Timmy

Unless you have the desire to be arrest for possession of a firearm, wish to have a criminal record linger around you for the rest of your miserable life and never want to work in any form of healthcare related industry again then go right ahead lol

The average age of Registered Nurses in Australia is around the 45/50 mark. I’m the youngest clinical staff member at my hospital and already looking forward to retiring! If you take into account my current wage and superannuation I’ve still got a while to go yet!

Just a continuation of my other rodeo thread. Time In: 2350 You’re at the rodeo when a 23 year old female presents to the EMS tent complaining of feeling as though she is “going to have a seizure”. - Patient has a history of epilepsy (tonic clonic) with the last seizure being back in 2003. - Medications: Epilim BD 300mg AM 400mg PM Has been compliant today. - Vitals BP:125/85 Pulse:102 Resp:18 Temp: Normal Pupils: are very dilated even with pen torch GCS: 15 - Patient feeling out of sorts stating it feels as though she is falling. - Last meal was dinner time (1930) hamburger with one can of beer. -Patient states about 5 hours before seeking assistance she went to the car after feeling tired and cant remember if she fell asleep or she ‘blacked out’ suddenly waking up about 3 hours later and taking a while to ‘find her bearings’ - After leaving the car the pt states he felt ok but has come to you some time later feeling funny. - No history of recent trauma, NKA, nill drugs, primary/head to toe assessment NAD. - It is quiet warm and patient has been hanging around the shoots for most of the day as her boyfriend is a cowboy. - While the patient is on the stretcher she begins to shake her upper body and arms, almost like tremors, nothing to uncontrolled but noticeable, patient is now saying she has generalized muscle soreness all over her body. - She is still talking to you in full sentences and is fully aware of her surroundings/ - Vitals do not change apart from pulse bumping to 110 but patients states she is feeling anxious. - No recent visits to any form of medical professional in the last few months, last appointment with general practitioner was about 3 months ago for a review of medication and epilepsy. - Patients stating she has never had any problems with her condition since 2003. What's happening? Treatment plan?

The second rodeo was great! It was managed by a completely different company who communicated very well with us. We set up in the rider’s area and had great access to the crowd, arena and the cowboys. We had a few incidences on the arena and everyone was a great help. Again, they refused treatment including one rider who threw him self on the ground in the yards in respiratory distress. He flat out told me he didn’t want help and refused to even give his name, that’s cool, his prerogative. I informed the head official who gave me all his details to fill out the refusal of treatment form and countersigned it for me. Generally everyone was very appreciative and most riders came over to the tent right at the end of the night for a quick ‘once over’ before moving to the next event. When I first arrived this lady came screaming up to me and gave me a huge hug and thanked us for being there, I later found out she was running the event. The previous rodeo was a disgrace! As Bushy said, they try to save money anyway they can then blame all there problems on the people who are doing there best. The riders came up and commented on the poor treatment they witnessed the officials give us and we also made comment on how poorly the riders were treated as well. Even the crowd made comment on how poorly run the event was in general. As a rule my service is no longer covering events run by this company, and I’m sure they’ll scam some poor person into doing first aid at there future events – whether these people will be insured or indeed even qualified I really don’t want to know. Sorry to hear that Ruff, sounds much like this first rodeo I attended. I’ve been criticized by the crowd before at other events, I just block them out and they become white noise, they have no idea what arrangements have been made with the relevant officials and no idea how things work ect. Fortunately when a rider went down at the rodeos I’ve attended the announcer calls for the ambulance team then goes on explaining that we don’t go onto the arena until the bulls are taken care of then gives us a big wrap about helping them out and gives a brief update on how the rider is going i.e. “I can tell you ladies and gentleman the rider is now conscious and talking in the capable hands of the ambulance team” We didn’t really have any problems with drunks or assaults. I know a few of the riders drink before they go out (who wouldn’t lol) but I’d really doubt if any of the officials drink while officiating. If its not safe or there not treating your right, get out of there!

I have a real problem with rodeo standbys and after tomorrow night I hope never to do another one as long as I live! This rodeo event I was on standby at last night was horrible! I was scared to respond to riders on the arena in fear of what the rodeo officials would say to me. First our tent was set up in the most bizarre, smallish, less accessible area you could imagine! The crowd had no way to access us and we had this little gate to climb though to get to the riders. The tent was also plastic and it was so hot! There was no way to you could have stretcher access or room to work if you had a critical patient, the ambulances were parked a far distance away and we were blocked in by tractors and utes. They also refused to supply meals for the 16 hours we were there! Our first call was to a rider down in the area were they all congagate after their ride, my only direction was the patient was located behind blue gates, I had no idea were this blue gate was. About 4 people gave me different directions and to go through 4 different gates as I was walking over the commentator pulled me up and starting getting into me about a slow response and if he was hurt he wouldn't want me helping him, after I tried to explain I didn't know were to go and attempted to seek directions he called me a dickhead and walked off laughing. Eventually I found the patient, he told me he had a reoccurring ankle injury and if I wasn't going to give him morphine he wasn't interested in any treatment. All in all from the time of call to the time of the patient signing the refusing treatment form and me leaving was about 5 minutes, I don't considered that to be a slow response. About an hour later the commentator called for the ambulance officers to attend a rider down in the same area, again the rider refused treatment. I then approached this commentator man and requested that he confirm with the riders if they needed medical treatment before requesting us. He then muttered some smart ass comment under his breath. This guy really ticked me off! I told him if he spoke to me like that again we would packed up and leave, again he walked off laughing. Towards the end of the night we had a rider go down unresponsive after he was bucked from the bull and the bull rolling on him. About 7 rodeo officials and clowns were by his side upon arrival, when requested to move aside none of them did. The RN and I tried to push in but no one would let us, one official tried to move him attempting to take off his helmet. I bluntly told him to stop and not to touch him. He told me to calm down and informed me that “he'll be right mate”. Eventually I was able to make my way to the patient by literally wedging myself between the clown and timekeeper. By this time the rider was regaining consciousness. The RN took the head and I applied a collar, the medic and 2 first responders came out in the ambulance. With the 5 of us we managed to get most of the officials away from the patient. We started a primary assessment and rolled him onto the spine board. We asked for a few people to help us with the stretcher, the RN instructed everyone on the count of 3 will lift then this man bluntly says “get on with it mate, just lift the bloody thing” we got him onto the ferno, as we were applying the straps they all start yelling for us to get him off the arena “just load him in guys! Don't worry about those straps”. We got him off the arena and began a full assessment, his family came over and started knocking on the ambulance door, the medic told them we were still doing an assessment and to wait a minute. After a while the patient started to refuse treatment saying he was fine, as much as we tried to convince him he kept refusing. The medic and I went out to chat to Mum while the RN was doing vitals and paperwork. Before we said a word the mother told as she knew what we were going to say then told us that he'd be fine. The medic gave her all the usual talk about the legal side of refusing treatment and that if he didn't want us to take him to hospital would she consider taking him up ect ect. I went back into the ambulance to help the RN, by this time the patient had self removed the collar and was sitting up, he has cervical pain, right should pain, thoracic pain, headache ect but was adimit that he was fine and wanted to leave. After about 20mins of us treating him he left, thanked us very much for our help and walked off with his family with a cigartee in one had and a bottle of Jim Bean in the other, needless to say this kid was 15 and his parents had specifically bought these items over. Rodeo frustrates me to the point of wanted to punch someone in the head. It's impossible to actually provide medical care to these people and the officials at this event were horrible. The event in general was horribly run, they were so far behind the program to the point of going 5 hours over schedule. We had a very competent team and tried to treat the patients as best as we could but you still come away feeling like crap. What can you do to get the officials from interfering with treatment and preventing medical care? You can tell them to move aside, reassure everyone that everything is going well ect ect but it made no difference. We had done nothing to provoke this attitude. I got the impression that it was an inconvenience for us to be there, that we were only there for insurance reasons. After all, money before life. Tomorrow night is the last rodeo of the circuit and I pray to god that nothing happens so I don't have to deal with these 'extraordinary' rodeo officials/riders and there crappy attitude. We've decided not to cover this event next year, needless to say the organisers will be getting a nice bill in the mail.

I find this strange, odd even. I very much doubt any EMS station in Australia would house dead bodies. EMS has absolutely no relationship with any form of funeral home or death related storage facility let alone working as a paramedic out of one and sleeping there! I don’t even think the ambos transport dead bodies, if they do it would be a very rare occasion. Not even my hospital keeps the deceased patients, they got straight to the coroner or funeral man for storage. You may find bodies being stored in outback/remote medical clinics but that would be the only place to store the body within hours and hours. From an Aussie perspective, this is very morbid, even unheard of.

Yes, very much so.

In Australia there is no benefit for volunteering apart from: - Free Food, especially the scones and sandwiches you get at the national ladies lawn bowls tournament. - Great seats to good concerts and sporting events. - Access to all areas at the good concerts. - Free training with nationality recognised certificates. - There are quiet a few people who I enjoy their company and like working with. - Oh, and that warm fussy feeling you get when you patch someone up? There is really no financial benefit to volunteering, in fact it's highly likely you'll be out of pocket if you volunteer.

Hmmm... Can anyone say retirement home? I know a place that could cut you a good deal! Hehe Happy Birthday!

Just out of curiosity I was wondering how many people are or work with paramedics that are 18 or 19? What is the scope of practice? Job opportunity ect? Obviously these kids are fresh from high school and have attended an accelerated paramedic program. But at that age, being pushed though a course that fast are they really educated enough to be the senior clinician on an emergency ambulance?

I wasn't having a go at you man just amazed at how short the paramedic courses in the US are. I don't plan on becoming a paramedic until I'm at least 25. Here in Australia it's a 3 year university degree to become a baseline paramedic, even when your on road your still a student for a fair while under strict supervision and constant evaluation from clinical instructors. Basically your 22 or 23 before your considered to be a fully fledged 'paramedic'. To become an Intensive Care paramedic you have to do the 3 year degree, work for 3 years as a full ALS paramedic and be recommend to apply for the course based on your performance from previous years. There would be no way anyone could pass it without having substantiate on road experience and education. Then again, I have no idea what your scope of practice is and what the definition of a critical care paramedic is in your state. But good on you for giving it a go.

Your 19 and wanting to do an Intensive Care Course?

I’ve had male partners, I sound fem, working as a student nurse, my hair at the moment has blonde and dark red tips which I spike up, I’m pretty eccentric in a fun way and always laughing. I’ve never had anyone make any sort of comment in regards to my orientation, when I introduce my self to patients they give me a suggestive look, raise there eyebrows “oh, you’re a MALE nurse are you… that’s different?” I’ve never had anyone refuse to work with me, no one has ever refused care or found it difficult to work with me. I’m with different organizations in various different roles (nursing, firefighter, sports medicine, event ems ect) Some people I deal with are homophobic (mostly footballers) but I’ve never had any problems with them, I could be standing next to them when they make a stupid remark about homosexual people yet no one has ever said anything to me. I have no doubt that about what some people are thinking. I think that’s a bit much talking to your partner in a suggestive manner over the phone, I say take it outside if your going to talk to your boyfriend or girlfriend, no one wants to hear your cushy conversation. I’m there to do a job, I do my best, I don’t disclose my personal life to anyone and I act professional – never had a problem. There is really no issue here, if people don’t won’t to work with me then that’s there prerogative and I’m cool with it, but I’m yet to come across it. I’m sure one day someone will say something.

The narrator says they give him Maxlon (antiemetic) post arrest. I was referring to Methoxyflurane in another episode.

Point taken. It's still not right that media broadcast this dibble instead of what really happens, clearly I despise this show with a passion. Hey! The Murray isn't that bad! I went wake boarding last weekend and didn't get cleaned up by a log.

You’re not raining on my parade Craig, you’re entitled to your opinion. Have you seen the show Surf Patrol and compared it to Bondi Rescue? Surf Patrol films about 7 or 8 beaches from around Australia. I think you’ll find Surf Patrol portrays the true meaning of being a lifeguard. In the 2 sessions of Surf Patrol there was maybe one resuscitation situation and most of the work done by the lifeguards was more preventative and minor treatment. I find it hard to comprehend that beaches along surfer paradise, gold coast, NSW coast and Melbourne have less action in a year than Bondi Rescue has in a day. You said it, no one wants to know about what lifeguards really do on a daily basis because it’s boring for the audience, this is why Surf Patrol is not played anymore. This saddens me. Telling people to swim between the flags, rescuing tiring swimmers and attending to minor injuries is what lifeguards do on a daily basis yet if you watch Bondi you wonder why there is not an emergency department based along the beach. I found Surf Patrol to be quiet interesting because they not only showed the lifeguards in there real role but they interview them asking different questions about the job and so on. I was surprised at how many paramedics and doctors volunteer with surf lifesaving clubs. The Bondi Rescue lifeguards gloated about being offered modeling contracts and flirting with women. It’s quiet sad that the public is not interested in what really happens along our beaches and the different types of people who are there to help. My involvement with different organizations has no bearing on this issue. I have no desire to parade around in Speedos pretending to save people in a heroic manner. I fail to see how I would contribute to producing such a show? I live along the Murray River, it’s better than a beach anyway!

I could start selling T shirts with ‘We Love Lifeguards” printed on the back.

The only negative feedback I’ve had from teachers, preceptors and peers is I’m to quiet and need to talk more. Apart from that, just the usual stuff people normally say to students. I did have an old school nurse call me a “stupid boy” one shift for not doing an aspect dressing the way she learnt it back in 1903. It’s inevitable that I’ll come across someone who doesn’t like me sometime in my career, but I try my best.

I’m not trying to “pick the faults” merely referring to reality. Sure, they saved the guys life yippy, yahoo – it was probably staged and rehearsed. You need to see the episode were these lifeguards with there years of medical training and rescue skills give a patient in sever pain administering methoxyflurane without even consulting the patient in regards to contraindications. Methoxyflurane is quiet nephrotoxic hence its quiet important to know if the patient has renal problems or if they take any medications in particular tetracycline antibiotics to avoid further renal complications. I can think of numours occasions were these ‘lifeguards’ have screwed up, yet the public love them. A lot of the Australian public idolize these people because they jump in and drag people from the surf yet the people who have the real education and experience are never spoken of. Don’t even get me started on Big Brother! :evil:

In reference to the original poster. I wouldn't say I'm scared to post, I have multiple reasons as to why I have decreased in my posting. These include but not limited to: The quality of posting has dramatically decreased. Alsa, the number of tools, wankers and tossers has increased. Being from a different time zone, by the time I get a chance to log on people have already replied with similar answers. Going by what some people post on here, I sencilly fear for the life and well-being of patients under there care. Some posts are so mind numblying stupid I have to remind my self to breath. Or simply, I cant be bothered. I hope this help.

Please keep in mind this documentary is broadcast on prime time TV. If you view a few more episodes you will pick up on the many mistakes these lifeguards make due to clinical incompetence and lack of education. I have heard a lot of the incidences are staged and rehearsed, there is an episode were the camera is literally 2 meters away from a 'drowning' victim yet the camera operator does not step into help nor does the victim acknowledge the camera operator in the slightest. The TV show it's self portrays and makes reference to the lifeguards as 'heroes'. There really nothing more than basic first aiders with surf rescue skills on very good wages who are more interested in a modelling contract than actually delivering quality care.

Hmmm... I'm having difficulty procrastinating something intelligent or worth while to say. Does it really matter were one originates from? Working an area of high socio-economic standard or low socio-economic standard should not effect the way in which a provider delivers care. Does working in a low socio area make me any less of a paramedic to a provider working high socio? I really fail to see the point of your question...

I guess all we can do is... laugh?

This courses sounds similar to our non emergency transport drivers here in Australia. 14 days to work on an emergency ambulance is less than desirable. The words “Boot Camp” really would turn me off from doing that course lol. Oh well, what ever floats there boat I guess.

I would disagree Don, anyone can perform cervical spine stabilization. Hey you, come here, hold this still. If you had paramedics with jaws of life and trying to figure out how to get them out of the car then who is looking after the patient? When we have an MVA here the following happens: -Police are dispatched for traffic control and accident investigation. -State Emergency Service are dispatched for rescue/jaws of life/lighting ect -Ambulance Victoria Paramedics are dispatched for patient care and transport. -Country Fire Authority are dispatched for fire suppression standby and wash away. It all works pretty well, everyone has a job and we work well as a team.