Update 1rst ambulance ride!

[suziquzi99]

So I changed every clock in my house except for my alarm. Needless to say, I was too excited to go back to sleep so I was very awake at 04:50. They put me with two paramedics. We went to one post then another. Got our first call and it was a psych pt. I was told to leave the ambulance through the side door and go sit in the passenger seat. There were lots of cops and a k-9 unit. I was happy to oblige. I was kinda scared. No big deal though, took him to psych at the hosp. They showed me around. Back to a different post. The guys said they are usually very busy I must be a white cloud.
They ended up showing me around the ambulance and how to work the stretcher without power (they weren't too pleased about being stuck with that since one of the battery powered ones were broke). Good thing is I learned how to put it in by myself. Apparently a newbie joke. Glad they filled me in. Our one other call was a heart pt. I got to watch the iv and everything that goes along. We transferred him and met a couple of women paramedics from the county. They were very nice and open. (Women can tend to get territorial. Please ladies, don't take that the wrong way) They said how great of a job this is and I would love it.
I got put with two outstanding guys! They taught me so much in 12 hours that will be very helpful in school. I can't wait to start.
I am very surprised about how much paramedics get to do. And to be totally honest, the paralyzing and the knee puncher (sorry, don't know terms) kinda freaks me out right now. I assume if you know how to use it you don't have a problem. Everybody else on the shift had lots of calls. Call me white cloud now. lol

 

[stephenrb81]

Awsome that you had a great experience. I always love to hear when people have a good experience with their clinicals. There are times when some are treated poorly because a preceptor doesn't feel like "babysitting" (I had a Basic clinical where a Medic actually told me she wasn't in the mood to babysit).

Glad you had a great time, hope you have many more

 

[seanm028]

And to be totally honest, the paralyzing and the knee puncher (sorry, don't know terms) kinda freaks me out right now. I assume if you know how to use it you don't have a problem.

What do you mean by "knee puncher"?

 

[marineman]

What do you mean by "knee puncher"?

that and what do you mean by paralyzing? If you're talking about RSI you'll probably learn it but not many areas use it on their ground ambulances unless you're CCT.

 

[lizhiniatsos]

knee puncher equals IO? Maybe?

Glad to hear your enthusiasm...if you keep that then the rest will just get better all the time

 

[gillysaurus]

I only know of one ambulance service up in Northern Colorado that's permitted to do RSI, and it isn't Weld County. I accidentally managed to get into this other company's RSI CME one day on a ride along, and learned a great deal about it!

Don't worry about it, though. Things like RSI and IO (if that's what you're talking about!) will come much later when you're so much more comfortable with the basics. You'd be surprised about what you get used to in a short amount of time

I'm so glad your ride went well. From one white cloud to another!

 

[EMTCop86]

HAHA I was also known as the white cloud at my fire station. At least you were able to learn a lot from the medics.

 

[reaper]

Down here in the south RSI is common on ground units.

Glad you had a good time. So, who did you get to ride with?

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

Glad to hear that you had a good time as well as good medics to help you with orientation of things although you did not run many calls it is nice to be able to learn the trucks/territory before having to run calls back to back.

Keep up the enthusiasim to learn and you will do good.

 

[41 Duck]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, but the EMS deities out your way must be odd compared to ours... out here in PA, they usually show off for the ride-alongs and first-timers.

I'm guessing "Knee Puncher" is IO...


Later!

--Coop

 

[suziquzi99]

Ok, I will put this the best I remember. The paralyzing drug was used to stick that big metal contraption in someone's mouth to get the tube to the lungs? The knee puncher from what I got is kinda like an iv maybe but you stick it in the bone. The paramedic refered to a gun he got to use one time but for the most part this county doesn't carry those I guess. He talked about the POP! Ouch!

 

[medicdan]

Ok, I will put this the best I remember. The paralyzing drug was used to stick that big metal contraption in someone's mouth to get the tube to the lungs? The knee puncher from what I got is kinda like an iv maybe but you stick it in the bone. The paramedic refered to a gun he got to use one time but for the most part this county doesn't carry those I guess. He talked about the POP! Ouch!

Okay, translation:

Paralyzing drug= succs/Succinylcholine
big metal contraption= Laryngoscope
Tube to the lungs= ET Tube
Knee Puncher= ?BIG? Bone Injection Gun/EZ-IO?