Ambulance Ride Alongs!

GoldcrossEMTbasic

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I have done 2 shifts in the past 2 weeks, job shadowing for a small community. This company is owned by the city and it is all EMT-B and EMT-I based, volunteer paid per run. BLS transport and ALS intercept. However I have not got one call or transfer in the two 12 hour shifts that I scheduled. The ambulance director told me that, "In a small town you will never expect what is going to come up." The hospital that they send their patients to, they offered a tour of their ER to me. However they only had 6 ER rooms and a trauma room. and one small psych room and it is listed as a Level 3 Trauma Center and the level 2 is only 45 minutes by ground transport. While I was on the tour I would've expected maybe one or two patients in the ER. "None nada zip:rofl:!" This particular hospital has one inpatient wing adjacent to the ER. During the day other agencies were getting paged 50 to 60 miles from the quarters I was shadowing. Has any other EMTs out there ever worked or have done ride alongs with a company with no calls?
 
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Handsome Robb

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We run ~80,000 calls per year. I've batted zeros in the city before. I've had days where we run 12+ calls in a 12. Every day is different.

With that said there's never been a day where we didn't get a single call as an agency. Usually run 200-250 a day on average, I think the lowest number of runs I've ever seen for a day was like 110.

Our sister agency in NorCal has had plenty of days where they get nothing between their three stations.
 
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Mainspring

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wow... that's crazy...

I can't imagine an ER with no PTs, no 6-8 hour wait in the waiting room, ect.

When I did my ride along, my first day, we only had 2 calls in 12 hour shift. (911 company)
I'm in a major city so this was very unexpected.

no calls at all... crazy.
 

teedubbyaw

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I'm in one of the largest cities in the US, probably over 100k calls per year, and there are stations I ride out where we go without a call. It sucks when you're a student.
 

chaz90

Community Leader
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We'll occasionally have no hitters. We only do 12 hour shifts though and our call volume isn't horribly high, so it's not unexpected. It's a fact of life wherever you go. Push past it and the calls will find you eventually!
 
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GoldcrossEMTbasic

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"You got that one right!":rofl: This town has a population about 4200, that will explain why, this company and ER does not get much action. But they are centered in the state and they are pretty much almost a BLS type of agency with 3 rigs for BLS transport and they also have limited types of medications on board, your basic EMT meds Nitro, oral glucose, etc. . So if the Patient requires NARCS and is more critical with multisystem trauma then they will do a ALS intercept. Either by ground or air depending on the severity of the patient's MOI or NOI.
 
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GoldcrossEMTbasic

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"I am trying!" I would like work in a big city, but the Twin Cities, currently has only ER techs for job opportunities. I want to be on the rig.:cool:
 

Chewy20

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ER Tech positions are a good learning experience, so I would say if you can get that job than you may want to take it. Pay is usually better, and you will get to see everything the ambulance brings in + walk-in patients. The ambulance is fun, but if your company is running 3-4 rigs and still experiencing no calls than it would not be to beneficial to you. Double-edged sword though, because you also said your ER is empty!
 

Underoath87

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"You got that one right!":rofl: This town has a population about 4200, that will explain why, this company and ER does not get much action. But they are centered in the state and they are pretty much almost a BLS type of agency with 3 rigs for BLS transport and they also have limited types of medications on board, your basic EMT meds Nitro, oral glucose, etc. . So if the Patient requires NARCS and is more critical with multisystem trauma then they will do a ALS intercept. Either by ground or air depending on the severity of the patient's MOI or NOI.

They carry nitro on a BLS truck? Is this to be administered by an EMT-I with an IV in place?
 

takl23

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That's crazy no calls in that amount of time. I had a 12 last week and only had three calls but as a company we are at almost 25k since January 1...yesterday I averaged about 1 call an hour.
 

Mjolnir

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Ah, how the times have changed...last time I went in to work, I remember pleading with Dispatch to give me a no-hitter.
 

cruiseforever

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"I am trying!" I would like work in a big city, but the Twin Cities, currently has only ER techs for job opportunities. I want to be on the rig.:cool:

Do you work for Gold Cross? Your screen name makes me think so. If you do I would think you would have a lot of right along chances.

There are a couple of ambulance services in the Twin Cities that use EMTs. Allina Health EMS have a bunch of them. North in the Forest Lake area has some. If you do not have much experience work for some the smaller services on the out skirts. What area of MN do you live in?
 

Handsome Robb

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Ah, how the times have changed...last time I went in to work, I remember pleading with Dispatch to give me a no-hitter.

I thoroughly enjoy no hitters.

With that said when I make it back to the rig after this surgery I'll be asking for central coverage for the first couple of weeks until I get over running my *** into the ground again.
 
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GoldcrossEMTbasic

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No unfortunately I don't. I have applied for GC but, they have sent me an email stating that they prefer EMT-Bs advancing to paramedic school. I prefer not to. I am starting surgical tech program in the fall. I do live in STC. I did apply at Allina for an open position in Hutchinson. They called me and told me that they have forwarded my application to the hiring manager. That was two weeks ago. I have not heard from Allina since then. "I think that they decided to move forward with another candidate." However, I did apply with a staffing agency in the Twin Cities. That will hire temp EMTs or RNs, MAs, etc. the company I applied for is called Clinicor. They would call and tell me that they need EMTs at a major convention or sporting or concert venue or sometimes a ambulance agency if they are short staffed. But they say that is uncommon. "I think that would help me get the foot in the door." But when you first get out of training it is hard to find a job as an EMT. Because they prefer 1 to 2 years experience.:rofl: I am also going to volunteer at a large christian music festival in Willmar In July. That will at least give me some patient contacts. They see over 300-400 pts. a year. With minor illnesses. sunburns, dehydration, diabetic, and allergy cases. So Do you work for any company? And what city are you from?:unsure:
 
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GoldcrossEMTbasic

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No, Just the SL NTG. IV nitro drip is used on ALS rig. At which they have to intercept to give the Nitro drip. But The EMT-Is can start an NS lock and Bolus of fluids TKO or what the order from medical control would be. "I think they can only do IV fluids and not push meds." I could be wrong. If there is an EMT-I that can clarify that, please reply.:unsure:
 
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chaz90

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No Just the PO nitrostat.Not an IV drip. Of course they do the aspirin and VS before administration per their protocol.

I believe the original question was if they have the ability to establish IV access prior to administering SL NTG in case of hypotension. I don't necessarily think it's unjustifiable to administer SL NTG without IV access available, but it's certainly something to consider. Many patients do self administer nitrates all the time, but these patients have theoretically been thoroughly screened by a physician prior to receiving that prescription.
 

Handsome Robb

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I believe the original question was if they have the ability to establish IV access prior to administering SL NTG in case of hypotension. I don't necessarily think it's unjustifiable to administer SL NTG without IV access available, but it's certainly something to consider. Many patients do self administer nitrates all the time, but these patients have theoretically been thoroughly screened by a physician prior to receiving that prescription.

Not gonna lie. It pisses me off to no end when I get on scene of an ACS call and fire has nothing done "but we gave him 3 of nitro!!"

Right on, hopefully you didn't mask ECG changes and cause a systemic vascular collapse that makes my job 10 times harder and could potentially delay life and tissue saving definitive care.

With that said, there's definitely times where I really don't care if they've given it either. I try to make sure to have a line before I give it, we can actually continue our ACS protocol without a line provided their SBP is alright and no sign of IWMI and/or RVI or anything else that would make them preload dependent.
 
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