Recent content by icefog

This is exactly what I'm talking about. You're perfectly right, a commercial tourniquet is the best option. But what if you don't have one? Many regions here refuse to allow them. And assume you're reaching for the triangle bandage when the physician on scene says NO, we'll use the BP cuff. We...

WuLabsWuTecH, that's definitely the best way to go, I'll set up some realistic scenarios and see what they come up with and how we can improve. The goal won't be for them to get a list of tips and tricks they can whip out on scene and peruse until they find the fitting answer, but rather to get...

As an EMS instructor, I've recently received the unenviable task of preparing a 90-minute practical training course on "planning for improvisation" (namely, what to do when a certain resource you need isn't available). It could relate to practically any challenge in the field: diagnosis...

OK, I'm a bit puzzled here... Where did this come from, what on Earth did I say? :blink: Since you quoted my last post, I'm assuming your criticism was directed at my posts, therefore... The "may" thing was a joke playing on mycrofft's headline, and I don't think he meant it as an appeal to...

I would try to steer away from morphine - while it may reduce propulsive peristalsis, it considerably increases the intestinal tonus. You'd have to bring in atropine (or something else) to decrease the hypertonicity produced by morphine, but personally I'm not much of a cocktail guy. I'd go...

Well, you know, a healthy "may" a day keeps the lawyers away... Those Nazi experiments were actually used by researchers in Canada working on the development of cold water survival suits. They said such data will never again surface in an ethical world, and not using it would be just as bad -...

Yup, "pre-oxygenation" may be a poorly chosen term, but the idea behind this was not to increase the amount of oxygen per Hb molecule, but rather to fill up the lungs with as much O2 as possible (including the residual volume), that is to say replace/enrich the air already found in the lungs...

They were at some point recruiting participants for a clinical trial intending to prove this very theory: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00841165 No idea what happened to the project - they haven't posted any results or updates.

Got a nice, simple, stable folder at the moment, but I'm gonna switch to the Fox MPSK Survival Rescue. Among other things, I like it's hooked seatbelt / clothes cutter. I'm also considering the Victorinox Swiss Army Rescue Tool, I was really surprised to see what they do with it in the...

Here's a pretty exhaustive article on drowning, it's got everything from pathophysiology to prehospital and hospital treatment: http://journals.lww.com/anesthesiology/Fulltext/2009/06000/Drowning__Update_2009.30.aspx Very cold water may result in rapid hypothermia, which decreases the victim’s...

Hmm, interesting. In my local EMS in Germany, it's $220 for a BLS ambulance, $470 for ALS and $500 for a Physician Field Responder (only available in addition to the ALS crew). Prices are fixed, regardless of call specifics.

Patients who drink too much, but not enough that they need to be intubated. They always come just after we clean the rig, even if it's 7 am on a Wednesday. The home nursing service calling an ALS crew to help raise the patient into her armchair. The local drunk who learned by heart all the...

I'd keep an eye on his breathing, too, first of all - even if something serious like a pneumothorax is highly unlikely and the SpO2 can be explained by the shortness of breath due to pain, cold fingers, bla bla. Breath sounds are what matters here. As for immobilizing, I wouldn't, unless he...

Hey everyone, I'm Alex, 28, I'm a Rettungsassistent (the rough equivalent of a Paramedic) in Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia, originally from Bucharest, Romania. Back home, I've worked in the NGO sector as a Psychologist on human rights and violence issues across Europe until a...

Hmmm, the first thread I click on after the registration turned out to be a tiny gold mine, it's definitely interesting to see all the different opinions... and that's why this isn't really an answer to the OP exclusively, but rather trying to give my response on several points of view surfacing...