paramedicmike

Usable information is something you can present to back up what it is you're saying. You can say anything you want until you're blue in the face. Until you provide a link to more definitive proof your comments are nothing but hot air. If you're going to post an answer to a question, you must be prepared to back it up with proof and evidence. Otherwise, people will continue to ignore you or dismiss anything you have to say as nothing more than noise to hear yourself type. Please keep this in mind. -be safe.

Fairfax County (in which GMU is located), Prince William County and Loudoun County all are county fire department based EMS services. I know there are volunteer components to the Fairfax County FD. I believe Prince William and Loudoun Counties have them as well. To my knowledge there aren't any part time paid spots in these areas. Up in Maryland the counties surrounding DC are the same way (county based FD with a volly component). If you're looking for paid work try a little further out in Washington County, MD (Hagerstown area). Washington County has paid EMS only squads for many of the towns within the county. If it's timed right, the drive isn't that bad...maybe an hour to an hour and 15 to Hagerstown. I enjoyed working in Maryland and would do so again. I like their system and, despite the normal bureaucracy, it runs pretty well. I've not run into anything that would make me want to avoid VA. Check your PMs. I sent you some additional contact info that should help you with the resident volly question. Hope you find this helpful. If you need anything else let me know. I'll see what I can do. -be safe.

I might be able to help you, Punisher, as I have ties to, and used to work in, the area (sitting in NOVA as I type this as a matter of fact). What do you want to know? And what school are you thinking of attending? Georgetown or GW? -be safe.

Agreed. Analgesia early and often until they either get relief or I can't give any more. Pain hurts! No sense in making someone suffer unnecessarily. Spock, sorry to hear that ER nurse was such a witch. Unfortunately, I know several like that. They're all burnt out and have lost all perspective. I cringe every time I think about how many patients have had poor care at the hands of these people. On the flip side, though, I know many more good, solid, caring nurses who provide excellent care. Just didn't want anyone to think I was into RN bashing...I'm not. -be safe.

I haven't seen this here yet. But someone just sent this to me and I thought you all might appreciate it. http://www.eepybird.com/dcm1.html -be safe.

I'm sorry you're in the position you're in. Working nights is never easy for both the person working and the family at home. Invariably, someone is not happy with the arrangement. And in many cases it's harder than working days as you're finding out. And this does nothing to address the physical efforts needed to work a night shift. But one thing both you and your husband need to do is keep your lines of communication open. It could become very easy, after a while, for you to resent him for his work schedule. It could become easy for him to resent you for what he could perceive to be nagging by you about his work schedule (I'm not saying that you're nagging him). If you can communicate well, both of you, then that can help go a long way to alleviate a lot of the stress from him working nights and you hating the night shift. That's good that he has time to spend with your kids. But also make sure that the two of you make time for just the two of you. That's just as important. This industry can create a lot of havoc for otherwise stable relationships. Work schedules, things witnessed while at work, near misses with patients (Your husband's right. Night shift brings just a different world of patients and situations.)...all contribute to stressors that most people aren't quite sure how to handle. It can take a lot of work to keep things going. But if you keep talking, make time for the important things (i.e. "each other") then hopefully you can work through whatever troubles you face. Hang in there. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask us. Many of us have been there. Many of us know what worked and didn't work for us. We're more than happy to offer any suggestions we can. Good luck! -be safe.

Did you bother to search the forums for this? This topic has been discussed, at great length, in the almost two years since this article was published. Please search before posting. Besides, Dr Bledsoe, while very respected within the EMS community, is only once voice. Just because he thinks it should be so doesn't make it so. And it certainly doesn't change the way things are now. The "Well Dr B thinks I should be able to do it" defense won't hold up in court. -be safe.

Walrus: Check your PMs. -be safe.

Ah yes. Scientology. A cult based on the belief that we're here because an alien brought us here then blew us up with hydrogen bombs some 75 million years ago. The movement was all created, no less, by a science fiction writer. Who'd have figured that one? And Dianetics is their "bible". I guess it takes all types. -be safe...and use your brain.

Did the employees agree to this as a condition of employment? If yes, and it sounds like it is 'yes' since the employers are doing it, then it shouldn't be an issue. And if the employees don't like it, they can always take their chances elsewhere. Such is the life of a working adult. -be safe.

It is about time. However, don't expect to see the star of david in their symbol. That's what kept them out for so long...the red crescent objected to such a blatant Isreali symbol. (Different topic altogether. I'm not here to start a debate.) It's now the red cross, red crescent and red crystal. Maybe all can play more nicely in this organization than their respective national political movements can. -be safe.

Agreed! Remediation is in order to say the least. How about sending the person back to paramedic school!!! This wasn't anyone I know, was it? -be safe.

Why not contact your state office of EMS to get a definitive answer on what is and isn't legal? Thank you for recognizing that your whacker side got the better of you. Do you even really need the bag in your car??? -be safe.

Best way to determine if they're faking (not sure if this was mentioned here on this board in another thread or not) but look for an eye lid reaction. But please DO NOT FLICK THE EYELIDS!!!!!! That's a good way to cause an eye injury. Besides, it's just stupid. Best way is to blow on their eyelashes. Or, you can run your fingers *very lightly* over their eyelashes. If they're faking their eyelids will flicker. But yeah...no eyelid thumping. -be safe.

CART DRIVER Bring out your dead! There are legs stick out of windows and doors. Two MEN are fighting in the mud - covered from head to foot in it. Another MAN is on his hands in knees shoveling mud into his mouth. We just catch sight of a MAN falling into a well. CART DRIVER Bring out your dead! LARGE MAN Here's one! CART DRIVER Ninepence. BODY I'm not dead! CART DRIVER What? LARGE MAN Nothing... There's your ninepence. BODY I'm not dead! CART DRIVER 'Ere. He says he's not dead. LARGE MAN Yes he is. BODY I'm not! CART DRIVER He isn't. LARGE MAN He will be soon. He's very ill. BODY I'm getting better! LARGE MAN You're not. You'll be stone dead in a few minutes. CART DRIVER I can't take him like this. It's against regulations. BODY I don't want to go on the cart. LARGE MAN Don't be such a baby. CART DRIVER I can't take him. BODY I feel fine. LARGE MAN Do me a favor. CART DRIVER I can't. LARGE MAN Well, can you hang around a couple of minutes. He won't be long. CART DRIVER I promised I'd be at the Robinson's. They've lost nine today. LARGE MAN When's your next round? CART DRIVER Thursday. BODY I think I'll go for a walk. LARGE MAN You're not fooling anyone you know. (to CART DRIVER) Isn't there anything you could do? BODY (singing unrecognizably) I feel happy... I feel happy. The CART DRIVER looks at the LARGE MAN for a moment. Then they both do a quick furtive look up and down the street. The CART DRIVER very swiftly brings up a club and hits the OLD MAN. (Out of shot but the singing stops after a loud bonk noise.) LARGE MAN (handing over the money at last) Thanks very much. CART DRIVER That's all right. See you on Thursday. Or is this the wrong 'bring out your dead?

I'd have to ask what the nature of the call was before speculating on the source of injury (and given what we know so far it's presumptuous at this point to assume there was injury cause by the intubation attempt). What was up with the patient? Age and nature of the call? -be safe.

I'd say if he tore the esophageal lining he wasn't close to getting the tube to begin with. While the passing of a ETT through the vocal cords can potentially be a traumatic experience for the tissue, I don't know of any case where a laceration of the cords has happened. Doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I just haven't heard or read about it. FWIW. And please lock this thread, soon!!!! -be safe.

If an EMT wants to give meds then that EMT has several options including, but not limited to, paramedic school, nursing school, medical school. If I, as a paramedic, decide I want to be able to do more than what I can currently do those are my options. So why is this such a hard concept for others to grasp? Besides, it's horribly undignified to stomp your feet, throw a tantrum and demand to do things simply because a monkey can do it. I don't believe EMT training covers anywhere near what is needed in order for them to be giving meds. They're not prepared to put on bandaids much less give or even assist with meds. So, to answer ERDoc's question, no. I don't think EMTs should be giving meds. If a provider wants to do more then go back to school. If that provider offers the excuse that they just can't swing it at the moment they just don't want it badly enough. -be safe.

Yep. You sure are missing something. But unfortunately for you I don't think anyone here can spell it out any more clearly. And you can continue to be a threat to every patient with whom you come into contact. Because it seems you're quite happy being a danger to the public at large. -be safe.

You obviously haven't read a thing anyone has posted. AZCEP gave an excellent description of glucagon and what it does. Glucagon is not glucose. Glycogen isn't glucose either. Glucagon does NOT release stores of glucose in the liver. Go back and read it again...and again...and again...and again....and yet again. Because it's obvious to everyone here, except you, that you don't have a flippin' clue as to what you're so poorly attempting to discuss. And I see you're still looking for that spell check button. I think it's an accurate assessment of the educational level with which the rest of us are dealing. But still... ...-be safe.

Sounds like maybe the doc got up on the wrong side of bed and wanted to chew someone out for it. It might have helped if you had pursued some history with your patient regarding prior joint injury or swelling. Sometimes older folks have joint swelling that's normal for them. We don't think too much about it, maybe note it in our documentation. But in cases like this it become important. And this is where getting a complete history from the patient is vital. Imagine what the doc would've done had you replied, "Doc, according to the patient the swelling at the knee is completely normal due to .......". You might've been able to end the conversation there. Can't say for sure if what you did was right or wrong as I wasn't there. But I'm like Rid in that I'd prefer to see a reduction in the deformity resulting in a decrease in pain and quad spasms. There are orthopedic specialists out there for a reason! Asking for the opinion of others is a good thing. Follow up on this one to see what the extent of injury was and let us know. Remember to get as complete a history as you can from the patient. -be safe.

Come on, man! PLEASE just post the link!!! We will get it!!! PLEASE do NOT embed the document into the body of your message!!! It loads the document each and every time the thread is opened...even when attempting to post a reply. Never mind that it's been loaded/downloaded from previous readings of the thread. Not only that but for our friends still using a dial up connection this has the potential to clog their page loading capabilities and/or freeze their connection. I understand that you're trying to share information. I appreciate and applaud all the work and research you do to help out all of us out here. It does not go unnoticed! But please, for the love all things holy and sacred in the EMS world, just post the URL. I'm not sure you're aware just quite how aggravating this is for many of us out here. Again, thanks for all the info. Including this from ACEP. Respectfully submitted: -be safe.

Sure you paint a picture, but what picture are you painting? What you think the doc wants to hear? What is actually presenting to you with no embellishment on your part? Or something else? And again, we'll go back to the reading comprehension issue that keeps coming up. Have you read anything that's been put out here for you? Is any of it sinking in? And Ace: I'll echo AZCEP's request. Please go easy on the embedded links/references! We got it man! We got it! Thanks! -be safe.

So...why are we starting yet another thread on this? I'm just wondering when there are several out there (most recently the glucagon thread) that would be more appropriate. Maybe it's just me. But like ERDoc...I'm staying out. -be safe.

No! You didn't mention that? How's it working out for you?