boeingb13

Im sure this has been talked about too death, but I would like to lay down some thoughts, this isnt to start a argument or to down people, like I said its just thoughts. I've been doing alot of reading on the shortage of RN's in the country, and in my state, Florida, in our larger cities there is a shortage of paramedics. What signifigance do the two have? Bad patient care, How? By bringing in thousands of foreign nurses from Haiti and other island nations, and by running six month medic classes. First, I dont know about your state, but the nurses they are shipping in here, for the most part, are the meanest laziest women i have ever seen, This is not based off a racist ignorant thought base, it is based off of what I see everyday, what pt's tell me everyday. The stories and injuries are only getting worse, and to top it off, here, they make it next o impossible to get into rn classes, why?. I dont know, but i do know that patient care is getting worse, and though many do their best, its the other many that are bringing the system down. 6 month medic class, granted there are many people out there who can take in all that information, even with all the ride time and clinicals factored in, they can take it in, but how long does it stay. I have spoken with a few, what I consider to be great medics, and they all say the same thing, "If my class would of been longer I really think i would of come out a better medic" The reason why? They had to spend so much time back tracking and relearning what they should of had down in school. Here in Jacksonville, Florida the schools are overwhelmed now with fire firefighters, simply because they will get more money every month, not because they want to ride rescue, hell ,two years ago, there were a little over one thousand firefighters here, and only a couple hundred had their medic, why? For the same reason its always been "I dont want to be put on a rescue". So, now were about to have lots and lots of medics, and alot of them cheating their way through school, and using the Shawm Fix book to pass the state test. Your wife/husband is in a car accident the closest rescue is on call, an als engine arrives, all new six month medics, well these guys didnt study that hard, and read a book to pass the state test, makes you feel safe doesnt it. None of this may apply to your state, but it damn sure does to mine. When patient care turns almost entirely to money, we have a problem. Just a thought.

I think Dale Dubins Rapid Interpretation of EKG, is a real good book.

The other site is www.rescueexams.com im not advertising it, i was using its platform as an example of what i'd like to see done with the paramedic curriculum.

There is a site out there, that has free unlimited testing for fire and emt, that goes chapter by chapter, such as cardio, anatomy, so on and so forth, but there is limited medic testing sites, How would everyone feel about put a section up on this site that did the same but tested on around 28 chapters, based from paramedic books. I think written test wise it would help many people who are in school to see where their weak points may be, and will help others to refresh on things they have not seen for sometime. Please leave your feedback.

Most people when they get on the job, have a true care and concern for their patients, and want to provide the best patient care possible. But at some point, they stop, it may be because there is that one patient you see regularly, or it may be the endless transports for hospice to and from the special procedures dept at the hospital. When is it that you loose that compassion that brought you into this field. Lord knows you didnt get into this for the money, so it had to be the want to help. Now granted, it gets physically tiring some days when the calls dont stop in lunch and dinner are a fond memory, and the jokes and sh*t talking are the only way to get from one bad call to the next, but how do people get so jaded, as to be miserable everyday, and complain all day long. Wouldn't you want your family treated with the best care possible, or would you want some jerk standing around going " Damn it, we have to take this old lady all the way across town for nothing". theres some good sayings out there that come to mind, do unto others as you would want done unto you, and maybe the last thing you would normally do for someone should be the first. Dont sit around whinning and crying on the job setting bad examples for the junior members on your crew / dept. If you dont want to do simple transports or help peopleinto their beds, or off the floor, then get the hell out of this line of work, because its people like that, that bring this line of work down, and rub off on others giving them a piss poor work ethic. The best care you can give is what you should be giving. You may not want to drive to someones house to help a mans wife up into bed after she has fallen, but how do you think he feels sitting there seeing his wife in pain on the floor and being unable to help her up. I thought I would write this because i'm tired of hearing people bitch and moan about doing their job. SHUT UP and do it.

What apparatus does everyone here ride. Right now im on a fairly new rescue unit Title changed to reflect content...AK

why is it that when you live in bigger cities, the care in nursing homes and hospitals, is so bad, they go through the same training people in small towns do. Title edited to reflect content...AK

I had to drive 45 mins across town to take a patient from the 3rd floor to the 5th floor, and that was it, beat that story