Katiebug

Thats a tough one dude. Off the cuff I would say: O2 BVM Catheters Fluids Monitor (pads) Glucometer I could improvise badages and splints if pressed. If C spine was an issue, someone would just have to hold it. If airway is compromised, could do a cric with O2 tubing and BVM. That's off the top of my head. I might change my mind later and change out the monitor for a BP cuff or something else. Can't really do the job with just six things.

Granted. You have a handheld styrofoam airplane that breaks the first time you throw it. I wish I was the greatest inventor of all time.

Granted. You have your nickel, but you continue to work in EMS the rest of your life and that nickel is all the extra money you will ever have. I wish I had eternal youth.

Granted. You discover that the townhouse is so infested with termites that it has become structurally unsound. I wish I had the strength of ten healthy men.

Now that's funny, but I edited my post while you were posting that. See above.

Granted. You are all locked in a laboratory having your DNA studied for being exact replicas of each other. I wish I had the wisdom of Solomon.

Your wish is granted. You now have a terminal illness that will kill you within a month, and your paralysed. I wish I had telekinetic powers.

Poof, your wish is granted. You are now afraid of wide open spaces. I wish I had a photographic memory.

IAFF needs to break ties with EMS. EMS should be its own entity and have the same local and federal representation that police and fire enjoy. The three entities compliment each other but have no similarities. I'm sorry if fire needs EMS to keep funding, but EMS should not be saddled with that. How about some accountability in government spending and funding would not be such an issue.

That was true until very recently. Now, with a shortage of medics and competition between to many services in a concentrated area, pay has been driven up. I've been offered $65,000 + free life insurance as a rookie medic by one of the busier services. Cost of living is lower here too. That kind of money is the only thing keeping us here.

I'm going to work for Pafford in Tunica, MS as soon as I pass the paramedic national registry. That contract is being re bid though. Not sure who's going to wind up with it. We're right on the border of MS in Memphis. R/M has some of the county, but their getting the boot when their contract is up. Good thing about North MS is that their fire depts. don't require you to be a fire fighter to be a paramedic. You can be on the fire dept as a medic and not have to be a hose jockey. Cross training is truly optional. The counties just to the east of us have their own county run services. I found out today that Fayette just went that route too. There are plenty of options close by without having to join Memphis Fire.

Are you fucking kidding me? You mean I wasted all that time going to paramedic school? All that stuff I learned doesn't really help people? Holy crap. Maybe the hospitals should save some money by replacing the doctors with paramedics and nurses. Hell, if a higher level of care doesn't make for better outcomes, just think of how much money could be saved all the way around! I think I'll go back to school and become a lawyer. Isn't that the first step to becoming a polititian?

I think it's Fayette county, which is right outside of Memphis, that has a hospital based service. I don't know of any other hospital based around here. Don't know about Nashville except that city service is fire based in both places. Do you mind if I ask why it must be hospital based? There are several privates around here that do 911 in the counties. In fact, all county territory is covered by privates. Not just R/M either.

You're awesome.

I just quit smoking too and yeah, it's tough. I smoked for twenty years so I know just how you feel in that regard. You can do it. The trick is to find something to keep your mind and hands busy whenever you get a craving. Woodshop, XBox, underwater basket weaving, whatever it takes. Good luck man. Hope you recover soon.

They don't tell. It was all I could think of afterward. I was very sick. I'm going over it every spare minute I've got, so whatever it was, hopefully I won't miss it again. Right. My mistake for calling them pads. The machine we test with is antiquated.

Thanks for the thoughts. I did pretty well. Wound up having a fever that day and the two days following. Felt like crap about an hour after arriving at the test site. Flew through everything though till I got to cardiac. Forgot to gel the pads before shocking. Not bad considering I got home and had a temp of 103.5. Going back 4/4 to redo that station then on to the dreaded CBT. Hopefully it won't take the smell of burning flesh to remind me to gel the pads in real life.

They all get caught eventually. Of course they never figure that out until they get caught.

Those two could be the same book.

Fun Activities With Cleaning Products Your Gas Oven and You Shoplifting is Free

I can agree with that and leave it at that.

Correct.

This may be where we have to agree to disagree. I think it's too much too fast. If my grandmother has a heart attack and a broken hip, I don't want a fresh 18 day graduate coming to her house. I want someone that has been through many, many scenarios and had much time to study on and think about what they should do. If you think that the length of training has no bearing on the quality of care, then I will never agree with that. But I can't make you agree with me either. I stand on what I've said.

Obviously I need to clarify a couple of things. One: As I stated before, if you are smarter than the average bear (and/or have a background in medicine like the previous poster), then fast track may be for you. It is not, on the other hand, for the average person. Again, the fail/dropout rate testifies to this. Two: DCAP-BTLS as well as the other pneumonics are a foundation on which to build. When you are experienced, you may assess any effective way you choose. As a student/rookie, there must be a standard to go by that ensures you perform to a minimum competency. Agreed? EMT (IV in TN) training is an education. All training is an education. To say that one can be effectively trained to work a massive MVC or an MCI in 18 days is a joke. I for one do not want to be in the same group as the people that take that course. I don't want the public or the medical community to look at me and see that. How could any of you?