Gertrude writes about The Job.
People always want to know what the worst thing I have ever seen is. It is a question people in this business get everyday. The public has a romanticized vision of the life of a medic. They also have a morbid curiosity about other peoples lives. I never tell them the worst things I have ever seen. They wouldn’t understand and I don't want to field the questions.
Sam tells a story this week of Tongues.
Sitting next to her on the bench seat, I watch her tongue. It flaps pathetically in her mouth, trying to remember the form it should take, but failing. It flickers up and down like a tiny flame in the breeze. I get lost in its movements, willing it to take shape and tell me she's okay, that it was all just a big joke, that she could run a marathon now.
Stretcher Jockey writes about Apathy In EMS.
By my observation,the degree of apathy these days amongst my fellow EMT's and Paramedics seems to be growing at an alarming rate. I can't pinpoint an exact time frame of when this first started, but I can say, however, that this attitude of indifference has definitely become more prevalent over the last few years. I've tried to correlate this with some major event or change within EMS, but I can't. It has the feel of a cancer that has been growing silently within us, metastasizing while we sat idly by. We ignored all of the early signs and symptoms, hoping that they would just resolve on their own without any interventions - we have been in denial.
Rogue Medic shares his thoughts with us on Needle Stick Regrets.
The protocol can be your friend, when it is well written. Most of all, the protocol is supposed to be the patient's friend. Somebody needs to change this protocol. This is not easy to do in most places. It is not fast, but it can be done. One way is to go to the protocol committee and sit in on meetings, if it is permitted. Talk to the doctors who are most open minded about good patient care. Present them with research supporting the change you are attempting to bring about. Pay attention to the response. Learn from it. Come back with more research and a possibly modified plan. Doctors tend not to respond to the, "In such and such place, they are doing this," approach.
Epi teaches us a Basic Lesson.
Without warning the taillights I've been watching disappear. I'm now seeing the headlights. Without warning the car goes off the road and into the trees of Suburbia State Park.
Peter shares www.chiquita.com, an anecdote about online ordering.
We're called for a woman unconscious. I recognize the address. We have been there many times before. Two sisters. Extremely co-dependent on each other. The younger sister has chronic pain and is a known drug seeker. The older sister is just plain crazy.
And finally, Witness explains "Why I Do This".
Annie's face was beginning to match her red hair. My medic partner grabs his scope and takes a listen to her lungs while I set up a nebulizer treatment. The pulse oximeter the FD has helpfully attached is showing 94% saturation... enough to be concerned with. Vitals are all a little elevated. Mom says she wants to go to Pretty Important City Trauma and Children's Hospital - a 30 minute haul. My partner says alright, but I can tell he's thinking perhaps the closest hospital would be best. I know he'll tell me if we need to divert.
2 comments:
I love the concept on this blog. A great first entry. Keep it up.
I just wanted to add to something said here. When some one asks me whats the worst thing I have ever seen, I don't tell them the worst thing I have ever run on. I tell them the nastiest thing I can think of, that normally stops the questions. Besides my worst run is my business. It would take a long time for me to know anyone well enough to tell them my worst run. Shepp
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