FireEMT2009 Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 We start our final didatetic portion of our paramedic program, it starts in about 4 weeks. i have a good grasp on pharmacology and adult drug dosages and how the drugs work. I am more concerned with the pediatric patients due to the drug dosages are different and that my math skills lack on the fly. I can use a calculator or pen in paper to do the math but it is hard to doing math in my head to the exact expectations that are needed for paramedics. I feel confident working on adults but kids are my worst nightmare. I know we have the browslow tape but I dont want to do anything in my paramedic career that is half ***. I have worked too hard to get this far and do something half way. Is there any tips the experienced medics, students, instructors, etc. that can help me with pediatrics. I am also worried about the national registry. I know that we have been told that the CBT is no joke and is extremely difficult. I have passed all my paramedic classes with As and Bs. I just want to succeed and do my best out in the field. I have a very solid stand on paramedics knowing why they do things and why they give the drugs we give and the rationale behind that. In my school we have been pushed to have rationale in case anything is to happen and needs to be explained either to a doctor or a jury if it calls for. Any tips would be greatly appreciated and by all means taken with a posiitive attitude. If this is a little too long or too much information, I apologize. This is my first forum here and I am always looking for ways to extend my knowledge of medicine above and beyond just what we have to know. Thanks in advance. Stay safe ya'll!
paramedicmike Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 I know we have the browslow tape but I dont want to do anything in my paramedic career that is half ***. I don't understand this comment. Why do you think using a Broselow Tape is half-assing something? Let's put this into perspective a bit. I have flown more than several pediatric patients into one of the most prominent children's hospital in the nation. When we wheel these kids into the trauma bay what do I always see lying on the hospital stretcher open and ready to use? You guessed it. A Broselow Tape. If having the Tape readily available is acceptable for a prominent children's hospital it's quite acceptable for EMS to be using it. Part of being a smart medic is knowing what tools you have available to you. Another part of being a smart medic is knowing when to use, or not use, those tools available to you. As to the rest of your post, just what are you asking for? What tips are you looking for?
DwayneEMTP Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 We start our final didatetic portion of our paramedic program, it starts in about 4 weeks. i have a good grasp on pharmacology and adult drug dosages and how the drugs work. I am more concerned with the pediatric patients due to the drug dosages are different and that my math skills lack on the fly. I can use a calculator or pen in paper to do the math but it is hard to doing math in my head to the exact expectations that are needed for paramedics. I feel confident working on adults but kids are my worst nightmare. I know we have the browslow tape but I dont want to do anything in my paramedic career that is half ***. I have worked too hard to get this far and do something half way. Is there any tips the experienced medics, students, instructors, etc. that can help me with pediatrics. I am also worried about the national registry. I know that we have been told that the CBT is no joke and is extremely difficult. I have passed all my paramedic classes with As and Bs. I just want to succeed and do my best out in the field. I have a very solid stand on paramedics knowing why they do things and why they give the drugs we give and the rationale behind that. In my school we have been pushed to have rationale in case anything is to happen and needs to be explained either to a doctor or a jury if it calls for. Any tips would be greatly appreciated and by all means taken with a posiitive attitude. If this is a little too long or too much information, I apologize. This is my first forum here and I am always looking for ways to extend my knowledge of medicine above and beyond just what we have to know. Thanks in advance. Stay safe ya'll! Ok, first of all, stop pretending to be a hosemonkey. I've rarely heard a fireman speak of EMS with such passion and I don't like you teasing me, trying to make me think that it is possible! It's not funny! Second. Very, very few new medics are good at ped dosages and drug calcs on the fly. It takes time and experience before you will come to have them in the front of your brain when you need them. First you will have to push some drugs so that you're not afraid of them. (Don't tell me you're not, we all were I believe) Then you will have to study them, review them, run a million calcs from scratch, and become confident enough to realize that nearly every doctor that I've brought a ped to has asked for a Broslow tape, so you can too. There is no shame there. Know how I know? My very first call as a medic (in the U.S.) was a 7 month arrest. I couldn't remember one single friggin' dosage. I called and received that Broslow tape, and misread it. I ended up pushing adult ACLS drugs to the ER, no tube, the most amazing cluster fuck you've ever seen. Got pulses back and everyone thought I was a stud. Ridiculous. You won't know all of the answers, all the time, when you need them brother. Every decent medic that I know has a 'Man...if only I could have remembered' or 'if only I'd thought of' story. But not preparing is not the same as sometimes failing despite your best preparation. I know work in a 100% adult world. No chance at all of ever coming into contact with a ped but I take PALS every two years just because I love it! It makes me think differently. Reminds me that not only the patient, but the scene is going to be different with children, as well as making sure that I remember that I won't always have this job...and I'm responsible for all human beings, not only those that I will most likely encounter. Man...I dig your spirit...you're going to rock if you don't let the hosemonkeys convince you that that all this 'silly book learnin' is for the non hero crowd only. Thanks for participating, and welcome to the City...I'm really excited to see your future posts. Dwayne
FireEMT2009 Posted July 9, 2011 Author Posted July 9, 2011 Mr. Mike, I understand and will use every tool possible to help increasse my patient's care. I just want to be prepared in case of the obese pediatric patient (which is becoming more prevelent in todays society). I will gladly use the browslow tape as needed. But the problem with the browslow tape that I have encountered is that it is done on the "average" pediatric weight. I also realize that some of the drugs that we use are not on that list as well. I was not trying in any way, shape, or form to downgrade the browslow tape. I enjoy having that tool availabe at a moments notice, but some pediatric patients will far exceed the browslow tape measuring dosages. I was not trying to make any enemies or hurt any feelings with my post. If i ruffled your feathers I apologized immensly. I was looking for tips for taking the National Registry. Thank you for your comments. Mr. Dwayne, I am very passionate about providing the best possible care to my patients,. I have been a firefighter for almost 4 years now and I am a true believer in the phrase "Whoever applies the first bandage holds that person's life in their hands.", as it is written in the PHTLS book. I also understand not every call will be life and death. I have pushed numerous drugs whether pediatric or adult in clinical and field internship. Our school's program does clinical and externship hours while we are in class that way we can put our information from textbook and theory into actual use and practice and it really makes a difference. I know in my community there is no paid staff we are all volunteers. So to me if you are a volunteer you shoud still give the best patient care as any paid person. ( Not trying to open up that bag of worms by any means). I hope after I graduate to work as a career firefighter/paramedic. I appreciate your comments. I hope to be involved very much within the forums to gain as much information as possible. 1
FireEMT2009 Posted July 9, 2011 Author Posted July 9, 2011 Mr. Mike, I am 20 sir. Is there a reason why you ask?
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