AnthonyM83

Around here, it seems to be the old timers who are pushing the college degrees, I'm assuming because they've been through the whole process and have a better perspective to tell us what is needed. FD has different problems than EMS does. EMS is trying to gain a place in the medical community. No way it's going to do that without a degree. FD isn't trying to gain a place anywhere...they can live off of the hero thing...that gets them enough money in most places. The most valuable things from a bachelor's degree is developing critical thinking skills, culture/worldly knowledge/self-presentation, and basis for future degrees/training.

You got me all excited thinking it was West as in West Coast.... little too far for me

The DHS website is being reconstructed and the actual PDF's aren't up yet. There's mainly one page for "Protocols before Base Contact" and one page for "Base Hospital Orders" for medical control to follow. SOME departments (like LAFD) qualify to follow SFTP's (More advanced standing orders)...they don't have to make base contact for everything...they just call in "LAFD 123, coming in with a patient under protocol M-1, ETA 5 min"...even those are limited, though. There's also 1 BLS page, a few pages on general guidelines on HOW to do certain things (like O2 delivery and rules surrounding it), and then other pages like choosing patient destination, determination of death, trauma center criteria. But it's not up on the site yet....and I never know if it's up to date...

Never had a plastic one break on me....probably because we almost always use the metal one. I have the plastic one taped to the wall in the counter area as a backup in case we need to switch out the gurney portable during transport....though we usually have a backup with it's own regulator in the patient area, anyway.

Hey being an ambulance driver isn't that bad....Ernest Hemingway did it... http://www.firstworldwar.com/poetsandprose/ambulance.htm

Man I was obsessed with that video a few months ago haha PS the girl on the left is so mine

We NEVER leave the portable "unpressurized/closed"...that's just asking for more hassle on-scene with a critical patient and two EMTs. FD keeps theirs closed, though, but they carry a whole O2 bag about the size of our jump kit with wrench attached to it. WE (ambulance) have a metal wrench on the key chain and plastic ones in the back of the rig and sometimes first-on bag. Ambulance keys left in ignition during almost all 911 calls (so engine stays running and other emergency personnel can repark it if necessary).

Did we get skin signs? Temp? I remember one of the docs here saying all unknown AMS get Finger Stick, Pulse Ox, and (Rectal) Temp

As far as the pay rate goes, I heard it doesn't transfer when you switch operational areas, even within the same state...so I don't know if you want to put yourself through that IFT time....

-"Naw, man, PD's on-scene, scene's safe!" -"Clear Right" -"It's okay. It's in monitor mode, not defib mo-" Custard: "Where did all these F'ing Indians come from?"

No...I heard private medics at 911 companies are only paid a few more bucks than EMTs (few as in one to three). I also don't know if they stick you on an IFT car for awhile first...you'll be doing ALS IFTs for sure mixed in with the 911 calls though (most likely, I assume). I heard Ventura County AMR paramedics (just north of LA) which are the primary providers make a good more...I've heard $70,000 base, but I've also heard several people say it's a loot less. Best to call (and let us know what they say, btw).

I don't know what the hourly rate for AMR is, but I've been told the rate for most 911 company's 24 hour shifts in LA are between $8 - $9 (but closer to $8) for around $10 for 10-hour shifts (give or take a buck). In LA private ambulance EMTs are basically just transport, though you do get to learn on-scene and in the back of the rig with medics, though most while friendly aren't really into teaching. So, just know what you're getting into.

I would so show up if it were in Vegas. Anything further is a maybe depending on finances at the time.

I doubt anyone would show up trying to act big and tough. People have strong opinions about things and this is a place to discuss them and they'll do so in a big and tough way, especially when they can say what they really feel. But in the end, they're all here because they enjoy the EMS community and would show up at the meet because they wanted to meet each other and have a good time on a social level.

If PD clears us to enter, we go in. It's often not really safe, but it's a little harder to get in trouble for it if you were cleared. I'm young and willing to put myself at risk more. I know this will change as I get older and when I have more at stake, like my own family. If we weren't told to stage out and scene is questionable, we'll make a decision and it's based on who my partner is. It's also based on how difficult it would be to disengage/retreat if things got too much (not going into a backroom with an agitated psych patient, but might start talking to him on a busy street corner. We also have the luxury of knowing the FD is always coming to every call, so we'll never be 100% left on our own even if they're a few minutes out. Who my partner is and retreatability are probably the biggest factors. The latter can be over-rided if police is on-scene and let's us in to a critical patient, b/c even if we get locked in I know they'll be calling for infinite number of backup units. That way there's still risk, but it's not suicide.

Eh, I think it would be less morbid and less edgy than if the EMT stole the O2 mask which we assume that patient neeeeds, thus less ridiculous. And ridiculous with harm to others is funny nowadays

Well, it's a little more complicated than that....and I don't think people don't get along when no discussing the volley topic, like just in threads where volly-ism isn't brought up.

Written Multiple Choice test on basic EMT stuff. Lengthy mapping exam using Thomas Guide (They give you two addresses and ask for the best route, step by step...tests your communication skills too) Dummy drag. Interviewer gives you a scenario with a dummy. Trauma/ALOC/whatever....just to see your basic assessment and asks for details based on what you say, getting a sense of depth of knowledge and ability to recall while nervous. Then the regular job interview. AFTER hiring, there's a training day where certain equipment is demo'ed and then they have to use the equipment. Stair chair, gurney lifting, taking VS in a noisy ambulance with radio up and people shaking it, traction splint (with distractions). Basically, to know you can work under stress and you can the everyday functions...some have to come back to retest for gurney lifting (we were getting too many people in the field having trouble with this, usually shorter girls).

PS, lol at the following story at the end of the EMS news clip being "Firefighter arrested" with handcuffs picture. They just pounded public safety that night, huh

Ha, patients in the front seat . . . aka the attendant wanted to take a snooze in the stretcher....they were probably safer in the front though unless they were in danger or coding or something like that. We've had many joking conversations about just staffing the ambulances with illegal immigrants (day laborers) that hang out in front of Home Depot. That's pretty much all we are in LA (facetious...well haflway)

That was a whole heck of a lot of acronyms in that post Richard...it dizzied my mind. Someone crashed? Dust, you OWNED that town!

Yeah, she seems like she should have been backboarded. Based on what your description of their assessment, it seems like they did it based on laziness, rather than have a specific reason. Was this a 911 company or did they do non-emergent nursing home transfers only? I wouldn't usually cut clothes off for these kinds of falls, though. Usually you can shift clothes around to properly inspect and don't need to cut (and leave people with fewer belongings...especially if they're low income or aren't mobile enough to go shopping). Sometimes I'll have to cut a little, though. If it's major trauma, though, everything comes off.

How many have encountered paralysis in the field? What kind of MOI's were they from? Was it immediately obvious? Was there any question about where they were in too much pain/anxiety/cold to follow commands or whether they actually couldn't move extremities? What kinds of injuries did the patient have? How did they present? Just trying to draw on others' experiences, so if I come upon the situation I have something to reference/cross-check it, some context and index of suspicion.

LA EMTs are the only ones who get to say that...

Exactly. I had a low speed TC, neck pain. Nothing else remarkable. I felt awkward doing a full rapid trauma assessment when she was transferred to us already on the backboard, seeing as she was hardly wearing anything and I wanted to check ribs, palpate all quadrants (gets close to pubic area), and check stability of arms and legs (which I always do even if they look/move fine just as routine). I guess best defense is documenting how you do your trauma assessments each time. That PCR will save you...but even if they're not actually going to complain, there's the fear of just seeming like the creepy EMT (I was more worried about it when I was weeks new b/c I was hesitant about everything and realized it might seem like I was hesitant b/c I was making up reasons to touch). Now, I have more of a routine and will say "Okay, I need to check the stability of your chest wall and ribs like this" as I turn my hand sideways and they can see I'm taking care to push down with the side of my hand (karate chop style) and not just groping. Of course, if it's a clear-cut critical trauma, then it's easy b/c you HAVE to do it...and pts usually not even thinking about what you're doing