Hello from Minnesota!

[DwayneEMTP]

Yeah, well, I'm guessing plenty of us know how I get after I've been here for a bit...

Like it or lump it..it doesn't appear that I'm going anywhere anytime soon... :-)

[BushyFromOz]

There's nothing like a miss, and then another, on a critical patient with a million people watching to make you really, really wish that you did something else for a living...And do you know why the pressure is so high? At least for me...the bullshit belief that, "If I was a good provider I'd have hit that."

Gosh, i had that some internal monologue a couple of nights ago, and made worse by the fact the onlookers included the same people who endorsed you for an ICP course.

And yet i know the real pressure was only coming from myself.

Yeah, well, I'm guessing plenty of us know how I get after I've been here for a bit...

Like it or lump it..it doesn't appear that I'm going anywhere anytime soon...

I dont know if us mere mortals can handle that dwayne

And welcome brandi, look foreward to hearingmore from you.

[ems.rockstar2013]

Ok, so I started a medic program before a couple years ago, but had some problems with they way the program was run. I like the setting of the program in St. Cloud. I can't wait till things speed up.

You guys are too funny! totally made my night! Hope all is well out in the field with you guys, lookin forward to working alongside some fello paramedics and emt's in the near future!

Edited September 2, 2013 by ems.rockstar2013

[DwayneEMTP]

When do you start your program again? It's a two year?

[ems.rockstar2013]

I started last week, and yeah its a two year, but two years of 3 days a week of class, and summer is nothin but clinicals and ride-alongs. Day 4 and we tested out on I.V.'s and Med admin. Later this week is I.O's. Should be fun. Wonder if any classmates will volunteer for this! Haha Doubt it!

[DwayneEMTP]

Man, you're lucky! We had four normal semesters with two full summer semesters and had to do clinicals (Hospital/ambulance) at the same time, but could only do them during the second half of the program..

Pretty excited to be starting, right? Hammer your books Babe..getting through medic school isn't tough, but try doing it with a 98% or above..then we'll see if you're taking this seriously. I studied 4hrs per night, every single night while going through school. If I could do that after work/school and still sleep, I did, but if I couldn't then I slept during breaks and lunch the next day, etc...

Don't cruise..you're way too smart for that. The reason that I meantion that is that if you have a summer of "nothin but clinicals and ride-alongs" then you've wasted your summer...

What did you learn during IVs and med admin? What surprised you about each of those? What was most difficult? What didn't you understand?

What classes of patients should you most expect to be difficult to start IVs on? Why are they harder than others? What is the most dangerous drug to infiltrate (arguably maybe, but maybe not), why is it the most dangrous? What happens if you should do so on accident?

[ems.rockstar2013]

Man, you're lucky! We had four normal semesters with two full summer semesters and had to do clinicals (Hospital/ambulance) at the same time, but could only do them during the second half of the program..

Pretty excited to be starting, right? Hammer your books Babe..getting through medic school isn't tough, but try doing it with a 98% or above..then we'll see if you're taking this seriously. I studied 4hrs per night, every single night while going through school. If I could do that after work/school and still sleep, I did, but if I couldn't then I slept during breaks and lunch the next day, etc...

Don't cruise..you're way too smart for that. The reason that I meantion that is that if you have a summer of "nothin but clinicals and ride-alongs" then you've wasted your summer...

What did you learn during IVs and med admin? What surprised you about each of those? What was most difficult? What didn't you understand?

What classes of patients should you most expect to be difficult to start IVs on? Why are they harder than others? What is the most dangerous drug to infiltrate (arguably maybe, but maybe not), why is it the most dangrous? What happens if you should do so on accident?

I found that the damn mannequin arm is kind of a pain in the ass to get flash... lol However, I was able to start a patent line on a classmate, and thus far am the only successful one. The thing I find most confusing about IV's and IO's are the different types of admin sets.. 10 drip vs 60 drip, I guess I don't understand what it means I just know that one is recommended for trauma, and the other is for like when a pt has meds on board or the doc has something other than saline going.

Geriatric pt, peds, and bariatric pt's are probably the hardest to start IV's on. Geriatric because there bodies have gone through a lot of degridation, and their veins are easier to blow. Peds because-- well the obvious, peds calls suck, and finding a good vein to hit can be difficult, this is where IO's are nice. If you know your IO landmarks you could possibly start an IO in less time than trying to fumble with finding a good vein on a peds pt. Now we get to the bariatric pt's. These are the pt's that you go to the most common places to find a good vein, and feel for them. Also trying to get a good tight constricting band on them that in of itself is difficult.

The most dangerous drug to infiltrate would be D50. D50 because it is damaging to the the tissues, anywhere but in the vein. I was told if you infiltrate D50 that about all you can do is make sure to inform the receiving doc what happened and document well.

If you feel like quizzing me more, go for it. It helps to be kept on my toes, and I really at this point don't have a "study-buddy". In skills we are going over some basics now, like KED, and longboarding, and Bleeding. All EMT-B stuff, but still important to keep as second nature. In class we are going over ambulance operations and system status management.

Ok, it's only week two of class, but time for some bragging. I received this e-mail today.

Dear Brandi Maxwell,

Congratulations!

You have been identified as displaying positive academic performance in Paramedicine Skills I.

Below are your instructor's comments:

You are doing good work and making contributions to the class.

Your SCTCC instructors, staff, and student success team appreciate your dedication and hard work in the classroom. Keep it up!

Sincerely,

Student Success Team

It's nice to receive e-mails like this, even if it is the second week of school. I must be doing something right!