AnthonyM83

Naw, it was just a general comment on the issue

So, what's the incentive for the guys in management? Usually it ends up being dollar signs, even if they're not greedy. I know my company's understaffed and they're always recruiting and already have pretty high standards compared to other companies in the area. I agree with there needing to be rewards and advancement opportunities for those who put more effort into their education, but how do we sell that idea to management? Only way I've been able to see so far is for physician and EMS organizations to push for it in legislature or with state EMS offices.

Now that's just dumb. It says driver has not commited a crime, but in effect you're punishing him by taking his car, without getting to go to court for it. You don't usually impound the car if the PASSENGER has something illegal aboard....though I guess in this case, it's the driver who has contraband aboard Still, dumb.

Wonder which were the "steps" he follow and which he didn't do

As EMTs, we would have had to call 911 while we did CPR, then explain situation to FFMedics when they arrived, then they'd call base and ask for instructions.

On my first student ride-along, the medic gave our pt atropine...his heart beat immediately went DOWN. He ended up having to pace him. And that other guy's story about patient coming back after they ended resuscitation efforts was pretty good.

You guys ever get to go buy some and play with them? Or would that be too big of a no-no?

While certainly aggressive, the first firefighter seemed to be responding to the guy getting in one of the resident's face. The guy had already passed by twice puffing his chest with belligerent body language, pointing and seemingly yelling while he blocked the door. FF went to take him down before he took that other guy down...but then again that's just me trying to justify what I saw. The guy who does the kicking seems on the aggressive side, though, even with the passerbys. But again I don't know what they were saying.

Might Cerner have a medical director/advisor that gave them the numbers who you might contact or something along those lines. Cerner company itself might not know the sources, but individuals consulted by the company might?

Muahaha

any girls out over there?

We get that a lot, too, though they usually call from the payphone at another area of the hospital. We'll transfer them back to the same ER, since it's the most accessible receiving hospital...or AMA. But I really feel for these people, as their wait times can be over 6 or even 12 hours. What I would do in their places is taxi or bus it over to a richer neighborhood, then call 911 from there.

JPINFV, usually county decides, but I guess individual hospitals can make ALS requirements too? I just know the medics were talking and griping about it. AK, yes, my different attitude about EMS does come mainly from this website and community. If it weren't for the site, I'd be running around doing whatever seemed right or fun just like everyone else (which in a way I kind of regret...not having the fun excited newbie phase...my partner calls me super conservative). But I know it's for the better.

It would have been easy to cheat in my EMT class, difficult by doable at the NREMT test. Sometimes during scenarios, the student role-playing victim might let the student test-taker know through facial expression they were doing SOMETHING wrong, but it'd be EXTREMELY vague....and if the student didn't know his material, he wouldn't figure it out. As far as infidelity...I know it's EXTREMELY high in LE, been told it's high in FD, no idea about EMS...though around here 90% of the EMTs are going for FD...Soo....my answer is I don't know

We'd never get an escort unless it was it was an officer down call. Then, it's like magic...every little intersection blocked, no leap frog even needed.

This was actually ended up being an ALS call (only because they were forced to b/c of the new requirement by the hospital), so medic rode with us. I knew he was doing stuff back there, so in addition to wanting to be safe, I also wanted to give a smoother ride by not having to dodge around stopped cars. The main benefit of my L&S I feel is not waiting for red lights...the rest of the time it's faster to just flow with traffic with lights only (since only law I'm bypassing is the speed limit law, but at flow of other traffic), unless it's totally congested.

Yeah... PS he used to be only b/c he went part-time to do medic school. You can't be an FTO if you're only working part time. Thankfully he's not my regular partner. Only for that shift. The crew got fired, so they were filling it with random people for a few days.

PS I'm not sure what the point of my post was. I guess see what others think, but also to blow off some steam. Thnx, Anthony

I picked up an OT shift (BLS) tand my partner was a part-timer (he was in medic school and FF applicant). Kind of hard-core type guy...been on the job for year and a half or so. We got a call only a few blocks away. Traffic was light and fast, so I drove lights, no siren, except for intersections. Halfway there he tels me, "always use your sirens when going code 3" and turns my siren on for me. Of course, cars then started stopping in the middle of the road and I had to do an obstacle course. We get to the call and are then transporting to hosp. with FF/Medic aboard. Pt is Weak/Dizzy and FF's are complainign about hospital's new rule requiring all W/D to go ALS. They're trying to find a way to BLS it and send us code 2 by calling it "general malaise", but Medic ends up riding with us. Point is, it's not really an urgent emergency. I go lights, no siren, except intersections, about 55 in a 35 zone, and 3/4 way there, my partner pops his head in and says, "Why aren't you using your sirens?" I said, "You're only supposed to use them when necessary, it's in the book." He says, "ALWAYS USE YOUR SIREN WHEN GOING CODE 3". So, I turn on my siren and as we're turning into the residential area near the hospital, I leave the siren on. I would usually cut it in this area, but he just yelled that phrase at me, so I leave them on. Of course, he pops his head out again and says, "You can turn them off now!" Afterwards, he asks me what happend. I told him, I was trained only to use them when necessary. There's actually a DMV test question that tries to trick you into saying you use them whenever going code 3...and also I get there fast without sirens, because fewer people stop in the road for me. Thus, I don't have to go around them, don't have to oppose oncoming traffic, and smoother ride for the medic, and safer. Told him I left the siren on in residential because he had just yelled at me for not using it "whenver going code 3". He said, he used to be an FTO and the way I was driving he would not pass me. That we need to be able to drive fast and need to make it in under 8 minutes to all these far fire station zones. For the rest of the day, he didn't let me drive. He would go lights and sirens on roads were average flow was already way over speed limit, cars would brake, he'd swerve like crazy, 75ish in 35 zones, for calls well within our 8 minute limit. Extra stuff...if you like shorter posts, just read above: I didn't press the issue 1) Because his word as an FTO probably mattered more to our management than my explanation 2) I really did want to try to learn from him, because he did have experience. 3) I usually don't like confrontations in EMS. Most people are in for FD, so I know we're going to have different outlooks. I'm kind of angry and also don't want a bad name. I'm a natural fast driver. It's not a fear of going fast. I can go 120+ with barely an adrenaline spike. I've taken police EVOC where I was told I had very good skills. I love fast driving. I'm not really nervous about code 3, been doing it since I was 15 as an explorer, doing my calc homework as the officer drove to a call. BUT I also don't want to kill someone who pulls in front of me. I don't want to be one of the hundreds of EMTs fired a year for car accidents. I'm also thinking about my patient and if traffic is going 60 in a 35, then it's faster and safer for me to work through that, better for my patient. And FTOs here do carry weight, but they also get NO trainer's training. Just a binder with things to teach us (straight from my original FTO's mouth). I also want to make a smooth ride for the medic. Also, most of these roads are wide (4-ish lanes), so no kid is going to run out from behind a car. And sirens also increase pt anxiety. If ever a medic tells me to "haul ass" like I was warned they will sometimes, then I'll haul ass, but otherwise, why? The other reason I'll do it is if my 8 minutes are running low. If you take over 8 minutes, just once, it's a really big deal, suspensions and everything.

While I do report my BPs in even numbers, I agree with FizNat's thinking. It would be less accurate to report 124 or 126 when the first sound was heart in between the lines for each. Why does it matter if there's a line or a space at the pont you hear or stop hearing the sounds? As for old pulses, I'll put them down, but usually write in 63 (21 x 3)...also helps them know the accuracy of my reading. In weird positions or bumpy roads where I only get a few seconds of smooth driving, I'll often do 6 seconds times 10. To NREMT: I understand how Dust's posts can come off to someone new to the site, but sit back and read through a lot of his posts. He doesn't putting people down for not knowing things or asking questions, but there are a lot of posts about the skill level of EMTs in general...kind of half cynical posts. And with good reason (as you heard others chime in on this thread about EMTs not knowing basic BPs). Use it as motivation to never be one of those said EMTs...and if you need help with something, he'll help you (probably ) But a lot of it is just style of humor and personality, not actual bashing people on the board without reason.

Will you take: What is heart muscle? Heard it compared to neurons in its electrical conduction abilities

Would they be in a critical care or other nursing quickguide book or something like that? They have values for stuff like ICP and PCO2. Probably to simple to have them there, but just a thought.

At the PD they tell you it'll give you maybe 15 minutes...but you still need to get yourself some medical help...but what I'm reading here is that it won't help at all, rather it will only slow down the progression of it? Or perhaps if you inject it prior to exposure, you'll get 15 minutes of "immunity"? I quite like this topic, btw...

The patient is arguing with bystanders and one of them points at you and yells "Look, they're here. They're gonna beat your ass!" (umm, dispatch, roll PD, please?)

Just the way I personally do it. If it's someone just geting aggressive and trying to get away, I'll wrestle with him to restrain him. It's a lot harder than an actual fight sometimes, because we're not actually fighting, just trying to restrain. If I'm technically assaulted/battered (like he grabs my arm and tries/fails to hurt it), I'll still make a judgement call based on what's causing him to be violent. Only if it's a full-on active attack will I use full force (and that hasn't happened yet) where I actively hit the patient. I'm always thinking about how I can justify it in court in front of a judge/jury and on a PCR. Once he's actively attacking me, scene is unsafe, and I don't consider him my patient anymore. But while a patient grabbing my hand and trying to push me to the ground in a (failed) wrist lock is technically battery, I won't respond the same way I'd respond if a non-patient did that. I consider it part of the job putting up with that, because these patients aren't in their right mind. PS I agree with Nremet's post on what assault it for the most part. Assault-verbal, Battery-Physical is a good way of remembering the two, but only a guideline. Assaults are often mainly verbal with maybe a threatening stance or moving toward someone...in some situations it can be only verbal, though...but not necessarily.