Ever have a piece of equipment break on you (when you needed

[akroeze]

You rely on the NIBP?

I have noticed that Zoll monitors tend to find a good reading when it isn't hooked up to anything at all.

[NYCntg]

So I have one question.

For the person who marked the poll they have never had a piece of equipment break on them: Have you ever even been on a AMBULANCE? :?

For me, it's the Life pack Spo2 finger probe, seems like it goes every other week...

At $129 each is it PLANNED obsolescence (with Patient care at stake? :shock: )

[NYCntg]

You rely on the NIBP?

I have noticed that Zoll monitors tend to find a good reading when it isn't hooked up to anything at all.

I find they work best, when never removed from the shipping box....

[Mateo_1387]

You rely on the NIBP?

I have noticed that Zoll monitors tend to find a good reading when it isn't hooked up to anything at all.

I don't always rely on the NIBP, I realize that it is just a tool. But it is a good tool if you and the machine are getting the same answers. Its nice on calls because it will take them continuously,a nd you can use the information it provides and patient information to evaluate your patient. The patient still got the same treatment even without knowing the BP, I couldn't hear it going down the rode doing emergency traffic on I 40 in raleigh. Still though my patient presented to be in shock and thats how she was treated.

[akroeze]

You weren't able to get one by palp?

Was probably cuz of a really low BP. So yeah, working on the assumption that BP is likely <80 is reasonable.

[firepatrol]

I broke the O2 regulator on our vent yesterday. Things break, but the problem with EMS is it costs 5X as much to replace anything when you call it medical i.e. white duct tape at Home Depot 1.99. Medical tape to secure head cholks 5.99, but its the same thing.

[dahlio]

For me, it's the Life pack Spo2 finger probe, seems like it goes every other week...

At $129 each is it PLANNED obsolescence (with Patient care at stake? :shock: )

Medics near me use the lifepack, and those things never work (spo2). Some medics like to blow on them like the old Nintendo cartridges. There always asking us if we have a pulse ox.

[WestSideBorderPatrol]

Hmm...well the other day I was doing my beginning of shift check of my unit and noticed that the lightbar didn't work at all. Shocked

Then another time I was in one of our older units and when I went to put my drink into the cup-holder the entire thing fell right through into the dash!!!

There have been other minor things such as the handle on the back of the stretcher that controls the head position getting stuck.

Just to add to my previous post, the lighbar on the same unit broke again the other day when I was trying to run emergent through holiday traffic in our town :x

It was defiantly on when I started out, but we blew a fuse by the time we arrived on location. :?

[spenac]

It was defiantly on when I started out, but we blew a fuse by the time we arrived on location. :?

So it was definitely defiantly working? Did you try and shut it off but it kept working anyway? Sorry could not resist. Never had a defiant light before.

[Dustdevil]

Speaking of lights, what about those post mounted spotlights (like on police cars) that used to be on every ambulance? Those damn things were crap, and were always jamming up or falling apart. That's really the one thing that stands out most to me, because so many of them fell apart on me.

Then, of course, there is the ambulance itself. A week after you get it, all these little pieces start rattling and squeaking as screws loosen up and fall out. The compartment handles are notorious for wearing out too.