EMT's checking BS

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cspinebrah

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Heard a rumor going around that in Jan.2014 EMT-B's will be able to check pt's Blood Suger. Anyone heard of anything? What do you all think? ^_^
 
Hmm, I've been checking blood sugar all this time! So will I be able to like double check it??

Depends on your service, local protocols etc.
 
True, should have been more specific. This question goes out to all my LA County EMTs
 
cspinebrah said:
True, should have been more specific. This question goes out to all my LA County EMTs
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I heard somewhere (don't remember exactly where, I know super helpful right?) that we're supposed to be getting Pulse Ox's, would be great if we could get those and Blood Sugar Readers
 
Could be like riverside county and only be able to check a BGL when a paramedic asks :blink:
 
I'm glad you clarified because our nm EMTs can do a hell of a lot, least of all CBG checks
 
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Mariemt said:
technocardy said:
EMT-B's in LA county can't check BGL or monitor SpO2? :blink:
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Wow. So much for o2 titration
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Well in LA County a 911 medical call will almost always get fire department paramedic squad and an engine responding plus the BLS ambulance (unless the FD transports in their own ambulance and/or the medics ride on the engine then you may *just* get an engine and ambulance responding to everything)
 
Jim37F said:
Well in LA County a 911 medical call will almost always get fire department paramedic squad and an engine responding plus the BLS ambulance (unless the FD transports in their own ambulance and/or the medics ride on the engine then you may *just* get an engine and ambulance responding to everything)
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So because ALS is coming they deemed it unnecessary for EMT-B's to check a BGL, or monitor SpO2? I don't quite understand the logic there...
 
Jim37F said:
Well in LA County a 911 medical call will almost always get fire department paramedic squad and an engine responding plus the BLS ambulance (unless the FD transports in their own ambulance and/or the medics ride on the engine then you may *just* get an engine and ambulance responding to everything)
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Don't mean to get the thread off topic but I just have to ask, are you serious when you say a fire truck goes to nearly every medical call in LA County.

Lets say someone calls for vomiting, or something like that and they get not only and ambulance coming to there house but a fire truck.

Maybe it's because I have lived in the country all my life, and I now work in rural EMS, but I just find that hard to believe.
 
Gastudent said:
Don't mean to get the thread off topic but I just have to ask, are you serious when you say a fire truck goes to nearly every medical call in LA County.

Lets say someone calls for vomiting, or something like that and they get not only and ambulance coming to there house but a fire truck.

Maybe it's because I have lived in the country all my life, and I now work in rural EMS, but I just find that hard to believe.
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Pretty much all 911 calls in CA get a fire engine or truck and one ambulance. For some areas in LA I have seen a truck, a paramedic squad, and an ambulance all respond.
 
I work for a 911 company in la county and on a basic 911 call, ex: sob, C/p, vomiting, ALOC. We respond and you also get the squad which is the two medics and a truck/quint or engine.
 
DesertEMT66 said:
Pretty much all 911 calls in CA get a fire engine or truck and one ambulance. For some areas in LA I have seen a truck, a paramedic squad, and an ambulance all respond.
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I see in Georgia not even in the big cities is there such a thing as a BLS truck. Basics don't work in 911 here. Nearly all the trucks in most of the cities that I know of have 1 paramedic and 1 EMT I or AEMT, and fire doesn't have much to do with ems in all but a few cities in the whole state. The way things are done in CA make it seem like a whole other country lol.
 
Gastudent said:
I see in Georgia not even in the big cities is there such a thing as a BLS truck. Basics don't work in 911 here. Nearly all the trucks in most of the cities that I know of have 1 paramedic and 1 EMT I or AEMT, and fire doesn't have much to do with ems in all but a few cities in the whole state. The way things are done in CA make it seem like a whole other country lol.
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For my area 911 ambulances are staffed P/B or P/P. The fire departments have at least 1 medic on the engine (sometimes as many as 4). Fire has to do EMS in order to keep making money.
 
How absolutely gosh darn ridiculous. Our EMRs do BGLs. Our medical director decided that it was stupid for EMRs not to be allowed meters, he changed our protocols. No one has died from complications of a finger lancet poke. At least that I know of --what's the reasoning? Anyone know?

6 year olds can be taught how to check blood sugar.
 
Household6 said:
How absolutely gosh darn ridiculous. Our EMRs do BGLs. Our medical director decided that it was stupid for EMRs not to be allowed meters, he changed our protocols. No one has died from complications of a finger lancet poke. At least that I know of --what's the reasoning? Anyone know?

6 year olds can be taught how to check blood sugar.
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I've been wondering the same thing myself. Even if you have ALS right behind you, there's no harm in being first on scene and attaching an SpO2 monitor to Mrs. Johnson who's suffering from SOB, or to Mr. Smith who's a known diabetic and found unresponsive in his chair.
 
If it is an all-ALS system, I don't see a need for a glucometer for BLS. If it is a tiered system, then BLS could use it to help triage and/or treat patients.
 
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