# Hats off to medics



## jemt (Jan 9, 2012)

Had my first ALS intercept today, and just wanted to say it amazed me how efficiently and smoothy the medics ran leads,read the print out, started a line, and took BGL.


Props to you medics!


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## Shishkabob (Jan 9, 2012)

You're welcome.



Now where's my coffee?


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## bigbaldguy (Jan 9, 2012)

jemt said:


> Had my first ALS intercept today, and just wanted to say it amazed me how efficiently and smoothy the medics ran leads,read the print out, started a line, and took BGL.
> 
> 
> Props to you medics!



Took BGL? One of these things is not like the others lol


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## Devilz311 (Jan 12, 2012)

bigbaldguy said:


> Took BGL? One of these things is not like the others lol



What's wrong with obtaining a blood sugar?


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## tssemt2010 (Jan 12, 2012)

Devilz311 said:


> What's wrong with obtaining a blood sugar?



nothing at all. but he is talkin about an ALS intercept that he ran, talking about doing an ECG and things of that nature and then throws in a basic skill lol


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## firecoins (Jan 12, 2012)

tssemt2010 said:


> nothing at all. but he is talkin about an ALS intercept that he ran, talking about doing an ECG and things of that nature and then throws in a basic skill lol



It isn't a basic skill everywhere. Consider yourself lucky they allow you any sharp items at all. It used to be an ALS "skill" cause you used a needle to break the skin and EMTs were not allowed to anything that would be that intrusive.


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## epipusher (Jan 12, 2012)

tssemt2010 said:


> nothing at all. but he is talkin about an ALS intercept that he ran, talking about doing an ECG and things of that nature and then throws in a basic skill lol



medic student, lol


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## rmabrey (Jan 12, 2012)

tssemt2010 said:


> nothing at all. but he is talkin about an ALS intercept that he ran, talking about doing an ECG and things of that nature and then throws in a basic skill lol



It's not a BLS skill in Indiana 

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk


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## jemt (Jan 12, 2012)

tssemt2010 said:


> nothing at all. but he is talkin about an ALS intercept that he ran, talking about doing an ECG and things of that nature and then throws in a basic skill lol



Yep. In New Jersey BGL is not a basic skill.


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## Devilz311 (Jan 12, 2012)

It may be a basic skill (not EMT-basic, but an "easy" skill), but it can be overlooked.

 I've seen medics bring in patients who exhibited textbook CVA symptoms, but failed to check a BGL (which was in the 20s). Their response: "well he's not a diabetic, so I didn't think of it..."


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## jemt (Jan 12, 2012)

Devilz311 said:


> It may be a basic skill (not EMT-basic, but an "easy" skill), but it can be overlooked.
> 
> I've seen medics bring in patients who exhibited textbook CVA symptoms, but failed to check a BGL (which was in the 20s). Their response: "well he's not a diabetic, so I didn't think of it..."



Thats what I was referring to EMT-Basic skills.


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## tssemt2010 (Jan 12, 2012)

epipusher said:


> medic student, lol



i can only assume thats what he meant by saying that, and for all of you that live in states where BGL isnt a basic skill, texas FTW... that is all


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## Nervegas (Jan 12, 2012)

Devilz311 said:


> I've seen medics bring in patients who exhibited textbook CVA symptoms, but failed to check a BGL (which was in the 20s). Their response: "well he's not a diabetic, so I didn't think of it..."



I can't even recall a patient that I have Tx'ed, other than IFT, or where they refused, who DIDNT get a BGL check...


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## DrParasite (Jan 12, 2012)

jemt said:


> Had my first ALS intercept today, and just wanted to say it amazed me how efficiently and smoothy the medics ran leads,read the print out, started a line, and took BGL.
> 
> 
> Props to you medics!


really?  really?????????

you have been on EMTlife since Aug 2011, and you had your first ALS intercept today???????  4+ months on an ambulance (assuming you have been on an ambulance as long as you have been on EMTLife) and you had your first ALS intercept today???????  Either your squad is really slow, or you haven't been that active.  in either case, if you want to see impressive, I would suggest finding a service that is busier, you will see a lot more.

Not for nothing, but you shouldn't be impressed by what you just said.  Wait until your see a good crew work a cardiac arrest, and save the guy.  or decompress someone's chest.  or nasally intubate a choking person, restoring their airway (well, we all thought she was choking, she was having an allergic reaction to the food at Olive Garden).

or even better, wait until they ask you if you need help carrying the patient or carrying some of your BLS equipment out of a residence on a BLS patient.  That's what you should be really impressed.


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## Tigger (Jan 12, 2012)

DrParasite said:


> really?  really?????????
> 
> you have been on EMTlife since Aug 2011, and you had your first ALS intercept today???????  4+ months on an ambulance (assuming you have been on an ambulance as long as you have been on EMTLife) and you had your first ALS intercept today???????  Either your squad is really slow, or you haven't been that active.  in either case, if you want to see impressive, I would suggest finding a service that is busier, you will see a lot more.


For what it's worth I worked full time for four months straight before getting a paramedic intercept. My "ALS intercept" is usually a trauma center, who knows his could be too.



> or even better, wait until they ask you if you need help carrying the patient or carrying some of your BLS equipment out of a residence on a BLS patient.  That's what you should be really impressed.


Truer statements are rarely spoken.


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## Sasha (Jan 13, 2012)

DrParasite said:


> really?  really?????????
> 
> you have been on EMTlife since Aug 2011, and you had your first ALS intercept today???????  4+ months on an ambulance (assuming you have been on an ambulance as long as you have been on EMTLife) and you had your first ALS intercept today???????  Either your squad is really slow, or you haven't been that active.  in either case, if you want to see impressive, I would suggest finding a service that is busier, you will see a lot more.
> 
> ...



You do know that working as an (or even BEING a) emt/medic is not a requirement for membership here, right?

And reading back through his posts he seems to be IFT which probably doesn't regularly require intercepts. Soo... Totally unnecessary snark on your part.

I'm not really understanding the hostility here.


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## Devilz311 (Jan 13, 2012)

Nervegas said:


> I can't even recall a patient that I have Tx'ed, other than IFT, or where they refused, who DIDNT get a BGL check...



Unfortunately, it's not a required protocol for every patient here.  I do it on every ALS patient, but some people don't.


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## jemt (Jan 13, 2012)

I work IFT.


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## Veneficus (Jan 13, 2012)

Nervegas said:


> I can't even recall a patient that I have Tx'ed, other than IFT, or where they refused, who DIDNT get a BGL check...



Why?


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## Nervegas (Jan 13, 2012)

Veneficus said:


> Why?



Just another piece of information, that only takes at most 15 seconds to obtain and can help with the differential "field impression".


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## Veneficus (Jan 13, 2012)

Nervegas said:


> Just another piece of information, that only takes at most 15 seconds to obtain and can help with the differential "field impression".



fair enough.

I like the term field dx better.


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