scubanurse

Welcome! Stick around, ask questions, we're all here to help!

The night went really well, I was job shadowing at a Level 1 trauma center...aka my dream job.

Wait someone likes Mike?? weird. I think Mike is right though, first we need to figure out how to keep providers safe in the back. I've seen sick kiddos brought in with just the straps across their little bodies and that just doesn't cut it in an accident.

Welcome

I have a very big night ahead of me... don't want to disclose too many details yet, but I'm extremely excited, extremely nervous, and extremely lucky to have this opportunity! Wish me luck, if all goes well, I'll let y'all in on the details soon

I'm really curious how 3 adults on backboards fit in the back of an ambulance... On the topic at hand, I've been the scared mother riding with her infant in the back of an ambulance and I was not a happy camper with how she was secured. If I had any other option, I would have done that but seeing as she was seizing, I was limited in my options. A lot of the EMS crews in my area strap the car seat to the pram using the seat belts and tighten down so the car seat won't budge and then put kiddo in the seat. This works if the seat hasn't been in an accident and if it has and you have no other way to transport a kiddo, then I guess it would work too. The problem comes with transporting a critically sick kiddo who isn't stable enough to be in a car seat. The way my daughter was transported was not safe as the harness they slipped over the pram wasn't designed for an infant her size and had we been in an accident, it could have been catastrophic.

Having left EMS a few years ago now and now in emergency/trauma nursing, I feel your pain sister. I had to leave due to a genetic condition that affects my joints among other things. It was an easy decision for me at the time but man do I miss it. I've been considering going back to EMT school and Paramedic school once I'm done with my NP. The only advice I have is this. You only have one body, you can have an unlimited number of jobs though. There are other opportunities for paramedics who no longer want to be in the field. Education, dispatch, community out reach coordinator, EMS coordinator at your local ER, etc. We employ two paramedics in our department just for outreach and liaison with EMS departments. Stand alone ER's as much as I despise them, hire paramedics a lot of the time into roles that their scope allows to augment the nursing staff. Same with urgent care centers. So there are other options out there, I do encourage you to listen to your body and your doctors. Take care of yourself so you can continue to care for others.

welcome

Come to Denver so I can buy you a burger

Sorry for the smart assed answer Ruff, but the best thing a family member did for a sick/injured love one was stay out of our way and don't ask questions until the end.

Welcome!

Lol no. No time for that! Working two jobs, in school, on 5 hospital committees (including clinical informatics which I wanna chat with you about!). I barely have time to supervise our house being built and raise my toddler!

I'm still around lurking in the shadows.

A lot of the units transporting to my ER use scoop stretchers now. Our policy for walk-in's that meet c-spine criteria are collar and lay flat on the bed, we put a blanket roll under the knees also usually to help or bed the knee on our stretchers

Sounds like a healthy dose of diltiazem is in order. Do you guys carry it? If so, let's have a discussion on pre-hospital use of Dilt.

Nursing is a different school of thought though and sometimes people agree with the nursing model more than the physician model. Same reason people want to become NP's instead of PA's. Do what you are passionate about, and research the differences between the nursing model and the physician model. Do which ever speaks to you and your beliefs.

Congrats on having a clear picture of what you want to do! Why not take classes at the community college to work towards your RN? There are a lot of pre-requisites needed and you could get a jump start on those. I was a paramedic before nursing, but more because I had no clue what I wanted to do with my future and I hung out in EMS for a while doing some soul searching. Because not everyone wants to be a MD!

Maybe as part of your interview ask the companies what kind of continuing education they provide? It might be possible that they can include some cont. ed hours in the OR for intubations as part of your orientation. Also there's the CAP lab coming up in December usually, maybe jump on board with that, they do ACLS mega codes and the airway gauntlet. Best of luck my friend!

I did my EMT-B in 5 weeks when I was 16 and I definitely still had a life through that course. Not sure how doing it over 4 months you couldn't have a life outside of class. Hell even in nursing school and my masters program I still have a family I spend time with, 15 month old toddler I run around with, gym membership I keep active, and work 40+ hours a week. If you can't find time for a life outside of EMS, then you will burn out and won't last. You also might want to read a book or figure out time management skills. To the OP: Congrats on starting this fun, amazing, and incredible rewarding career! Check in with us often if you have questions, there are decades of experience available to you on this site!

I'm not in EMS anymore but I am an ER nurse with a 15 month old baby girl. It is tough to balance work and home life, especially when you have the ped's code that is the same age as your child. Make a list of your priorities and if you can shift some around for the length of the class, then go for it. If you can't make room in your top three priorities right now, then EMS may not be for you at this point in time. Once you're through the class there are all sorts of options available to you, EMT tech in an ER where you do three 12's a week, 24's on a rig, who knows. It depends on your area, but there are plenty of options available to you, even more so if you pursue a degree in EMS and get your paramedic. Hang in there and good luck

Well that sucks She'll be missed greatly.

I have my work bag in my car, in it is a stethoscope, knife, trauma shears, a bottle of advil, and a change of underwear. I never know when I might get stuck at the hospital for 72 hours in a snowstorm again. I'm also known to duck when people ask if there's a doctor or nurse available and drive by accidents.

Unfortunately with out much more to go on I'm not sure we could be of help. One gesture would be to buy pizza for the local ems/fire station one night in his honor. We often go without thanks in this line of work, and I know I would mean a lot to him to hear from you guys, but without more to go on, I'm not sure we can help :(. Glad all is well with your step-daughter.

I just don't even know what to say to that... how can he honestly not understand why someone would quit suddenly when they are treated that way???

What ERDoc said...