AnthonyM83

Blood sugar and skin signs / temperature ?

Congrats

Why not go straight to nursing school? Can you get financial aid (state and federal/FAFSA) by taking it a community college? You might consider getting a job elsewhere that pays more and saving up that way. Or even moving to a different area? Renting a room in your house out? Also, what happened that caused you to fail the test five times?

Well, it wouldn't be downgrading the dispatcher, because the dispatcher would have done the same thing s/he always does...just in addition, the crew would make a phone call en-route. I guess if you have a long response time, why not? You guys spike bags en-route?

Yeah...it was mostly the replies that I appreciated, but also some of what he said...and also reminded me to avoid having an attitude/mindset like his. As far as research, research is good, but you can't count on it as your fourth source, b/c you can't research every topic. Research helps get better at areas here and there not with overall education. I think research should be one of the topics IN the book...since it's a way of extending how long the book material will be up to date...if you teach research, then it allows the student to self-update on medical topics more.

Like Fiznat touched on, it's a problem with the ion channels in your heart that are used during repolarization. Inherited genetic variabilities (defects) may change their structure so they don't work like they should or not as well as they should. Basically, they aren't regulating ion flow (which allows depolarization/repolarization) like they should (staying open or closed for too long, sending ions wrong direction at wrong times, etc). And apparently, a lot of medications, like Fiz said, can cause it too...but I don't know as much about how they do that.

Agreed. Not sure what good the abuse of not letting someone use the recliner for a year is going to do other than make him do the same to the next newbie.

I imagine few students have experience with more than one textbook for each category (general paramedicine, pharmacology, A&P, pathophysiology, EKGs, Field Guides), so looking opinions from the instructors (or those who have been through different programs). What combination of books do you think provide a good overall education for a paramedic student? Are your decisions based on any pre-reqs for the courses (ex: If A&P is a pre-req, you might not need a dedicated A&P book, etc). Lately, it seems that none of the books or combos of books I pick up seem consistent and comprehensive enough. Even, if I decided to just take a class in each main topic, there's not a general paramedic book that relates all that info back to paramedicine (assessments, treatment decisions, etc).

How is this working out for you? Do you find it takes up too much of your time for the same thing or does it actually provide different views? I've been trying to expand the books I'm studying (not in paramedic school yet), but sometimes wonder if it's useful rereading the same thing from different books or if I should just spend that time studying a different topic.

I don't necessarily think anything more needs to be added to this thread, but I felt like bumping it (I was doing a search on textbooks). Some great stuff was said here. It also reminded me that not everyone has the same progressive mindset that's become so dominant here (and perhaps has driven some away by seeming arrogant without proper explanation like the ones in the thread, about the demands of the field expanding in recent years). The thread just seemed like an EMTCity historical document or basic building block to where it is today.

The part about various civilian positions calling themselves medics actually fits in with the military definition. It's my understanding that MEDIC is a general (originally military) term for the person rendering emergency medical assistance in the field. PARAMEDIC is the healthcare professional who fits into a specific definition put for by D.O.T. So, when someone calls "meeeediiiiiiic", they're basically using the term correctly and calling for whoever/whatever the emergency medical assistance at the scene is (basic/intermediate/paramedic/68W/DMATGuy/SWATFirstAidGuy/etc).

Is that what Long QT Syndrome would present as?

Those kinds of scenarios seem like a waste of time. They're fun to put on, but what's the actually professional and educational purpose of it? Even though your training officers are just that by name, the new guys probably don't know that. Would it be possible for you guys to put on your own thing for the new hires? "In-house." Hazing doesn't seem like the way to go, though...Maybe giving them crap for acting like they do, but not actually punishing them...though I guess I can see what you're saying...make them pay until they start acting right (and stop doing those damn "Picard Maneuvers" (reference right back at you)... That's replacing a bad mindset with a different bad mindset, though.

Most female EMTs at my company are in nursing school or doing pre-reqs for physician's assistant....or studying for MCATs.

I think there were two different concepts started at different times. From WWI came the makeshift ambulances staffed by civilian volunteers. From WWII came servicemen with specific training to transport casualties to the doctors/nurses. From the Korean War came the specific serviceman designation of field medic who was actually doing things on-scene. At some point during this, mortuaries were using their hearses as transport vehicles to hospitals with a few dedicated ambulances. Then, there was the separate concept that started in Belfast, Ireland where nurses/doctors responded to coronary events to defibrillate (no transport). Idea spread to Tampa???, Florida, then to a few other places, then was picked up by Los Angeles County FD with Harbor General Hospital that sent nurses (Mobile Intensive Care Nurses) out with trained paramedics (still just for cardiac events) and eventually no MICN's in the field, only by base contact. That was popularized by the show Emergency! and spread from there. Eventually, their scope (at least in LA) grew as the Firefighter Medics reported the different situations they were actually encountering in the field. Los Angeles (City) FD then started transporting in vans (which led to conflict with ambulances already in service...I think they were just staffed with "ambulance attendants"?). Not sure when the names came into play. I assume with the Wedworth-Townsend Act creating the official EMS program? That's the best I've been able to piece together, anyway.

A coworker at my old job had a skinny shorter 17 year-old girl try to take him on hitting against the chest with closed fists (temper tantrum style) against his body armor. Father was standing right there. He was so dumfounded that she actually thought she had a chance and hesitant to slam her in front of the dad, he just stood there confused. :?: :? :?:

I'm not sure how lowly tasks and getting grief when screwing up would lead to all that. Could you be more specific? If people can't read a map book, come up with a map reading test or scenario program for new people to pass. Make it difficult, so that they actually have to go home and practice. Present it to management or to training officers. For cowboy attitude, maybe forcing new guys to be paired up with old guys for awhile?

Now imagine a place like that, but with NO dinosaurs (except maybe a couple). At minimum wage and only EMTs, no one stays for long. Result: Cowboy mentality. It's been getting better over the last year, though.

I think that question meant to imply the author knows you do not carry it in the ambulance for sure, but still wants you to ask about tetanus vaccination (so you can give a better report at the ER and save nurse time?) or for cases where patient does not want transport, you can inform him of the need for the vaccination or a booster. Why is it important to ask about a vaccinate we don't carry.

I wish cops would do something about it. It's so distracting having a bright light shined in your face at 3AM as you're trying to balance a gurney over the freeway gutter and onto the ambulance.

I've pulled a muscle, only when my back was already weak from the gym or once I moved the wrong way and pulled something on the way to work...the lifting made it worse. All went away within a few days (knocks on wood...or something).

I don't really get it. You have to want to be a medic/EMT bad to understand what? How will wanting it really bad make you understand? If a newbie only cares about certain areas, how will starting over help? And what does starting over mean? Retaking the class? WHAT can be done with the right "boot camp gang"? "No no" what? That was a very confusing post.

In this case it would be a personal citizen-responsibility situation. It would also fall under immediate extenuating circumstances. Do what you'd do if off-duty. In today's whacked legal system, you might end up paying for it, but oh well.

I think it comes down to what kind of students you're admitting. If you have students who already have the drive to be professionals, as well as an educational background that has taught them how to present themselves properly, a paramilitary program is pointless and would DETRACT from academics. Maybe wearing a uniform would help keep the study mindset a little, but the negatives would outweigh that...might possibly lead to elitist attitude...and away from a medical professional mindset. Dust once reminded me that the kids in EMT class are usually young kids out of high school who aren't much interested in professionalism so a dress code (collar shirt & slacks...not uniforms) might be warranted. I imagine the schools want model paramedics who will represent the school as the best. So, it might need that because of the student type it's admitting. I'm currently interviewing paramedic schools, including the one from the video. I can tell you it's a negative in my book FOR ME. I want time spent on education, not militiristic discipline.

Congrats man!