# Green Horn Pet Peevs



## Short Bus (Apr 29, 2008)

I was working with a pretty green basic the other day and she was doing a few things that a noob does.  I was wondering what other peoples pet peevs for noobies are.  One thing that she did was leave her gloves on to drive to the hospital.  That drives me nuts.  

Don't get me wrong, I do not want this to be or turn into a green horn bashing thread.  Maybe just something they could look at from people that have been in this for a while and learn what not to do.  Or maybe just pet peevs that other people you work with do.


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## Pittsburgh Proud (Apr 29, 2008)

Short Bus said:


> I was working with a pretty green basic the other day and she was doing a few things that a noob does.  I was wondering what other peoples pet peevs for noobies are.  One thing that she did was leave her gloves on to drive to the hospital.  That drives me nuts.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I do not want this to be or turn into a green horn bashing thread.  Maybe just something they could look at from people that have been in this for a while and learn what not to do.  Or maybe just pet peevs that other people you work with do.



Did you happen to explain to her that we remove our gloves so we don't contaminate everything else we touch after we have made contact with the Pt. and also give her the 101 lesson that even if we have gloves on to wash her hands right away...
As soon as the Pt. is on the cot we remove as to not contaminate anything else we touch. She just might have no clue what she is doing.


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## MSDeltaFlt (Apr 29, 2008)

Those aren't newbie pet peeves for me, but someone who just doesn't know any better.  Because if you're "greener 'n' goose %$@# in August", you're going to make several different mistakes on each and every call.  I did.  When I was a basic, I was "stump dumb".  I kept the deer in the headlight look.  I'm still not the sharpest tool in the shed.  Just ask my pilots.

The one thing that gets me, though, is while you're instructing them and helping them to become better basics/medics/whatever, their only retort is, "I know.  I know.  I know." and they don't learn.  They keep making those same mistakes.  That "irks" me to no end.


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## Katie (Apr 29, 2008)

MSDeltaFlt said:


> The one thing that gets me, though, is while you're instructing them and helping them to become better basics/medics/whatever, their only retort is, "I know.  I know.  I know." and they don't learn.  They keep making those same mistakes.  That "irks" me to no end.



i'm a newbie and i make a tonne of mistakes :wacko:  i admit it.  but i really do appreciate it when the person or preceptor i'm working with will tell me how i can improve and what i did wrong.  what bugs me are people who roll their eyes and ignore me or talk down to me like i'm an idiot because i'm new.  don't learn anything that way.  it's true though that if you're talking you're not listening and if you knew it all already you'd not be taking the class


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## Airwaygoddess (Apr 29, 2008)

*The Newbie a.k.a. student!*

Take a deep breath.... let it out.  At one time or another we all have been the new kid, the green one, the newbie etc.  It is a lot to take in and learning these new ropes.  
  Besides giving great patient care, our other job is to be a good preceptor and mentor to the" new kids".  I do not believe in the "eat our own" theory,  I do believe in positive constructive feedback, "this is what you did well, but this is  what needs to be worked on to become better".  I do agree that saying something early is a better way of changing a bad habit, but also give the reason why it is not done.  
  I hope that this "newbie" will embrace the knowledge and experience that you have to offer them, and learn from their mistakes, ask for constructive feedback, and most of all, become a great EMT!


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## LucidResq (Apr 29, 2008)

MSDeltaFlt said:


> The one thing that gets me, though, is while you're instructing them and helping them to become better basics/medics/whatever, their only retort is, "I know.  I know.  I know." and they don't learn.  They keep making those same mistakes.  That "irks" me to no end.



You know what does along with that? The guy who makes a mistake and is corrected, but will not stop defending himself, blaming it on everyone but himself and arguing it to death. "But that's what the book says!". It's always the same person as the "I know, I know" guy. 

Get over it, we all mess up. Just fix it, move on and do it better next time. These are the people who have pride levels way too high for their own good.


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## BossyCow (Apr 29, 2008)

I have a theory that those who bash the newbies or act like they never made a mistake are the same ones who rolled their eyes when corrected as newbie. 

I was teaching a class once and had a new, ink still wet on their card, greenhorn who was very embarrassed about having made a mistake on a call. I can't even remember what the mistake was. I turned to the rest of the class and asked... "How many of you have made a mistake on a call?" Everyone raised their hand. There's always going to be a call where you realize later that you shoulda, woulda, coulda done differently, better, that you forgot, misread, didn't do or did unnecessarily something. I'll never forget how surprised the new student was that we had all made mistakes in our early years.


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## ErinCooley (Apr 29, 2008)

Honestly, when I go into the field in a few weeks I hope that I wont get a partner like you... I already know that I'm going to make tons of mistakes, I will probably also find myself 1/2 way to the hospital still wearing dirty gloves.  BUT, I hope that I'm partnered someone who will help me learn and teach me to be a great EMT, not call me a Noob behind my back while allowing me to do something wrong.


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## JPINFV (Apr 29, 2008)

My pet peeve is people who don't listen. Sure, if a new person has a different take on an issue, and can defend it past "my instructors best friend's dog trainer's brother told me," then go for it. It's better to learn from other people's mistakes than learn from your own. 

/me raises hand over the "Have you made mistakes on a call" question.


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## Outbac1 (Apr 30, 2008)

We were all new and green at one time. Polite constructive criticism is often warranted. I believe in treating others as I would like to be treated. 
 However if the person is a smarta** and/or dumber than dirt it becomes a supervisors problem. That's why they get the big bucks.


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## Short Bus (Apr 30, 2008)

I think some people miss read this whole thing, or maybe I mis wrote it since it was in the wee hours of the morning.  We all have pet peeves.  Not pointing any fingers or anything like that, I was looking to see what yours were.  Then by posting them, maybe other people would learn from your post.

I did use constructive criticism while letting my partner know that day.  I asked her to look at how she was holding her drink (can drink by the top rim) and showed how that when she was wearing her gloves, she checked in route to the hospital.  Now she checked clear from the hospital without a glove on and she picked up her drink.  Showed her how the trail of nastiness can travel.  

Once again, this is to help people.  Not to bash them.


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## medicp94dao (Apr 30, 2008)

I like this thread. I am a born again newbie. I was out of the scene for a while. I just recently got my EMT-B cert. I am now working toward my EMT-Intermediate.Even though I was a Combat Medic ( 91-B ) in the Army. But, my biggest pet peeve is a brand new basic,advanced, intermediate or paramedic that think that they are the poo!!!! First of all.... dont ever belittle anyone else just because you can. Remember we ALL have been there. I am guilty of this myself. Just remember there is always someone who can do it faster and better (and make it look easy while doing it) than you can. Newbies, green horns, FNG'S (F*ckin New Guys) will maybe one day be the person who we rely on to help us save a life or our own.


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## LucidResq (Apr 30, 2008)

I've got a humiliating newbie mistake for everyone. I was doing an ER rotation when an extremely drunk kid came it. Nothing else wrong with him, he was just passed out and kept puking.

 So he comes in and I get started on setting up an NRB while there's a flurry of activity going on. I was inflating the bag... you know holding my thumb over the flap... when I noticed that he was vomiting again so I got distracted I overinflated it so the bag popped... made a huge noise... and startled everyone in the room, the poor kid even jumped a little. I was so embarrassed, but I just grabbed a new one and moved on.


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## MSDeltaFlt (Apr 30, 2008)

LucidResq said:


> I've got a humiliating newbie mistake for everyone. I was doing an ER rotation when an extremely drunk kid came it. Nothing else wrong with him, he was just passed out and kept puking.
> 
> So he comes in and I get started on setting up an NRB while there's a flurry of activity going on. I was inflating the bag... you know holding my thumb over the flap... when I noticed that he was vomiting again so I got distracted I overinflated it so the bag popped... made a huge noise... and startled everyone in the room, the poor kid even jumped a little. I was so embarrassed, but I just grabbed a new one and moved on.



I think I can trump you.

Did you know that Tincter of Benzoin does NOT need to be shaken well before use?  Especially when the cap is still open?

Boy those nurses were pissed.


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## CPG (May 1, 2008)

medicp94dao said:


> I like this thread. I am a born again newbie. I was out of the scene for a while. I just recently got my EMT-B cert. I am now working toward my EMT-Intermediate.Even though I was a Combat Medic ( 91-B ) in the Army. But, my biggest pet peeve is a brand new basic,advanced, intermediate or paramedic that think that they are the poo!!!! First of all.... dont ever belittle anyone else just because you can. Remember we ALL have been there. I am guilty of this myself. Just remember there is always someone who can do it faster and better (and make it look easy while doing it) than you can. Newbies, green horns, FNG'S (F*ckin New Guys) will maybe one day be the person who we rely on to help us save a life or our own.



I have to agree, I like this thread as well.  I am a Pre-Newbie/Greenhorn.  Im fact I don't even think the ink is on the paper yet......

I read these posts and feel that even though we are in the medical field, we can and do make mistakes, and for the most part, IT'S OK!!!

Thanks everyone for what you do.

Jimmy - "CPG"


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## Short Bus (May 1, 2008)

Couple other things that kinda urk me is when someone makes up a stretcher and it is not neat.  That is one thing that pt's see and it makes an impression.  That and when you put the monitor cables up and you wrap them up.  It is much easier to deploy them if they are all pulled out straight and then accordion them in.  That way you pull them out and they are still straight.  Just little things I have come up with along the way


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## BossyCow (May 1, 2008)

There is a gal, new EMT with a local private co. that provides us with our ALS support. Her nickname is 'Barbie' due to her appearance and her need to apply a fresh coat of lipgloss before getting into the rig and several times during calls. We were on a seizing, 80YO female. The pt had a colostomy bag that she was clutching in one hand as she seized. The contents were everywhere, and I mean everywhere! I did a glucose check and then handed the glucometer back to Barbie. She takes it from my gloved hand (which was roughly the color of the contents of the colostomy bag) and then places it back inside the case. I stopped her and told her to look at my hands, look at the pt and look at the glucometer. I said, "Are you sure you want to put that back in the case?" She rolls her eyes and says, "I'll clean it later!" The point she missed was, she now had to clean the case and the glucometer instead of just the glucometer.


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## MedicPrincess (May 2, 2008)

When parking the truck, please do not pull straight into a parking place and get yourself positioned so now we have to back out!  Pull all the way through!  Position the vehicle so that we have the easiest access to leave as possible.  This goes for whether we are the Chinese Place for lunch or on scene at a call.  (Yes, I know sometimes on a call you can't help but have to back out.....but when we go to lunch or are at our post there is not a reason you can't park the truck so we don't have to back out)

Unless you know, for 110% certain, where the call is DO NOT turn on the lights and just start driving is some random direction just because they give us emergency traffic.  I don't care if it is a Public Assist or a Cardiac Arrest!  Until we know where we are going, we are not going anywhere!

The near constant "I'm Sorry"-  Did you put those bumps in the road? Did you make that car stop short in front of us?  Did you design that bridge all jacked up so its like a rollar coaster with the hills?  Did you call dispatch and tell them to put us on that transfer?  Then quit telling me your SORRY for every single thing that goes on!

Believe it or not, I know how to do my paperwork.  It is not your responsiblity as the EMT to go through my reports and attempt to correct what you perceive are mistakes or incomplete areas.  If they are not filled out, it is going to be okay.  

Okay.... I think those are the major ones.....


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## Short Bus (May 2, 2008)

MedicPrincess said:


> When parking the truck, please do not pull straight into a parking place and get yourself positioned so now we have to back out!  Pull all the way through!  Position the vehicle so that we have the easiest access to leave as possible.  This goes for whether we are the Chinese Place for lunch or on scene at a call.  (Yes, I know sometimes on a call you can't help but have to back out.....but when we go to lunch or are at our post there is not a reason you can't park the truck so we don't have to back out)
> 
> Unless you know, for 110% certain, where the call is DO NOT turn on the lights and just start driving is some random direction just because they give us emergency traffic.  I don't care if it is a Public Assist or a Cardiac Arrest!  Until we know where we are going, we are not going anywhere!
> 
> ...



Very Nice.  I really like the one about not turning the lights on until you know where you are going.  That goes hand in hand with if you get lost, cut your equipment back.  Do drive around lost running emergency traffic.  You will just get lost faster


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## MedicPrincess (May 2, 2008)

Short Bus said:


> Do not drive around lost running emergency traffic. You will just get lost faster


 

THANK YOU!!!!!


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## TEK 679 (May 15, 2008)

I give my noob just enough rope not to hang themself. We need to be supportive out there remember we were all green once. That is one of ems' main problems in my area no support staff they just turn'm loose and hope for the best! We all will get mad at the noob from time to time just remember treat them the way you would like to be treated.


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## Jeremy89 (May 15, 2008)

TEK 679 said:


> I give my noob just enough rope not to hang themself. We need to be supportive out there remember we were all green once. That is one of ems' main problems in my area no support staff they just turn'm loose and hope for the best! We all will get mad at the noob from time to time just remember treat them the way you would like to be treated.



THANK YOU...

at least someone said it!


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## Short Bus (May 18, 2008)

I have said for a long time that Paramedics save lives and EMTs save paramedics.  Some may not like that, but I think it is pretty true.  As has been said before, not trying to take away from any EMT out there.  Hell, the first 3 letters in my card are EMT.  We all start somewhere.  I will say it again, this is not to bash EMTs or noobs.  This is to HELP THEM


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## JPINFV (May 18, 2008)

Show me a basic who saved a paramedic and I'll show you a paramedic who needs remedial training and education.


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## Short Bus (May 18, 2008)

JPINFV said:


> Show me a basic who saved a paramedic and I'll show you a paramedic who needs remedial training and education.



I mean they save them as in getting things set up, helping you do your job.  I am sure there are some basics out there that have saved the azzes of some fine medics.  Just another set of eyes or someone to watch your back.  There are many ways that can be looked at.


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## JPINFV (May 18, 2008)

^
Paramedic partners can't do those things?


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## Airwaygoddess (May 18, 2008)

I think the word needed here is teamwork.....


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## Short Bus (May 18, 2008)

Airwaygoddess said:


> I think the word needed here is teamwork.....



Thank you.  :beerchug:

Why do some people feel that they have to be difficult


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## LE-EMT (May 19, 2008)

I personally like the color green so I will probably be the greenest green horn of them all.  
When working with noobs I would instruct them.  This is what I want you to know and this is how I want you know know it.  As soon as you learn that and can show that you can preform it proficiently then we will move on to something new and better.  If I think you can handle it the first time around I will let you do it and instruct as we go along.  If I don't feel that you can handle it your first time around watch me learn from me I will always tell you what I am doing as long as you want to learn.  Then after the call we will sit in the truck and discuss everything from beginning to end.  How do you think you did, what do you think you can improve on,  What your general over all feeling of how the call went is at this time.  Then I will give you my input and we will go from there.  

I am a very brash/blunt teacher.  Often times Considered to be an Ahole.  Such is life but when you look at my students and where they are now.  They are all in the top of their divisions, then all I have to say to that is NUFF SAID.

I expect the same when I don the scope and step into the back of the ambo.  TEACH ME I WANT TO LEARN!!


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## PainfulPriapismTX (May 19, 2008)

I suspect that many of us have all gone through the Newbie ring once or twice.  We didn't become Medical Genius without stepping off the backstep and falling once or 100 times!!!  I started instructing at the college I went to for my Basic/Paramedic.  As I started instructing, I found out that it was easier to point out to the students some of the easier things to fix the "NOOB" stereotype before they actually began their rideouts.  My big pet peeve has always been having someone in the direct path/or standing with a blank face in the spot that I need to be in!!!  I started teaching my students that they should always keep eye contact with their partner and stay opposite their partner around the stretcher unless they are asked to assist next to them.  It's amazing how just a little communication prior to going out in the field helped these guys.  I say lets start from the beginning of class and teach students more than just stretcher techniques and EVAC classes.​


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## Short Bus (May 22, 2008)

PainfulPriapismTX said:


> I suspect that many of us have all gone through the Newbie ring once or twice.  We didn't become Medical Genius without stepping off the backstep and falling once or 100 times!!!  I started instructing at the college I went to for my Basic/Paramedic.  As I started instructing, I found out that it was easier to point out to the students some of the easier things to fix the "NOOB" stereotype before they actually began their rideouts.  My big pet peeve has always been having someone in the direct path/or standing with a blank face in the spot that I need to be in!!!  I started teaching my students that they should always keep eye contact with their partner and stay opposite their partner around the stretcher unless they are asked to assist next to them.  It's amazing how just a little communication prior to going out in the field helped these guys.  I say lets start from the beginning of class and teach students more than just stretcher techniques and EVAC classes.​



Very Nice.  I like the way you have stated this.


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## karaya (May 22, 2008)

Piss poor communication skills (i.e. bedside manner) with a patient!! Clearly this is my biggest peeve.

I travel all over the country in my capacity as an EMS photographer and I have to say barely 30% of EMT's and paramedics that I've been embedded with can make the bar in my eyes and ears with what I would consider excellent "bedside manners." Some are so awful, I just want to shrink myself to a few inches and hide in one of the compartments.

I have seen a world of difference in a patient's anxiety, fears and even pain with good ol' dose of conversation from a medic who is skilled in this art.


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## Short Bus (Jun 3, 2008)

karaya said:


> Piss poor communication skills (i.e. bedside manner) with a patient!! Clearly this is my biggest peeve.
> 
> I travel all over the country in my capacity as an EMS photographer and I have to say barely 30% of EMT's and paramedics that I've been embedded with can make the bar in my eyes and ears with what I would consider excellent "bedside manners." Some are so awful, I just want to shrink myself to a few inches and hide in one of the compartments.
> 
> I have seen a world of difference in a patient's anxiety, fears and even pain with good ol' dose of conversation from a medic who is skilled in this art.



Great point!  You have to remember that these are not just chest pains or breathing problems, these are people.


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## mikeylikesit (Jun 4, 2008)

PainfulPriapismTX said:


> My big pet peeve has always been having someone in the direct path/or standing with a blank face in the spot that I need to be in!!! I started teaching my students that they should always keep eye contact with their partner and stay opposite their partner around the stretcher unless they are asked to assist next to them. ​​


​
Yes, thank you it kills me when they do the ambulance dance. mine would have to be the one who needs constant reassurance of their skills. you know the ones "am I doing this right? can you double check my BP i want to make sure it is right. can you proof read my report, did i wrap this wound correctly?" i don;t mind if it is a question on something that they didn't learn in school, or to double check a trauma patients vitals, but the ones that they should have practiced in school or on their own they should already know.B)


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## Ops Paramedic (Jun 4, 2008)

Some interesting ones!!  Mine would have to be: Not the fact that someone does something wrong or fails to do something they should have, but rather the ingonrance of that person not asking for advice, or what & what not to do...

Remember that even seasoned practitioners make mistakes, the difference is, they just know how to hide them a lot better!!!


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## PainfulPriapismTX (Jun 5, 2008)

I have to agree with you there.  I'll never forget the student who, on a traumatic femur fracture, made a *HUGE* med error.  I have to admit that I should NEVER turn my back on a student with a medication in her hand, but I told her we were going to give 2 of morphine w/ a tubex injector system.  She took the 10 mg Tubex injector with a 21 G needle and placed it in the IV.  I turned to record it on the LP 12 and when I turned back she asked me for the second morphine.  I turned completely WHITE and just about crapped myself.  This is where I immediately called Med Control and asked if they were cool with our crew giving the patient 10 mg of Morphine instead of 2.  Thank goodness the guy didn't go into Respiratory Arrest or anything bad.  He just chilled out for a while with 0 on his 1/10 pain scale.  Needless to say, I didn't even have to yell or scream at the student.  She immediately cried and bawled when I advised her that 2 of morphine did not mean to vials, but 2 mg.  She beat herself up so bad during the call, that I had to make her feel better by re-assuring her that we all make mistakes.  But for good measure, I told her I expected that this would NEVER happen again in her lifetime, and that she would remember from now on that errors can happen in an instant if your not careful.  That was a mistake on my part by not watching a little more carefully.  But really, who would have thought that 2 of morphine would be two 10 mg vials!!!!  I make myself very clear from here on out.


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## mikeylikesit (Jun 5, 2008)

PainfulPriapismTX said:


> I have to agree with you there. I'll never forget the student who, on a traumatic femur fracture, made a *HUGE* med error. I have to admit that I should NEVER turn my back on a student with a medication in her hand, but I told her we were going to give 2 of morphine w/ a tubex injector system. She took the 10 mg Tubex injector with a 21 G needle and placed it in the IV. I turned to record it on the LP 12 and when I turned back she asked me for the second morphine. I turned completely WHITE and just about crapped myself. This is where I immediately called Med Control and asked if they were cool with our crew giving the patient 10 mg of Morphine instead of 2. Thank goodness the guy didn't go into Respiratory Arrest or anything bad. He just chilled out for a while with 0 on his 1/10 pain scale. Needless to say, I didn't even have to yell or scream at the student. She immediately cried and bawled when I advised her that 2 of morphine did not mean to vials, but 2 mg. She beat herself up so bad during the call, that I had to make her feel better by re-assuring her that we all make mistakes. But for good measure, I told her I expected that this would NEVER happen again in her lifetime, and that she would remember from now on that errors can happen in an instant if your not careful. That was a mistake on my part by not watching a little more carefully. But really, who would have thought that 2 of morphine would be two 10 mg vials!!!! I make myself very clear from here on out.


well i'm sure that since your patients didn't go into respiratory distress, he didn't mind. even so i have had interns do this with epi...ahhhhhh, then i double my work load and the hospitals, needless to say that on that call the person jump out of the arrithmia frying pan and into a fire.


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