WolfmanHarris

So there's no answer key in my A&P workbook and I have a question which I answered, but can't seem to verify against my text. The question is: "State the significance of the prolonged depolarization of cardiac muscle compared to the brief depolarization of skeletal muscle." My answer in that the plateau phase allows for greater inflow of Ca+ as the channels are kept open against the balance of K+ outflow from the contractile fibre. Since Ca+ binds with troponin to allow the contraction, the greater amount of Ca+ moving into the muscle fibre over the extended depolarization results in a stronger force of contraction than skeletal muscle. Am I correct on this or have I missed something entirely. I've already reread the relevant section of the text a few times and haven't found a problem here, but this text doesn't spoon feed questions that match the text exactly. Makes for better questions but harder to verify answers. Thanks again for the study help. - Matt

So Big Shears are a piece of gear that are actually worth the cost and perform as advertised?

Thanks Richard, but that didn't have what I needed. I know what they are and think I know what they're supposed to do (increase contractile force while not greatly increasing muscle mass), it's the how and why of their function I don't understand and am having trouble finding a source on.

So my A&P textbook offers no answer as to the role of pectinate muscles in the Right Atrium and Auricle of the Left Atrium. I did a quick google/wiki search and found that they are supposed to increase force of contraction without greatly increasing muscle mass. These weren't particularly reputable sources though and I'm still left with a lack of understanding of the how/why on this. A little direction would be appreciated. Thanks, - Matt

I understand (somewhat) where you're coming from. I'm engaged to my high school girlfriend of seven years and one of my infrequent thoughts is that if we ever separated I have NO clue how adults date. I have lots of friends of the opposite sex (that's how I ended up with my fiance) but I don't understand dating. I rarely clue in when I'm being flirted with/hit on until after the fact and just carry on conversation. As far as dating within EMS, the first question that comes to mind is why would you want to? One of the best lessons I've picked up from some on here as a newbie is that EMS should not be your whole life. I've got some friends in EMS and it seems all we do is talk shop. That's great, but that's not what I'd want from a wife/husband. Understanding, sure. But I think I'd want to keep those parts of my life separate. What happens if you, or they start to burn out on EMS and that's the main thing you have in common? Not to mention dating someone at work; which I'd advise against in any field. In even my no experience I've seen a couple of very bad situations result from dating within the EMS workplace. One allowed an incompetent provider to stay on the road for longer than they should have. I'm not saying don't date in EMS, but I'm suggesting maybe don't go looking just within EMS. Then again it sounds like I have as much experience dating as you do and I could be talking out my rear for all I know. Best of luck all the same and welcome to the City.

An EMS instructor I know is about to get divorced for the second time. He hasn't been on the road for years after busting his back and I don't know how his first marriage ended, but his second one is ending thanks to his sleeping with his secretary. Don't think EMS had much to do with that.

+10 for Han Solo quote!

But if it's not 50x the price (and not as good), will it ever be signed off on as approved equipment? I don't know, if you can't strike five different committees to compare products, how could it get done in this province. Look how long it's taken for the new ACR to roll out.

For BBP I was thinking the best way would be to take the foam and coat it entirely in vinyl (not sewn cover so there aren't any traps for fluids). I saw it first with the more expensive pool noodles they came out with that kids supposedly couldn't chew on as easily.

Suppose so. I vaguely remember seeing that in a catalogue but we've never used them in class and I'm pretty sure they're not on the Ambulances anywhere in Ontario. Looks pretty good too. I'd be interested in playing with one. What's the cost on them compared to an LSB?

I've got a couple of boards in storage with my teaching stuff. Maybe I'll drag one out and try a mock-up with some memory foam and duct tape. See how it works. Sounds like a good procrastination project. Edit: No picture. I'm spitballing it at this point.

Place the closed core foam on top of the board (like a sleeve) with the clips still exposed. Makes it easy to take off the pad and clean it and decreases cost for a service to retrofit as they don't have to buy new boards and straps. Allows you to lose the pad when you don't want it for some reason. Maybe even do it as a half pad so that the pad doesn't get in the way or where the sager splint would usually rest.

Sure have. Patent pending. lol. Seriously that could be a good idea. The memory foam type material wouldn't shift too much and could still help with things like hyphosis and pressure ulcers couldn't it?

Umm... if we have an imminent delivery and there's no cord prolapse or limb presentation we deliver on scene. Now Spenac's got a longer transport time than many of us (if I recall correctly) and it's more likely that a delivery becomes a lot more imminent on route.

Didn't say you were Crotch. Though it does beg the question, with such an inflammatory topic, why bother starting this in the first place? After I posted I thought more about the thread and I worry that the end result on a long enough time line can be no where good.

I'm pro-choice. I wouldn't choose abortion, but I would make no attempt to stop another. I don't know whether I'd consider euthanasia, having never been in that position, but I won't make any attempt to stop someone from deciding what is right for them when they are in that situation. As for the death penalty, I'm with ERDoc, unless the legal system is able to fix it's many mistakes, capital punishment is problematic. I am for ending the lives of those who have forfeited their right to life at the cost of another's, but I sure as heck want to make sure there are no mistakes or ambiguity before that happens. Let's tread carefully here folks. This is a topic where no one is going to be convinced otherwise regardless of their position. It's by its nature emotionally inflammatory and the last thing that's needed is the sort of brawl that these topics can create. I hope we can all talk nicely.

I thought I was weird for polishing my boots. No one else in my program bothers. Now I overpolished my boots one time and when I was done running a scenario in class I'd left black scuffs all over the floor.

I bring a duffle bag with a spare uniform, my helmet, work gloves and hi-viz vest (as a student we bring them with us rather than use what's on the ambulance) and a change of socks, underwear and undershirt. I also pack my lunch, notebook and handbook of pathophysiology some extra pens and the charger for my phone. I also pack my deodorant and toothbrush. The uniform and toiletries are in the main bag and I take out the smaller one with just my lunch and school stuff with the helmet clipped on to bring on the ambulance. I found the whole bag just took up space and got in the way.

Good to know, but that wasn't posted and your previous post never said that the policies on shorts didn't allow them on a call. Now my post wasn't directed at you in particular, just the idea of shorts on call in general. Appreciate the clarification all the same.

Was first on at an two car MVC last year on my way to school. Only one injured. Was kneeling in front holding C-spine talking to the pt until EMS arrived and took over. Stuck around for the police report (it happened in front of me) and then went back to school. It was about then that I noticed all the tiny little cuts on my knees from tiny glass shards. Nothing the least bit serious, but still an eyeopener. I'd looked before I kneeled and still missed them. That's why I don't think shorts should be worn in EMS.

We're allowed to substitue a T-shirt for our uniform shirt during lab. I choose to wear my uniform shirt because I prefer it. But I don't think a t-shirt alone is a huge problem. A profesional, competent provider can overcome that. They key is clean and presentable. This one's really bugged me in the past and when I was visiting a family member in hospital at one of the big regional hospitals a couple countys over I saw it well dealt with. Only medical personnel were wearing scrubs. Houskeeping, IT, food service all had very comfortable looking uniforms with a golf shirt like top in a matching colour for their department and their job embroidered on it. So if you saw scrubs they were only on those working with patients. Seems like a small thing but it made a difference to my impression of things as I walked around.

It's zee Germans!

Dwayne I'm not sure if that study's reliable. Besides you can use studies to back up whatever you want. Studies have shown that 58.9% of people agree with that.

Some of these home remedies seem kinda funny, others interesting, and the gargling bleach just plain scary. But I was thinking about the prevalence of alternative medicine in a lot of people's lives and got thinking. I try to maintain an open mind on these things (though I'm more than skeptical about those tinctures with essence of anything as chemically they're water) and not to judge to harshly as some of these remedies may actually work. We also need to take them seriously because of some of the herbs and plants used in natural remedies that might present real complications for us. The example that got me thinking on this was the Atroppa Belladonna plants, famous for atropine but used by some for headache, GERD, menstral cramps and other symptoms. What sort of complications could this potentially create? What other alternative remedies do you know of that could have significant reactions with medical treatment pre or in hospital?

The questions should not be level of training specific with regards to interventions. That being said, with a focus on patho, A&P, pharm and the like, it will likely not be familiar to a Basic whose education is limited to what they learned in Basic. Now if you have a background in this or have spent the extra time studying than sure. But as per my first post, I'm looking for questions that make you work and apply many different concepts. Not necessarily easy, but definitely not parroted right from the textbook. Thanks for the questions so far folks but please consider the following things. Since its my hope of turning this into a resource that'll be around for awhile I'm looking for a bit more than the standard chime in. Before you post a question please preface it with which category you feel it best fits so that I can add your name to the list and we can make sure all areas are covered. Please take the time to write the answer for your question and post it in spoiler tags, so that the answer isn't visible. The questions and answers can obviously be reviewed by everyone here for input and feedback. Wendy, thanks for the offer. I'll get back to you on what if anything you'll need to do. I'll flying by the seat of my pants here. Chbare, those are the questions I was hoping for. Knowledge not skills. Challenging, but within scope of a proper education. Your scenarios have consistently had me hitting the books, so I'd be glad to see what you have to add in the way of questions. I'm thinking at this point that maybe I'll start another thread to post the finalized questions and answers as they come together and use this one to hash everything out. Thoughts? - Matt