Doug

I work for AMR for another 17 days...they are closing my division because nobody passed the test...LOL...just kidding...actually they pissed off enough people they lost all their contracts and weren't making money. I'm not slamming AMR as a whole but here in western mass the management SUCKED, I have no idea where they got their business degrees, but just because you deny you're losing business doesn't mean you aren't. I never had to take the written test...when I got hired they only did the practical. But The people who I have spoken with about it said that there was actually very little "medical" stuff on there. They said there was alot of stuff about documentation, billing (go figure), refusals, some medical/legal concerns (DNR's, transfer orders, vehicle operation) and a handful of very simple medical scenerios (HINT: minimum 2 sets of vitals, everyone gets O2, and IV moniter if your level allows) Good luck, as I said my experience with AMR was fairly negative overall, but I have met others from other divisions who tell me it's the greatest thing ever, so I wish you the best.

"Meanwhile, the community probably can't find anybody to drive invalids around or deliver homebound meals for free, and these kids sure aren't volunteering for that. " Um...would you? Do you?

Ok, last comment i'll make on this, did you know that at one time Doctors were trained under the apprentice program as well as university? In fact the last practicing internist to be trained WHOLELY by apprenticship retired in the 1950's...he began when he was 13 sent to live and work with a medical doctor...even today many young morticians can enter into an apprentice program beginning at the age of 16. so somewhere between the living and the dead there must be a place for these kids. The information about the Doctor apprenticship was from the book "Kill as Few Patients As Possible" i have it around here somewhere, excellent book.

Can somebody help me? A few years ago i read an article about how the London Muni water system was tested and found to have theroputic levels of many medications. Apparently the water treatment facility isn't equipped to remove the medications that many people simply flush down the 'lo in order to dispose of them. Has anyone else heard of this and how do you dispose of medication. And why isn't there education of proper disposal? I saw on another thread about hospice and narcotic non chalance...which i experienced as well, nobody would accept them back they didn't want the liability i guess, but the family can't just keep them around, selling them is not REALLY an option (cause i know somebody will suggest that) is standard trash or flushing REALLY what they want us to do?

I hope to god they were all rushing to get birth control....

It's funny to read in this thread that these kids are "being exposed to things no 16 yo should see." and yet in another thread we read "I had to do another bullshit call for somebody who's had the flu for 2 weeks" or "I haven't had a decent call in weeks." If they are exposed to anything that a "16 yo shouldn't see" at what age do you suggest? Wasn't anyone else here an explorer scout? anyone? I know i'm not the only guy who didn't get lai...i mean was a member of the explorers.

I was a member of an EMS/Fire explorer post when i was 14, we had stict rules on what we could and could not do, as long as they are under the guidence of an adult i really see no problem. How is this any different from any other vocational training many schools deal with? My High School had a nursing (Nursing...not CNA, not candystrippers) Vo-Tec traing course, as well as mechanics, construction, farming. None any more dangerous than what these kids are doing

once in 11 years...transfering a post arrest from smaller hospital to larger on vent...before i get jumped on for doing this, let me explain, we were told he was post arrest, not told he was still on vent, NOT told that he was actually post arrest 6 times overnight, THEN when asked how long ago his last arrest was told he arrested again since our being dispatched 30 minutes ago (time it took to drive to this more remote hospital) that's right he had arrested while we were on our way down to pick him up...anyway my partner and I talked and after explaining to family possible complications and getting ok, we decided to take it priority 1 back. We got into our truck all set to go, get down the road, SIREN doesn't work nobody moves for us...that plus the entire route we were taking had construction going on 28 miles of often single lane traffic...I got on the county radio and explain the situation and asked only that the roads crews keep an eye out...we got better, the cops in each town ON THEIR OWN met us and turned us over at each town line THROUGH 5 towns to escort us....I was very impressed that they had done this on the fly and it was greatly appreciated...on the plus side guy made it and walked out of hosp. 2 weeks later.

Speaking of DNR's I have had NH staff tell me that the reason they didn't call for patient X is because they have a DNR....um....ok so explain to me how that keeps you for calling for the obvious hip Fx..

ok, how's this for a nightmare....a crew i worked with was called for a diff breather. Went and picked up the pt. and transported her and her elderly husband to the hospital. The husband wa sin the front seat of the truck and was chatting away while his wife was getting an updraft in back. During the ride the husband goes into suddon cardiac arrest. Crew is some distance still from hospital out of their normal "primary" coverage are. The call for help. An EMT from local volenteer service arrives no other help forthcoming. The EMT drives as the 2 crew members work a code with the wife right there. They actually get the save. Gentleman makes a full recovery and is discharged 3 days later. Now get this....Medicare REFUSES to pay bill because the medic who wrote the PCR up started off with the statement "..pt. walked to ambulance to accompany wife to hospital, enroute went into cardiac arrest.." Medicare's reason...PT WAS WALKED TO TRUCK and there fore it was not a medical nessesity to be transported by ambulance!! Claim was resubmitted with an explaination. Medicare finally agreed to pay...BUT ONLY FOR THE TREATMENT AND ASSESMENT portion of the bill...they refused to pay for the milage for the husband...and then they reconsidered the wifes bill and demanded half the milage payment for her back because it was a "shared ride." So lesson learned? If you want to get paid do what i do "just say pt. to truck/cot" don't say how.

Oh boy, a topic near and dear to me... In addition to being a paramedic with an ALS service i am a volenteer with the FD in my town. We don't have our own ambulance we rely on mutual aide from next town over which is ALS. I got a taste of what it's like to turn care over to an A**hole medic..lol. I took full hx of a man with an obvious dislocation of his shoulder appeared to be isolated injury...5-6/10 for pain SITTING still..no meds no allergies etc. If it was my pt (considering the long dirt driveway and approx 15 minute ride to hosp. over crappy roads) i would have offered pain control...well, medic showed up i gave a quick report and said "I think he would benefit from some pain control..." pause...have you ever gotten a look that said "You know what, just because you suggested it i ain't gonna do it..." yeah i got that look.. she walked the guy to the truck...had him step up in...didn't even talk to the pt. and turned it over to the BLS provider. Then apparently bad mouthed me to several people...so i can sympathize with the BLS providers who get a real jerk...i am happy to say after dealing with THAT i have asked many BLS providers (and had others ask for me to make sure that they weren't intimidated) if i ever acted like that and am happy to say that apparently i don't. If i do smack me...

I am suprised that there isn't anyplace on this site to trade...anyway, I have some hats, jackets, and patches to trade for pieces from Europe, esp. Scotland, Ireland and Germany and Great Brit. Let me know.

Nope, I have tried to be...after 10 years just stuck around for the $$$ and vacation time...thankfully they are closing their doors and forcing me to look elsewhere...found a new place where pay is better and from everything i've heard and seen of them the past 10 years i will soon be able to answer this post with a yes.

I am constantly amazed at how many patients have only been in a NH for 1 day...or at least that's what they tell me.."I'm not really familier with him, he's brand new to us today..."

"House of God" should be required reading...it's the source of the term "GOMER" and many others. plus it will explain why you seem to hit a defensive wall when you go to the ER.

"House of God"

I don't understand you are anti-AMR because they bought out the mom and pop operation that was there...Forgive me but why is it ok for a "mom and pop" to make money but not a larger corporation...in fact aren't the mom and pop operation just a "guilty" they took the money when they were offered a buy out...it's much like the anti-big box store frenzy whenever they move into town.."they'll put us out of business..." well, given the chance would you like to put a competetor out of business? we had a guy here was very vocal about a big box hardware store coming in...poor guy, wasn't gonna be able to compete...boo hoo...oops wait a second, this is the guy who put in a tru value franchise and put another family run place out of business 30 years ago...again not pro-AMR here just trying to make sure we keep things in perspective.

Our local office is closing...just got word Tuesday. I know that 5 total were closed between Conn. and Mass. Anybody have any idea how many nationwide have had closing announcements? I know the week before all regional managers were called to Colorado to learn about closings...I don't think they'd call them all there just to tell them about our little corner of the world.

Not sure how it is where you are but EMS, unlike fire supresion and law enforcement are not compulsary services in Mass. That is to say a town DOES NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE IT in order to incorporate and they do not have to set up a mutual aide system to provide for it either. I know a few inspectors for the state and have been told that they judge muni services on a different scale than private services because if they actually enforce the violations there is NOBODY else to do the job. And the unofficial line is something is better than nothing. Besides any fines that are levied against thses services just comes out of the towns....which they in turn look to the state to recoup...in our area it was the private services that were at the forefront of complying with new requirements...the introduction of 12 leads was delayed for a year because some muni services didn't have the funds to purchase new equipment...we had them and were using them...

oh boy, here we go...private vs. muni....i still think a private service is the way to go....have to agree that buckethead EMS is dangerous...can't serve 2 masters..and you can't fire them either...trust me i've seen it tried.

I work for THAT AMR....It sucks...fiznet where do you work? It came out of no where...less than 1 month before we were being told that our number were good. AMR management doesn't listen to their employees...we were losing contract after contract to the other service in town. We would tell them we were losing business..."No no" they said"we are shedding dead weight....those aren't profitable contracts anyway...your UHU's are exactly where they should be..."How can that be? We see the other service going on calls all day long...yet here we sit doing nothing" "It's all in your head." they said..."Hey," we said "The other service just added 2 trucks to days and weekends and another 1-2 at night..where we have dropped one truck" "It's all in your mind, " (as a side note..i was actually told that, that's not an ad-lib or paraphrase) Even local Supes spoke up..we were told that if we could PROVE we were losing business they would look into it...they told us we needed to complile a report of missed calls call volume etc..information BTW that AMR would not share with us...and certainly the other service wasn't going to share. Long story short, AMR called all it's regional folks back to Colorado, and dropped the bomb. AMR can't compete...they do well when there is no other service...as soon as they have to provide customer service to win contracts..it's over. That is not to say AMR is bad..it's just BIG and they have people to answer too...so even if the staion is profitable...it needs to be profitable ENOUGH. any way that's my tale of woe. No worries...got other offers.

Nothing like trying to blow off some steam after a particularlly SH***Y night only to find your fav chat site with people who may actually understand you has shut down and is making you jump through hoops to talk...no wonder I drink too much.

no kidding