EMS Ramblings

I must say that this past weekend was most uneventful at work - for the nightshift that is. Dayshift had a few rockin' and rollin' moments - but it certainly didn't carry over to us. Our 12 hours seemed like 120 each night and I am glad to have have had the day off to rest today (Monday).

Tomorrow will be pretty steady - we have interviews at EMS all afternoon and into the evening for a full-time EMT we will be hiring and for a vacant Captain's position we will be filling. We have great candidates for both positions and it will be really neat to see how well they excell in the scenarios. Without giving the interview away, people who have interviewed before me before know that I do a triage scenario with every interview I do. I feel this is important because whether you're an EMT or a Paramedic, you must learn to prioritize patients and treat the most serious things first. You would be surprized how many EMT's nail the scenario and Paramedics do poorly!! Whether you're an EMT or a paramedic, you must be able to arrive on the scene of multiple patients and rapidly decide who to treat first - and who not to treat at all!

I have also been disheartened lately at the number of EMT's graduating class who don't learn "street smart skills" as I like to call them. They don't know what to do when the "ankle hitch" doesn't come with the traction splint, or what to do when the traction splint is longer than the backboard. They have never used MAST (granted they are a thing of the past, but like everything else, they'll be back - give it about 10 years LOL). They also have no idea what the scoop stretcher does, nor have they ever physically touched one to take it apart.

Young EMT's- learn what your equipment does. If there is a piece of equipment on your truck you don't know how to use - ask someone to show you how it works. I am espcially fond of certain "street smart" tools on the ambulance: Short Spine Board, Triangle Bandages, Scoop Stretcher, O2 tubing (as a drinking straw for charcoal), and 5x9 (or 8x10) whichever you prefer, and a trash can with a bag in it (not for trash but for vomiting patients). I could care less if I have a 2x2 on my truck, a 24 guage IV catheter, 5 lsb's (why so many when we can't carry that many folks), and all of these nifty new contraptions.

Lord knows, don't forget the damn glucometer. What is up with everyone nowadays checking the glucose of every patient we encounter???? If they are not altered, and do not have a diabetic history - DON'T DO IT! Heaven forbid, I make the mistake of reporting a glucose of 95 when it read 92 on the scene and one of these new folks says to me, "it was actually 92." Hello, what happened to the Visadex days and matching the colors - take me back to those times!!! We are machine happy on ambulances now and we need to get away from that! Treat the patient, folks.

Enough rambling - ttyl - have a safe week!