Recent content by Mattyirie

@Smash: Those are all excellent points. I looked around last night and inevitably stumbled upon the 2010 articles Castren et al. and Bernard et al. in circulation. Interesting reads and I do agree with your views in the use of TH pre-hospital, definitely in systems with short transport times...

Awesome, Thanks for the links!

Hello EMT life, I am looking into writing a proposal regarding the institution some formal method of inducing hypothermia in CA patients in my county's EMS system. The reason being is that both area hospitals are instituting protocols for it and I would like to get experience "pioneering" new...

Wow. Its good to gain some perspective. We are behind the curve out here. But to be reasonable we are a smaller area with cardiologists on call part of the time.

I did not get the opportunity to scrub in. I was behind the glass. I am not sure how much different it is being at the pt's side as the tangible portion of the procedure is much like a PICC line placement which i have been directly involved in many times. I am ok being behind the glass and...

Very cool! Our service doesn't have OR rotations yet but this is being worked thru, not that this benefits me any at this time. I don't think transmission of the ECG is required (i am new to my service and to EMS) but it is appreciated. This may also be the reason we would be able to bypass ED...

To the OP, welcome to health care! one of the debates that makes you want to gag every time you hear it! Medic vs. RN Here is the real deal to all those who want "autonomy" as a medic or a nurse.... sack up and go get your M.D., everyone else takes orders.

As a current BSN student working as an EMT basic in a fairly busy 911 system I would say TRY to get a job as a basic WHILE moving forward with your studies to either intermediate (if offered in FL) or paramedic and/or nurse. This is what I would do/currently am doing. No need to chose between...

Just got done spending a morning in the cath lab at one of the local hospitals here in town! This program was created by the service I work for and the hospital educational director. Two cases, both exploratory and neither required intervention. The first case was an older male complaining of...

Update from my supervisor (and the girl's attending): She is awake and talking with no detectable deficits. This girl was meant to live....

First day with a busy 911 system as an EMT Basic and we had one serious call. 13 yo f drowning victim with no pulse or resp. upon arrival the volunteer FD had a combitube in place and was ventilating via BVM. no one was handling compressions so i hopped on board. approximate DT 6 mins...

@rwik123: I will admit here that i did not dive into the previous events deeply enough to completely rule out head injury. The bystanders had said that she had just fallen (within 5 minutes as witnessed by 2 of the bystanders) and did not mention that she had lost consciousness. From all cues i...

Thats a good point. It almost places both me and the patient in a different situation when i mention im an emt. The patient was fairly calm but i probably could have helped a bit more. What are your thoughts on this position of comfort idea? I have even read articles that say a case could be...

Hey all, Responded to a patient this afternoon while going to class and i am looking for any critiques. I will try to be as descriptive as possible. The scenario: Walking on campus when i happened upon a young female lying left lateral on the pavement with about 5 bystanders. General...

While not really relevant to the discussion, i am just starting in health care. I've worked for 3 years in direct patient care and am just starting in the prehospital arena. the fact still remains that enough people have made this and similar remarks to prompt me to bring it up here. AND if I...