The "Whacker" in You

[resq330]

I have wanted that jump bag since way before Trauma and my wife recently ordered it for me then I saw it on Trauma. I don't care one way or another though, it's a really really nice bag. I like it better than the ones made by Pacific (or the bags designed after the pacific bags) which are the bags most of the medics at my service carry.

Plus I know all my equipment works in my bag vs. the crap shoot I have now of the company supplied bags.

Who makes the ones they carry on Trauma?

 

[viccitylifeguard]

merit usa here is the link the only prob i have with the bags is the plastic windows in the big one when is drops to -40 or better they get very brittle and i worry about cracking them other wise excellent bags
http://www.meretusa.com/

 

[resq330]

merit usa here is the link the only prob i have with the bags is the plastic windows in the big one when is drops to -40 or better they get very brittle and i worry about cracking them other wise excellent bags
http://www.meretusa.com/

Thanks!

 

[DV_EMT]

well that's a bad@$$ bag! Not to expensive either. I might consider investing in one. Are they pretty durable for the people who already own one?

 

[viccitylifeguard]

i own 2 of them the recover o2 and the omni 2.0 the only thing im concerned about with them is will the plactic windows hold up when the temp drops below -25c other than that they are great bags expandable and easy to configure
i would recomend them to any one

 

[Dominion]

I don't think the temp will be an issue around here hehe. I can't count many times the actual temp drops below -10F around these parts

 

[firecoins]

I own a small trauma bag. It is now used to caddy my personal EMS and non EMS gear at work. I could use it if something happens outside of work but it isn't really isn't meant for that.

I do have a finger pulse oximeter.

 

[viccitylifeguard]

I don't think the temp will be an issue around here hehe. I can't count many times the actual temp drops below -10F around these parts

ya your lucky here in edmonton we quite often get down to the -25c to
-40c range so this is what we have to dress like all you can see is our faces h34r:

 

[EDAC]

Being frank here. I enjoy your posts but I think this is a really :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty attitude. It seems to me that some of you forget we all had to start somewhere. My program is 130 hours and I'm at the end of it. My husband is deployed and I have 3 kids under 5. My classes became a huge PITA for childcare arrangements. I had to move in the middle of it with the flu while I deal with my own medical problems and other random life bull:censored::censored::censored::censored:. I'm proud of myself for not only getting to the end, but doing it well and earning the respect of the people I've encountered along the way. I have goals and dreams in EMS but I can't go anywhere until I start here. So I'm proud of my pathetic 130 hours of training and all the headaches and grief it cost me along the way. Because I finished it and I didn't let anything stop me. I set an example for my children and gave them something they could emulate one day. A hard working mother who didn't quit when she was told she couldn't have her dream, but found a new passion and went for it.
So I'll put that stupid little sticker on my car as a kudos to myself and pride in the field I chose to get into when I could have done a dozen far better paying/easier things.

So forgive me.

Good for you, you are absolutely correct about the fact that you should be proud of your accomplishments. Yes it is only 120 or 130 hour course, but unfortunaately that is all that is offered to us as a starting point in EMS. Some go on to medic school, or PA school, or nursing school, great, and good for them. Anyone who takes on something in order to better themselves whether it is six hours or 6000 hours, it is something to be proud of.

Are your accomplishments any less because you "only" have 130 hours of training, I say no, you did something that many, many others have not done or could not do. In my class we had only 12 out of the 40 or so that started finish with a grade high enough to be eligible to pass the class. I know for a fact that only half of us that completed the class passed the NREMT-B. Is it earth-shattering, no, is it an accomplishment, YES. Are you now better educated than you were 5 or so months ago, yes you are. And like many others who have completed this portion of our training, you are probably eager to continue your education and become the best that you can be.

Don't ever let anyone else tell you that what you accomplished is not worthy of praise, because it is. The only people in your life who's opinions actually matter, are your family and loved ones, no one else's even count. As long as you can get up in the morning an look at yourself and say I did something that I am proud of, that is all that matters.

You know what they say about opinions, they are like butt-holes, everyone has one and they all stink.

Oh, and by the way, I am proud of you! Being a mother, raising children, and going to school to learn something that is totally foreign to you, and being able to excel at it, IS something to be proud of.

 

[medichopeful]

Not sure why I can't edit my own posts...

You only have a certain amount of time to do any editing. You were probably past that window.

 

[daedalus]

daedalus, not trying to pick a fight, but to those of us who can't afford to go further, or are volly's with the local FD with full time careers elsewhere, obtaining an EMT cert is something to be proud of. While I wish that i could go further and get my Paramedic, At this point in time I cannot. And I will be da*n proud (da*n scared too) to be an EMT. Everyone has to start somewhere. And not that its the point, but his post did show emt-a which is 230hrs....albeit, not the 1394 hours req. for paramedic, but still.

Don't have anything considered wackerish yet, check back in six months..lol

Not what I mean. I will rephrase...

Having a trauma bag that is the same one as the one on the TV show just because you are a brand new EMT is nothing to be "extremely proud of".

I was proud of myself when I finished my EMT class. While it was no where near as hard as even my under graduate general chemistry class, I still took the time to come to class, read my book, practice for and pass the skills test, go on a ride along with an ambulance and a shift at the ER, and than pass the national registry. While I do not remember any step of that while process as being difficult, it took some effort and I remember being pretty happy to get my card in the mail.

Still, just remember that EMT is not all that special. It is only a 120 hour class that cannot even be called more than advanced first aid. Yet, it is 120 hours of first aid that you never had before...

 

[daedalus]

Being frank here. I enjoy your posts but I think this is a really :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty attitude. It seems to me that some of you forget we all had to start somewhere. My program is 130 hours and I'm at the end of it. My husband is deployed and I have 3 kids under 5. My classes became a huge PITA for childcare arrangements. I had to move in the middle of it with the flu while I deal with my own medical problems and other random life bull:censored::censored::censored::censored:. I'm proud of myself for not only getting to the end, but doing it well and earning the respect of the people I've encountered along the way. I have goals and dreams in EMS but I can't go anywhere until I start here. So I'm proud of my pathetic 130 hours of training and all the headaches and grief it cost me along the way. Because I finished it and I didn't let anything stop me. I set an example for my children and gave them something they could emulate one day. A hard working mother who didn't quit when she was told she couldn't have her dream, but found a new passion and went for it.
So I'll put that stupid little sticker on my car as a kudos to myself and pride in the field I chose to get into when I could have done a dozen far better paying/easier things.

So forgive me.

Read my above post. I respect your situation. I wrote that sentence in response to a poster who was extremely proud to have a trauma bag that was the same as one on a TV show.

Most of us start as an EMT, and I am still and EMT. I just do not make excuses for the poor level of medical training the EMT class encompasses. Instead of trauma bags and oxygen, I spend my money on books and the like. I find the more I know, the less I see the need for whackerdom.

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

Instead of trauma bags and oxygen, I spend my money on books and the like. I find the more I know, the less I see the need for whackerdom.

Agreed. If medical or educational books meet whacker requirements, i must be one of the worst at this point. I'm a firm believer that most of our "whackers" have little relevant understanding of emergency medicine.

 

[Dominion]

Instead of trauma bags and oxygen, I spend my money on books and the like. I find the more I know, the less I see the need for whackerdom.

I feel you there, I have quite a sizable library growing I'd like quite a few more titles. May I recommend also you check out your library to see if you have access to 'pay articles' from pubmed or the Emergency Medicine Journals. Through our public library I get access to a bunch of that and use it on a very regular basis. Between the library and my works subscriptions I'm pretty set on regular articles

Although on the bag subject, have you ever had something you liked and then all of a sudden it got real popular, then you were just one of the bandwagon kids who had it because it was cool (despite the fact you had it way before anyone else?)

I like my bag, but it's for work, I stock it with supplies from work, I have my name on it, it stays at work. When I get off the truck I take my bag and put it in supply with all the other personal jump kits that stay at work. Some people take their kits home, or take them to the FD with them. I'd rather just go home and be my home person.

You want to see some whackers though, I'll give you some examples from work. We have quite a few squirrelly people there.

 

[bunkie]

Read my above post. I respect your situation. I wrote that sentence in response to a poster who was extremely proud to have a trauma bag that was the same as one on a TV show.

Most of us start as an EMT, and I am still and EMT. I just do not make excuses for the poor level of medical training the EMT class encompasses. Instead of trauma bags and oxygen, I spend my money on books and the like. I find the more I know, the less I see the need for whackerdom.

Ok, that makes more sense to me.

I'm not stopping at the basic level. I intend on getting my medic and RN. And my medic will be a degree, not just a certification.

 

[atropine]

Ok, that makes more sense to me.

I'm not stopping at the basic level. I intend on getting my medic and RN. And my medic will be a degree, not just a certification.

Why? just get the RN and challenge a medic program after and save yourself some time. I mean think of all the cash your holding out on, not working.

 

[Melclin]

I've enjoyed wearing my placement uniform into the pub after a shift. After a shift wear medics work hard to make you feel useless, its nice to have people look at you and see admiration in their eyes.

I proudly wear my uni shirt emblazoned with the paramedic logo. I'm working damned hard at becoming a good medic, and I don't see why I shouldn't enjoy the worthy admiration that comes with it.

I have my own stethoscope. Of course I do. Why wouldn't a medical professional, to whom auscultation is an important part of their assessment, have their own. I have a Littmanns because it shat all over the Liberty scopes that were also on offer, and didn't look like a toy.

I have a blood pressure cuff. Being able to knock out an accurate BP in a nano second in all kinds of different and noisy conditions takes practice. Am I to practice with an imaginary cuff?

I enjoy the satisfaction I get from helping friends and family with medical problems, be it interpreting medicalese for worried relatives in ED or dressing a mates lac on the footy field. As such, I have a number of things that sit in my 'goody bag' which comes with me in my car on occasion. Paracetamol + codeine, band aids, tweezers, phenergan, triangular bandage, a bit of gauze, asprin, betadine, tape, salbutamol inhaler. My computer science major friend helps people with their computers, my sound engineer friend loves to help set up friends bands, and I enjoy appling my medical education similarly.

If I came across an accident, I would be happy to stop and help in whatever way I could, after having called 000. I would consider it to be a welcome break for the monotony of the day and a nice story for the evening's drinks.

Of none of these things am I ashamed. I do understand the concept of a whacker, I know a few in St Johns Ambulance, and I also understand that things work differently over in the states, but I can't see how any of this really actually does anything more than mildly annoy a more experienced (and slightly jaded) person.

 

[bunkie]

Why? just get the RN and challenge a medic program after and save yourself some time. I mean think of all the cash your holding out on, not working.

I am going to school for free save for books. The RN I'm after is a LONG way down the road. Right now, my medic is my priority.

 

[paccookie]

I have my own stethoscope, a Littmann Cardiology III that I keep around my neck at all times at work (they are known to "walk off"). I have a simple first aid kit at home for my kids' many little emergencies (skinned knees, cuts, scrapes, etc). Nothing too extensive, just basic bandaging supplies really. I have a blood pressure cuff that I bought while in EMT school to practice taking BPs. I have a large collection of medical books that seems to grow constantly. I have an EMS tag on my car. I do like to talk about medical stuff outside of work, but usually only with other medical people. I do carry gloves in my car, ironically they are in the glove compartment.

Other than that, I don't think I do anything too strange. I don't respond to calls off duty, although I will stop if I pass an accident that looks bad and no one is on scene yet. Every now and then someone will ask me for medical advice. I do the best I can, but I always tell them that I am not a doctor and ultimately they probably need to see a doctor if it's anything even remotely serious. I enjoy my off time when I'm not at work. I don't need a constant reminder of work when I'm at home.

 

[ChicagolandIFT]

I have my own stethoscope that I keep in my little man bag, just a book bag with the company name of it they gave me in orientation, I also keep my cell phone charger, any books I might be reading, my lunch, and a few other odds and ends in it (yeah I know it is basically a purse, I get plenty of grief about it at work). On duty I have a to wear a whole get up, those of you in Chicago, NW Indiana and greater Detroit know about the guys with the ties. I do wear my pager off duty, but it is just a regular alpha-numeric deal, and we get pages about shifts to pick up if we want OT, so I have to keep it close. I keep an extra uniform in my trunk, but that is to change into if the one I am wearing gets soiled. I also have a milk crate in my trunk with jumper cables, duct tape, fix-a-flat, oil, and there is a little first aid kit with a few band-aids and a pair of vinyl gloves, but I have had that stuff since I was 16 (updated yearly by my dad, who has a thing for safety). I have a small SOL tie tack that I wore once, and that was at my interview for the company I work for. I have a coffee cup with the ambulance service logo on it as a gift, but it is not overtly EMS. And I never go anywhere without my fluoroscope and intra-aortic balloon pump in my back seat... just in case