Recent content by Amycus

Hi everyone. Before someone says it, I'm not looking for medical advice, more just opinions from others in this field. 3 weeks ago I twisted my right wrist on a call. Been icing it and immobilizing it and ended up going to occupational health a couple times, and an orthopedic doctor twice...

After a bit over a year on the job, I just have a conversation with my patients. Usually, the questions/answers I need to hear will surface just asking logical questions.

The Look, Listen, Feel, only relates toward breathing. On an unresponsive, the first thing I'll feel for is a radial, but if it's a question of a code, you'd always do carotid, not radial.

Background info: I wasn't at this call. Propane tank explosion, 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 60%+ of the body, it was bad. Patient is alert and oriented, screaming in pain. ALS already en route, arrived quickly. Medflight en route. I like to think about calls other crews go on, just to see...

Today I took an elderly woman out of her elderly housing complex due to a fall. Obtaining a history, I found she really, really shouldn't be living on her own anymore- it's just not safe. The whole ride to the hospital I just held her hand, because in her words, she was so happy that someone...

When I'm on a call? I'm 100% "treat everyone as if they were your Grandma" bedside type manners, to the patient and family. When I'm off the call or back in the truck? I'll likely crack some jokes or poke fun at what I can, or my partner might. It's part of what keeps you sane in this...

I still get the warm fuzzies when someone thanks me.

Also, don't forget that on the true, honest to God super trauma scenarios and such- overall outcome is bleak normally. I'm zero and five on codes since starting this job a year ago (and personally if I could go without an arrest ever again, I'd be thrilled), and heard plenty of stories of people...

For testing purposes, NRB on everyone. In real life, the only ones that get it are those in SEVERE distress. Blatent hypoxia, unresponsiveness, asthma (although we can do BLS albuterol), etc. etc. In the CAOx4 chest pain/lightheadedness/minor respiratory distress/diabetic etc, they get a...

Small amendment to my post, reading what CAO posted... If a bystander on scene IS making himself useful, EMT or otherwise, I'm fine with it IF they don't get in the way or start being pushy. The OP sounds like he felt, despite being off duty, it was his scene, which is never the case...

If I show up on scene, and the FD requests me to grab something to take over PT care, i.e. a backboard or collar, I'll do it. If someone with a higher level of training does, I'll do it. If some random guy is going "I'M AN EMT I'M AN EMT GET ME THIS STUFF THIS IS MY PT" I'm going to ask...

Depends on the PT. I'm assuming a 5150 is like a Section 12 in Mass or such. The only PTs that get restrained are the combative ones. If someone is transported for SI or whatnot, I won't restrain them unless it's necessary. Most of them I've found, if you're civil to them, they'll be civil...

Treatment would begin at "a c collar was applied" or whenever you document manual stabilization was taken. Whichever came first. The latter I'd assume being true.

Didn't even see the diabetic history thing. I'm going to assume a BGL was a given though =P

I'd be interested to know how altered she was, but if someone has a severely altered loc, they likely won't be able to follow the simple instructions of a stroke scale test regardless.