It has been a long time since I have posted. Since then I have changed jobs within the same service. I am now the education coordinator for Pope County EMS. In this new position I am responsible for preparing and presented continuing education classes and training, refresher courses and other certification classes for our employees. I also order some of the supplies, as well as keeping protocols up to date. When necessary I will also work some on the truck if needed.
This is a big change for me. I miss patient care everyday, but it is also a great opportunity to help other personnel provide great care. I have had to renew AHA BLS, ACLS, EMT instructor status. I am in the process of acquiring theses certifications. So far I have been happy with the change.
Oh and I am now working Monday through Friday, just like a regular person. Wow what a change after almost 20 years of 24 on, 48 off shift work. It's actually the hardest part of the change. At 52 y/o it is nice to sleep in my own bed every night.
If any of you have any helpful hints, let me know. I appreciate any help and prayers.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
I'm back
Wow, it's been awhile. Really wasn't inspired to write since last time. I plan to start up again and keep going.
I have been working in EMS since 1994 and have transported many people. Well, in January I became the patient for the first time. I started getting sick on a Saturday and just kept feeling worse. That night I was up all night vomiting. As a diabetic and a paramedic I should have immediately gone to the ER for help after a couple vomiting episodes but hey, I'm a guy. Well, Sunday morning I was extremely weak, sick and barely could walk. My wife asked if I needed to go to the ER and I finally agreed. I barely made it to the vehicle for a ride. Another 30 minutes and she would have had to call the ambulance.
When I arrived at our small, local hospital they had to bring a wheel chair out for me. After a quick check they decided I was in DKA, a serious, sometimes fatal complication of diabetes. My sugar levels were through the rough (yes, I was sweet). I could not stop breathing about 40 times a minute and just felt awful. After they started 3 IV's and had given me insulin and several other medications they called out local ambulance service for transport to a larger hospital with specialty care and ICU. I was transported with lights and sirens. My paramedic was my very first full time EMS partner back in 1996. I was very happy to see him.
The trip was a blur. I remember being loaded into the ambulance and taking off. My next memory was of arriving at the larger facility, a short stop in their ER then up to ICU, were all dignity is lost if you are somewhat bashful. My care was wonderful, at my local hospital and at the larger on. Since this little episode I have a much more compliant diabetic and have felt much better.
Thanks to everyone who helped me, especially my wife, Vivian.
I have been working in EMS since 1994 and have transported many people. Well, in January I became the patient for the first time. I started getting sick on a Saturday and just kept feeling worse. That night I was up all night vomiting. As a diabetic and a paramedic I should have immediately gone to the ER for help after a couple vomiting episodes but hey, I'm a guy. Well, Sunday morning I was extremely weak, sick and barely could walk. My wife asked if I needed to go to the ER and I finally agreed. I barely made it to the vehicle for a ride. Another 30 minutes and she would have had to call the ambulance.
When I arrived at our small, local hospital they had to bring a wheel chair out for me. After a quick check they decided I was in DKA, a serious, sometimes fatal complication of diabetes. My sugar levels were through the rough (yes, I was sweet). I could not stop breathing about 40 times a minute and just felt awful. After they started 3 IV's and had given me insulin and several other medications they called out local ambulance service for transport to a larger hospital with specialty care and ICU. I was transported with lights and sirens. My paramedic was my very first full time EMS partner back in 1996. I was very happy to see him.
The trip was a blur. I remember being loaded into the ambulance and taking off. My next memory was of arriving at the larger facility, a short stop in their ER then up to ICU, were all dignity is lost if you are somewhat bashful. My care was wonderful, at my local hospital and at the larger on. Since this little episode I have a much more compliant diabetic and have felt much better.
Thanks to everyone who helped me, especially my wife, Vivian.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
By popular request
Got a message on Facebook from an "admiring" follower. It went like this;
"Can you write a story about what it was like to ride in horse drawn ambulances or use wooden IV needles on your "I was a paramedic before you were born blog"..... So here it goes.
If you think our ambulances ride rough now you should try out the old covered wagons over rough terrain we started with in the beginning. Was not much pavement then. And no air conditioners either. Dusty and dirty all the time. So much for sterility.
And about those IV's. They weren't wood. We uses bamboo shoots. The very ends made good small ones and if you need a larger bore you just cut a larger plant and cut it at an angle. Oh and PETA would have loved us. We used animal intestines for IV tubing.
As for alcohol preps, well we always had some home brewed antiseptic on hand. Corn based of course. It has several uses such as a cleaner and sedative. It could even be used similar to Versed to help people forget about any treatments, used in the right dosage. There was one problem. Some could develop a taste for it.
Spine boards? Well, we did have "pine" boards. No c-collars or CID's though. Just throw you on and away we go. Oh and no cardiac monitors either, remember electricity was still new and not every where.
People still smelled bad then most of the time but you really weren't sure if you smelled the patient or the horses, if you get what I mean.
No lights and sirens either. We had a lantern and if you wanted noise, you grabbed a cat and swung it by the tail (sorry Ms. Luke). That's all we had.
Now I hope that helps some of you to understand how it was way back then. It should help you appreciate how easy we have it now.
"Can you write a story about what it was like to ride in horse drawn ambulances or use wooden IV needles on your "I was a paramedic before you were born blog"..... So here it goes.
If you think our ambulances ride rough now you should try out the old covered wagons over rough terrain we started with in the beginning. Was not much pavement then. And no air conditioners either. Dusty and dirty all the time. So much for sterility.
And about those IV's. They weren't wood. We uses bamboo shoots. The very ends made good small ones and if you need a larger bore you just cut a larger plant and cut it at an angle. Oh and PETA would have loved us. We used animal intestines for IV tubing.
As for alcohol preps, well we always had some home brewed antiseptic on hand. Corn based of course. It has several uses such as a cleaner and sedative. It could even be used similar to Versed to help people forget about any treatments, used in the right dosage. There was one problem. Some could develop a taste for it.
Spine boards? Well, we did have "pine" boards. No c-collars or CID's though. Just throw you on and away we go. Oh and no cardiac monitors either, remember electricity was still new and not every where.
People still smelled bad then most of the time but you really weren't sure if you smelled the patient or the horses, if you get what I mean.
No lights and sirens either. We had a lantern and if you wanted noise, you grabbed a cat and swung it by the tail (sorry Ms. Luke). That's all we had.
Now I hope that helps some of you to understand how it was way back then. It should help you appreciate how easy we have it now.
Until next time.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Family Life
How many of you are married and in EMS and managed to stay married? Our field has a lot of stresses that affect married life. We spend a lot of time away from home, we develop close working relationships with our partners and many of us have destructive habits. We also have a different outlook on many things that people in the medical field do not understand.
Being away from home for us that work 24 hours shifts is normal. We spend 1/3 of our time away, if we don't work extra. Extra work increases that time away. For many that puts a lot of stress on our relationships. We miss time together with our spouses and children. Date nights with the spouse and kids events have to be missed because of work. At times it appears our job is more important that anything else. Some marriages just don't stand up to the pressure. For me, I have been blessed with a wife and two kids that have understood and accepted these absences. We did spend quality time camping and going to events but there were times when work interfered. I have been married over 31 years, to the same person, and have worked in EMS for 20 of that. It takes work to make it last.
On the other side of the coin, working 24 on 48 off gives you time off that other jobs do not let you get. I have been able to be involved in school and other activities with my kids that other dads could not. I also can spend time with my wife that other cannot. If you make the best of your time off, it can be great.
Shift work can be a blessing or a curse, depending on you and your family. It is worth the work. I am not sure if I could go to work Monday through Friday anymore.
Being away from home for us that work 24 hours shifts is normal. We spend 1/3 of our time away, if we don't work extra. Extra work increases that time away. For many that puts a lot of stress on our relationships. We miss time together with our spouses and children. Date nights with the spouse and kids events have to be missed because of work. At times it appears our job is more important that anything else. Some marriages just don't stand up to the pressure. For me, I have been blessed with a wife and two kids that have understood and accepted these absences. We did spend quality time camping and going to events but there were times when work interfered. I have been married over 31 years, to the same person, and have worked in EMS for 20 of that. It takes work to make it last.
On the other side of the coin, working 24 on 48 off gives you time off that other jobs do not let you get. I have been able to be involved in school and other activities with my kids that other dads could not. I also can spend time with my wife that other cannot. If you make the best of your time off, it can be great.
Shift work can be a blessing or a curse, depending on you and your family. It is worth the work. I am not sure if I could go to work Monday through Friday anymore.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
BE NICE
One of the most important things I have learned in the years I have been in this business is how important it is to BE NICE.
I know that is very hard many times. When you are working a wreck and the only survivor is the drunk that killed others while driving intoxicated you find it difficult to be nice. And when he/she decides you are and SOB and all the other things we are called while trying to help someone it makes it almost impossible. What about the overbearing bystander telling you how to do your job? All you want to do is retaliate verbally and physically. I know how you feel. Been there, done that.
On most occasions it is your best choice to remain neutral. If we get distracted by our anger and thoughts of revenge we cannot focus on our main goal. To take care of out patients no is our main goal, after we ensure our safety. You cannot do your best while out of control. We are not here to punish. That is for the legal folks. We are there to provide great care for all our patients.
Of course it's easy to be nice to the pleasant patients. Or is it. They can be nice but really not need an ambulance and we get angry. Think about it. Just what do you gain by being mean and hateful? A little satisfaction, revenge. And where does that get you? It probably makes your work harder and sure makes you unhappy. Not to mention it pisses off the patient and it does not change their attitude or demeanor. No one wins really.
There are times that we must be firm and forceful to protect ourselves and others but if we remain in control show some respect, we can get our point across and remain ethical.
Try if you will to be nice to all of your patients, their families and friends. Try to be nice to anyone you meet during the course of your duties. Try it for a while. Take a chance to make your life better and it might even help someone else. You never know what they are really going through.
I know that is very hard many times. When you are working a wreck and the only survivor is the drunk that killed others while driving intoxicated you find it difficult to be nice. And when he/she decides you are and SOB and all the other things we are called while trying to help someone it makes it almost impossible. What about the overbearing bystander telling you how to do your job? All you want to do is retaliate verbally and physically. I know how you feel. Been there, done that.
On most occasions it is your best choice to remain neutral. If we get distracted by our anger and thoughts of revenge we cannot focus on our main goal. To take care of out patients no is our main goal, after we ensure our safety. You cannot do your best while out of control. We are not here to punish. That is for the legal folks. We are there to provide great care for all our patients.
Of course it's easy to be nice to the pleasant patients. Or is it. They can be nice but really not need an ambulance and we get angry. Think about it. Just what do you gain by being mean and hateful? A little satisfaction, revenge. And where does that get you? It probably makes your work harder and sure makes you unhappy. Not to mention it pisses off the patient and it does not change their attitude or demeanor. No one wins really.
There are times that we must be firm and forceful to protect ourselves and others but if we remain in control show some respect, we can get our point across and remain ethical.
Try if you will to be nice to all of your patients, their families and friends. Try to be nice to anyone you meet during the course of your duties. Try it for a while. Take a chance to make your life better and it might even help someone else. You never know what they are really going through.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Got to get better at posting regularly.
I am going to have to get better at posting on a regular basis. I promise to try.
On May 5, 2012 I attended a class in Memphis, TN. It covered MCI, ICS and we also had a cadaver lab. This day was sponsored by ATERF ( Arkansas Trauma Education and Research Foundation) and held at the MERI facility in Memphis. It was a blast.
We started the day with a lecture about MCI and ICS and talked a lot about triage. This lasted about 1 1/2 hours and was not as boring as you would imagine.
There was about 75 people in attendance. Most were EMS but there were a few nurses also. This class was geared for pre-hospital primarily. It was nice to see some nurses and be able to share some ideas and information. We were divided into six groups and this determined our schedule for the rest of the day. My group was assigned to the cadaver lab prior to lunch. We had three fresh cadavers that were not embalmed. I would like to thank the families that allowed their loved ones to help us learn life saving techniques.
One was dissected to allow us to view and learn airway and thorax injuries and treatment. It was amazing to see the actual anatomy, not just pictures. Actually seeing the real organs and how they feel and fit inside the body.
Another body was dissected to allow us to observe and inspect the anatomy of the neck, torso and abdomen. We could inspect the heart and lungs. We could also see how an inflated stomach can affect the diaphragm and breathing. You could trace the great vessels to and from the heart and up into the neck. It brought to life all that you learn and see in pictures.
The third body was used to practice venous access and interosseous access. We mainly go to use the Easy IO on all the various locations you would use to gain access on a live person. This hands on training would be beneficial to all training levels and experience.
The afternoon allowed us to enter a mock up MCI of an IED that exploded in an office. We had to enter and triage then package and remove all our patients to a treatment area. Then we had to provide treatment to all injuries. We did this as a team. One thing the instructors did for us was to ensure that no team members knew each other. They tried to simulate how it would be to bring several agencies together for a major incident.
At the end of the day we came together to recap all that we learned. It was a day well spent learning and also meeting new people.
Thanks to all the instructors that helped us that day. Also thanks to the vendors that bought our breakfast and lunch.
Oh and Friday night I did get a chance to see Beale Street for the first time. One cool outdoor party. Didn't stay to late as I had class the next day.
All in all I had a great time and learned many new things and refreshed others. I look forward to more classes offered through ATERF. Visit their site at www.aterf.org.
On May 5, 2012 I attended a class in Memphis, TN. It covered MCI, ICS and we also had a cadaver lab. This day was sponsored by ATERF ( Arkansas Trauma Education and Research Foundation) and held at the MERI facility in Memphis. It was a blast.
We started the day with a lecture about MCI and ICS and talked a lot about triage. This lasted about 1 1/2 hours and was not as boring as you would imagine.
There was about 75 people in attendance. Most were EMS but there were a few nurses also. This class was geared for pre-hospital primarily. It was nice to see some nurses and be able to share some ideas and information. We were divided into six groups and this determined our schedule for the rest of the day. My group was assigned to the cadaver lab prior to lunch. We had three fresh cadavers that were not embalmed. I would like to thank the families that allowed their loved ones to help us learn life saving techniques.
One was dissected to allow us to view and learn airway and thorax injuries and treatment. It was amazing to see the actual anatomy, not just pictures. Actually seeing the real organs and how they feel and fit inside the body.
Another body was dissected to allow us to observe and inspect the anatomy of the neck, torso and abdomen. We could inspect the heart and lungs. We could also see how an inflated stomach can affect the diaphragm and breathing. You could trace the great vessels to and from the heart and up into the neck. It brought to life all that you learn and see in pictures.
The third body was used to practice venous access and interosseous access. We mainly go to use the Easy IO on all the various locations you would use to gain access on a live person. This hands on training would be beneficial to all training levels and experience.
The afternoon allowed us to enter a mock up MCI of an IED that exploded in an office. We had to enter and triage then package and remove all our patients to a treatment area. Then we had to provide treatment to all injuries. We did this as a team. One thing the instructors did for us was to ensure that no team members knew each other. They tried to simulate how it would be to bring several agencies together for a major incident.
At the end of the day we came together to recap all that we learned. It was a day well spent learning and also meeting new people.
Thanks to all the instructors that helped us that day. Also thanks to the vendors that bought our breakfast and lunch.
Oh and Friday night I did get a chance to see Beale Street for the first time. One cool outdoor party. Didn't stay to late as I had class the next day.
All in all I had a great time and learned many new things and refreshed others. I look forward to more classes offered through ATERF. Visit their site at www.aterf.org.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
A few thoughts
It's amazing how some times you get similar calls in consecutive days. The last two shifts I have worked I have had two patients that that presented very similar to each other. Both were elderly ladys who were having severe trouble breathing. Both were very anxious and struggling with every breath. The first lady did not respond well to treatment and was intubated very soon after arrival at the emergency department (ED). Today's lady responded well and after arrival at the ED was soon feeling much better. Both patients received the same care but responded differently. Even after many years in this field I am still amazed at how differently patients respond. I am also amazed at times that I have the opportunity to witness this and be part of it. I feel blessed during these contacts. I hope all of you feel the same way. Blessing until another day.
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