iMac

Excellent post.

I never told them and never do or will. If they ask, I have told them that we don't personally deal with finances and that I am now 100% sure of the costs (which is true). I can't say I have had patients that were concerned enough about costs to ask me or my partners. I do know how much the main fee is just for dialing 911 but it just goes up from there and I truely don't know how much the bills are. I could give you a good guess tho :wink:

Well worked EMS as an EMT for 5 years and in school to make the switch over to Policing. It seems most of the officers we have here came originally as medics at some point and for reason that are personal, made the switch.I refuse to think I am the only one. What has caused you to consider it or even think about making the switch? would you ever consider making the switch?

It works. I lived with one of my ex-s for a year. Things ended up not working out and we went our seperate ways (personal reasons). I have more relationships within EMS or Policing more so than fellows that were outside of it. I find that for me, it was a lot better within as you need to have that support when you enter a career like this. I have had that chat with many fellow co-workers who say you are better off NOT to marry or date within but I think it's a personal choice. I see the pros and cons of both.

My thoughts with your wife. Glad to hear your children are ok. Keep us posted on her recovery.

...yet another day where human behavior just gets me.

That will give you more things to worry about drying once your house goes on fire after nucking that thing.

Gorgeous photo.

I actually find that really interesting. From my experience and the select few that would call, I know for a fact that those given "allergies" were not allergies, just attention seeking-hypochoncriacs. I appreciate that post. I would love to see the article if you ever decided or get around to posting it. Will pass it around.

I'll gladly learn mate, teach me all that you know

All 3 services I have worked for, have all been rural services and for all of them we could respond from home (hospital when I worked in Emerg when I was on call). I loved it actually. We just drove out to the station and picked the unit or we took the unit home and responded from home.

The first burned victim I had wasn't really bad. It didn't look like much. It didn't have a face, hair etc. The entestines were hanging out and it had had some obvious fractures and well...we have to use a shouvel to put the body in the bag but... As for the first loss. For me it was a bit different as I worked in a dispatch centre for a long time before going on the streets so from my point of view it was a lot worst as your mind likes to make you dwell on things you don't see. My first code? It was a bit rougher for me and will admit I went into a good depression for a short period afterwards. I really got to know that patient before the arrest took place and we knew the parents quite well as well so that didnt help. I do know we did everything we could do so in that sense I never felt bad BUT...my partner and I played Mario Party and ate junk food the rest of that night. We were both in a daze for quite some time before everything sunk in and we moved on. I don't think you ever get used to it, but you do find more ways to deal with them and will learn from each experience. Part of life. Babies are born, and people die.

So up or down? I had never heard of this before. It seems like either sitting up or supine are the 2 ways of doing it. Very interesting thread.

Today's is "Toca's Miracle", the new 2008 remix.

OK, fair enough. It's interesting to see how different things are from one state/country to another. Here "technically" we shouldn't be going thru personal belongings BUT we do it all the time. It's a lot different here tho than how you crazy americans deal with things. Canadians don't care if that means it's for their care they will tell you to go ahead and grab whatever it is out of their purse/bad etc...happens all the time here in emerg. when asking for their health care card they just hand me their wallet We are a lot more laid back and trusting I guess.

I would like to know what the ultimate ending really was on this one because it's obvious all his debt etc was planned out against his wife so there are some laws attached with this type of circumstance that would protect her from his plans. I wouldn't know what they are, but I know here we have things set up to protect the families of the deceased regardless of whether or not in was a suicide.

"How are you doing?"

I have to say I'm impressed. It was really well planned out. =D>

Congrats

Fire you're my new favorite on here. Love your sense of humor.

Oh waw what a great post. I just love this. Another one I will add is - you have a trauma backpack for trauma calls out in the bush. Loved this one-> "You don't have a problem taking a short cut to the scene via an old logging road or power line road." Last time we did that we got stuck in a muddy trench. Almost had to have the neighbor pull us out with his tractor.

The second 911 is dialed and an ambulance responds, the patient is charged a standard fee. (I think the 911 fee is $189.00)It goes up from there. If the patient decides they no longer want aride to the hospital then we would just explain to them the pros and cons and tell them to call back should they change their mind(cover our rears), then we document, document, document.

I dont know that I got more calls during certain hours. I did usually get more of certain types of calls during certain hours tho. Anything Cardiac seemed to come later in the evening or at night. I only assume because it's the time when most medications start to wear off and thats when the problems start.

Sure it happens. Happens more often than what you realise it's just you are to busy doing your job. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do. You are out in the open, it's a public area and as much as you would like to help out your patient, there isn't much you can do. It's case dependant.