Lone Star

Scream all you want, they can't hear you....ROFLMAO

Another thing to remember is that just because someone's been bitten, it doesnt mean they've been envenomated. Since the snake in question is suffering from some snake form of GSS (General Stress Syndrome), the muscles around the venom sacs in the snake may not constrict, and therefore does not inject venom into the victim. Because of this, a snake bite victim may range from nonvenomation to partial venomation, to the full load of venom. Knowing the snakes that are indigenous to your particular neck of the woods is a good idea, that way when someone tries to describe the markings, you'll have an idea of what snake it might have been. Rarely if ever will you find someone who's been bitten sitting alongside the carcass of the biter. Most snakes would rather leave than strike, and usually only strike when they're cornered by humans. Feeding is a whole different matter. Snakes will only strike at what they plan to eat, and humans aren't on the menu.

I'm thinking this might be a case of nondisplaced fracture. From the initial post, I was already considering the inverted KED, just from the high index of suspicion. In the event that the fracture was nondisplaced, the KED would have kept it that way, and they should have been removed from the house via LSB. The patient stated that there was relief from having her legs extended, this would have also occurred with use of the KED. If the fracture had been displaced (or completed) during the move from the cot to the gurney, again, the inverted KED could have helped prevent further injury. The logic is sound, and had my partner suggested it, I would have supported it. Far too often, there's a 'power struggle' on the trucks because someone always seems to want to be the 'boss', ("I'm the Senior Partner", "I've got a higher license than you!" etc, ad nauseum) It sounds to me like Ugly's 'spidey sense' was spot on...

Here's where I'm getting confused... If your goal is medical school or at least PA, why even bother with EMS? I would suggest that you bypass all of the EMS education and concentrate your studies on what is and will be required to reach your goal. It only stands to reason that what you will learn there will surpass what you'll need for EMS, and such; the EMS education will only be putting off what you'll still have to do. By no means am I trying to discourage you, I'm just trying to understand your reasoning based on your stated intended goals.

Obtaining the NREMT certification will make it easier to apply for reciprocity, but you can avoid all the associated problems by simply applying for and taking the course in Michigan to begin with.

Rest assured that when I get into Medic School, you, Bieber and a few other medics will be HATING me for all the questions that I'll be asking, because I'm going to be making y'all have to do a LOT of thinking! Just as a 'warning', I'm not one to settle for a 'just because' type answer, so put your thinking caps on (or at least some place you can get to them easily); you've got about a month to get them warmed up and tuned up before the 'games' begin!

Tom, I'm going to have to wholeheartedly concur with AK's assessment. The human body is more complex than we truly realize. Your knowledge base will be greatly enhanced by taking these courses (especially at the collegiate level). While the biggest obstacle that I’m facing in my A&P classes is trying to understand the professor’s thick East Indian accent. There’s a wealth of information in Marieb’s “Human Anatomy and Physiology” and it can only serve to help make you the best medic you can be. Once you obtain your Associate’s Degree, it will make it that much easier to be able to obtain another degree in another field if you find that you cannot do the duties required in the EMS field, or just wish to move into another arena.

Not to discourage you, but you must realize that there's a major difference between dissections and actual live, screaming patients. It's far easier to deal with a dissection because you can't kill the dead. Where the stress begins is trying to keep the sick and injured alive. In a dissection, you may be exposed to blood and the 'inner workings' of whatever organism you're dissecting, but in EMS; your objective is to not let your patient die (in spite of whatever amputations, self dissections or injuries they have somehow performed/inflicted upon themselves. Another question I have is this, are you planning on working in IN once you obtain your EMT license? If not, what about a program in your area thats offered by the state of MI? Here's some information I've hunted down if you're interested in staying in MI to go through school: Approved EMS Education Program Sponsors County: Berrien EMT Approved through: 11/30/2010 Lake Michigan College 2755 E Napier Ave Benton Harbor MI 49022 (269) 927-8171 Lisa Augustyniak (Program Sponsor Representative) (269) 621-4799 Judy Wheeler(Program Course Coordinator) County: Berrien Paramedic Approved through: 9/30/2008 Medic 1 Community Emergency Service 635 E Napier Ave PO Box 1563 Benton Harbor MI 49023 (269) 925-2144 Jack Fisher Jr. (Program Course Sponsor Representative) Nicole Hubbard (Program Course Coordinator) County: Berrien EMT-Specialist Approved through: 4/30/2009 Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance Service 2100 Chicago Road Niles MI 49120 (269) 684-2170 Marlene Beach (Program Sponsor Representative) Timothy Gray (Program Course Coordinator)

First off, I'd like to thank the academy for this award, I've had the opportunity to work with some outstanding directors....oh wait...wrong awards ceremony! Really, I'd like to thank Dwayne and whever else was on the 'voting committee'! EMS is not only my profession, but it's my passion as well. I know that there are a great many posters who are deserving recognition on this forum, and I am honored to have been chosen. Looking at the list of winners, I'm extremely humbled to be in their company! As I move through medic school, I can only hope that I can continue to contribute quality posts deserving of the position I've been awarded for. Congratulations to all the winners! LS

I don't think the spider has to actually bite you 'there' .....

Since I've gone back to school in my 40's, I can tell you that having to try to revert to the 'basics' is a bitch! I'm getting smoked grade wise by my younger counterparts because this is still all 'fresh' to them. I've had to take several 'remedial courses' just to get up to speed with the classes I NEED for my degree. If you go to work now, you'll be too busy trying to make ends meet on your meager salary (unless you can get in with a municipal agency) to go back to school. Add to that you'll probably make just enough to be disqualified for financial aid, (isn't that how it always seems to work out?). I was a licensed EMT-B for 12 years and looking back, I can't believe what a disservice I've been doing to my patients all these years by thinking I had it all nailed down; while knowing nothing at all. If medic is where you want to be then continue on the track you're on. You're in school now, might as well stick with it until you've crossed the finish line. There will be a hundred reasons why you can't go back to school later, with a hundred more excuses waiting in the wings if those original ones get worn out. You state you've been an EMT-B for 4 years. You've got more than enough 'experience' (if you subscribe to the thought process of needing experience before entering Medic School). The 'down side' there is that you've had 4 years to establish all sorts of 'bad habits' that are going to be tough to break. As far as your classes, talk to your academic advisor and see what can be worked out about the prerequisites to A&P. If there's nothing that can be done, then you've got to 'suck it up, princess' and do what they require. It all boils down to how much you desire your AaS and your Medic credentials.

Thanks Scotty for letting us know y'all are safe. My prayers for those responding, and condolences for those who were negatively impacted. LS

I'd heard this one years ago, except she was going to Cancun It's still funny though!

In order for me to be able to get into the medic class and stay in it, I have to have at the very least my NREMT for EMT-B/NREMT-I. I get to renew it in March of 2012, only to get to pay for the NREMT-P a few months later when I graduate Medic. Since we can't predict the future with any degree of accuracy, my suggestion is go ahead and renew it. Michigan's rumor mill has been running rampant for many years about the 'changes coming down the pike'. (I direct you to the rumor that MI was eliminating the EMT-S license level....that one's only been circulating for the last 20 years or so). If you're REALLY concerned about it, call Department of Consumer Affairs in Lansing and get the word from the horse's mouth instead of listening to a bunch of the 'other ends'....

There are some really great suggestions! I'm glad I'm not in Dwayne's boots for this one!

Fear IS a great 'motivator'!!!

I had a similar situation during my EMT-B classes. I was taken aside at break time and given a 'stern talking to' for asking for clarification on information I knew to be flat out wrong, or inconclusive. I was told that I was asking questions and making comments that were 'too advanced for where the class is at this point'. Why am I 'wrong' because I know the information to be incorrect, and because I know what questions to ask ... even if my classmates don't? Just because you're at the front of the classroom doesn't mean that you're infallible. Just because you as an instructor have to cater to the ‘lowest common denominator’ doesn’t mean that those that are further advanced are challenging you. Just as we have to do our ‘homework’ as students, you as an instructor must do your ‘homework’ as well! As an instructor, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the information you provide to your students is current and as up to date as possible. Why should an instructor feel ‘threatened’ by a student that has either 1) enough knowledge to know you’ve presented ‘bad information’, or 2) has done enough research into the topic to be able to ask ‘those kinds of questions? One would expect that the instructor would actually be proud that their students were in a position to ask 'those questions', by self study and initiative to do research on the topic themselves. We as students are asking these questions so that we ARE getting the most current information, and are grasping the content of your lecture. Don’t feel threatened because one or more students know the proper questions to ask! As an instructor, you should keep in mind that since I'm providing the tuition (whether from financial aid or 'out of pocket'), this educational opportunity IS 'all about ME'! I don't expect to be 'spoon fed' the course content, but I DO expect it to be correct and up to date...

And people wonder why I'm considering starting my own church! The first tennet of my church is that stupid people are slapped on sight The second tennet of my church is that stupid people are not allowed to engage in sexual activity, whether for 'recreation' or procreation...it just isn't going to be allowed! The name of this church? Our Lady of the Chlorinated Gene Pool

In a response to a thread about pillows on the ambulance: Well now, I guess that just about covers it!

I've recieved a couple of emails similar to this, but they were purportedly sent by Robert Mueller, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I suspected a scam and contacted the local field office and was told to send it to their IC3 department (their 'cyber crime' division). Sadly, many people will fall for this simply because they think they're going to get five million dollars for no discernable reason. All they're actually going to get for their efforts is cleaned out. Another 'tip off' is the glaring grammatical, punctuation and sentence structure errors:

*wonders if he should get Hap more tissues or more pepper*

I'm just trying to figure out how much of the President's pie I can give myself......

Oh, I'm thinking that the American Indians knew about tobacco long before Captain John Smith, et al started cultivating it as a 'cash crop'.

This may be true, but I'm willing to bet the majority of the 'original illegal aliens' were here LONG before immigration laws were even thought of, let alone enacted.....