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DarrellF

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Hi. I have a longish question to ask you awesome folks. I am currently 27 yo male. I have been on dialysis since I turned 18. Being an emt/paramedic and eventually nurse has been my dream since I was 16. My kidney failure is from a congenital defect...no kidney on the left side, and atrophied kidney tissue on the right. Just before I was to enroll in EMT school, I went into full kidney failure. It was a tough few years in the beggining, as I recieved a transplant kidney from my father, then had a reaction to one of the meds (cylosporine) and spent 7 weeks on a vent. Had to learn walking again, and get strength back...but I bounced back from that very well, although the transplant failed about 12 months after that. I have been VERY stable for the last 5 years, and have decided to chase my dream, I don't want to sit around the house anymore. Ok...background over, now to the big question.
I am going on dialysis right now, and am goig to be on the transplant list soon. Have any of you EMT's/Paramedics/Other come across any cases/patients/calls where being immuno-supressed would not be a good thing? I know there are a lot of times on sick calls especially when being immuno-supressed is not good, but I am talking about taking Universal Precautions---Mask, gloves, etc...I would think I would be ok if I observed Universal Precautions.
What are your thoughts on this?
BTW...thank you all for the great work you do everyday.
Hope someone can encourage/put my thoughts to rest.
Thank You
Darrell :D
 
15 views and nobody has anything to say? C'mon thats like 1/3 of this sites membership :lol:

Anybody there? Hellooooooo :huh:
 
Quite honestly, I don't know what to say. I think it's great that you want to continue with your dream, but I can think of several situations where an immune deficiency can be a serious problem. TB, HIV, AIDS, HBV, HCV, MRSA, VRE are just a few off the top of my head. Some of these viruses can live for an extended period of time outside of the human body and can be transferred in a variety of ways (including airborne).

The first thing that I would do, if I was you, would be to check with your state's EMS offices or Department of Health. A lot of states have requirements for vaccinations (such as HBV) and other physical requirements to be an EMT or nurse.

As far as Universal Precautions go, they are not a magic shield that will protect you from all diseases.
 
I, too, was unsure on how to reply to this.

You can have all the PPE ready to go (gloves, masks, gowns, etc.) but what about the time where you sitting outside of your rig, enjoying the quiet time between calls, and some homeless man comes up to you, clearly showing signs of not taking care of himself, covered in dirt, grime and who knows what kind of bacteria. Before you know it he's breathing on you or maybe touching your shoulder asking you for some help.

There a million other scenarios as well. Take the advice given above and check with your state's EMS office.

Chimp
 
Here's the way I look at it. It sounds like you have had this passion for a very long time and have had a lot to deal with in such a short period of time. I would be pretty freaked out myself if I were on any sort of transplant list and can speak for myself that I would live everyday to the fullest and make every effort to fulfill my dreams. As for all of us we never know what tomorrow holds or if it will even come at all.

So with that said I think where there's a will there's a way. Honestly, you may have some limitations due to your immuno depressed status but never let that hold you back my friend. You should definitely enroll in a EMT-Basic class ASAP if that is one of your deepest desires. There is nothing that I can think of that would be hazardous to your current condition by just completing the EMT program of which is all didactic and psychomotor stuff in the classroom.

And also, join your local fire department or EMS station. There is plenty of stuff that you can get a head start on and learn by just "hanging out" at the station. I remember when I first joined the emergency services when I was 14 and just being around the fire equipment and having that sense of belonging to an elite group was one of the best feelings ever. Like some of the other posts mentioned though, there will be situations were the unexpected happen and you may not have time to don all the PPE that you would like to. But, there would be nothing wrong with running as a "third person" where you would still be getting in the mix of things and could provide direct patient care but would not be as prone to being in a situaiton where you would be forced to provide care to a known or suspected infectious patient. And yes I know assume all are infectious but if you get a certain type of patient that may pose a greater risks you could stand back and ride up front or drive on the way to the hospital.

What I would do first is check with your primary care physician and ask for his advice. See what he has to say and get that professional opinion from a strict medical standpoint. If he say's it's ok an does'nt foresee any real risks that can't be minimized by precautionary procedures then go for it full force. And if you join a FD/EMS station just inform them up front so they know how to help you. Most EMS providers I know would be more then understanding and accommodating to your situation.

I hope this provides some encouragement and you continue to chase your dream. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something.... you can do anything you want to do if you want it bad enough!
 
Welcome to the community!

I too wasn't sure how to respond on this one, and waited for others to respond first. I admit I haven't read all the responses, but I feel a bit more comfortable now.

I think there EMS is a great opportunity for everyone that has such a passion. I would suggest you first ask your medical doctors for advice. I've found my own to be very supportive of EMS. Second, I would go to the local ambulance company or fire department and talk to them. As you can probably tell, those in EMS love to talk about EMS. See what they have to say, and I'm there is a place for you in EMS.

Lastly, I'd get a start somwhere, even if it doesn't mean working as an EMT. Whether it mean you go down to the firehouse and help out every so often, or even work in dispatch, I'd just get your foot in the door. EMS is a rewarding job, and it sounds like you'd be great at it. You'd be surprised how many EMTs have their own medical issues, so I don't think you're alone on that front.

If I were you I'd first ask the doctors for advice, then check out the local fire station. Try calling the local EMT school or community college, they can also provide information for you. If you're uncomfortable about asking, you can email go to your local Community College's web site and email the EMS department asking for their advice.

I hope you do get in the field, and you enjoy it as much as I do. It's great having you around, I and also hope you keep us updated on your story. Feel free to ask questions, we have a great bunch of people here.
 
Thank you all very much for your replies. They give me alot to think about. I hadn't even thought about like VRE...Ive had that, wasnt fun being in isolation. I am going to the EMS headquarters and talk to some people as was suggested. I am going to enroll in the EMT-B course right now. Then see what happens.

Gotta run right now, just wanted to say thanks, but I will post a longer message when I have time.

Thanks again.

Darrell
 
Around here, there's no restrictions for getting certified. Anyone who completes the training and passes the certification process (background check, exam, etc.) can be certified. Private companies and fire departments, however, may have physical requirements. FDs are more strict because EMS personnel are also FFs. So long as the company/department doctor OKs you though and it doesn't interfere with your ability to do the job safely, pre-exisiting medical conditions are generally OK.

There's also a medical clearance required to drive an ambulance for a private company or volunteer fire department (paid departments are exempted), which is basically the same as that required for a commercial driver's license.
 
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