Writer needs assistance

[L.Smith]

An unnatural being?

Sorry to disappoint you but it's ... Joan Rivers ... I don't know a more unnatural being than that!

[L.Smith]

Instead of her going in and out of consciousness so often (which rarely happens unless on a long ambulance ride) and answering questions, have her "packaged" ... And have it seen through her eyes,

That'll be $100.00 for the creative input....each.

What is packaged?

Yeah, that was what I was going for, her point of view.

And the good thing about scripts instead of novels is I just have to have the outline, everyone else makes it look good. Scripts, the lazy mans novel. HEHE

And hey, the check's in the mail... :wink:

[L.Smith]

Having one paramedic asking her questions and performing procedures while the other calls in a radio report to the hospital (even if you only hear snippets of it) will allow for some exposition regarding her injuries and what they know of what happened to her.

I like this. Do you usually have a driver and two people in the back?

My recommendation is to go to your local paramedic training program, talk to the instructors, and ask them to run a simulated call with you as the patient. That will probably give you more information than anything else, and can help you set the tone for the scene.

I will check this out, thanks.

How many people are usually working on one ambulance? Do you have a driver and two to work in the back?

[L.Smith]

"You're going to be alright. Hang in there?"

I like this. Thanks. Didn't think of it!

[L.Smith]

If you do a ride out as suggested please make sure it is with an EMS service that is respected by EMS Professionals

I really like the idea of going on a ride along! I love to see how stuff is done. Guess that is why I'm a writer.

So how do you find a respected service? What are they independently run? I mean can anyone start a service? Strange, something I've never thought of. hummmm

[L.Smith]

Is your patient suffering a type of head injury you want to portray as a concussion, or is a shock from a traumatic event, such as seeing Doczilla, uhhh I mean Godzilla, killing the other loved ones in the scene.

Both ... and ... too funny!

please do NOT dummy down our profession and make it out to be idiotic 'ambulance drivers'

That is why I am on here asking questions. I love the internet. I have been to so many different sites asking to understand what people do and how they work so that I can portray them correctly. I am so impresed with how much help that everyone has been!

Now, as aforementioned, the vision/point of view in the back of the ambulance is from the patients' view point, correct? An IV bag hanging, O2 mask in place, heart monitor beeping (like someone else mentioned), Pt feeling confused and cold because she will be getting exposed for assessment by the medical team, hands touching her body, making her very scared, she should be strapped down to one of those cold long hard boards with a VERY uncomfortable collar on her neck. Her head will be taped down. She won't be able to move... very claustrophobic. The sensation of cold, confused(due to in and out of consciousness), restrained, scared, angry all need to be considered.

Thank you for this. It helped me to be able to feel what it would feel like!

[Arizonaffcep]

I like this. Do you usually have a driver and two people in the back?

Depends on the call. Some services run with the fire department, who can supply a driver if needed, or extra manpower in back, or both (if it's bad enough). Typically, there are 2 people on the ambulance. Depending on the service, it can be 2 EMT basics (a BLS unit), an EMT-Basic and a Paramedic (ALS unit), or 2 Paramedics (ALS unit).

[firedoc5]

What is packaged?

Yeah, that was what I was going for, her point of view.

And the good thing about scripts instead of novels is I just have to have the outline, everyone else makes it look good. Scripts, the lazy mans novel. HEHE

And hey, the check's in the mail... :wink:

Packaged is when the patient had a Cervical Collar (C-Collar) on to protect the neck in case of injury to the Cervical Spine, which is the top of the spinal cord. The patient is also placed on a Full Spine Board to protect the rest of the spine and also the lower extremities.

Also around the head there would be "blocks" or cushions of some sort to further help immobilize the neck. These could be "blocks" of firm foam, sand bags, or a number of different devices.

The patient is also strapped down to the full spine board and the spine board can be strapped down to the cot.

That's pretty much a basic idea of what being "Packaged" is. I'm sure there are others that can explain it better than I can right now. My coffee pot went out a couple of weeks ago and I haven't been the same since. I'm just waiting for delivery on my new one.

If you are wanting it to appear as though she is being treated for a head injury, she will have oxygen ( O2 ) being delivered to her either by a "nasal canula" or by a type of oxygen mask. One called a Non-Rebreather (NRM).

I think for the rest, I'll leave it up to those who can explain better and is still in the field.

But still ask questions anytime. Anyone of us will answer.

[Richard B the EMT]

"Packaged", at least as I know things, means any or all of the following have been or are being done: limb immobilization, head/neck and spine immobilization, oxygen administration, albuterol administration (for asthma), patient moved to transportation device (stretcher/carry chair) for transfer to the ambulance, positional treatment on the transportation device (head elevated, feet elevated, patient totally flat, patient right lateral recumbent), up to actually securing the stretcher into the ambulance.

Depending on the ambulance service provider, some run 2 EMT crews, with one driving and the other doing active patient care while enroute. Some run as many as 4, again, one driving, and the others doing the patient care.

[Christopher.Collins]

I just wanted to wish you luck on your screenplay. Gatta say that your getting info from people like us rather than just using hollywood jargon and drama ala Third Watch style is kinda nice. Hope it works out.

An unnatural being? We talking about some kind of weirdo person, some kind of demon, or some unknown life form that came through the Stargate?

At least you know you caught my attention, and probably other Sci-Fi fans on the site. Keep us posted.

DUDE YOUR A STARGATE FAN TOO!!! Wow... more and more the SciFi world comes out of the closet lol.