Not enough new topics, so....
Do you allow riders, family / friends, when you're transporting patients?
I used to, but several weeks ago I stopped allowing them. Now it's more the exception than the norm that I allow someone. Many reasons as to why I switched, but the most PC one being I...
So, several months ago I posted in the 100% directionless thread about an incident that really irked me. Let me regale you in the story, and how it pissed me off.
My partner (who has been doing EMS since before I was born) and I were sitting at a post when a call came out for an MVC. We...
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/05/19/3972468/in-fort-worth-medstar-wont-send.html#my-headlines-default
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/05/18/medstar-rolling-out-system-to-weed-out-non-emergency-911-calls/
Starts Monday. For the first week or so, an ambulance will still be sent to...
What has your agency implemented to try and get you off duty on time?
Mine implemented something where 45 minutes before end of shift, dispatch tries to get a second truck to your post so if a call comes in they get it. 30 minutes before your EOS, you're cleared to head back to base. If a...
We've all been there. A patient or their family asks "So what should we do?" More often than not, the typical response I've seen is "I can't answer that due to liability". Question is, is it really? Time and time again, I see providers go "You called for a reason", or something of that...
My ACLS expires at the end of the month. I need to take it, but would prefer not to miss a day of work to take it. I found the AHAs ACLS course has an online component where you do the class stuff online, and get checked off by a training center for the skills.
Already checked and my...
Well, this is my first Paramedic recert and for the life of me, I can not decipher what the NREMT wants from me. I've submitted my CEs and they rejected it saying not enough :huh: Maybe someone here who's done this a time or two can look at my CEs and let me know what I'm missing...
Here's an article published on EMS1 yesterday about how MedStar deals with frequent fliers and system abusers. Give it a read.
http://www.ems1.com/research-reviews/articles/1233831-Case-study-How-an-EMS-agency-tackled-frequent-flyers/
On top of this, in the next 2-3 months, something...
So this has been a point of contention between me and my FTO.
He is of the thought process "If they're complaining of chest pain, even if I think it's respiratory in nature, they get a nitro SL just to test it out". I'm of the opposite view... I'm not against trialing NTG if I deem it worthy...
http://www.ems1.com/ems-oddities/articles/1164429-16-zombie-actors-injured-on-Resident-Evil-set/
I know of a few Paramedics would would see the moulage and freak out...
As I stand there in an untidy, but not unclean, room at 2:30 in the morning, lit by a single light on a ceiling fan, I look around. I see my patient, an elderly male on the ground with an obvious deformity to his shoulder, still with a hint of a smile on his face that was there when we arrived...
A patient is AOx4, and in all other regards, is legally competent to refuse care.... but is drunk as a skunk, clearly intoxicated. (My bad... "Has the smell of alcoholic beverages on their person and is acting in a manner reserved for intoxicated people") Can't force them to go, officers...
(Firebased EMS need not apply)
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20110804-worker-rescued-from-atop-700-foot-cell-tower-in-johnson-county.ece
This story, and a discussion with my partner last week, got me thinking. Does your department do any training in rescue, particularly...
http://healthland.time.com/2011/07/22/trial-by-fire-training-medical-school-grads-as-emts/
Long story short, medical students at this school are being required to get certified as an EMT, and do multiple ride-outs on ambulances in the first 2 years.
So, apparently it's wrong / rude to ask a patient why they didn't take the medication prescribed to them for the issue they called us for, as it "hints" that their call to 911 was unnecessary.
I mean, who cares if nurses and doctors will ask the exact same thing, right? Who wants continuum...
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/charlie_leduff/when-disaster-strikes-detroit-what's-the-plan
Apparently an EMS crew was under attack and one of the crew members was injured, and the crew asked for backup. A supervisor continually denied sending support units / police, despite the...
Was working last night when a severe storm hit my county and the areas around us. We had 5 confirmed tornadoes in my county alone, and several more east of us.
We were sent with another truck to a tornado vs house just down the road. All 3 of the roads leading in to the location were blocked...
I was talking with usalfyre last night about this. At what point is a patients choice in hospital just unreasonable? Mileage or driving time?
Case in point. In my county, we have a level 3 trauma center about 25-30 minutes to our south, a level 1 and level 2 nearly an hour to our east...
Guess what? If you don't care about even attempting to help most of your patients pain, you are not a good provider, you never will be, and anyone who says you are is sadly mistaken.
The Paramedic who relieves me constantly calls me out for my aggressiveness of pain control (ex- 250mcg...