AnthonyM83

Sorry to hear about that...hope it works out okay...

Signal Zero is a police code, as far as I know (though very possibly adopted by EMS). There is a book with that title about a liberal Berkeley professor who takes up an offer to go through police academy and become a cop (discussion on cop personality type being created by the job or there before the job).

Was that after rupture?

You've been around this site for awhile now...you know how many providers get stuck in the straight line step by step thinking...don't fall for it. Now, my personal belief is that the classroom can teach the field way. You don't need to throw anything out. You simply teach students that this is your core algorithm and depending on circumstances/resources, these are the reason you'll deviate from them and why. In general, I think I function pretty close to the algorithm...BSI is automatic...I always survey scene as I get out and enter a room and look around, get general impression...ABC's, etc. I definitely combine them, but an initial algorithm helps students a lot by giving them a framework and not overwhelming them, then letting them decide how to combine different steps b/c they know the core of what they're doing.

I would imagine it'd be like most other ambulance companies in Los Angeles and Orange County...EMTs are a dime a dozen and treated like crap by many FFs. I've heard good things about Care company though...

Did this happen in a different thread? Because most of this thread seems to be about the true cause of CHF, rather than the effects albuterol might have on CHF patients. I'll just say at least one Paramedic school down here is teaching not to give it for "cardiac wheezing" even though it might open up bronchioles a bit, it doesn't outweigh the risk of making your patient's failing heart tachycardic...so they say.

Take care and good luck in your new mission.

I'll have to go with DIC. It's the answer to 1 out of 3 on House. Just kidding. Can I get a CT, MRI, chest x-rays, lung biopsy, access to his medical records, CBC, cardiac enzymes labs, capnography, cardiac sounds? Or at least some of those? Would a 15-lead and opposite side EKG provide any info? (I'm reaching now) Can I get family history? Signs of DVT? I'll have to go with DIC. It's the answer to 1 out of 3 on House. (just kidding)

Do I find anything upon a detailed physical exam, particularly around head/neck area? Any other clues (medical papers, pill bottles) as to medical history? My first thought would be some kind of tumor in the throat area that has spread...but not sure how to check that. EKG/12-lead/HepLock/Begin Transport Incontinence? Skin signs? Distal perfusion signs? What does he usually do with his days? Hobbies? What kind of work was he in? Anything of note around the house?

Can you get any other recent symptoms out the family member? Nausea/Vomiting/Fever/ChestPain Other discomfort in head/throat/chest area? Blurry Vision, Tinnitis, Weakness recently? As far as the patient, we'd have to do consider c-spine...does snoring clear up with NPA, gag reflex? airway clear?...skin signs? JVD? Pedal Edema? Lung sounds? Equal rise/fall of chest with good tidal volume? Any recent falls or trauma? Equal withdrawal to pain on both sides?

You had competition!?!? Is this like Mother Jugs & Speed? Whoever shows up first gets it? Every region is assigned, here. If another company stumbled upon it, I'd have no problem. Dispatch will send us code 2 if they hear PD call "officer down" or FD requests 2nd ambulance, but until it pops up on their CAD computer they won't officially assign us and we can't go lights/sirens. We'll take calls for other crews, though. We're always studying and keep trying to get calls on whatever we're currently reading about, so we can apply it before forgetting it.

What is the setting? Describe what I observe when forming my initial impression? I imagine it's hard to airway, breathing, pulse. What type of seizure is happening?

If it is a tension hemopneumothorax, I'd also emphasize eye/face protection or at least some distance, blood can come gushing out quite fast...

We call that jumping calls. A lot of us scan FD. If you're on the toilet, showering, or eating, you get a little heads up. Useful since we only have 60 seconds to say 'enroute' from ambulance radio. The ones who actually like EMS like being there before FD, since they often crowd you out when they arrive, then you're just the gurney biatch. Little point in running calls if you're not getting experience out of it. Most EMTs don't seem to like running calls, though, so my partner and I will jump a lot of them. Each call is a chance to learn. We try not to only jump the good calls, because it's kind of like cheating. We can only jump it if we're closer, though. And yes, PD dispatches while FD is still taking the GSW/Stabbing calls. You'll also hear officer downs (kinda common) go out first. The problem happens when you have "Ricky Rescues" speeding to calls they hear on the FD frequency, so they can magically always be the closer unit when dispatch asks their location.

You'd still think you could do more damage in 3 minutes . . . In crowded Tokyo, you can run by 17 people in less than one minute. Maybe the car crash drew attention, so everyone was already looking at him when he started stabbing, so they all fled instantly.

Not often, since helicopters are not used that often COMPARED TO GROUND ambulances. The issue really should be whether air transports are being called only when really needed....

I bet you could list off a bunch of professional positions that have facial hair. I find the idea of uniformity and clean-shave very FD / Public Safety - like.

He only killed seven people? You'd think there'd be more with such a high population density and how quiet of a weapon it is..

Thanks both of you. Logos glad to see you posting more. I was reviewing a few of your posts, just yesterday. I think they were trying to make the distinction on which drugs suppress impulse to contract muscles and which contract muscles themselves. By what method do common paralytics works? Muscarinic receptors? I know the lecturer told me they had a lot of fire fighters in the class, so he was trying not to get too complex and just give big ideas(apologies for any FF's on here...the ones in my area don't much care about this stuff).

Working my COUNTY is embarrassing . . .

Eh people have variation in personalities and physical appearance...they can get a little leeway with facial hair, I say. Just keep it short and neat.

Paid, they cared about it so much, they made it their life careers.

I've been a role-player at the UCLA class. I highly recommend it. Good teachers, all very knowledgeable, all very skills-based, and lots of EMTs take it. They modify grading to your scope of practice. You'll learn some good stuff in it. I'll probably be going through it as a student next time it's offered (they canceled the class last week due to low enrollment...it's usually a pretty full class though).

Could you explain what that is and how to identify it? I've seen it mentioned in a few places now. Just as a training exercise for those not in medic school, yet, anyone want to go through calculating and setting up doses for epi and dopamine? NO ONE here uses them (they say b/c of the math)...and I never want that limit me... Why won't dopamine be effective after prolonged adrenergic stimulation? Dopamine doesn't bind directly to receptors, it uses body's adrenergic chemicals?

Wait, if calcium is not going to help manage the beta blocker OD, why is calcium chloride the preferred preparation for critical patients?