Need advice

[DwayneEMTP]

Yeah, the most times that I've seen that is with people that are insecure. Plus, they don't tend to like hot chicks much, but in my experience, most women don't... :-)

But certainly busy nurses have no time for you being coy, or timid. You need to ask them to sign it when you're near enough for them to do so, pen in hand, with a certainty that they are going to do just that. Show respect for their hectic schedule, and in my experience, most often, they will do the same for you.

Be confident and remember that as it's your job to give a short, clear, thorough report, it's theirs to sign the friggin' paperwork. Don't stand aside and wait. Step up, hold out your report and ask them to sign it. Of course that assumes she's not doing compressions or some such.

Should s/he refuse find a charge nurse and explain that you understand that they're busy, but that you need to get back in service. My experience has been that the bitchy "I'll do that on my time" nurses are rare. And then, simply blocking their path to make it clear that I'm not going to suck anyone's weenie for the privileged of having them do their job usually gets it done.

Just make sure that you're not going in with the attitude that many are going to try and force feed you.

First, that all nurses are bitches. Stay out of the maternity ward and that most often isn't true.

And that they are on a power trip because they can't do anything but wipe asses without a doctors consent. It's untrue.

And remember, for every professional medic that wants to do good work and get back out on the street, that has respect for the nurses as a committed, intelligent continuing part of our team, they've had to deal with a gazillion 300# shitheads that thought they were Gods gift to medicine and the most important person in the building.

Keep your chin up girl...

Dwayne

[EMTCOWGIRL]

Help! I failed the agility test for an ambulance company I really want to work for. I did everything perfectly until they asked us to lift a 210 pound dummy with a 50 pound sandbag on his chest on a LBB. I could do it fine w/o the sandbag. With it I couldn't get it more than a foot off the ground. I have 5 weeks to retake it. Any suggestions on workouts/muscle groups to work on?

[DFIB]

They require you to lift 360 lbs? What is that 210% your body weight? Was the test the same for everyone or where they just jacking with you?

[akflightmedic]

They require you to lift 360 lbs? What is that 210% your body weight? Was the test the same for everyone or where they just jacking with you?

My math says that is 260 pounds and when shared with a partner...ummm 130 pounds....right?

So if she cant lift 130 pounds, yeh I have issue with that.

[Vorenus]

A LBB is something like a carrying stool, ain`t it? (Sry, I did google for the abbreviation, but couldn`t find anything fitting)

If it would be 260 with a partner, then, well yeah... you need to practice.

I`m no Arnold Schwarzenegger double myself, but if you can`t lift that, you`ll get problems in everyday working life.

I`d do push-ups, train the legs and the back. A good overall training is swimming (but you need to be consistent with that).

[tniuqs]

Query: Why do you need an RN to sign paperwork to take over care ? We just don't do that gig here .

cheers

[akflightmedic]

Query: Why do you need an RN to sign paperwork to take over care ? We just don't do that gig here .

cheers

Legal paper trail showing you handed the care over to someone of equal or higher quals...as opposed to just dumping them off somewhere. Also by signing, the hospital is then assuming responsibility for the patient and you are clear to go.

At some of the busy hospitals where wait times for ambulance stretcher patients can reach 4-6 hours, you will stand there until they sign. Legally they have not refused the patient and will respond if he gets worse but until they sign and assume control, that baby is yours.

A LBB is something like a carrying stool, ain`t it? (Sry, I did google for the abbreviation, but couldn`t find anything fitting)

Long Back Board / Spine board

[Vorenus]

Thanks for the clarification, AK.

As to the sign off - don`t need to do it here either, we need to present the patient orally to the Doc.

[akflightmedic]

many times we never see a doc for handover. The report goes to the nurse...she signs and away we go.

[Vorenus]

We sometimes give over to a nurse too, especially in rural hospitals where there`s no full-time attending ER Doc, but in most cases (and always with the unstable pt.) we present the case to the physician.