Recent content by AVPU

Two questions, mainly for my curiosity: 1. Can paramedics declare someone dead, or does a physician need to do that? If so, 2. Does that physician need to be on-scene? (assuming this is an out-of-hospital scenario) Thanks!

Get the hell out of Seattle. Too many EMTs there, and many end up losing their cert. You've have a better chance in eastern WA. After a couple years in EMT, CWU in Ellensburg has a pretty good paramedic program. I've met some ppl who have gone through it and really like it. Good luck.

Welcome. I found this forum a few months ago, when I was getting ready to attempt the national registry test for the 2nd time. I feel like being on here actually helped me prepare. Just as an aside, since you brought it up in your post, EMTs are perceived more healthcare than they are public...

Well I just might if I like the work enough

Wow. Lots of judgement in these posts. Dude, I know what I'm getting in to. I left a well-paying, cushy career in corporate Amer to be a part of EMS b/c I WANTED TO. I am fully capable of taking personal responsibility for my choices. I was just surprised at the pay, that's all. And I wanted to...

JB Learning is AWESOME. I swear by it (and I failed the first time too). EMTprep is pretty good. Just be careful not to get overconfident in the practice tests....I found the actual test questions to be not as black-and-white as the practice questions. Good luck!

Take practice tests!! I highly recommend JB Learning. There are some free ones out there as well. Like you I failed the first time b/c I kinda blew off studying. The 2nd time the test looked drastically different. Remember the better you're doing the harder the questions. Get ready for lots of...

Lifeline Ambulance in WA is hiring medics....

In WA all EMTs start at minimum wage. Turnover is extremely high

Cool area, good luck. I was in Ventura County for 4 years. Loved it

Well said, I follow all the responses. I'm just amazed given the critical nature of the work. I know EMT-Bs don't have a lot of power, hardly any at all, but c'mon. Meanwhile the paper pusher in the cubicle working for Verizon or some corporation makes ten times that. I'm like MDA, I had another...

where in soCal are u?

I took the national registry July of last year and failed. I was so disappointed. I stepped away from the material for a few months, and then slowly began re-reading my textbook cover to cover. All 1200 pages. I took every practice test I could get ahold of (I recommend JB). I passed it in late...

So I'm finally hired on with an agency and now just waiting for paperwork from the state. Making a whole $8.55 an hour with not much room to rise. It's what I expected...I'm not here for the money...but sh*t. Isn't it comforting to know that in a life-threatening emergency, the person saving...

I teach layresponder CPR/AED classes. There was this guy in there that I could tell was a jerk from the get-go, asking really specific questions just to show off his "knowledge." When we got to the AED portion, he actually asked me if you could self-administer an AED. The more I think about it...