Eydawn

All I got to say, Don... FIGURES you'd say that. Wendy CO EMT-B

As far as that other troll's thread went, there is a difference between watching a film that contains a brief nudity or sex scene and bringing a porno flick to work. For example, the film about the researcher Kinsey contains a lot of adult references and material. But is it about just watching people have sex? No way in hell. It's a profile of a very important researcher and a movie about the controversy that surrounded his studies. Definitely a good watch, and very discussion provoking. Good study on the psychology of human sexuality. Pornography, or the graphic visual representation of sex just for the gratification of sexual interest, should be reserved for home. As should the physical act. Wendy CO EMT-B

Yeah... I'm surprised ours haven't been stolen yet. We just leave them running, keys and all.... I'm sure it's coming. I'll let you know when it happens! Wendy CO EMT-B

Who said I was referring to myself? I think masturbating at work is inappropriate as well. It's just not as obvious. We don't monitor or really think about folks just going to the bathroom. Disappearing into the back room with your coworker is a different matter. I didn't defend masturbating on company time by saying it was private; I said I didn't care because generally speaking, you're not going to notice the difference between your partner taking a crap and doing something else. Hence, I don't really care what you do in the bathroom. Just because doctors and nurses and other paramedics choose to be unprofessional at work doesn't mean that it's ok. Because some people choose to show up half-dressed and put unnecessary 14 gauge IV's in drunks doesn't mean it's ok. Just because people choose to come in to work hung-over or still inebriated on a daily basis doesn't mean it's ok. Because YOU happen to think that it's fun and wonderful to get your jollies at work doesn't mean that it should be an acceptable industry standard for behavior. Sorry. If making love is a beautiful thing, why would you push for doing it at WORK, where your clothes are covered in patient yuck, your bunk is not necessarily just your own, where you will be interrupted at a moment's notice because you're at work.... not romantic. Not professional. If you really care about a gratifying sexual experience, you care enough to wait until you're at home, on your own time, and can focus on your partner. I think anyone who feels like they have to get it on in the station has exhibitionist tendencies and just doesn't want to admit it. As discreet as you may think you're being, you're still exposing your relationship with that person to your coworkers in a way they might not wish it to be exposed. Like I said, if you can't see the difference, you're part of the problem of unprofessionalism that is holding us back. Wendy CO EMT-B

I wondered what those bright spots were! I can usually spot Venus, didn't realize Jupiter was in alignment too. It's gorgeous, if anyone's had a chance to just look up at the sky. It's kind of sad... I'm a Boy Scout, but the only constellation I can usually spot is Orion. Anyone seen Northern Lights this season? Wendy CO EMT-B

You utilizing the restroom or shower is different than you and a partner blatantly occupying yourselves in a manner that should be reserved for off duty. I don't care what you do in the bathroom. Your business. I would think that one would find the station bathroom an icky place to play around. HOWEVER... you getting it on with another employee or your significant other, there in the station? Socially unacceptable. Not professional. And as far as legal/illegal goes, it is against many company policies to fraternize on company time. You want to risk losing your job because you couldn't wait 4 hours to get the nookie? That company didn't need you anyway. If this is seriously what you think, that it's fine to go screw around when you're being paid to be a medical professional, I must say I'm seriously glad that your occupation states "Former Paramedic." It's good ol' boy, we're in the station so who cares mentalities that are a huge part of what holds us back. I don't need to be no professional there in the station, it's my house damnit... I don't need no extra book learnin', coz all they ever need is O2 and an IV.... If you don't see the connection, then you're REALLY part of the problem. Wendy CO EMT-B Wendy CO EMT-B

Watching a program that contains adult sexuality or reading a book that contains sexual material is very different than two of your coworkers going into the back room and getting it on. That's like saying that it's ok to watch a movie on shooting up heroin, so it must be ok to go in the back room and shoot up with heroin. Note, I'm not saying anything about people who are at home and happen to be on duty. Your own home, your own space, is very different from shared company space. Watching a movie that people agree to watch is fine, because you can click that movie off and go on your call when you need to. Most people I know don't "click off" well when in boink mode... which means that they don't pay attention to their driving or their patient care.... Someone tell me I'm not crazy here for saying there's a difference in boundaries between choosing to watch a film and doing your partner while on shift... Wendy CO EMT-B

Having sex at work is unprofessional- yes or no? Let's dispute this first. I'm voting that having sex at work is VERY unprofessional. You're not there to get laid. Also, having sex with coworkers is a good way to create rumors and backbiting gossip that will eventually affect you negatively- whether it's your superiors seeing more of your negatives or coworkers failing to be honest with you because "you're sleeping with so and so and it's going to get back to them." Just don't do it. If you want to cultivate a relationship with someone, do so off the clock. Don't have sex in the station. It's not a matter of being prude... it's a matter of respecting common space and your peers. You don't see corporations encouraging or turning a blind eye to folks slipping off to the supply closet to get it on... so thus, if your company doesn't encourage it, it is obviously not to happen. Hell, there's not even a clause about it in my company policies (except to say that relationships between coworkers need to have management informed, especially if it's between different authority levels, so that no situation occurs where a romantic partner has direct power over the other). As far as professionalism in the workplace goes, if your partners aren't changing sheets after runs there is a serious issue here and it needs to be reported to the higher ups. Calling out sick when you're actually too sick to work, rather than bringing it in and exposing patients to it, is a good thing. Some of us get sick more frequently than others. If we work our share when we're there and only call out sick when we truly are sick, then it's not an issue. As far as the talking on the cell phone or texting while being in the back with a patient, that's not just a "younger generation" thing. I had a couple FTO's old enough to be my parents text and answer the phone while in the back with me and the patient. Pissed me off. And I would venture to say that I would much prefer anyone driving to NOT TALK ON THE DAMN PHONE no matter where we're driving to or why. I don't care that it's 3am and we're on our way back to the station. I'll drive so you can talk. I also am not a fan of being told by older, more "professional" medics, that the speed limit rules don't matter, we need to get to the call quickly no matter what it is and it's ok to go 90mph on county roads. As far as the stereo goes, if only the driver can hear it, I don't care. If it's an interfacility and the patient would like some music, go for it. Otherwise, it should be off. But again... it's not the younger guys I've ridden with that I've seen this from. I've seen it from the older folks. It's not a generational thing, it's a personal thing. Regardless of how old you are or what generation of EMS you are, suck it up. Be a professional. This is a career, not just some job. Show up on time, dressed correctly, and shut off your damn phone. You're there for the patients, so do your best and provide quality care. That's my opinion. Wendy CO EMT-B

I disagree. Feel free to continue reading as much as you like, and don't feel obligated to post. If you do feel like you have something to say, please, by all means contribute! The more moderate types in here will encourage you and get your back. Just because *you* feel like you must sound off to contribute or be part of the discussion doesn't mean everyone has to, crotchity. Some of the smartest people in my classes here in college are the quiet ones- who actually listen and absorb before commenting. Their comments are often much more germane than those whose hands are continually in the air. They're not lurkers, they're not draining anything, they're simply participating in their own way. Wendy CO EMT-B

Another thing. I absolutely love that we have so many funny or game threads... but I have to say it really pisses me off to see people with thousand-post counts with 90% of their posts having come from said threads. I have a lot more respect for those who choose to post wisely on the topics we have up for discussion. No offense to those who use the City as their Solitaire substitute, but don't expect me to respect your post count, because I know it's 99% bullshit. Wendy CO EMT-B

Also keep in mind that the number of "reads" includes multiple reads by the same user. So when I am watching a thread to see what happens with it, and I click to it 5-6 times, that's 6 reads right there. People also don't post because many people don't want to get dragged into the battles that inevitably ensue here. In order to establish credibility and give yourself a foundation that people respect you have to post a good deal, which takes a little bit of work and investment. How many times have we seen a newer person jump in, say something, get tromped because nobody knows who they are, and then disappear? And for those who are not inclined towards writing, the forum is more of a chore than a creative forum or outlet. There are many who undoubtedly benefit by simply reading and taking what they read back to their own work and social community for discussion. Just because they choose not to engage with the community here doesn't mean they're not participating. I don't think it's FEAR, I think it's different approaches to discussion. Some people wait until a topic comes along that they absolutely feel a need to provide input on, and then they cease posting after that topic or they begin posting on other topics. To try to force anyone through shame or other motive to post before they want to is kind of silly, IMHO. Wendy CO EMT-B

Companies will push for longer hours without sleep until they get sued because a provider screwed up. I think the way my company does it is pretty intelligent. The shifts are 12 hour shifts (with the exception of the boonie shift, that's a 24, but there's built in sleep time on that one.) You MUST have 8 hours off in between 12's, or you can't work. I can't envision any of my supervisors saying no, you gotta go on that call, if we called them and said look, we have a problem here. Especially if it had been a crazy day. Any supervisor that pushes you past the point of safety is an idiot, and you really should be thinking about just how safe it is for you to continue working there. We can all put up and shut up to some degree, but somewhere you gotta draw the line and say "it's not worth it" and look for other employment. Case in point... I left my last job when they began insisting that what I documented wasn't what happened and began insisting that I work in an unsafe environment (for me, and for the clients I worked with). So-long, see ya, sayonara. It wasn't worth my future in medicine to continue working there. Wendy CO EMT-B

What's he look like, what was he eating, is he a truck driver... medical history please? Meds? BP, P R? Lung sounds? Recent illness/surgery? Wendy CO EMT-B

CJH, you need to get the hell out of there! Every time someone says Jersey I think of you and how bad it must suck. Wendy CO EMT-B

Responses below.... I don't think so. Unless the supervisor is in the same general area and his truck has them, this wouldn't be the best idea. Unless the call I was going to was definitely not going to require them, and since I failed psychic 101.... As long as I just checked the battery that's currently on the monitor and it's at full, I could see running one call without a spare. But only that one call. No onboard M tank? If I had one D tank on the cot and then the M tank in the truck, sure. That D tank only needs to last me until I get back inside the ambulance. If that D tank is all we've got period, then I'd be pretty leery of running a call with it. None, anywhere? Not in your go bag? I would have to say I wouldn't want to run without this. You could put in a lock to do meds with, but if that patient needs any kind of fluid... I suppose one could use a blood-Y in a pinch, but still not ideal. This should never happen. We check our drugs for expiry on the last day of every month and replace them that day. But no, I wouldn't run with it because you can't give them even though they're only one day expired. That would be another one where the supervisor would have to meet us there to give us supplies. I think we could make do without this for one call. As long as you've got NPA/OPA and ETT tubes, and your cric kit, you still have enough airway tools. Wouldn't want to do 2 calls in a row though, as Murphy is likely to bite us in the ass. Each person should have a radio, no doubt. Is it possible to roll without one? Sure... but it's not the best idea. As long as you can go get one after that first call, I'd say it's up to your discretion. Wouldn't want to run without this one. If you can't see to secure that airway... sucktastic. Wendy CO EMT-B

Would hate to roll without swapping monitor batteries.... and I think most of the medics get nervous if we haven't had a chance to check the airway roll before we leave. We usually have a sense of what the car is like before getting in, however, because the off-going crew will usually tell us if they had a busy shift and if we're down on important things like O2, drugs, IV stuff, etc. So, even if a call drops, we can grab a few handfuls of stuff and chuck it on the bench seat before taking off. We also have some good redundancy as far as drugs go between the go-bag and what's in the ambulance... so if we don't have any albuterol or neb setups in the cabinet, chances are good we've still got one in the bag. It's also not as much of an issue in my system because our supervisors roll in a fully stocked ambulance (which makes it easy for them to become another functional car- they grab whoever's on the psych van and can roll as a team when there's no transfers going on.) So if we happen to have to roll to a call the second we walk in the door and we're missing something, we can radio for a super and get more supplies on scene. For example, a papoose got left at one of the further out hospitals... so the next person heading out there was supposed to grab it. If that car had needed one in between that happening, the supervisor could have brought the one from his/her vehicle to wherever it was needed. Actually, on a shift I had the other day (since I'm not cleared to work solo yet) we almost left without the other EMT! My FTO was going to take me to the scene and the supervisor was going to meet us there with the other crew-member after she showed up at the station. She walked in the door right as we were starting up and jumped in... sans radio, but she made it. I think we go out of service if the monitor isn't working and if we drop below our minimum stock level of 2 for the heavy duty drugs... I'm not sure, however. I haven't seen it happen yet. Wendy CO EMT-B

Haven't seen it in my area but we'll keep an eye out for it. Wonder what's in it. Wendy CO EMT-B

See, that's why we make bad patients. We're the sort of people who like to be told as much as we can and think about things, rather than just accepting what someone tells us or refuses to tell us. DocHarris, better to not be told much than to be patronized, count your blessings... at least they're not treating you like a child. Perhaps when you go in to get the monitor off you can talk to your primary care doc and tell him/her that you're not trying to self diagnose or anything, but as a matter of learning and being able to understand something because it's your own body, you'd love to see at least a few of the strips and what leads were being monitored, at his/her discretion. There is a time and a place for saying to a patient "I'm sorry, I don't have the full picture for you and I don't want to give you the wrong information because of it" and there's also a time for recognizing that someone may be much more adversely affected by being kept in the dark and giving them *something* to think about. Just saying. Wendy CO EMT-B

No. Camp had a strict no-nookie between unmarried folks policy. My fiance and I adhered to it. And trust me... on the camp, I was on duty 24/7. Wendy CO EMT-B

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/grey http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gray They're both valid. Wendy CO EMT-B

There's things to be said for both approaches. If one had no exposure to EMS I would say that a few rides might be beneficial. However, since the OP has interacted with EMS before I would say that the rides aren't the important part, figuring out if he can actually hack medicine itself is. I mean hell, I rode 3rd rider for how long before I got into the field... guess what... it didn't teach me much. Dear OP: If you really want to be an educated paramedic and have a yen for really understanding what you're doing, enroll in A and P, basic bio, basic chem, microbiology, sociology, psychology and English composition. Then get into the paramedic track. They'll probably have you take the EMT-B class first as part of it. Don't get lulled into thinking you could go out and get paid for it right then and there... you'll get trapped at the lower level and find yourself frustrated with not being able to fully practice medicine. Make sure any program you do includes a long internship where you are practicing physical skills and learning to control your scene as a lead medical provider. I agree... go talk to the EMS folks at your local college. But no matter what you do, take the A and P, psych and English comp. Those three will help you immensely in terms of understanding the human body, the human mind, and how to write your trip sheets effectively. Wendy CO EMT-B

I hope you kept your own signed copy of your lease as some realtors will do crazy things if the only copy on file is theirs... I've seen leases be altered and passed off as "the original, and yours was exactly like it". Those documents usually have a clause in them covering breaking a lease early. For the apartment that my fiance and I live in with our best friends, we forfeit our deposit and must come up with 2 months rent immediately, OR we can allow the apartment complex to find a new tenant, but must cover full rent until that tenant is found, up to the end of the lease. Your best bet is to talk to your manager, re-read your lease, and see if you can negotiate a peaceable settlement twixt the both of you. You're not going to get out scot-free with only losing your deposit, I can almost guarantee that, but you might be able to figure out an affordable solution. Don't just bail- they can come after you because you bailed on a legal contract. Wendy CO EMT-B

The BSA won't pay for nurses unless they're afraid something will happen and they will get sued. For example: Had a nurse my first summer on ranch because the year previous had an epidemic of norovirus (mm, 120 pukers all at once...) and they were afraid of another epidemic. So we got a really interesting nurse. Some of you know my opinions and experiences with that and I'll leave it to anyone else to PM me if you really want to know more. They couldn't find a nurse to work for the shitty pay my second summer, so we had our FD intermediate as our boss. Last summer they found a nurse and it worked well because she was married to another high level staffer, so it was easy to pull off. You really need to go in to your local council office and ask to see the camp rules and regs and have a sit-down meeting with your DE's and so on to really hammer out details before you accept. As far as sharing medications, that's a *duh* moment. And many parents will send OTC's or signed authorization for you to give certain OTC's at certain doses. Wendy CO EMT-B

Here's some hypotheticals for you. This unidentified woman watches the same man kill her younger sister. She is severely traumatized and it takes years for her brain development to catch up to what happened. She finally comes to a place where she feels like she is old enough/strong enough/people will believe her and she comes forward to confront her accuser. Since there is no statute of limitation on murder, do we just dismiss the case because "any evidence" that "could have existed" is now probably gone? Or do we try our damndest to figure out what really happened? Back to the original topic. First of all, child molesters seldom act once and cease to molest. They have aberrant, conniving patterns that they nurse and hide for YEARS, often with many different potential victims in various states of "grooming." While the potential definitely exists for someone to be falsely accused and I agree that suggested memories are the bane of the counseling profession, I also maintain that someone who's accused needs to be thoroughly investigated (but not necessarily displayed on the news until proven guilty!) If they are a molester, a good investigator will find evidence of it and other victims without having to put out a broadcast for "if this guy touched you as a child, call this number." I think that finding evidence of other victims without a broadcast would pretty much cinch the deal... find more victims, vindicate the original victim. How many of you guys saw the news article about the guy from E-Harmony or something similar who posed as a doctor and raped *dozens* of women, many of whom came forward with evidence, but wiggled out of it? Finally, with one about to be pinned on him, the other women are finding closure even though their cases were dismissed.... As far as this case goes, it seems that the incidents were reported four years ago, which would be 5 years after the original incidents occurred... so how does that fit into the nice little box of statute of limitations? I shudder to think that anyone would advocate that simply because "it's been a long time" that someone be allowed to escape investigation for harm that they have done to a child. Putting his name in the paper has ruined his life to a much further degree if he is innocent than any other action involved with this case. I think these sort of things should be investigated quietly, with no mention of anyone's name, until they are proven guilty. Guilty? All over the front page. Innocent? Don't even mention that someone falsely accused! Wendy CO EMT-B

How I drive in my personal vehicle and how I choose to drive in a company vehicle are two different things. In my personal vehicle, I'm already lamenting that I don't have a radar detector like my fiance does. In the ambulance? I'm driving the speed limit because it is safer, and I refuse to go 80 mph on a country highway when the posted speed is 60. I think without seeing the crash pics, we have no way of knowing who was truly at fault, but I believe my company's policy states that I am responsible for any MVA's I'm involved in until proven otherwise... so you bet your sweet ass I'm avoiding accidents at all possible cost. Which includes moderating my speed and being extra careful when going through intersections or around corners. Wendy CO EMT-B