the 100% directionless thread

[Handsome Robb]

I love coming back to the garage to find a subpoena waiting for me. :wacko:

Thank you thank you thank you!! I needed to hear that Robb! I mean, is it normal that using only mirrors to drive and reverse is challenging? Or am I the only one that sucks at it? lol

Sorry for complaining...I was just surprised at how difficult it was and how bad I did.

No it's not. But you get used to it. Driving an ambulance is tough if you're not used to driving bigger vehicles. They're long, wide, turn slow, accelerate slow, stop slow, not easy to drive but after you spend some time behind the wheel you'll be surprised what you can do and parking spots you can fit in.

In your down time practice driving if your partner and dispatch are OK with it. When my partner and I train new hire intermediates (He's an FTO, I'm just the medic but I still give my input. We have intermediates train intermediates and medics train medics) we usually have them driving around when we're posted rather than sitting around doing nothing. We also do system status management so we have a mile radius in which we can roam from our designated post. We have them drive normal, parallel park, revers park, we park it oddly and make them get out of it. Usually we use natural barriers or cones if we find them lying around (just remember to put them back when you're done and use your head about which ones seem safe to borrow and which ones need to stay in place.

Random question but do you guys have backup cameras on your rigs?

I always find it funny when people make comments about me parking my personal truck (crew can short bed Super Duty). That thing feels small compared to my ambo.

 

[CodeBru1984]

I love coming back to the garage to find a subpoena waiting for me. :wacko:

That doesn't sound fun... :unsure:

 

[VFlutter]

Not sure if this deserves its own thread but....what's the purpose of the 10lb sandbag placed on a cath lab patients groin? I'd ask my CCTRN but he's in, shall I say not very pleasant mood at the moment lol

The sandbag is to maintain pressure on the arterial access site after hemostasis is obtained. Depending on the patient's body habitus it does not really provide all that much pressure on the actual site but it is a good reminder to the patient to keep their leg straight. They also help with hematomas.

Post cath patients are heavily anticoagulated and at risk for serious bleeds. If they ooze we can use SubQ lido/Epi. If they get a hematoma we are stuck "mashing" it out and holding pressure for ~30min. If they had a right and left cath (venous and arterial) you can get a Pseudoanyeursm and AV fistula. And then there are retroperitoneal bleeds which are usually bad. They will dump a ton of blood volume into the cavity and go into shock.

Pulling sheaths for an EP study is fun. They will have up to 8 sheaths and access sites, mostly venous.

 

[CALEMT]

Im almost done with this work week... I'm on day 6/7 then 2 days off and I'm back at it!

 

[Handsome Robb]

And as fast as the paycheck came its gone to the bill collectors :angry:

It's absolutely asinine that as a medic it's still paycheck to paycheck. Storage unit needs to go, that'll save me some money. Not really sure what else I can cut out though :-/

 

[Anonymous]

And as fast as the paycheck came its gone to the bill collectors :angry:

It's absolutely asinine that as a medic it's still paycheck to paycheck. Storage unit needs to go, that'll save me some money. Not really sure what else I can cut out though :-/

Thus the reason I left EMS unfortunately...

 

[CodeBru1984]

And as fast as the paycheck came its gone to the bill collectors :angry:

It's absolutely asinine that as a medic it's still paycheck to paycheck. Storage unit needs to go, that'll save me some money. Not really sure what else I can cut out though :-/

I feel you there!

 

[mycrofft]

And as fast as the paycheck came its gone to the bill collectors :angry:

It's absolutely asinine that as a medic it's still paycheck to paycheck. Storage unit needs to go, that'll save me some money. Not really sure what else I can cut out though :-/

I was faced with this when I had to move to Omaha for nursing school, leaving my baby and my wife behind 64 miles away, and cutting back to a bare minimum for the first semester. I presumed it would be for twenty weeks but left options open for longer.

1. No car. Means no insurance or parking fees or license.
2. Share rent on a nicer place or rent a crummy place.
3. Make an ironclad budget and a fallback plan for food if you fall off for a month. I baked my own sourdough bread, ate mac and cheese from a box made with water, bought groceries and vitamins monthly, budgeted a greyhound ticket to and from once a week to visit them and had to skip that a couple times. But have a plan with a date projected to emerge.
4. Use the library, friends, and/or work for internet access, maybe laundry.(Using friends works if you have a finish line in mind and exhibit that you are going for it; nothing torques me up worse than someone acting poor and needy for my help, then buying a sixpack or taking a trip).
5. Speaking of library/homes away fro home: free books, movies, audio books, study place, warm and cool when appropriate, comfy chairs maybe.

Ditto some cafe's (Starbucks, Paesano's), go with a friend who's buying for him or herself for camouflage and use the free wifi. If you find some little place, after a bit ask about any employment they might have, although that may get you 86'ed because they are uncomfortable with you afterwards.

Colleges/universities; if you are a student , or if you can get ID to get onto campus, do so. (Some places used to sell student activity cards to non-students; then again, they didn't use to check ID's to get on campus at all, do they now?). Many things to do there, such as watch TV, MAYBE free wifi, etc etc. Employment bulletin boards often.

6. Get a better paying job. Even if it isn't EMS. And/or a second job.
7. Seek credit help through nonprofit/free means, your bank (advice not more debt).
8. Basic type of cell phone on good company. Or no cell phone. No data plan. I wouldn't go "prepaid" since the time you need lots of overage minutes will be emergencies (maybe).
9. No cable tv.

 

[PotatoMedic]

"Registered" for medic school. Now it is a waiting game till they email me telling me I am in and asking for my money. I hate this waiting game..........

 

[9D4]

"Registered" for medic school. Now it is a waiting game till they email me telling me I am in and asking for my money. I hate this waiting game..........

I just did that too. It wasn't as bad as I thought, was $1,100 for the first semester. Then again, someone else paid for it for me :lol: A local church is paying the way for me ^_^
Had to go to a preclass meeting about a week ago, I was honestly shocked at how much older the rest of the students are. I'm 18, I'd say the class was predominantly mid-late 30's, with the next youngest being 29.
I have a feeling it will be a little culture shock for me.

 

[Ronocologist]

First post.

Seeing as this thread if what it is. I'm putting my first post here. Hi guys!

 

[RocketMedic]

I actually do pretty well on my EMSA salary. $770 for rent, 340 for truck, 250 bills, 200 food, 200 gas. Being married to a productive otter of society helps.

Otters are awesome, btw. Monogamous, social, cute and smart. People should be more like otters.

Yey otters.

 

[JPINFV]

Otters are awesome, btw. Monogamous, social, cute and smart. People should be more like otters.

Yey otters.

Otters? Personally, I prefer beavers.. of the hairless variety.

 

[Wheel]

Got a call today for a new job. I'll be putting in my two weeks tomorrow and moving halfway across the country to start on the 19th. Way more money, slightly better protocols, and my wife will be happy because we'll be close to her parents for the first time in seven years.

 

[Fire51]

Got a call today for a new job. I'll be putting in my two weeks tomorrow and moving halfway across the country to start on the 19th. Way more money, slightly better protocols, and my wife will be happy because we'll be close to her parents for the first time in seven years.

That's awesome man, best of luck, I hope it all works out. It seems like the move is the best choice so iam sure it will be for the best.

 

[STXmedic]

Got a call today for a new job. I'll be putting in my two weeks tomorrow and moving halfway across the country to start on the 19th. Way more money, slightly better protocols, and my wife will be happy because we'll be close to her parents for the first time in seven years.

What area will you be moving to?

 

[PotatoMedic]

Congrats!!! If your will to say what part of the country?

 

[Wheel]

That's awesome man, best of luck, I hope it all works out. It seems like the move is the best choice so iam sure it will be for the best.

What area will you be moving to?

South Carolina. I'm waiting to look at their social media policy before I say which organization.

 

[rmabrey]

Bored

 

[Handsome Robb]

These "bread and butter" ILS calls are great for our new hire...giving me a damn headache though.

Had a dude that was down on the floor x6 days, allegedly. Hypertensive, altered, 1AVB + hyperacute Ts, incomplete LBBB, LVH multifocal non-perfusing PVCs with random couplets and to top it off was throwing "runs" of AF...super altered. Guess I can't really complain. All we did was IV, NS, monitor and transport though.