scubanurse

But again, age isn't the factor there...attitude is. Someone could enter EMS at 45 and decide to never upgrade their skills because of a lack of motivation or lack of desire to increase their knowledge. Someone could enter at 16 and decide that they want to go at EMS full force and learn everything they can and take every class available to them. It is attitude that is the important factor here. Age of entry and age are once again irrelevant. In my opinion at least.

A little off topic...but are you going to make those who indulge in fast food restaurants pay more for health insurnace? How about those who speed or drive recklessly? Or how about women who have sex as they will inevitably have a child which costs the insurance company more money? Where do you draw the line when you start increasing insurance premiums for one group of people? As far as marijuana in EMS and other professions, I think it should be treated as any other drug. I've known people who think it is okay to work after taking benedryl or nyquil. There's no test for those that I know of to determine when you took it... I think marijuana should be considered a controlled prescription drug, same as oxycontin, vicodin, percocet, etc.. and if you are taking those, you wouldn't consider going in to work or operating on someones brain.

As another member of this entitlement generation I agree completely. Age is irrelevant. I grew up in a fairly well off family, never wanted for much, drive a nice car, go to a nice school without the need for student loans, and generally I have always expected that I would receive these things as that was the norm for where I grew up in a DC suburb. Does that change the way I approach EMS? Helllss no. Professional pride doesn't have to do with the entitlement generation, or age, it has to do with each individual person on an individual basis. I too have worked with someone who was truly burnt out, never shaved, never in a clean uniform, you name it. He would give me crap all the time about having my uniform pressed, my hair clean and neatly pulled back, shoes shined, collar brass shined, but I just ignored him because when I got on scene, people could tell that I was a professional and there to help them feel better. Some people were actually scared of him on a call and no one really respected him. I have also seen people my age, with the same training, show up on a call with their hair in their face, chewing gum, in sweatpants and a ratty old t-shirt. It goes both ways guys and age or generation has little to do with whether or not you have professional pride.

I really hope that you continue to "get over" this call and move on in a healthy and productive way. Feel free to reach out whenever you need! Best of luck to you!

As someone who is in pretty much constant pain... I am all for medical marijuana. I have not yet used it, but it is something my doctors and I have discussed. Narcotics have horrible side affects which affect my daily life so I do not like to take them but then I am in a lot of pain and sometimes can hardly walk to the door without wanting to cry. I agree with tomtom... I'm sure we've all been on plenty alcohol OD's or prescription drug OD's...how many weed OD's have you gone on?? As long as it is controlled like alcohol/narcotic drugs, then why not??

THere's a super great book..not really EMS but it's about wartime medicine...called On Call in Hell. It is written by CDR Richard Jadick who is a recipient of the Bronze Star with a Combat V for Valor. Inside Jacket: "Not even working as a resident in a shock trauma center in downtown Baltimore could have prepared Richard Jadick for this. The two-month-long Battle of Fallujah would be remembered as one of the bloodiest episodes of the war, with some of the worst urban combat seen by American troops in decades. And here he was in the middle of it... In spring 2004, with the military reeling from an acute doctor shortage, Jadick, a Navy doctor, volunteered to accompany the First Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment (the "1/8") to Iraq. Five days after the birth of his daughter, he shipped out. When his unit was ordered to take the center of Fallujah, Jadick found himself under fire--and in hell. But instead of letting the wounded come to him, he went to the wounded, setting up a makeshift emergency room in the middle of the battlefield. For eleven days at the Forward Aid Station--and many beyond--Jadick and his team worked tirelessly and courageously around the clock to save their troops. It is estimated that without Jadick at the front, the Marines would have lost an additional thirty men. Of the hundreds of men he treated, only one died after reaching a hospital. Wrenching and at the same time uplifting, On Call in Hell offers a portrayal of brothers in arms--and a snapshot of war--that few will be able to forget. Awarded a Bronze Star with a Combat V for valor, Jadick has become a modern American legend--and a hero for the ages." One of the best medical books I've read in a long time

I really wish I could go!!!! :( It is right between my anatomy lecture final and my anatomy lab final and I can't afford to get away for those days

I love that website! I own all the books as well. The author/creator is a local to my hometown so we heard about it pretty early on before it became such a wonderful website/books. It's a great idea, although some of the secrets are so sad

When I first started, I really thought it would bother me. A good friend, who is a child psychologist by day, gave me the following advice when you're on a really nasty gory scene: Label how you are feeling. So you show up and see blood and guts and vomit everywhere, recognize the emotions you are feeling and put a label to it. "I'm feeling queesy and like I could faint." By putting a label to it, you are recognizing the emotion and feeling and not letting it take over how you are feeling. You might still throw up or feel faint, but I have really found this little trick to help on all scenes. With child abuse or elder abuse it helps me keep a level head on scene and not get pissed off at the abuser. By saying to myself "I am really angry at this person" it calms me down. Not sure how it works for all but it is how I deal with it and it distracts a part of my brain from getting disgusted. Labeling the emotion tends to distract your mind from dwelling on how gross the scene is or how upset or angry you are. Hope this helps, and best of luck to you!

I'm not interested and I think it was a valid question... but I guess you feel differently...

It really is a great family to have. Reach out when you need it and help others when they need it Best of luck to you!

My question is this, why do we need a new thread for each and every episode... is it really necessary?

I can't imagine how you are feeling. And I know saying "you did your best" etc, brings little comfort right now. The only advice I can give is we do all mess up at some point...I'm sure even dust, ak, the best among us have messed up at some point in their career. A bigger mess up would be to let this ruin you. The best thing you can do is to show up next shift, and do the best you can. It just takes time to move on from crappy situations. Sounds like it was a rough call, and talking to others on the call might help you work it out. Best of luck, and feel free to PM me if you just want to talk. Keep your head up and keep on going

Good point... I would just wear my turnouts and fire boots when the weather was nasty out and it would be on the unit if we get called to a creek or other area where I would have been standing in water

I wore these http://www.magnumboots.com/us/prod/5186.asp But I also wear orthotics so I couldn't tell you how comfy they are normally. They had great ankle support (I have bad ankles and never rolled once). (edit:) These boots also have the vibram outsole which is what chaco sandals have and provide super awesome traction! But Fire is right, you need to try on what works for you. We're all different and have different pressure points on our feet. I suggest a ranger surplus store and talking to those guys. You want something easy to clean but durable and composite toe preferable to a steel toe. Steel toes can get cold in the winter and transfer the cold to the toes which is no bueno! Good luck!!

That was my favorite too!!!

I agree, I just want the father to be punished and charged for all that he did. And get some real help! He did this so his family could get a tv show?!? Wow...

Next time I am back home, I will grab a few from various stations around the DC area that I have and get them to you. I'm not big on collecting patches so you're welcome to whatever I have at my parents house. I'll also throw in a challenge coin from our volunteer association as I have a box full of those. Good luck!

Okay poor wording on my part!!! Mea culpa! I was trying to use the OP wording of making EMT-B age requirement 30+... sorry guys!

I came across this site and some of the photos were pretty funny, so I thought I would share... http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33454580/ns/us_news-life/ DENVER - The mother of the 6-year-old boy once feared missing inside a runaway helium balloon admitted the whole saga was a hoax, according to court documents released Friday. Mayumi Heene told sheriff's deputies that she and her husband, Richard, "knew all along that Falcon was hiding in the residence" in Fort Collins, according to an affidavit used to get a search warrant for the home. She allegedly told investigators the incident was a hoax meant to make them more marketable to the media. "Mayumi described that she and Richard Heene devised this hoax approximately two weeks earlier.... She and Richard had instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax," the affidavit said. Richard Heene has denied a hoax. His lawyer, David Lane, said Friday he is waiting to see the evidence in the case. "Allegations are cheap," Lane said. Mayumi Heene's lawyer, Lee Christian, was traveling and didn't immediately respond to messages left with his office. Larimer County sheriff's officials declined to comment Friday. Sheriff Jim Alderden has said he will recommend charges against the Heenes including conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities, and attempting to influence a public servant. The most serious charges are felonies and carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison. Alderden said authorities also would be seeking restitution for the costs of the balloon chase, though he didn't provide a figure. His office has said it will likely be next week before it forwards its findings to prosecutors to decide on charges. In frantic calls to a TV station, 911 and federal aviation officials, the Heenes reported that they feared Falcon was in the homemade, saucer-like balloon when it was accidentally launched from their back yard last week. 'For a show' Millions watched as media and National Guard helicopters tracked the balloon across the Colorado plains. It landed in a dusty farm field, where ground crews looked inside but found no sign of the boy. Later, the relieved-looking couple reported Falcon had been hiding in their garage the whole time. But suspicion heated up when Falcon made a comment on CNN that sounded like "You had said we did this for a show." Sheriff's deputies questioned the parents separately on Oct. 17, two days after the flight. Mayumi Heene told authorities "she and Richard Heene had lied to authorities on October 15, 2009 (the day of the flight)," the affidavit said. She told investigators "that the release of the flying saucer was intentional as a hoax. ... The motive for the fabricated story was to make the Heene family more marketable for future media interest," the affidavit said. The Heenes twice had appeared on ABC's reality show "Wife Swap," and acquaintances said Richard Heene had plans for other possible shows. The producer of "Wife Swap" had a show in development with the Heenes but said the deal is now off. The TLC cable network also said Heene had pitched a reality show months ago, but it passed on the offer.

As someone who joined the fire service as a teenager and became an EMT-B at 17, I must disagree. I think pride is something that is instilled growing up and taught. From a very young age, my parents taught me that when I do something, I should take pride in what I do and do it well. Whenever I took a class for EMS, I did it to improve my skills and knowledge because I took pride in what I was doing. Washing out units and doing things as a station was taking pride in our company. I have seen plenty of middle-aged providers who are 30+ who just don't give a crap about their job anymore... Age isn't the sole factor in this situation...

That was a good one!!! This thread is very entertaining!! Ty!!

LMAO that is just too funny!

That's why I just have a minor in philosophy and health care ethics! I figure it can't hurt to have that little extra knowledge! Glad to know I'm not the only one though...everyone looks at me crazy when they find out I'm nursing and philosophy!