Recent content by reidnez

You may have to accept a long commute if that's what it takes to get hired. I'm driving about 45 minutes to work now, so are many of my co-workers. It doesn't seem very long when you work a 12-hr. shift and drive around for most of it anyway. :)

Practice! I used to have trouble getting pulses as well, I've gotten a lot better at it. If you don't find one right away, try a couple different sites and try varying your pressure. I have no medical/scientific explanation for this, but sometimes a bit more pressure seems to work and other...

I agree with that completely, I'm just not convinced that in an otherwise perfectly-written narrative, the difference would come down to "alcohol" vs. "alcoholic beverage." I know lawyers are capable of some pretty impressive twists in logic, but nonetheless it would be a pretty lame argument...

"Smell of alcohol" vs. "smell of alcoholic beverage" seems like a pretty academic distinction to me. OK, you may not be strictly, scientifically correct...but what's the difference? And how many people out there are drinking 100% pure, lab-grade, odorless ethanol? I'm fairly certain everyone...

Just as the others said, they're going to pay what they're going to pay you...if you don't want the job, 20 others will happily take it. The average EMT-B stays with a company for less than a year before moving on to bigger and better things. Agencies know this and pay accordingly.

I'm not a diabetic myself but I tend to agree with you. It should be the doctor's discretion, period. As long as it's under medical surveillance and continues to stay under control, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to drive. There is no way to eliminate all medical risk; I think I'm pretty...

My advice is to be patient. It took me 3 months to get hired. I'm not sure how the job market is in your area, but here there are literally dozens of unemployed EMT's for every open job. There is also pretty high turnover though, as the average basic stays with a company for less than a year. So...

You're not a veteran, are you? I've gotten free physicals in the past from the VA. It will probably take you a couple of weeks to get in, though (which is why I went to a walk-in for mine.) Anyway, this is the contact info for the place I went to: Mission Valley Medical Clinic 5333 Mission...

Try the walk-in clinics. As MrBrown noted the exam can be done by an NP or PA; you do not have to be seen by a physician. I went to Mission Valley Medical Clinic and I believe it was $50. They saw me pretty quickly, no appointment. This is different. You need a "medical examiner's card" in...

Most likely you're going to have to hit up each hospital individually. Sometimes the facilities also post ads on Craigslist and other sites, I got an interview with an MRI facility that way (but ended up getting hired at an IFT company before the interview).

Just apply everywhere, there is a surplus of EMT's right now so unfortunately you are not going to have your pick of jobs. Be patient and persistent, it may take you several weeks or longer to find something. Don't forget hospitals, they hire EMT's as well.

This is way out of my pay grade, but...you mention the PT was bariatric. Maybe because of his size the standard doses of dextrose just weren't enough to maintain his BGL? I'm probably way off here but it's just a thought.

Better yet, go to the German system which puts a physician on every ALS rig...it's an awesome standard of care, I'm sure, but I don't think anyone in the states is going to pony up the cash for that kind of system (unless we can convince enough doctors to work for $30k/yr.) :unsure:

It's not a CDL in California either, it's an "certificate" which is added to your existing license (just like a motorcycle endorsement.) You take a written test, get fingerprinted and get a physical. But it doesn't change your class of license, you just get a little piece of paper.

I know how annoying it is when people say "count your lucky stars," but I'm going to say it anyway. It took me three months to get hired! You've been at it a week, have some persistence. The chance that you will walk into an ambulance company at the exact moment that they're hiring, is pretty...