Arizonaffcep

I'm going to book them for my son's barmitzva (pardon the spelling, my wife's the Jewish one...)

So, out of curiosity, anyone want to take bets on the color of the flash for veinipuncture?

Abdominal fat or body fat?

As I work in what would be considered an "inner city" hospital in Tucson (a HUGE college town), students usually occupy our hallway beds until sober. The biggest thing is without a doubt aspiration (one of the reasons you turn them on their side and give Zofran). ETOH poisoning is rare (but not unheard of). We usually have a couple of cases a year, usually enough to count on one hand (not two hands).

True, but remember how easy it is to justify an IV (ALS skill in AZ). I personally hate it when a local FD BLS's fractures. That's why we carry morphine. Or even a SZ call when they BLS it. The patient at least warrants an IV. It's just so damn easy to LEGITIMATELY ALS something, it's almost not worth BLSing anyone.

In reading the Wake County link and reading the other posts, etc. It sounds like a good use for the the APP would be as a mentor for new medics. Put new medics with the most senior medics and use it that way as a career ladder. Not to say the APP would have any different "abilities" so to speak, but can help the new medic gain confidence, skill base, etc. The only problem I would see for this is, at least in AZ, new medics are only 3rd person on the box for a short while, then turned loose on their own. I would think if you have them as 3rd person for at least 100 shifts (average 10 shifts/month) this would really help to boost the quality of care all the way around.

I know several years ago, Phoenix Fire put one of their personnel through PA School on their dime, under the thought that they would be able to use them prehospital. Unfortunately, the process didn't get past DHS.

Could be a case of DWA...driving while Asian.

Another classic that is the same tempo, AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."

Would be considered "live trapping?" If so, do you need a permit? What was the saying? Save a tree...eat a beaver?

I'm not sure of any law or regulation that spells it out specifically in AZ. That being said, I have had several conversations with the folks who are usually hired to direct traffic for them, and they say that emergency vehicles should have the right of way, as preventing the living from becoming the dead is of higher importance. This has the potential to unfold interestingly, I've often speculated about this scenario with my partners.

I myself have redefined the term "white cloud." I do enjoy a "good call," don't get me wrong, but I don't mind some of the easy, mundane things we do as well. I enjoy (if it's a "boring call") to gather medical HX and try to figure out what's going on...or challenge myself to a "game" of "what's this drug for" and figure out what their HX is, based only on meds. Kinda breaks up monotony, and builds knowledge base. Besides, I enjoy a good conversation with patients, assuming they aren't vented!

I'm not sure how applicable this would be, but also consider the fact that it is safer (generally speaking for travel) by air vs. by ground (the old adage). Now, there are risks to everything we do. The biggest thing we (as ground crews) can do to help the patient (because flight is a LOT more expensive), is, if it's illness/injury, if you can get them (the patient) to an APPROPRIATE hospital (ie, level 1 trauma to a level 1 facility, etc) if the same time OR less than it would take to launch a chopper, have them launch, travel to the scene, land, do their own assessment, lift off, and flight time to the facility, then they MUST go by ground. What would the excuse be other than to buy the patient time? At least in AZ, prehospital care in a helicopter vs ground is in all actuality the same. One just travels faster, and in a straighter line.

You forgot one important aspect...don't make a "Bat Belt!"

I think it would lead to big changes. Don't see too much of a change for public sector EMS, but possibly a BIG change for private EMS. Would be interesting to say the least. Could be good, could be bad. I'll wait to see.

I can honestly say, that the whole system for Tucson Fire is crap, and doesn't work well. I'm not sure how much is the medical director vs. the department dictating it (2nd biggest FF union in the state). It has gotten so bad that when TFD BLS's, say a minor tachycardia (rate less than 110, sinus) we set up for a code, because we don't know if they got a decent assessment by the crew or not. The BLS crews are all scared sh*tless to recontact the hospital for direction because they don't want to be "black balled" by the crews they have to work with day in and day out. I can tell you from personal experience (I started with SW Ambo on the TFD BLS contract) that while I was on the contract, I was BLS's an unconscious unresponsive "drunk," a person with ETOH + who was altered AND was post assault--with a brick to the head, a midshaft femur fracture, and a lady who they WALKED down a flight of stairs and was in septic shock! No BS... I am a firm believer that if a FD does some transports (TFD does the "ALS" transports), that they should do ALL the transports. My former captain even heard one unit have the GALL to say that transporting to anywhere but the closest hospital is a "drain on the system!" The district I used to work for had only 1 ambo (ALS) for 350 square miles, plus 20 miles of I-10! What happened when we were on a transport?!?! BS! :evil:

It's called tunnel vision...and it gets a little narrow!

Besides...there's a beautiful, scantily clad green woman at the end...

I know there are those here who dislike "firemonkeys," however there is a case where they have done something right. The policy for Phoenix Fire is that, if it is a "critical call," one where their ambulance is transporting Code 3, then they not only bring a herd of riders in back (gets too damned crowded sometimes), but also include one "shotgun" up front, where they work the MCT AND keep an extra eye out for stupid drivers. This frees up the driver to--just drive. Kinda nice. I am not a fan of anyone who uses a cell when driving (yes, I am guilty too). But, there's so much extra stuff as distracters ALREADY in a box...why add to it? That safety officer in the OP should be shot for spreading "rumors" like that. Certainly, if he/she is unwilling to create a policy to address this obvious disregard for someone else's life, then they should be fired and black balled because they don't deserve to be in any profession where they are responsible for overseeing safety concerns.

Kinda brings a new meaning to the term "the stranger"...

What about your calcium channel blockers, such as dilt?

Not to sound too cold, but who are we to stop purposeful examples of Darwinism?

Hey, my email address is jspero05@comcast.net. Email me, I was the safety officer for my old department. I still have access to the docs/PP's and what not. Let me know what you need, I'll help you as much as I can.

Ah yes! Is this what happens when the fecal matter hits the air recirculation device?