Richard B the EMT

Burning any religious item by members of a different religion, in my opinion, is, flat out, an act of hate, and probably will cause retaliatory acts by the members of the religion so acted against.

I'd suggest having a good discussion with the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and the therapy people, as to what to expect, how long, potentially, you'd need therapy, and if, after the therapy, if you'd be able to resume, even somewhat diminished in physical capability, doing our job. If you don't like the answers, get second, or even third opinions, from the specialty areas, until you get answers you like, can live with, or at least make alternate plans for your future (don't have to like it, but being the realist that you are...). Again, good luck!

I see a problem I don't believe has been addressed with a "Verbal DNR Order". Scenario: It could happen, and actually might have happened. Watch the next episode of "CSI", "Law and Order", or "The Defenders" to find out! OK, I'm being a bit sarcastic, but you have to admit that it might have happened somewhere, sometime, even centuries ago, before anything even resembling an EMS system existed.

"Call me Ishmael." Actually, don't. My name is Richard, and I'm an EMT from New York City (born, raised, and employed), not the sole survivor of an ill fated New Bedford Whaler, lost at sea, known as the "Peaquad" (spelling?), under the control of an insane captain named Ahab, and his First Mate, Mr. Coffee, er, Mr. Starbuck.

After pulling it up on Yahoo, I have to ask: Why not similar strings to the others showing on the Yahoo listing? I don't want to be the only one adjusting my baseball EMT hat to a larger size. LOL

New Bedford? Planning on going whaling? LOL. Anyway, "Welcome Aboard" the good ship "EMT City".

A good question. Agreed. A good point, which you posted before me. Another good question. I think many said that when they introduced First Responder and BLS Defibrillator protocols, and local and state DoH started adding the devices to mandatory ambulance equipment lists. I have heard of, but cannot at this time provide documentation, of a decent number of "saves" with the devices, with no clue if they were just "saves" or Quality Of Life Saves".

Yahoo? My primary is AOL, thought I had changed that.

Oops, I had forgotten that. My apologies to the group

Don't feel stupid. I'm an EMT-B for almost 38 years, and in refresher classes, I still have brain-freeze on "Patient Evaluations", probably because I have to slow down to break down all the components, instead of just doing them. Think of it this way: A centipede was asked with which of it's thousand legs it started walking with, and the critter never moved again, trying to recall the information.

apparently, some fire departments are now charging for responses. From the New York Times, Sunday Automotive section of 09-05-2010: www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/automobiles/05CRASHTAX.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=a crash&st=cse

I must have missed something, here. Is not surgery considered an invasive procedure not allowed under a DNR order in the first place?

Please relay my condolences to the family, and the extended EMS Family. In recent months, we in the FDNY EMS Command, have also lost 2 members unrelated to their employment.

Just heard that there was an earthquake in NZ. You guys from there or OZ OK?

The human body DOES have an access cover: Skin. Good luck, Brother!

Don't leave out the Pre Hospital Medical Professionals known as Emergency Medical Technicians. I'm feeling generous, so let's add the Certified First Responders, too.

First off, welcome to our world, where craziness is the norm. In addition to internal bleeding from the GSW, there is the issue of dynamics from the bullet impact. With that in mind, the policies of NY State DoH, and the FDNY EMS Command, have the patient being long back board immobilized, in addition to trying to stop the bleeding. That may have been one of the concerns addressed by your intern friend, in making the decision to do the surgery on the GSW prior to the stab wound injury. As to which patient should be transported first, local protocols, personnel training, and experience, will be involved in the decision. Just as a mention: due to the dynamics of receiving a GSW, the body part will be kicked kind of hard. Soft Body Armor, the so-called "Bullet-Proof" vest (I say so called, because with the right ammunition, it will be penetrated, like a 22 caliber through my EMS design T-Shirts) spreads the impact area to absorb the shock, hence the lack of body penetration. LEOs (Law Enforcement Officers) who have been shot in the armor have described it as like being hit with a 20 pound sledgehammer.

Jeff, your description of the rude passengers is probably why my neighbor popped that emergency chute and left the aircraft.

In the years prior to the merger into the FDNY, the NYC EMS had a policy, that even if an applicant was already a Paramedic outside of the service, they would be employed as an EMT (no D or B, just EMT) for their first year, before being accepted into the service's classes for Paramedic. Presumption was, the new employee needed to get a years worth of experience in the way NYC EMS did things, Nowadays, new and untried Paramedics are almost hired as they walk in off the street. I'm including this just as an FYI, and for your consideration.

Then, as already stated, they could request copies of the film or memory card, or even ask (emphasis on that word ASK) to see the picture on the camera's display screen (figure digital camera to do that).

I had the LASER surgery for correcting a torn left knee meniscus, and it was a "local" anesthetic, numbed me totally below the ribcage. Although I was in a daze, I was awake throughout the procedure. Ask the surgeon, or preferably the anesthetist, of the possibility for a local versus a "general", or if the local is advised for the specifics of your case .

Just remember the admonition of my old Instructor/Co-ordinator: "When putting down Vital Signs on the call sheet, never use WNL, meaning 'Within Normal Limits', as the lawyers will say it meant "We Never Looked'"!

If you have no documentation of the patient actually being an EDP, despite actions you witness saying they really are EDP, say, instead, possible EDP, or better, AMS for Altered Mental Status. You might even want to indicate "...of unknown ideology".

Some years ago, I was on a house fire call, treating patients. One patient was aboard my VAC ambulance, and the NYPD ESU (Emergency Services Unit) was using a "K-12" saw to remove a heavy bracelet from her wrist. As one might expect, it was kicking up a bunch of sparks. As this was being attempted, a press corps "videographer" was almost standing in the door, videoing the goings on. I tapped him on the shoulder, and conversed with him, that He had the right to do the video, but I wanted to give the patient some sense of privacy, so could he continue videoing the event, but from a longer distance? He actually complied, and readily so. This was prior to 1996, and the HIPAA rules had not yet been enacted.

As I see it, while not a full blown "Fail", it is a double "Oops", as the LEOs had no true right to ask for the camera without probable cause and/or a warrant, , but did, and the photojournalist didn't have to turn over the camera without probable cause and/or a warrant, but did.