was it or is it like any info or input would be helpful, Iam considering applying to one.

I was trying to research the roles and responsibilities of the differant crew members during a critical care transport. Like what is the nurse in charge of ? What is the medic in charge of when working with the nurse and when working without a nurse ? Where I live each of our hospitals runs its own transport team. Transporting BLS, ALS, and CCT. An I was really interested in getting into this after medic school and a few years of 911 experiance as a medic. But really couldn't find out any information on roles during transport. Also what are your views on 911 vs CCT. Which due you like better ?

What is your scope of choice and how well does it work compared to others ?

Just wondering what other departments stuff into there jump kits ?

Thanks for the answers to the questions they where all very helpful. I was just trying to get a bigger picture of what a als ift does. Like I said before where I am at most ift services are bls only. And the hospitals have there own in house ift teams that handle the majority of the als transfers. So theres no need to contract a outside service to do them. And yes I do know what each level of emt does . But all of your answers where very helpful and make doing als ift's sound pretty interesting. Can't wait to become a medic and do some. (Don't worry I am in no rush to jump into medic school, probably woun't be untill I finish my BS degree in 3 years). I am perfectly fine being a basic, but I do want to go to emt-I/85 school this year if I can. ( For all who are woundering why I said I/85 and not I/99, SC doesn't have a I/99 just I/85 only.)

Dwayne and Mobey your both correct. I was just wondering what do you do as a paramedic on a ift, than I would on onw as a basic on a bls. I never have did a als ift call before. So I was wondering what's different besides your patient being on a iv with meds from the recieving hospital. But thanks for the answers. Sorry if I worded the question weird.

Yes I am a basic. What I was referring to is I know what you do as a basic emt when doing IFT transports of a bls level patient. I was just asking if when your patient is a als patient on a ift transport is there anything different that you would do, besides monitoring the meds and your general assessments that you would do on any patient.

If you are working for a IFT only service is it still a good idea to go to medic school or just stay a basic or intermediate.

I was just wondering how other emt's and medic's who work for a IFT only service like what they do ? Also is there realy any differance between a ALS and BLS transport in what you do in the back, besides monitoring meds ?

Thanks Herbie we seem to be on the same page. I didn't mean to call a degree a waste. What I meant is I don't want to be 15-20 years into the bussiness and still haven't had the oppurtunity to leave the ambulance at and go into something else in ems like management or administrative work where I could really use what I learned in my degree program. Also I have the option of specilaizing my Health Care Admin. degree in the are of emergency management, which is geared towards emts, and firefighters. And I would really liker to take my education and use it in ems and not have to leave and go to something else. This career field really excites me and makes me want to stay in it. I have thought about a lot of other careers like PA, RN, cop, and even lawyer. But I am mostly drawn to the ambulance.

I just wan to say I don't want the STC to make me look better or anything like that. I just wanted one because I like the scope and don't mind paying the extra money for it. Especially something reliable. I brought a medium priced scope two years ago and it broke in half already. Still don't know how that happened. But anyway, to me chooseing a scope is a personal choice. As long as you can hear well out of it, buy what you want its your money. Scopes come in so many different designs and styles known. People don't have to stick with the basic ones. I see medics with card 3's and doctors with classic 2's. Its all about personal choice and taste. I did hear that the master classic is a very good scope, it is on the pricey side. Just like the STC and if you read my origional post. You see that I found a STC for $160 not $210+ like everyone else is selling them for. So its a deal alsp. Plus it has a six year warranty, unlike two years like most other scopes have. Also if I planned to stay a basic for ever I wouldn't buy a exspensive scope, but I do plan to become a medic and ccemt-p one day. So thats also another reason why I want a scope that will probably never need to be replaced. Who wants to buy a new scope every 2 or 3 years. After you buy the 3rd one you have basiclly paid as much for 3 scopes as you would have for one expensive scope that doesn't have to be replaced.

Thank you p3medic. Your right I don't need a STC, I want a STC.. Just like some people with one child don't need huge 7 passenger suvs, but they get them anyway. Also I don't want a expensive scope to make a status symbol. Thats stupid to pay that much for something just to look good.

I don't look at my degree as a waste. I choose to get a bachelores degree for a few reasons 1. So I can have something to fall back on in case I have to leave ems. 2. I can use my degree in HCA for ems as well as bussiness management. I have always toyed around with the idea of opening up a bussiness or two in the future. I like the HCA program because it teaches you about finances, personnal management, and organization management also. 3. Advancement oppurtunites. Example if you go up for a Lt. position and everyone is a medic with the same amount of years in service and the same qualifications. What is going to seperate you from the next person in line. 4. There are some agencies I have found that pay there medics more if they have a degree verses if they don't. So there are a lot of reasons

I was wondering how long does it usually take to become a supervisor in ems and what are some of the requirments to get that position. I know it takes a couple of years of field work, medic school, and some college probably. But what else and how long did it take you ?

I want to buy a new scope because the one I have is ok but not great. I love cardiology scopes. I was looking at the Littmans STC which I found at allhearts.com for about $160 compared to $210 everywhere else. I was just wondering does anyone else use this scope and is it worth it. Or does anyone use the Littmans Lightweight 2 and how is that compared to a cardiology. I like how the head is shaped like a tear drop on both and they have the tunable diaphram. PS. No responses please about why would I pay that much for a scope. I don't mind the price and it comes with a six year warranity, plus life time referbishing for $70 after the warranity expires.

I am a emt who is going to school for a bachelores in health care administration. I love ems but as you know advancement isn't really big in this field once you become a medic. I was wondering with my degree when I finsih it, what options would I have in ems with this degree to advance. Because I really don't want to leave ems, but I don't want to have a BS and not be able to use it. That would be a waste of four years. Does anyone here also have a BS or MS degree ? Do you get to use it ? If so what do you do with it in ems ?

I was wondering during your clinicals in the different hospital settings during medic school. Are you just observing the nurses and doctors or are you assissting with treatments and exams also ?

Thank you all for your replies. I think I will be pleased with doing IFT's for a few years. I really enjoyed some of your in puts. I feel that with either IFT or 911 you can get bored. I know emt's and medics who do 911 and are unhappy, I know emt's and medics that do IFT for years and are very pleased. I like what Medic Craaig said, its what you make of it. Both have there ups and downs.

Well thanks a lot. To answer some of your questions in SC we have the i/85. With is about the same as a basic but you get to administer D50 and start IV's plus a couple advance airways ( use to be able to intubate, but they took that away from basics and intermediates in SC in 2008 ). I think I am going to get my EMT-I next year like I planned and finish my BS before going to medic school. Since I'll probably work for a IFT for about the next two years minimum, Rushing to medic school want be to big of a deal. I was just wondering about when I go to a 911 service being a intermediate. But it probably want bother me because most calls are bls anyway. Plus I'll still get to do IV's. I do plan to become a medic, I want to make ems a career so thats a must. Also unlike in GA, in SC all you need is a basic cert. to work on a ambulance

I use ADC they are the exact same thing as a LIttmans but at half the price. They are of very good quality I like the adc 601 the best. Its basicly a Littmans Cardiology 3. But only $100 instead of $200. Just be carefull with the tubing I had a 603 for about 2 years known and the tube poped. Still don't know why that happened but I was able to fix it with a little bit of electrical tape and it works just as good as new.

I was wondering what was some peoples opinion on doing IFT's. Did you like doing it or not and what was your day like working for a non-emergency transport ?

Hello I am a EMT-B in the state of South Carolina. I was wondering if anyone has ever worked in SC as a EMT-I. My question is did yoyu enjoy it or did you want to be a medic more. I am debating on going to medic school soon or just being a emt-i for a few years while I finisgh my B.S. Then going to medic school. I plan to work for a private service for a while doing IFT's full time and working for a county 911 P/T in a another year or so. I am just not sure if being a emt-i for a 911 service will be something I enjoy or will I want to be a medic doing 911. Don't get me wrong theres nothing wrong with being a emt-i, its just medics get to do more stuff. Any feed back is welcome.

When I was in high-school we made care packages every few months to send to Iraq. The most important things I can think of are disposiable cameras if you can send that. Stamps and envelopes also. That can be shared so they don't have to buy them from the px. I can't realy think of anything else. But you could always have him send you a list of things he wants and needs, so when you send the next package you know exactly what to put in. Or else ask someone in the navy you know that was already over there, what they needed and got when they where deployed.