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The difference between the team and the people is that during the Civil War, the Yankees spent a lot of money AND pulled off a victory.

Rednecks to me, are in the same vein as the people who sit outside my apartment building obsessed with their 'heritage', shirking work, and generally being obnoxious. I don't like them, either.

Yeah, an EMS crew did something akin to that with an "intox"in DC they found in a park who they labeled as drunk and dropped off at the hospital. He died. If the police want to take responsibility for a possible hypoglycemic, seizure patient, or head injury going ahead and croaking in their lock up, well, good on them. I remember once when I was still working in Jersey some police officers showed up on a 16 year old seizing before we did. Apparently while he was still post-ictal he became agitated and violent. One way you could say it is that the officers used force that was not completely necessary to restrain the patient. Another way of saying it was that they beat the living shit out of him. Friends of yours, PA?

<This doesn't exist. It's a figment of your imagination>

So... you say "Fuck the IAFF" and look forward to the day that your hobby puts paid crews out of a job. Wow, you really are my hero. Next time the vollie vs. paid arguement comes up in here, I am going to show everyone your post so they know where I'm coming from on my stance. See, PA, this is why you're a vollie and I'm a professional. Your biggest concern is respect for your big red truck and your bros, while my biggest concern is getting home safely at the end of the night and paying my electric bill. In vollie land its all about heroism, and respect, and glory, and saving kittens from trees as your guiding principes. In the land of professional EMS and Fire response, its about safety, response times, quality care, and budgets. Either your township really buys that crock you sell them, or they are just looking to save a buck at the expense of you, your friends, and your friends families.

Respect by who? Not the IAFF, that's for darn sure. Let's not go on the volunteer/hero/ego-trip, I made some homemade chili and I'm out of alka-seltzer.

I don't necessarily agree with the paramilitary model being the correct one to teach paramedicine, but I would prefer it to no standards at all. The correct approach to teaching paramedicine is the strict academic approach. What I mean is the discipline and respect most often seen in private academies and prep schools. I think most "pro-paramilitary" people see it as the only way to ensure the proper motivation and discipline in a student, and the only way to weed out the wrong people, but this isn't true. I once had a biology class taught by a former research scientist, and let me tell you, his standards for behavior, study, and methodology made every paramilitary run class I've been in look like kindergarten the day before Christmas break. Secondly, particularly at the paramedic level, the ideals of subordination and group work that the paramilitary mindset fosters are not conducive to the role of the paramedic. The paramedic is supposed to be the leader. He's supposed to be resourceful, intuitive, and creative if necessary, and his guiding purpose should not be his unit, God, or country, but his patient, patient, and patient. To sum up, you can still enforce a no tardiness, clean appearance, respectful class without resorting to everyone wearing the same color shirt. Besides, I'd rather have the student spend his time studying cardiology then polishing his boots.

Well, I'm not sure what the laws in Canada are, but in the United States, unless they can provide a valid, signed prehospital Do Not Rescusitate order, the point is moot. As a question of ethics, as a member of a democratic society I am bound by the ethics and rules of society which dictate that I follow the law even if I don't agree with it.

I don't know Dust, last time we were 10-98 from our 10-83 at the 10-75 we got 10-2'd while back to our 89, so we could talk to 513 who had spoken to 5M and 5C. It wasn't a pretty picture.

Fine, next time I have an unmanagable airway, I'll be sure to let the person choke to death in their own blood. Then their survival rate will improve.

SAM makes a pelvis splint? Neato frito Bandito. Don't let the brightly colored splinty things fool you. Anyone with a pelvis fracture needs to be at the hospital, like, yesterday, as DocZilla pointed out. I have heard good things about wrapping an unstable pelvis in a sheet, but pick 'em, pack 'em, and fire it up. Your pelvis can hold a lot of blood and the femoral arteries, not to mention the aorta, transverse the area. Apologize to the patient. Tell them this is going to hurt a lot but they need to be at the hospital or they're going to die. Then roll them, secure them, and drive errr... um.... safely and prudently to the hospital with due regard for traffic safety.

Being a paramedic has its ups and downs. Mostly downs. On the one hand your pay will suck, the work takes a toll on just about every part of your body, knees, back, ears, skin, mind, when they say this job takes everything you have to do it day in and day out, its not an exaggeration. You're not going to be commended and don't expect any recognition. Not only is our profession poorly understood but also, really when it comes down to it, people don't want to think about what we do. Its unpleasant. Hanging around with paramedics, to many people, is like playing cards with undertakers and blood splatter pattern analysts, just not really the type of people you want to get to know unless you're like one of those Goths who hang out at Hot Topic at the mall. The only plus side is living with the pretty much silent knowledge that you do more good in a week than most people do in their entire lives. If that is something that is important to you, then this is the career for you.

I'm not sure where to sit on this. On the one hand, I just think, ummmm, were supposed to be trained to recognize hazardous scenes and take appropriate actions. So if we see explosives or other hazardous objects on scene, we'll just do what we've always done, retreat and call for appropriate resources. On the other hand, I'm not dropping a dime because I see a flight manual on someone's coffee table. I'm not doing it because they're Middle Eastern, either. If the government wants me to start spying, train me and set me up with a nice 401(k) program. And one of them hot staffers from 24 who walk around in the dresses with the stacks of paper. I want one of them too.

Hee hee, I take back what I said about Texas being no fun. Yeeeehah, as they say I wondered where all that shag carpeting and disco balls were going on their way down south. Here's a link to their site. They have a bed in the SHOWER ROOM and one that I think holds at least six people. Glenn Quagmire would be proud. I'm wondering about the clientele. You think its sexy suburban housewives, or those fat chicks with the stretch marks, tats, and things you don't want to know about pierced? Fantasy: Former. Reality: Probably latter.

My advice: Learn the generic names, then match them up with trade names. I.e. don't think valium, think diazepam, don't think welbutrin, think bupropion hcl. Its easier to know the generics and miss a few brand names then to know a bunch of brand names and forget what the generic is. Its also easier to reference a generic in an index if you just plain don't know then it is to go looking for the brand name. Also, as Doczilla pointed out, there is some rhyme and reason to the generics, particularly the suffixs, all generic benzodiazepines end in -am

You know, sometimes it pays to read between the lines of the posts. "The instructor took sides with the nurses and medics always." Stop. By stating this, it seems obvious that the student holds himself on equal footing with the LICENSED RN's and the CERTIFIED Paramedics. Now if you are student, and you consider yourself to have a say on the way things are run, before you graduate, you will irritate a lot of people. I think we found the problem. If I was the instructor and I was in the ER on business, I might blow you off too. Now, I'm a pretty polite guy (stop laughing, really I am), so if it was me, I'd probably say that I was busy right now and I'd answer your question later. Some people aren't as polite as I am. Oh well. :roll:

You know, an interesting statistic is that something like 65% of physical complaints referred to a physician have no physical cause? So, like it or not, if you want to work in medicine in any aspect, you had better get reeeeal comfortable with psychiatric work.

What, you mean on my part? You misunderstand me. I'm not saying "If Rudy wins, I'm movin' to Canada." I'm saying right now, as it is, I'm getting papers together to try and file for ACP certification in Canada, as there are some great job opportunities there right now. If Rudy is elected, hopefully, I will be able to sit back in some nice, secluded area of the Pacific Northwest in some area that needs a grouchy but well qualified prehospital care provider, and watch as President Giuliani explains his authorization for a 'tactical' nuclear strike on Iran, who failed to comply with his ultimatium to shut down their nuclear program, as he assures us this will be a swift, decisive measure that has the full backing of the international community, and with a straight face, explain how this will in no way start World War III once the CIS, Pakistan, and India hear that the nuclear gloves are off. Hopefully I'll be upwind from Seattle.

In Darien, Connecticut? OH COME ONE!!! :roll: The last major scandal that town had was when Johhny got to second base with Nancy at the sock hop. No offense Dust, I know that brings back memories for you.

Can any of you more medically inclined people out there get past the ick factor and tell me what in the name of God was going on here? I can only guess some kind of very bad deep tissue infection. Maybe a diabetic? I wouldn't doubt a homeless person. Lets throw some academics at this or we can just go back to puking in our popcorn.

JP, I think you touched on something that is a myth in EMS; that is, when ALS is transporting, the need for rapid transport is unnecessary. This is far from the truth. In an MI situation, rapid transport is still necessary. I can give nitro, aspirin, and morphine in the field, which may slow the progression of an MI but only PCI or fibrinolytics are going to make a difference and the time to intervention is key. In some places ALS can give fibrinolytics, but still, this person needs a hospital. This is also true with CVA's, ischemic or hemmorhagic, and as all of you whackers cum trauma support specialists out there in volly land like to remind me, constantly, especially trauma patients. The best ALS can do is stabilize. Definitive treatment is still, and should be, the hospital.

Honor. Stand up. Ha. These used to mean something. Now they're words Republicans use to justify spending billions. How come its always the right wing saying how Americans deserve to get shot, anyway? I tell ya, reactionaries and Al-Qaeda, its a fine line. You guys doing the hard stuff in the sand box shithole have my total respect, we desperately need men and women of honor to lead this country instead of the nauseating limpwristed, helpless, hapless, dishonorable, liberal, take no responsibility for your actions, Godforsaken, fraudulent charlatans running for office in the US now.

The FDNY, NYPD, and FDNY EMS hate Rudy Giuliani with a passion. Firemen from North Carolina like him. Hmmmmm.... why could that be.... Oh yeah, because he's a crook that screws over all of them? You really want to screwed and screwed hard? Vote for Rudy. We'll have corruption that'll make Richard Nixon look like George Bailey from 'Its a Wonderful Life'. Ask any New York City firefighter who was around then and mention the words "Rudy Giuliani and Tom Von Essen," the latter being a firefighter who failed his lieutenants exam 3 times, but was appointed to fire commissioner, and promptly removed safety ropes from firefighters, and urged people to smash ambulance's windshields with baseball bats to get the crews attention. Or ask a NYC EMT or Paramedic about Rudy Giuliani and Steve Zakheim, the latter being the head of a large private EMS company that was given entrance to the NYC 911 system. Later Zakheim was brought up on several charges including defrauding Medicare of millions, sexual harrassment, and illegal campaign contributions to Giuliani's bid for Senator (surprise, surprise). And then, lastly, read about Rudy and Bernard Kerik. Thats in the papers. If you want to believe he is "America's Mayor" and "Hero of 9/11", go ahead, I have plenty of people in Canada I can stay with. But the truth is he is not a good person and completely wrong for this country. First Responders for Rudy. It should be called "Idiotic Whacker Assholes for Rudy."

That must have been one hell of a telephone. Lets see, if its a late 80's truck, see if there are copies of Debbie Gibson or Tiffany in the front seat, remove via hazardous waste procedures.

I've gotten a lot of the papers together to try and convince the BC boards that I'm worthy of an ACP certification. I found out King County, Washington, won't recognize reciprocity, thank you very much you bunch of egotistical douchebags. You'd think having a degree from an accreditied university in paramedicine would be enough to be at least considered for reciprocity, but ohhhh no, no, no, not there, they know best. ASSHOLES!