Recent content by awesomemedic

I would like to think we could pronounce someone in the field that easily, but if I can't tell a 46 year old woman with a stubbed toe to go to the urgent care in the morning, how can I pronounce someone dead. I'm not saying we don't have the ability, I'm saying the staff won't let it happen...

I'll have to agree with the pooper. When you get the bubble guts and you have to focus so hard on slamming the sphincter shut you forget what else is going on. That is fear.

I actually agree. That's why I said makes sense.

If they are requesting your company to transport, full and well knowing what your unit carries, then they are sending the patient with the proper medications. They just happen to come from your med box and not theirs. It's a matter of interpretation.

So, I suppose it will eventually turn into a true smash and grab operation. Start CPR, defib if necessary (until they say that is detrimental which is only a matter of time), then drive code 3 to the ER. No intubation, no IV. Just CPR and diesel. Makes sense.

Give this, don't give that. Too much of this, not enough of that. I find that there are enough studies to effectively put an end to pre-hospital care. My favorite is the study about pre-hospital NS in trauma patients is causing an increase in mortality rates. But what the study failed to mention...

This probably goes without saying, but I'll say it. If you are doing an online class, be prepared to have to do twice the work (just from my experience.) You have to study but you don't have someone there to thoroughly explain it. This may not be the case but just be prepared. And all of the...

One service I work for does 24 hour shifts and we average 9 with some being IFT to higher care of 45 min transport time. Main service I work for now averages 6 in 12 hour shifts with most being 911 transports.

I start by going over what they do or do not feel comfortable with. Then go over my routine and what I expect my partner to do. On calls I make sure to verbalize most of my thoughts so they can see the process of an assessment. I can get through the ABCs in 5 seconds of talking to the patient...

It's nice to hear about some people still being excited about this field of medicine. A lot of medics I know grumble at any call, any hour of the day. I hope your excitement never goes away, I would love to have a partner that gets excited about taking a blood sugar instead of looking at me like...

I agree that confidence is required. Granted, if you're confident but wrong, you're still wrong. But if you are unsure and right, you're still wrong in some people's minds.

One, more education. 18 months in school and it still felt like a crash course. Two, I wish being nationally registered meant something since most states have their own requirements. Well, that has been my experience at least.

Everything you need to know you will be taught in class so don't worry about that. Just pay attention. If you want to study before hand that's great but you'll probably be upset because "the class goes too slow." Ask lots of questions and make full use of your preceptors. They are there to guide...

This may draw some hatred from the crowd and I am willing to take that seeing as how I am entitled to an opinion, but I don't think Bob Page is all he's made out to be. Was the class informative? Yes. Did I learn anything? Yes, that he has a book for sale. He spent a lot of time promoting how...

In northwest Akansas we carry morphine, fentanyl for pain. Use is limited to chest pain, extremity injuries or burns. Morphine 2-5 mg max 20. Fentanyl 50 mcg max 200 mcg. In northeast Oklahoma we carried morphine and use was limited to chest pain, extremity injuries or burns but it was online...