the 100% directionless thread

Jim37F said:
I had a patient who used to be an ER nurse, you should've seen the look on his face when he found out his new insurance plan was having him transferred to LA Community Hospital
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I would imagine it was a look of sheer terror followed by confusion and then anger.
 
I'm convinced that one of our psych patients was taken to the middle of the desert by the police and left there. In reality she ws just locked up for medicare fraud.

Its always fun when you see a frequent flyer psych patient on not just one episode of cops but multiple episodes
 
Addrobo said:
Where are you from?
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I'm in the Phoenix, Az area. Can't get a job to save my life. What really sucks is the site I'm using is a live site, so all the listed jobs are available, still. There's positions from late Feb that still haven't been filled and they rejected my app for not having enough experience :glare:
Rather stupid imo, especially considering it's a per diem position for only one day a week...
 
9D4 said:
I'm in the Phoenix, Az area. Can't get a job to save my life. What really sucks is the site I'm using is a live site, so all the listed jobs are available, still. There's positions from late Feb that still haven't been filled and they rejected my app for not having enough experience :glare:
Rather stupid imo, especially considering it's a per diem position for only one day a week...
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Just keep plugging along, don't get discouraged.
 
@9D4, everttime I qoute you on tapatalk it looks wierd.

Just be patient and keep trying. I have 2 years experience in a very busy system and several recommendations and I have had an app in since November for a part time spot at a county job.
 
Addrobo said:
I would imagine it was a look of sheer terror followed by confusion and then anger.
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Not too far off, it was more like depressed resignation. He knew he needed treatment for a rather nasty looking foot infection, and that's where insurance wanted him for whatever reason. :/

Lesson learned, find out what hospitals are in the insurance network before you buy a plan.
 
What does it say when you're so surprised to see V Tach on the monitor that your first thought is that someone is tapping one of the leads and screwing with you?
 
Nothing makes you feel good quite like reversing pediatric asthma. 5 y/o F, 2 day fever, very hot, prior circumstantial evidence of asthma, sudden onset of nonproductive cough and resp. distress, "I cant get air". 5mg albuterol, 40mg methyldrednisone, 200mL NS = fixed, but the highlight was her and her older sister (10 yo). Both were asking what each medicine was, how it worked, why, etc. When the little one got worried over the IV, her big sister held her hand and was like "don't cry. Its a tiny needle. Not even a big deal. You're fine. They're not worried, so don't worry. You're not going to die. Just breathe in that medicine and don't cry." It was probably one of the most insightful things I've ever heard, and I think that the older sister is a born paramedic. Plus I got a heartfelt "thank you for saving me" from the patient and sisters (took all three, minors home alone and I really didnt want to leave a 5 or 5-and-10 yo stranded without Biggest Sister's 15 years of maturity and cell phone at some hospital.

Lungs and respiratory effort went from wheezy badness to fine in twenty minutes. To quote my arrival to Baptist, Crisis Averted!

I love this job and helping people.
 
Also, a fight over a man with sister in law- who exactly prepares "I didnt have sex with him!" as an impassioned defense when that man is the pts brother?

Incest is best?
 
Rocketmedic40 said:
Nothing makes you feel good quite like reversing pediatric asthma. 5 y/o F, 2 day fever, very hot, prior circumstantial evidence of asthma, sudden onset of nonproductive cough and resp. distress, "I cant get air". 5mg albuterol, 40mg methyldrednisone, 200mL NS = fixed, but the highlight was her and her older sister (10 yo). Both were asking what each medicine was, how it worked, why, etc. When the little one got worried over the IV, her big sister held her hand and was like "don't cry. Its a tiny needle. Not even a big deal. You're fine. They're not worried, so don't worry. You're not going to die. Just breathe in that medicine and don't cry." It was probably one of the most insightful things I've ever heard, and I think that the older sister is a born paramedic. Plus I got a heartfelt "thank you for saving me" from the patient and sisters (took all three, minors home alone and I really didnt want to leave a 5 or 5-and-10 yo stranded without Biggest Sister's 15 years of maturity and cell phone at some hospital.

Lungs and respiratory effort went from wheezy badness to fine in twenty minutes. To quote my arrival to Baptist, Crisis Averted!

I love this job and helping people.
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Aw, that was sweet of the big sister. I actually like working with kids, but so far *knocks on wood* I haven't had any critical children as patients. Worst one I've transported had a head laceration. I remember telling the kid "hey, you could be Harry Potter for Halloween" which at least got a smile.
 
It's a shame that VTach self corrected. That could have ended your white cloud status with a bang. Or, a zap, if you prefer.
 
Household6 said:
Drowning/hypothermia loss yesterday..

A grandpa was taking his grandson out in their canoe, and it capsized. I know the family, they're long time locals of the area. That old man was a member of the YMCA, he swam every single day. He'd take his grandson out all the time to talk to him about God. Peter was active in church and a believer in Salvation through Christ. So he was always out doing stuff with Thaddius, telling him about the Bible, bringing his to Sunday services.

Both had proper life preservers, but the water temp was 36 degrees..

The neighbors heard the cries for help, and they were able to pull the 4 year old out. That grandpa straight up TOSSED that little boy out of the current to the bystanders. But grandpa didn't make it.

They say the cause of death is TBD. That river was just too cold, water levels are high, the current is wicked strong right now..
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The amazing creation of the human body surprises me every time.. GET THIS lil update...

The COD according to the ME was a MCI.. When Peter hit the 36 degree water, within minutes it put his body into a hypothermic state..

All us edumacated people know what happened next right?

It bought him enough time to get his grandkid to shore. Un.be.leeve.able..
 
Just went to read some ECGs for the first time, really easy ones on the "skillstat" game.

Im embarrassed with how bad I am. Used to ace that thing.

I don't think I have even put electrodes on someone in almost 6 months let alone start an IV or intubate.

Granted, I've never been a master of reading strips like a lot of you but these are basic easy stuff :/
 
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NYMedic828 said:
Just went to read some ECGs for the first time, really easy ones on the "skillstat" game.

Im embarrassed with how bad I am. Used to ace that thing.

I don't think I have even put electrodes on someone in almost 6 months let alone start an IV or intubate.

Granted, I've never been a master of reading strips like a lot of you but these are basic easy stuff :/
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I honestly hate that game. At paramedic school, they attempted to use it to teach ECG interpretation to the students.

In my opinion, the problem is:
- It's drawn. It's not really what it looks like. Just close to what it looks like.
- That game pressures you into finding out the rhythm quickly. It doesn't promote systematically trying to figure out what it is.
- You can cheat it by memorizing it. It doesn't change, and that's not reality. Sinus rhythm will look different on different patients (eg different morphology, size, and deflection of p-waves, complexes, and t-waves).
- Also really think that learning to interpret rhythms looking at a 12-lead is way better than learning using just one lead. I think we'd be a lot better if we started finding out common characteristics of a rhythm based on looking at different leads (mainly ventricular tachycardia versus supraventricular tachycardia with aberrancy is the big one).

I would recommend practicing with a rhythm book or 12-lead book like ECG for Emergency Physicians Part I and II by Amal Mattu. If you're an EMT on a ALS or CCT ambulance, check out every patient's ECG if possible. I'd take what your paramedic or nurse partner says with a grain of salt too. In my area, a lot of them will tell you complete garbage.
 
Aprz said:
I honestly hate that game. At paramedic school, they attempted to use it to teach ECG interpretation to the students.

In my opinion, the problem is:
- It's drawn. It's not really what it looks like. Just close to what it looks like.
- That game pressures you into finding out the rhythm quickly. It doesn't promote systematically trying to figure out what it is.
- You can cheat it by memorizing it. It doesn't change, and that's not reality. Sinus rhythm will look different on different patients (eg different morphology, size, and deflection of p-waves, complexes, and t-waves).
- Also really think that learning to interpret rhythms looking at a 12-lead is way better than learning using just one lead. I think we'd be a lot better if we started finding out common characteristics of a rhythm based on looking at different leads (mainly ventricular tachycardia versus supraventricular tachycardia with aberrancy is the big one).

I would recommend practicing with a rhythm book or 12-lead book like ECG for Emergency Physicians Part I and II by Amal Mattu. If you're an EMT on a ALS or CCT ambulance, check out every patient's ECG if possible. I'd take what your paramedic or nurse partner says with a grain of salt too. In my area, a lot of them will tell you complete garbage.
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Yea I know it isn't optimal. Its only somewhat good if you haven't seen the rhythms in on the game in a long time. Once you do it once its useless.

I'm a medic off the ambulance for 6 months now. I only volunteer/work a flycar job which I haven't gone back to yet. So basically, I have done nothing but write 2 reports on nonsense calls in 6 months and not focusing on a single EMS/medicine related thing vs doing 5 ALS jobs a day and always reading.

Maybe when I actually start running again it will come back to me. I hope so lol.
 
NYMedic828 said:
Yea I know it isn't optimal. Its only somewhat good if you haven't seen the rhythms in on the game in a long time. Once you do it once its useless.

I'm a medic off the ambulance for 6 months now. I only volunteer/work a flycar job which I haven't gone back to yet. So basically, I have done nothing but write 2 reports on nonsense calls in 6 months and not focusing on a single EMS/medicine related thing vs doing 5 ALS jobs a day and always reading.

Maybe when I actually start running again it will come back to me. I hope so lol.
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It will all come back..and quickly.

I was off for 9 months after a car wreck and it all came back very quickly when I returned to work. Had to knock a few cobwebs out though.
 
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