AnthonyM83

So Essentials of Paramedic Care is pretty much the same as Paramedic Care Series Vol. 3: Principles and Practices? That's not the only book your school is using is it? Because what about all the other info in Volumes 1, 2, 4, 5 of the series...? Like where they explain specific medical emergencies or trauma procedures...or do they cover all that in condensed form in the Essentials of Paramedic Care ?

We get that from PD (leap frogging) for pediatric full arrests and officer injuries. I've only been in one for the latter (about 14 squad cars and a helicopter escort). We don't really have to ask for them...PD shows up for pediatric arrests (and obviously officer down calls) and they coordinate it all themselves after asking what our route is going to be. Makes it nice not having to stop at every intersection...just a nice smooth ride to the hospital.

I don't exactly know what the difference is, but I Know "Paramedic Care: Principles and Practices" is part of a volume series. "Essentials of Paramedic Care" must be a single book with main points about paramedicine? Neither is a newer version of each other, though, because there are "Principles and Practices" had editions published before and after the "Essentials" book. Maybe go to his website and send him an email...let us know what he wrote. As a side note, I the "Paramedic Care" has so many inconsistencies...I'm reading through some of the volumes for practice, and have a whole page of notes/corrections that I'll probably eventually mail in to help out....I know one school that switched books they used because of that.

lolz @ THAT! (No offense ERDoc & Doczilla . . . but we all know that type) If I do it in public, I like to make offending party just feel stupid for speaking to me that way rather than being wrong. People will accept that someone's wrong sometimes, but they remember when you act like an asshole to the poor EMT

Bet that depends on age, experience, and commitment to family/children. I bet that at my age in your first LE job, if an officer called for cover, you didn't think twice about your speedometer (except maybe to see how high you could get it...too 'get to him quicker').

I think teachers more interested in making sure you know EVERYTHING when they see you're going to be a fellow member of their field and not just majoring in the topic.

Oh, yeah, forgot that one. Don't get married until your late 20's or early 30's and have enough dating experience to know who's good for you. Girls that make your heart flutter that you (think you) know you could spend the rest of your life with are common. You want the vest BEST. And yeah, don't seriously date public safety, incredible cheating rate. His screen name didn't start with "BIG" did it?

Except for one area, which is where the CEO lives, ambulances here are spread out based on call volume. A richer area doesn't get more ambulances, because the bottom line is maintaining the 911 contract with the county and that requires good response times. If you want to maintain income from the "profitable" areas you have to maintain resources in the non-profitible areas. The county has us charge for treatment the FF/Medics give...so there ARE some funds going on for them.

On my new shift, I think "Sick" is most common followed by maybe SOB & CP. Yesterday was all MVA's and SOB's......it was cold and foggy. Makes perfect sense.

I think that would qualify as a PD call the next time it happened, at least from some behavior persuasion even if they don't have a case. As for the daily fliers, we usually just take them until one of the medics or captains snaps and chews them out...then they usually call again, anyway

Out of curiosity, how would you guys interpret: "EMT-I's shall implement spinal immobilization on patients with suspected spinal trauma based on mechanism of injury." There's no accompanying list of MOI's or types of injuries. So, it could be a bad thing as in cspine anything that could be conceived as causing spinal injury or good as in you can use reasonable suspicions of injury (this whole topic was covered very poorly in EMT school).

This is more of what I was getting at. I think we can take it as a given that violating a direct protocol is not an option. A few posts did address the ideas of using meds for different purposes at the ALS level, which I appreciated, was looking for, and helped me....but I also wanted some BLS topics. There are three main Los Angeles County medical protocol references: EMT Scope of Practice (General List) EMT Treatment Protocols (Adds that Pt in Distress = "Comfort, High Flow O2, Shock Position prn, VS" & Nitro/Alb/Epi Assist Criteria) Specific Treatment Guidelines (Only 10 apply to BLS...many only restrictions like O2 maintained until transfer of care) Note: There are a few other pages addressing transport decisions, DNRs, etc Dust, the cspine example is great...our guidelines (though written like a rule) say: "EMT-I's shall implement spinal immobilization on patients with suspected spinal trauma based on mechanism of injury." (Whereas paramedics use a specific algorithm) If I read that 0% of GSW's to the head caused spinal damage and I stopped immobilizing such patients (provided no other trauma), I feel as if that would be asking for trouble. But now if patient starts having airway issues, even if mild, I would probably release cspine sooner that others might. Not sure if that's a reasonable compromise. A hypothetical example (null, because one protocol says distress = high flow O2) would be starting to use a cannula for chest pains with no other complaint based on articles read here (and advise from a few ER physicians I've asked) even though EVERYONE gives high flow NRB. I was never technically "trained" to give NC to CP... Another example: Not that we ever end up using oral glucose, but there was talk once about a lethargic patient getting some rubbed on gum, even though we're taught never to give orals to ALOCs (heheh, orals). Another vague one: Our scopes says "Provide initial prehospital treatment of trauma." That's it. I can see that as actually being a good thing...not that there's too much extra I could find myself doing as an EMT....

Isn't that the case with most signs/symptoms...alone they're insignificant...it's the combination of many and overall impression that help you make a dx?

No one's ripping a 14-year old newbie's asshole for posting that question. Least he's got some plans for his future even if they probably will end up changing. (Besides, isn't it illegal in most states Anyway, Echo, you need pretty much the same things you need for most science and health (and most jobs in general) professions. Do well in school, get good at reading, comprehension, writing, technical stuff, science...biology, chemistry...try your hardest in math. Get into a good college, learn a lot in whatever major you choose, take some science courses, then go to medic school after graduation. Whether kids want to be a paramedic, physician, police officer, etc, I give similar advice. Do well in school, get good at reading, writing, critical thinking, take some classes in the area you're interested in or pre-requisities, major in whatever subject, graduate with good grades, then apply.

I would go back to school full-time, start in a CC if you have to, transfer to a four-year college, take advice from the pre-health advisors, get all your pre-reqs done. etc. Getting into a good school would be my first priority...

For the course, look through your local community colleges. If you see any ambulances, you could just walk up and ask. There might be info if your county has an EMS Authority (or similar) website. You can also search MySpace for a local EMS/EMT/Medic/Paramedic/911 group (use those search terms with and without acronyms) to try to get the scoop in your area. Be sure to scout out the different ambulances companies before you get a job, too. Do ride-alongs and try to get the scoop on them here or on a myspace group.

I think the accident might have been prevented by having to hands on it. It forces you face the gurney moreso and thus pay more attention to it. Also, once he felt the gurney was falling, he spent a split second getting ahold of it with both hands. If both hands were on, he could have uses that split second tense his core and put his body weight into it to offset the fall (I'm sure most have had a near miss or scare where they had to do that). We're both in agreement that it's stupid to mandate it by law, though. PS I just realized what your avatar was off....all this time it always threw me off...haven't watched the show itself, but had a few people play me or sing me the songs on car rides

Thanks for the kudos. I think it is possible to inspire others, though, if they have the interest inside them somewhere. I get motivated to read when I see others doing it and I've seen others pick up a book after they see me do it. Very very rare, but it happens. I get inspired all the time when I see the bar that others are setting for themselves, including people here at EMTCity.

Looks like coroner, but then again they don't have as much reason to be as careful with most of their "patients" . . . http://youtube.com/watch?v=YYQpLmxy4Lw Obviously that law cited over does it, but it's not like walking backwards is uncommon in the least...in fact the opposite. For almost all calls, there's a portion of it that I walk backwards or sideways (two hands) for....driveways, grass on sidewalk, any uneven pavement, the roadway because of the slope. I also hate carrying gurney over more than one step, for stability reasons. I also prefer it lowered one 'click' from the top setting, but almost never do it b/c it's extra work and it throws partners off.

Uhh...I walk backwards all the time, whenever the ground's not completely flat....they probably had a lot of gurney's tipping over (I'm reminded of the YouTube video of either coroners or EMS tipping an MVA DOA over onto the freeway on news camera). Obviously, the law's overdoing it...but I bet they had a problem that led to it....

"Eww, no, I'm a medic, I don't touch patients." *point to your EMT* "HE takes vital signs* 8) 8) 8) 8)

Wouldn't that translate to not wanting to risk harm to patients? Even though in their mind, they're hesitant for fear of risking their license, they have the fear because there's a chance something might go wrong...so in essence it's protecting the patient more? It just reminds me of how EMTs want more meds until they become medics....

Send chocolate

Really? It doesn't matter what their medical complaint is just because they're a crackhead? I'm thinking that's not exactly what you meant, but you gotta watch what you write...

What do you mean? Spouted at nurses from EMS? Not disrespecting the job at all...it's stuff I just couldn't do...but whenever I've seen stuff 'said' to nursing home personnel, it's basic life-threatening ABC's stuff....like not doing CPR, NRB @ 2 lpm, not having meds/medical hx for us even though we ask for it to be ready everytime. Not exactly crazy requests..