EMTs AND PARAMEDICS REPRESENT!

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how about a list of things you have seen pts place in their orifices?
fb's(all rectal)
1. beer bottle
2.wine bottle
3.light bulb
4. pop-up sprinkler
5. can of edge shaving gel
6. and my personal favorite.....manakin arm to the elbow( seriously)
7. screwdriver
note: # 4 and #6 same pt 1 month apart
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ok, since everyone's talking about some memorable experiences here, i thought i'd give mine.

it actually happened last night. this guy comes in by ambulance for severe respiratory distress and he is actually talking to us when he arrives. well the doc goes to intubate and finds a FB in the airway, apparently the guy had an MI in the dentists chair and aspirated some gauze! well, while the doc is trying to free the FB, the guy codes. we did cpr for about 15 minutes and got him back. everythings lookin ok, till he codes again about 10 minutes later! this time we worked him for about half an hour,(i'm sore and bruised today from sitting on the gurney with my knees doing compressions) and miraculously, he came back! when i left at the end of my shift he was on a vent on his way to ICU. that is the first time i've seen someone code and then make it (so far).

well that's my little story
 
lytesnsyrens -

So it has been a little over a week; has the patient left the ICU yet? Is so, was it with a toe tag or going home?

Kind of a bummer, that arrest. Respiratory-etiology cardiac arrests are so hard to save. On top of an MI...
 
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Hey everyone. Well, I'm a paramedic myself. Loved every minute of it. I used to be on this forum for a while, but i've been away for about a year and a half now. Well, I've finally started on the Pre Med reqs. All be it, i've had to move nearly 300 miles to finally get the chance to do it, but I'm not gonna stop now. Good luck to everyone else!
 
Hello, all. Long-time reader, first time poster, etc. etc. I wonder if I could hit y'all up for some advice?

I'm old-ish at 32 years of age, but not terribly intimidated about building up a good application. I'm on track to apply for 2006, and I intend to use my time well. Since I have no science in my BA degree, I'm thinking post-bac. Therefore, I'd like to get strong EC's before I flutter off to who-knows-where, a year from now. I may have time in my glide year, or I may be able to get early entry to med school if I do the MCAT in April 2005.

I've been volunteering in the county ER for the last few months; I'll have maybe 200 to 300 hours there by the time I'm applying to schools. I'm also arranging shadowing time in neighborhood clinics. I hope to cultivate a DO mentor who can write a letter that glows in the dark.

EMT is part of my plan as well. The idea is to get trained and certified at EMT-B level, and use that to get work and experience either in an ED or a clinic. I can use that to get into a post-bac and it'll serve me well in the app process for med school... right?

Is it a sound plan? Have any of you done something similar? I figure worst-case scenario, I love being an EMT, I go for Paramedic certification, and forget med school. Unlikely, but possible.
 
I am a few years older than you and basically am doing the same thing after 5 years as a medic and 10 as a p.a.
it can be done. good luck
 
Please insure that your HIPAA forms have been filled in triplicate and notarized before further positng.;) ;)
 
Originally posted by Pinky18
Watch hot babes... blah blah blah :)
Click to expand...

Well, see, that's just my point: I've spent far too long on my computer already. It's time to get my career on track.

Thanks, emedpa. I only wish I'd been in healthcare the past 10 years, instead of wandering around in the business world, finding myself. Keep us informed how it's going, eh?
 
Originally posted by paramed2premed
lytesnsyrens -

So it has been a little over a week; has the patient left the ICU yet? Is so, was it with a toe tag or going home?

Kind of a bummer, that arrest. Respiratory-etiology cardiac arrests are so hard to save. On top of an MI...
Click to expand...

sorry its taken me so long to reply, finals have been consuming me.

anyway, the guy lived for 3 days. he died right before my next shift. it was sad, i had hopes for him even though we all knew it would've been a miracle had he lived.
 
i forgot, after i left that night, i found out that a few hours later b4 he got to ICU his lung collapsed (probably from the cpr) and they had to do a chest tube on him. he didn't get to ICU till about 5 am after being in the ER since 10 pm.
 
Originally posted by Green912
Please insure that your HIPAA forms have been filled in triplicate and notarized before further positng.;) ;)
Click to expand...

dont remind me. HIPAA ugh!
 
The SARS "epidemic" has brought HEPA to a new light,
The feds have put up the HIPAA fight,
and I carried a HIPPO up the stairs tonight!
 
Hey everyone,

I am 20 and have been an emt for 2 1/2 years. I've worked my way through nursing school as an emt-b. now i am working as a nurse, and wish i was back in the rig, i will be starting work in a surgical ICU at a large university hospital in 2 months(university of Iowa), maybe that will quench my craving for blood, guts, and codes. Anyway, I am getting my bs in nursing, then med school prereqs. but there is so much i want to do before med school ie: paramedic training, flight nurse/paramedic. I want to get back to the streets but i have been very busy (full time school and full time work) Reading these stories make me want to forget about school and jump into the closest ambulance service (hard to raise a family and pay the bills as an EMT though) Does anyone have any ideas of how to get their EMS kicks when they cant be working as one? Reading this forum has helped.

Thanks all, and don't forget your ems days when you are a doctor, remember, you where never just an ambulance driver!
 
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I'm going to finally watch the Hipaa movie today, and take the little quiz so I can go back to riding ambulance. (Yes, I am abs. pumped with coffee, and yes, I'm sure I'll still sleep thru it) My NREMT EMT-B exam is still 30 days away, so I'm just gonna ride with the local EMS service and hopefully line up a job!!

30 Days....it's gonna be so nice to have that over so I can stop being a "greenhouse technician" (flower waterer) and be a full-time emergency med techinician. :cool:

raDiOnut
 
I'm an EMT-B and am in the Bay Area. Go Bears. I'm trying to find placement preferrably with an ambulance service, but will take any job where I don't have to sit on my ass and wipe them. Any of you out there have any recs on where to start?
 
ajnak182,

Where in the Bay Area are you looking for work???

In SF the primary ambulance provider for the 911 system is SF Fire. Other ambulance providers in SF are King American and AMR

In the East Bay, AMR is the primary 911 provider, but other ambulance providers are Westmed and Priority One.

Hope this helps!

Brian Enriquez
[email protected]
 
Had a guy once down 59 sedatives and chased them with a 5th of whisky. We get there and he's on deaths front door. We can barely hold him up. Then a cop shows up and the guy flips out. He went from almost comatose to trying to bite me. We strap him down and got him in the back of the ambulance. The paramedic is working on him and I'm at his head ready to bag in case he crashes. He threatened to kill me, my family, the medics family, and the cop's he saw earlier...then to top things off he hocks a luggy right at my head. All of a sudden he got very calm...looks up at me and says "Daddy, I love you."....Wierd. I'm afraid to have kids if they're going to look anything like that guy.
 
I was holding pressure on an arterial bleed all the while the lady kept calling me a "skank white ho"
I really wanted to let go so she'd bleed enough to shut up...then I thought of how much of a mess it'd make and thought better of it.

i really dislike some people at times...
streetdoc
 
Hi Everybody,

I passed my EMT-B written & practical! I'm looking forward to beginning work w/ a local EMS service as soon as my MI paperwork comes back :)

raDiOnut :cool:
 
I wanted to do some EMT work during undergrad, but I didn't have the money to enroll into the EMT-B program. It's only offered at once placed around here, and it's a 40 minute drive.
 
okay.. stupid question.. but I have one... what is the medical examiner's card. I'm EMT certified, have my CPR card, but some employers want the medical examiner's card.. what is that?
Thanks,
Christine
 
Christine,

The medical examiner card is a a certification you get from the DMV... Go to the DMV on Fifth and Pole Line across the way from the Post Office and they will give you a form and a green card that you have to bring to your PCP... the form is basically a physical check off (vision, hearing, a UA, etc.)... just make sure you get all the boxes filled out otherwise you will have to go back to your doc to fill in the things that you might have forgotten (i found this out the hard way... i just tried to renew mine the day before yesterday)

While you are at the DMV, you might as well get your ambulance driver's cert too!

Email me if I can do anything else!

Brian Enriquez
[email protected]
 
Thanks brian
Now I remember what it was. I wonder if I can download if off of the computer. I am not in Davis anymore and the DMV is far from my house. I have an appointment for the amb. driver's cert. on the 10th, so I guess I should actually read the handbook huh? How are you doing by the way.. any news? Well, I'm chugging away at the MCAT one more time :) Hope you're doing great. Have any advice on how I can get hired without any experience?????? That seems to be the big problem. Thanks
christine
 
Originally posted by raDiOnut
Hi Everybody,

I passed my EMT-B written & practical! I'm looking forward to beginning work w/ a local EMS service as soon as my MI paperwork comes back :)
Click to expand...

Congrats, 'nut!

-F. (hoping to join you in August)
 
I am sooo jobless.. how do I convince someone to hire me when I have no experience as an EMT.. I don't know how to get my foot in the door. For all of you who have been doing it for a while.. how'd you get started?????
 
I took a weekends-only job with the worst ambulance service on the planet. It consisted of scamming Medicare patients into trucks that were ancient and dangerous. They were eager to hire brand-new basics; the only people in the state who hadn't heard of them!

Our uniforms comprised white pants and a white smock, like the kind the old-time doctors and pharmacists wore. Ridiculous.
 
I LOVE EMS. I was a NREMT-Basic for two years, and NREMT- Intermediate for one year and now finally I have made it to NREMT-Paramedic. Yes I am a ParaGod.
 
Originally posted by PreMedAdAG
I am sooo jobless.. how do I convince someone to hire me when I have no experience as an EMT.. I don't know how to get my foot in the door. For all of you who have been doing it for a while.. how'd you get started?????
Click to expand...

i went to the local ER and bugged the life outta them till they gave me my way. seriously. its been almost 2 years and i'm still there. my persistence payed off.
 
I just moved to a different state, had to retake the practical and written exams and now I'm waiting for my cert. I'm really starting to miss EMS. I got sooo happy when I was in the hospital for my practical and they had the Steris anti-bacterial handsoap. :rolleyes: I hadn't seen that stuff since my last run. Is that pathetic or what?
 
Hey all,

I'm a Texas Licensed Paramedic. I've been working in EMS for 3 years. I was an EMT-Basic for a year, and EMT-Intermediate for a year, and now a Licensed Paramedic for a year. My volunteer service paid for the EMT-I & LP, as long as I would continue volunteering with them. The volunteer hours also look good on applications.

I work at a park-time paid service, and a volunteer service. My medical directors for both services are DOs. The Medical Director for the volunteer service serves on several state and national osteopathic boards.

This was a good opportunity for me to both learn about osteopathic medicine, and get my foot in the door. I had them both write recommendations for me to medical schools, and I feel it greatly helped my application. I was even asked about it at my interview.

If you get into EMS I encourage you to establish a good repoire with your medical director early, in order to use them as help later down the road.
 
Ambulance Attendent - 2 years
EMT-B - 4 years
Lt. of Rescue - 2 years
Small 10 bed ER as overnight tech - 2 summers

All the ambulance time was in a small volunteer agency. Along with the small rural town, we serve Whiteface mountain ski center in Wilmington, NY (right near Lake Placid). Wasn't uncommon for us to be there 3 or 4 times a day during busy ski days. Busy Busy. Can't wait to become a D.O. and get into EMS direction after this experience. The stories we could all tell would be interesting I'm sure.
 
Dang, I forgot to post when I passed my certification.

I'm an EMT-B, as of Sept 3rd (though I successfully spanked the skills and NREMT tests in mid-August). I was recently hired in the same (Level One Trauma Center) ED where I've been volunteering since February.

After some training in November on EKGs and venipuncture, I'll be helping out on a part-time basis with the approx 100,000 patient visits a year we get. Moo hoo hah hah hah. My evil plan is coming together. Now, to work some ride-alongs in there too...
 
Good lord there are alot of you out there. I stopped reading the, "war stories," halfway through. Just too many. A good and funny thing. After all these years it's very easy to get cynical but I put that all behind me now and am looking forward to getting into some medical school somewhere. The process is long tough, expensive and downright ******ed. I guess there has to be some process or else they would let anyone in right? I am leaving paramedic work for the younger generation. It's just not something many people can do as a career. Burnout is obscenely high, divorce rates are astronomical, alcoholism, drug use, etc.., We as former EMT's and Paramedics must not forget that this job is oftentimes neglected, paid ridiculously low wages, and lumped together with fire services as just a side job. Please forgive the cynicsm I just get frustrated at times. It's refreshing to see the enthusiasm in most voices about this profession and I share the majority of it with you. Just remember and pay respect when we walk through your E.R.

Paramedic 12 yrs
EMT 3 yrs
Age: 30
City of Pittsburgh EMS/Rescue
Medical school: we will see! Good luck Chris/Drexel
 
HI everyone
I am an EMT B at Brown University , as a volunteer EMT. I really enjoy it and I think University EMS is a great place to work in. The call volume is not as diverse or as high but it is definitly interesting and gives people exposure to EMS at a younger age. Here we have a program to teach EMS Basic over the summer and a ride along program for those who are nto certified to learn more about emergency medicine.
EVen better at every interview I went to the admissions committee seemed to love that I had clinical expereince. It's a great thing and I am glad to speak to so many other people who have partaken in thsi expereince and are now movign on to medical school. I myself am off to UNECOM in July.
 
Wassup Emts and much respect to paramedics--

I can give only my perspective....straight out of EMT class into an Emergency Room about 2 years ago. Hospitals theses days atleast in my department relegate the role of Emt to what amounts to a fairly bonehead job...patient transport, stocking, etc. with only a minimal skill set that involves basic woulnd care with some splinting.
I get frustrated with the fact that I could be learning so many skills if we didn't work in an environment where everybody protects their territory and everybody is so afraid of getting sued. This is just the way healthcare is these days I suppose.

This aside I do feel like I've gotten a pretty eye-opening introduction to working in healthcare and am certain that it is my calling. This ultimately makes it worthwhile for the aspiring EMT. However if you haven't noticed from these posts an EMT is an apprentice and a well seasoned paramedic is a master tradesman. I would point this out to anyone trying to measure up the amount of time and effort that must be spent to acquire these two different experiences.

:cool: Much respect to all the paramedics sweating it out on the streets!
 
My EMS experience definitely helped me getting into medical school. My undergrad grades weren't all that great, but I had a lot of experience. I was an ER Unit Clerk from the age of 16-18 then was a basic EMT for a year before becoming advanced for the past three years or so.

I currently work in three emergency departments: A 14 bed Level II, a 33 bed Level II and a 60 bed Level I. Plus I work as an ER Coordinator and was in charge of all the physician QA for a while. Needless to say, I am thankful for all the experience EMS has given me--wouldn't have made it this far without it!!




zack
AZCOM CLASS OF 2008
 
I've been an EMT since 94 (started when I was 16) and after undergad (in 2000) became a paramedic. I've done the gamet of volunteer and paid. Right now I'm working for a mostly transfer service and can't wait to get off the truck and back into the classroom. Interviews at NYCOM and UConn so far. I think my mailman is getting a little sick of me waiting for him at the mailbox everyday.
 
I just started taking certification classes this semester at a local community college, so I'm not even officially an EMT-B yet, but its already been a life changing experience. I have seen/done enough during my clinicals to decide that its time for an early midlife crisis and change careers.

I don't have any more interesting stories than what's already been posted, but how about the most annoying reason you've ever seen someone in the ER?

In one of my hospital rotations there was a teenage patient brought in by his parents, with headache and nausea all morning. The only prior history on his chart was "patient states moderate EtOH consumption prior night". A little later the nurse starts explaining how she is going to start a saline IV because the patient is probably dehydrated, and his mother says "yeah, that really helped a lot the last time we brought him in." :rolleyes: Going to the ER for a hangover? Never thought about that in college!

So, whatever happened to that forum for EMS anyway? Or has everyone gravitated to the emergency medicine one?
 
How about the most annoying reason for running emergent...or maybe the most funny. Mine was emergent for "bleeding from the mouth", which ended up being chapped lips, that weren't even bleeding when we got there. Our patient asked us to put tape on her lips. :laugh:
 
EMT for 12 years and still going.....

Have been in the work force for about 5 years and felt it was time to put my love of medicine into overdrive and get those letters after my name.....

Hey.......whose going to have Thanksgiving Dinner with their crew tonight waiting for that all important, fallen off the toilet call?
 
Sorry I am late with the war stories people but here are two that should entertain:

1) This happened to one of my buddies on my night off. Get called for a fallen and can't get up. Get there, the elderly gentleman is on the floor of his room of course in full arrest. And of course, there is about 2 feet of space in all directions with which to work in. Send his wife out to the living room so we can work. Call the medics, yada yada yada.

Send out one of the newbies (aka go-fers) for a reeves and he comes back running into the room 10 seconds later........the wife is in full arrest. Had to split the crew while the second ambulance and medic unit stumbles in.

2) Get called for a car accident where a car is underneath an 18 wheeler. The driver of the car is so drunk he actually drives under the truck no realizing where he is. Cops had to do a double take when they saw this one. To make a long story short.....we tried to get the guy out with the spreaders and they BENT......Finally got a wrecker to lift the trailer off the car and the cops hauled this guy..who was not hurt into the slammer.
 
Originally posted by mochafreak
How about the most annoying reason for running emergent...or maybe the most funny. Mine was emergent for "bleeding from the mouth", which ended up being chapped lips, that weren't even bleeding when we got there. Our patient asked us to put tape on her lips. :laugh:
Click to expand...

No joke....

1) Woman calls says she is having a stroke. When I get there and determine that she is not have a CVA, I needed to explain her that her leg just fell asleep. Her response "this never happened to me before".

2) Another crew took this one. Woman calls for possible seizures. After talking with her, it was determined that she just had her 1st Orgasm. Husband in the other room was found jumping for joy

Not made up.....WE cannot make these things up.
 
ok I have read this thread for a while now and I never posted a story...

BTW I got my EMT in 94 and my medic in 97.

Anyway, I was working in Albany NY and got called out at 1am to a MVA. We get there and there was a broken light pole hanging halfway over the road (power was turned off and it was out of reach). There also was a small gremlin type car that was ON ITS BACK with its wheels still spinning a bit. After joking with the other medics/firefighters that we thought the car just needed a paint job, I went to check on the patient. He had a line S type fracture on his forearm and he looked like he had a new popeye arm due to the contraction without the bone support. Right next to him was the officer that was called to the scene to begin with. So, I start to treat the guy who REEKS of alcohol and the firefighters start to clean the scene. He turns to me and ask what is going to happen to his car. I told him that his health is more important than the car but it looks pretty totaled and they will clean it up. The next thing he does is look at the car...then me....and then the car again...and says..."you not going to bust me for the weed I have the glove compartment are you?" I smiled at him...then the cop...and I looked at him again and said "No..I'M not going to bust you at all" I laughed about that phrase for hours after that call.
 
argh.. someone want to take the time and tell me how to get a job as an EMT? This blows, nine months ago I was certified and can't find a job anywhere!!! Please take a few minutes to help out!
 
Not too sure how it works in CA but why don't you try and see what the emergency crews are in your area and call them.

Examples are rural metro and AMR of big corperate agencies.

Also, look into the type of service they offer. Otherwise you will find yourself not doing much emergency work but more of picking up mrs smith at home...taking mres smith to dialysis...and taking her home again. Its nessessary but not so much of you want emergency medical exposure.
 
Try volunteer fire departments/ambulance agencies also. Some FD's will let you just run med calls...no fire (but fire's fun too). You don't have to be paid to get great experience. I think it's more fun to be a volunteer than paid actually (was a paid EMT in Denver for a year...really good calls sometimes...transfers the rest of the time...fire is all 911 though).
 
I don't know how it is in Cali, but I just began volunteering here in queens, nyc- just doing ride-alongs cause im not certified yet. We went out with a police scanner and an EMS scanner (I think) and wait for calls to come in. The guys that I met are volunteering to get 911 experience and working doing transports for money. From what I understand, you need 911 experience to get hired at a hospital or FDNY, and to do that you can volunteer.
 
Hey all. Just writing to repesent FDNY EMS. I'm a recent hire and will be working with the Bravest until I begin school in August. Riding with an upstate NY volunteer squad versus riding in NYC is like comparing a little kitten to that tiger who attacked Roy (throw-back to a former thread).

FYI: according to FDNY EMS, the requirements to become an EMT are simply "At least 18 years of age, A valid NYS DOH EMT Certificate, A motor vehicle driver?s license valid in NY State, and a High School Diploma or equivalent" (not necessarily prior 911 experience) [http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/community/ems_employment.shtml]
They're hiring like crazy now so give it a shot and call to get on the list.

Prior to being selected I had only been riding volunteer for 2 years, and certified as an EMT for 1. If you're out of school, not working this year, and looking for a very um, 'educational' medical experience, I recommend looking into the job (provided you can handle the BS-- but hey, you get to wear a cool patch :D )
 
Be careful, some of you are bordering on becoming Wackers. You east coast folks know what I'm talking about.
 
Wackers? A "Wacker" is Austrailian slang for an idiotic nerd. How can east-coasters know what a you're talking about when you use down-under lingo? :eek:


by the way, we're not yet bordering on becoming idiotic nerds.:laugh:


ok maybe I am a little-bit since I actually looked up what a wacker is. time for bed
 
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