Search results

I think @Tigger has touched on something fundamental to this discussion. I think in order for a Fire Department to do EMS well, there has to be either an EMS culture already or the department has to fully buy-in to having an EMS culture blend in with the existing Fire culture, so much so that...

Where I work, about 95% of EMS is fire-based. They embraced EMS about 30 years ago and haven't looked back. Though, I must say, not all the firefighters enjoy being on the ambulance. They are, however, very aware that's what these departments do the vast majority of the time. They're also coming...

Even if you end up doing ground critical care transport as an RN, you will find yourself doing a lot of very basic "monitor" or single drip calls because either the facility/insurance wants the RN to do the transport or there's no medic available that can do those calls. Where I'm at, there are...

A King Tube isn't an ETT. If the patient becomes conscious, then the gag reflex often also become active which leads to vomiting. A KT won't stop emesis from getting into the airway. Thus, if the patient becomes conscious, you remove the KT. If you're authorized to drop a KT, you're also...

I'm not as old as the OP is, but I'm quite a bit older than most of the 911 medics in my system. There are a few medics older than I am... and the "old guys" (including me) can easily keep up with the "young and active" people in the system. While I'm a CCT RN now, if I were to be put into a 911...

You're thinking too much about what I just said above. If I'm asking questions, then I'm assessing and something will be charted about it being assessed. If I'm not going to assess something, (declining to evaluate) then it's not going to be assessed/evaluated and therefore will be charted as...

When I state "not assessed" I literally mean that I did not do any kind of assessment whatsoever of whatever I marked as "not assessed." If I indicate that there were "no abnormalities" that means I performed an assessment and determined that no abnormalities were present. The depth/level of...

In my particular case, I didn't need "the book" but I'm a relatively rare case. I started the EMT course (and later Paramedic course) with a level of knowledge that greatly exceeded those courses in most areas. For the education I got prior to doing anything EMS, I definitely needed "the book"...

I do a variation of the above. We have both a mount and a pouch for our pumps. I can lay them on the patient, use carabiners to hang them from the cot, or I can use a mount and clamp it to a cot mounted IV pole. However, I also work to detangle the mess as much as possible and LABEL everything...

Having slept only about 5 hours or so in the past couple days, it took me a little bit to realize the topic had suddenly changed...

Being actually dead is too old. If you are not actually dead, then the decision if you're too old is largely up to you as to getting into / back into EMS.

I would hazard a guess that the lady's dog isn't legally recognizable as a service animal. However the Medic or the service could be sued for asking for paperwork... under the ADA, none is required. However, the dog (in this case) has to be trained to perform a specific task or do specific work...

With just a few clicks of a mouse, subtraction of funds from the bank account, and a small amount of luck, I have successfully renewed my Paramedic license until 2026.

I only added that as a few people from the NCLEX (similar exam system) are randomly selected for that... but it sounds like NREMT has gotten smarter about that. In any event, I quite suspect that if you reach the max number of questions, the system likely has a slightly different rule set from...

Assuming you weren't randomly picked to go the full 150, the system needed the entire 150 to determine whether or not you passed. That means you were likely straddling the line between pass and fail and when you reached the end of the test, you were ever so slightly above passing standard so you...

The transport company I work with has a bari truck or two in each of their service areas. I very much second this. As to how the bari truck gets used, that's up to the company. My company usually keeps their bari trucks on standby so that a crew that does get a bari transport can go pick up the...

Here's a simple answer. If the computer shut off at the MINIMUM number of questions, then you have either spectacularly passed or spectacularly failed. There is no middle ground at the MINIMUM. If the computer goes even ONE question, or more, beyond the minimum, then you were on the bubble...

My hospital too... Easier to deal with as it's a single push dose and there's no need for a continuous drip of the stuff. It also means that a CCT-RN transfer is less likely needed as Paramedics aren't allowed to transport with tPA infusions in my area (if not the state). Half sets I like...

Basically a "half set" is an extension set with a pump cassette and you add that to the existing tubing from the hospital. The half sets I use take 5 mL to prime. The full set replaces their entire infusion set and you spike your own tubing into whatever drip. Some full sets have a drip chamber...

When I'm on a dedicated CCT truck, we carry something like 7 sapphire pumps with probably 10 or so half and full tubing sets. All of those pumps have their own cradle device. We also have a bag with the AC cords. When I'm on an intercept/fly car, I carry 6 sapphire pumps each of which also have...