WannaBEMT

Thanks you guys so much. Today was so hard. I again am in the middle of orientation at my new job that I was in for 2 days when this happened during the orientation process. Now understand this this is the ONLY place in GA that the EMT-I's are within guidelines for the state/national criteria but they have the EMT-I's doing basically everything but ET tube, needle decompression, and cardio-pacing. I might have left one thing out as we just went over ACLS today, so I feel like there is one more but I cannot remember at this point. So because of there testing schedule changes, we were supposed to have a 3 day class but because of time restraints, we had all of this crammed in 2 1/2 hours today. THEN, we had to run a "mega code" immediately after this lecture today. Included in this mega code, was everything a PARAMEDIC would do on a patient from start to finish of a cardiac arrest patient, with the patient crashing as time went on, etc...OK I am straight out of school, with NO street experience, no ACLS schooling other than what I have researched and picked up on my own, and some things SLIGHTLY touched on in my schooling that would make us help anticipate the needs of our medic better, so for lack of a better word I do not know sh*t! Ok so when they tell me this I am sh*tting in my pants thinking how I am going to run a mega code when they want us to drop a ET, and I have never done that before obviously, and know the protocol with the rounds of drugs in between the shocks up until the max, with Epi, Atropine, etc.... So I go into this thing blind! My scenario was a man, c/o "just not feeling right" and then all the other info I would get would be from the instructor acting as a the patient and I would only be able to ask the questions a patient could answer, the only exception was I would know R/R/Q on all all vitals. Ok so I start my assessment and went down the whole BLS guidelines, then I move on to the ALS guidelines, this is when it went downhill, I told the instructor, I could stick a blade in but I do not know what I am looking for or anything else that has to do with the ET tube, he said OK, we will go over it and told me to pretend there was a ET established and properly ventilation is being handled, then he had this damn box and told me this was the portion of "lighting the patient up" and what drugs and doses I am going to start and how long in between, the max dose, and then any kind of rhythm he pick out on that box would show on the monitor, so I also have to name the rhythm, etc I mean down to turning the patient over to the ED, with increasing interventions that have positive outcomes....So I told the guy that I do not know anything but asystole, V-Tach, and V-Fib and the V-tach and V-Fib I am not always sure on when I see the rhythm on a monitor, but when I see it on a clear piece of paper and it is big enough I can tell for the most part about those 3 with some questions about subtle changes ' Either way I started my ACLS guidelines that I could halfway remembered by our "class: Either way I sucked and sucked bad, and I was stopped in the middle, and was told the whole reason for this mega code for the EMT's was to see how far into that mega code we could go before we did not know what we were doing! It was by far the hardest part of orientation yet! Any tips on helping remember some if fast dropped ACLS tips I am all ears, again thank you for the well wishes for my dad, that meant alot to me! You all have a good day and again I welcome and appreciate the prayers, my dad had a good day today..... Jenn

You guys thank you so much for all the links, that is what I needed, I do not think my brain is functioning right from lack of sleep and actually FINDING an informative link is one thing. I know how to search on the internet but you guys providing direct links for me is so very very helpful and I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart, I will go look at them all now. On to some things that were mentioned. I know as I work as a insurance case manager for a large oncology practice for awhile that his prognosis is very poor and it is a matter of a few weeks, the doctor told me that. I want to do what my dad wants to do and if he doesn't want chemo, testing, doctors visits, etc then that is OK by me. If he can accept it and this is what he wants, no matter if I disagree which I do not with the chemo part, it really doesn't matter because I know I might have selfish reasons for wanting him to be here a little longer and not wanting to be with no parents any time soon, those are MY selfish thoughts I have to come to terms with. I will do and agree and go along with, with a smile on my face to make him feel OK and not feel sad for me, then when his time comes I can fall apart after. We did the DNR and Power of Attorney in the hospital, it was very important to him to get it done RIGHT AWAY, so the coordinator they had for that came up to our room, helped us fill out the paperwork, got the witnesses in the room, notarized it and that is done, my sister and I have duel power of attorney and we have our copies, and my sister and I are VERY close and feel the same way at this point, so that aspect is made a little easier. I just wanted to know about the kidney part, because I was wanting to know how I as a caregiver will tell when renal failure is starting, I want to know for myself, what I can do to make sure he is not in pain, or how to make it easier for him. I guess Hospice helps you with that all, I do not know, never had to use them or their services, my mothers death was quick. I am calling Hospice tomorrow to get them started and over to the house. My dad is with my aunt, his sister right now about 45 minutes away, mine and my sisters job right now is to make his house here in GA a home again as it has been empty after my moms death and he was trying to sell it, but that is where he wants to be, so we are trying to get it all furnished and "homey" before he is here on Tuesday. Hard thing to accomplish when a house is empty, but we will get it. Thanks for everything guys, the prayers, and the well wishes, it means alot to me. Jenn

Hey you guys, I do not know if anyone noticed I have been gone for a week, so the people that sent me PM's I promise I will get back to you this week. I just got hired on at the largest level one trauma in our state, I was 2 days into my orientation and the EMS manager comes and gets me out of orientation to tell me that my sister was calling for me. My dad was rushed to the Gainesville Florida VA. He had a massive brain bleed, with stroke like S/S. The doctor could not figure out how he would have a stroke since he was on Plavix and ASA and some blood pressure med with some thinning properties to it. Anyways, long story short, they did an MRI, and found 7 masses in his brain the biggest at 3x3CM, one of the masses started bleeding causing stroke like S/S. They did a MRI and CT of his upper body and he has cancer that has metastisized (sp?) to his lung,spleen, brain and kidney. He has a poor prognosis less than 2 months! He does not want chemo, he was in ICU, but he wanted to go home, he is having no pain, and only a slight drag of his right foot, decreased PMS on the right side, but he was ready to go home. We convinced him to stay to get a biospy so we can find out where the cancer originated and to be observed overnight after that. Now we have him home here in GA where I live and my sister, and his sister live. My mother just died of MS and Colon CA, so it is just me, my sister and my aunt is helping us out (his sister). I am the oldest my sister is 8 years younger than me so I am supposed to know what I am doing and I don't I feel like a child right now. I have never made funeral plans before, got hospice started, etc...Between me being a basket case with my emotions, being a daughter, sister, wife, mother and new EMS employee for the 1st time doubled with NO sleep the last week, I am a walking zombie. Now if you have made it this far, I am sorry I got off on a tangent, can someone tell me the best place to go to get research done on what cancer of the KIDNEYS will do over time to my father? I am worried about his kidneys shutting down, and what to watch for, I am an EMT, BUT I do not know this info or the best place to find it. THAT is what I need help with. He has it in his brain, right lung whole upper lobe I think, spleen, and kidneys....So if anyone can direct me to a good informative site I would appreciate it, or if anyone can give me advice on where to turn for these issues....... Thanks and sorry so long, and please if you believe pray for my father. I appreciate this more than you know.... Jenn

I was thinking the same thing, did you not hold C-spine until someone was there with the proper equipment? And you ask what do we think of what you did, bit we don't know WHAT you did, we need more information.......I know I do, I may be dense though, this has been a BAAAAAAADDD week Jenn

Who? What? Wrong Forum? No it was us that was asking you to be in chat only in your boots! Update on my ticket, I am happy, it could have been way worse. I got it reduced to a warning and 12 hours of community service at a non for profut organization but it is gone. I am thankful this lady had enough leeway to help me, I owe her BIG TIME! Jenn

Congrats! Feels good doesn't it. I just got hired on at a big level one trauma here. There application process was very long and alot of stuff involved, but I hope my escapade that I posted about doesn't hurt my chance, I am supposed to start on Monday. Let us know how it goes! Jenn

Well a bit of an update, my dad is good friends with a guy whos mother is on up there in the traffic court division, I plead my case to her last night. She called and talked to a couple of people and I won't know anything until tomorrow but she thinks I might be able to get out of the ticket with 12-24 hours of community service at a non profit organization. But that is a BIG but.....I hope this is the case, I will do it and smile and say thank you... Lesson learned, I went to town today for a eye exam, and I went 5 miles UNDER the speed limit, and although I got alot of fingers, the middle kind, I did not speed! Thanks you guys for everything, and Dust if she was any kind of a g/friend she would know that it is a CRIME to ask a man to use those terrible things that could cause you an anaphylactic reaction, I mean come on..........No pun intended....LOL Jenn

Good, I am glad you are getting a bit of a break, now when you go into chat, I want to see you there ONLY in your boots, nothing else, well you can wear some gloves but that is it! Jenn

I see I have quite a bit of learning to do when it comes to keeping things on the DL.....LOL I promise I will work on it, Dust, thanks for the advice! How are you doing, I haven't talked to you in forever! I check in chat every once in awhile to see your smiling face, but you are never there....When is it time to come on home for you? Jenn

AK-Duly noted, thanks for the input Jenn

Thanks you guys for the thougtful replies! I really do appreciate it more than you will ever know, I was afraid I would post and get the YOU ARE SO STUPID FR DOING THAT, but you guys helped me alot and I really appreciate it. I will start seeing what I can do tomorrow, hopefully I will have a good outcome to relay. We will see.... Jenn

Thanks for the insight, what I don't understand is that the cop told me that it would NOT out points on my license, because it was not 15 MPH over. But the job I have they do not look at points, they look at offenses. I am going down to the court in the AM and see if I can do something about it. I am going to be really upset that this will stop me for getting a job I have been working towards for so long, finally get everything done, and ready to go and then I do something so stupid. I really do appreciate all the advice you all have given me. I hope that I can get something taken care of, the court date is March 9th and I will be in my orientation of my new job so asking off for that day, would be about impossible. So I hope I can figure out something. Again thanks you guys, I see why everyone freaks out when they get speeding tickets now when they are in this profession...Lead foot=No job! Jenn

Thanks for the information, I really appreciate it... Jenn

Well I was headed into town to get my daughter some V-day stuff and what do I get, a speeding ticket. I was going downhill and was clocked 59 in a 45. I honestly did not think I was speeding but I take full responsibility for it. The problem I am set to start my new job on Monday, and on my 7 year MVR I had a speeding ticket, was told that was OK, there was no points taken off, that was all I had...Until today. The officer told me I would get no points taken off my license but my recruiter who was my teacher said she has to look at it now. Not good to hear. I was told to go talk to the solicitor for the county. I have no idea what to do, but I am worried I just lost a job because of a stupid mistake. Does anyone have any advice for me, feeling pretty bad right now Jenn

I appreciate this responses and the original poster for posing these questions. I start next week and I am scared as hell, but the tips you guys gave will go a long way for everyone that is facing the new situation! Thanks you guys for sharing your wisdom with us. It is scary being the new person on the block, afraid you are going to kill someone or do something so stupid no one will ever have confidence in your abilities as a provider..........Thanks for making it not so scary! Jenn