Ask a suburban Paramedic anything

Absolutely not a bad goal, I got my medic at 21 and I was the youngest in my class by FAR. The issue with being young in EMS is that a lot of the higher paying positions are hospital base / private and their insurance for their vehicles might require you to be 21+ to drive. Be careful and ask about that when applying to positions. Also, volunteering is a good start, you learn a lot of skills and they promote you rather quickly when you're working for free.

Study your state tests then, also considering IL is a shit state considering challenging the NREMT in the case that you ever want to move / be respected as a EMT.

Right on, I appreciate the info, I will be sure to ask about that, I know they require i different License like a class B or C i don't remember, and I've just got the regular D

So you recommend both? Does working in IL work as a refresher for my NREMT or how does that work?

What's the worst thing you've seen in terms of gore?

What's the most-depressing thing you've seen?

Has anything brought you to tears during or after your shift?

As a EMT driving and being damn good at it is more than 30% of the job, take your future emergency vehicle training fucking seriously. It's absolutely no joke when you use lights, your partner, the patient, and the general public are putting a shit ton of trust into you every time you flip that switch.

You have to do continuing education to stay current with NREMT, work never counts as a refresher.

I'm sure that works ten fold in a big city, i live in a good sized city but not Chicago by any means, when do you usually take the Emergency vehicle training? as an Basic?So my Medic class will count when i start that? or is it separate completely?

Gore is gore is gore is gore. Car accidents are normally the worst, but like I said. It's all the same, if they have trauma thats "incompatible with life" they're getting left where they are and that the end of that. The one that sticks out in my head at the moment is the trash truck worker that got his entire skull crushed by his own trash truck that ran over him after a trip and fall. His entire head was as flat as a pancake.

As far as depressing, a lot of it is depressing dude. I work in some fairly poor areas occasionally and you really see how people can live with next to nothing. 6-7 kids in a two bedroom house, people living ontop of eachother, chronically sick patients who refuse to take care of them selves, child abuse, elder abuse. I don't like peds calls so whenever I get a dead kid I'm normally fairly depressed, but I bounce back fairly quickly.

Continuing education has to be completed outside of normal education. Like say you were a basic and went to nursing school, or pre-med. You couldn't count any of that towards continuing education, same goes for medic school. Also yes, as soon as you get done EMT school I suggest taking Emergency vehicle training or "EVOC" right away.

To be honest I don't think anything has ever truly brought me to tears, but like I said, the job can truly get depressing sometimes. It's normally not one thing though, it normally takes an entire shift of bullshit after bullshit to get me to that point.

The reason I asked is that I was a police officer some 20 years ago...but I couldn't let the stuff with kids go.

My sister is an ER nurse...she handles it well.

Kudos to you.

I'm sure you've seen a lot worse than me mate, I've only been doing this for 4 years. You're right though, everything is just emotionally compounded when it comes to kids. Times the very obvious fact that when a kid is legitimately sick, they're twice as hard to work on as adult patients.

On duty EMT here. We live somewhere with no Medic and have to do all our own ALS interventions. Do your EMT's do much or are they glorified bag holders for you? Do they do drugs/IV?

I refuse to let this thread die, get it?

EMT's in my state are very limited in their own scope, to the point that they literally just got the okay to do BG checks. If I'm working on a MICU a good EMT can make or break my shift, I'm huge on teamwork and thats normally including prepping my drugs, treatments, and in some cases getting me IV/IO/EJ access depending on who the EMT is. Obviously all of that is off the record though.

I'm actually curious, what ALS interventions are you approved to do at the EMT level?

How far out from the nearest ER are you? You have literally no ALS? What do you guys do with codes? Do you fly a lot of patients? Are you in the US?

Ever had sex on duty/in uniform?

Nice trips.

Narcan, Glucagon, D50, IV Access, IO, Kingtube, IV Epi, Auto-Injector Morphine, Benz, CPAP, Duel Nebs. LUCUS device.

Bunch of stuff.

In uniform? All the the time, but it's mostly just because I literally work all of the time and whenever I'm seeing my boyfriend it's when I'm getting out of work.

I've had sex once on duty and it was back when I was a EMT and still single. I basically told my partner that I was going to go grab something to eat and that if we got a call I'd meet him on scene. So I took the firehouses utility vehicle which is supped up with lights and shit and then went and hooked up with a old flame for an hour or two on shift. Good times.

I did, but I work from home. My station is 2 feet from my house so I stay at home.

Thats pretty much everything, jesus. Thats actually pretty fucking cool. You really can pretty much run the majority of ALS calls by yourselves.

At that point they might as well just give you everything, especially if you're responsible enough to get access and draw up your own meds.

How often do things go off of the record?
That's something i've never herd of before.

Do they specifically say that you can only use your access for certain medications? I noted that on the national EMT-A level they can start IV's / IO's but they can only push narcan/D50/and fluids.

Nice. Uniform sex is my kind of thing. Keep up the good work.

Yea, we just can't do anything for seizures or advanced cardiac though which can suck. Cardiac codes, we just hook up LUCAS, open IV's, King... and wait. We have sometimes 30 min transports out here and there is a lot of sitting around.

Depends on how much you trust your partner, If I'm working with a 20+ year EMT who's been doing the job since I've been in diapers I'm going to trust his assessment and I'm going to trust the fact that he knows how to draw up a vial. At the end of the day the buck does stop at me, the responsibility is on me, but trusting your crew is just as important as understanding that I'm the one liable.

Our state/local protocols kind of demand it. We have 1 medic in 100 miles and can't be there for every call so it's needed of us to do everything.

Also, we get paid by the call/services rendered. $50 for BLS/$70 for ALS

Uniform sex in general is a huge fetish in that gay community so thankfully I'm in luck.

It certainly is.

>That feel when i'm just a blue collar worker with no uniform

are such vests useful in any way?

Seizures kinda suck, they really should give you guys rectal / intranasal Diazepam for that. As far as codes guy, I guess you transport everyone or do you wait for the medic? Do you guys just run with an AED? Do you guys push epi at least in a code?

Thats actually a pretty cool work up, your call volume is probably pretty low though right?

I don't miss my emt days... But much respect for everyone that works out in the field. be safe out there.

Oh absolutely not, especially considering most of the time when we're actually attacked its at knife / sharp object point. Times that, if someone wants to shoot at people in uniforms, we look just like the cops.

Overall my feeling on vests is as simple as this. If you're going to buy one, wear it every shift and every call especially the bullshit ones, and make damn sure the vest is also slash proof.

How do you feel about the events that are transpiring in cities around the world? In particular that people are vandalizing ambulance/firetrucks and threaten and even attack paramedics/fire fighters? Do you have a solution?

What do you do for a living? I'm sure if it's possible for a fetish to be made about it, the gays have you covered.

Did you move on up to in hospital work? Finally get your RN and say fuck it to the field?

not OP but that kind of shit makes me sick, we have problems like that here in the UK. Council estate pieces of shit starting bin or skip fires and throwing rocks and bottles at the crew when they turn up to put it out, and god help the firemen if they even think of turning the hose on them.

We never wait for ALS intercept. Ever. We can't push epi in a cardiac code, only for substitute for auto-injector.

Our volume is ok. Like 3-4 calls a day on average. Have some days make 400 dollars, others make 80 (our base rate for no calls)

I absolutely do not have a solution, but I can assure you my methodology on it will keep my ass in the clear.

If it's unsafe for me to be there, I won't be there. Simple as that. Riots, major unrest, cities on fire. Shit doesn't bother me none, because I'll be sitting in my ambulance waiting for the person on the other side of the radio to tell me it's all clear.

Warehouse worker

Yea man. After five years as a basic and then an intermediate I really just burned out. Decided to go the RN route after getting married. It's nice to work in one spot sometimes and not always be waiting for the radio to go off.

The EMS meme game is strong with this one..

I'm sure I could find a way to fetishize that, give me a few.

Probably for the best. I'm sure your quality of life improved and I'm sure your wallet thanks you.

I've got a folder....

Straight up thats my favorite one, no single meme has ever gotten me more than this one.

Also, do you follow ghetto medic?

I don't know how i could be a fetish, ha.

Yeah. Yeah you're definitely right.

Never heard of it.

>Don't shoot. Paramedic

Is that pic from Syria or just your typical American "no gun problems here" kind of town?

SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC SHOOT THE FUCKING PARAMEDIC FUCK YOU CECILLE CALLEJO GIMAO!! AND FUCK YOU!!!!!!! I WANNA TOUCH AND GROPE YOUR FUCKING BOOBS AND VAGINA WITH MAH PENIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DA #FUCKYOULAWRENCE #FUCKYOUDAVID #FUCKYOUSPENCER #FUCKYOULILA #FUCKYOUCHANTAL #FUCKYOUPATCH #FUCKYOUMIKAELA #FUCKYOUJACOB

7 share.pho.to/9pz0f #KILLALLTHEFUCKINGMONARCHIES
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3 share.pho.to/9gkSN #KILLALLTHEFUCKINGMONARCHIES
3 share.pho.to/9hWtH #KILLALLTHEFUCKINGMONARCHIES

-----

FUCK YOU, LIGHTBEARER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY!!! FUCK YOU!!!!!

I WANT TO MISBEHAVE IN SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!
I WANT TO SHOUT AND YELL AND SCREAM IN SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WANT TO SEE CHILDREN WEARING THEIR UNDERWEAR IN SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WANT TO KICK YOU OR ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS IN THE MOTHERFUCKING ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#FUCKYOULAWRENCE #FUCKYOUDAVID #FUCKYOUSPENCER #FUCKYOULILA #FUCKYOUCHANTAL #FUCKYOUPATCH #FUCKYOUMIKAELA #FUCKYOUJACOB

7 share.pho.to/9pz0f #KILLALLTHEFUCKINGMONARCHIES
5 share.pho.to/9gkN3 #KILLALLTHEFUCKINGMONARCHIES
3 share.pho.to/9gkSN #KILLALLTHEFUCKINGMONARCHIES
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FUCK YOU AVELINO RICAFORT GIMAO I WANT TO INSTALL MY FUCKING WINDOWS 10 ON MY FUCKING COMPUTER NOW

German Rettungsassistent reporting in for international comparison.

It's without a doubt foreign, but I know plenty of douche nozzles who would wear something like that in a small town in the middle of nowhere because of medic ego.

sire, how do you identify a tension pneumothorax who got caused by a rib bone?

>Rettungsassistent
The photo you posted has two seemingly happy EMS personnel so we're already seeing a huge disparity in the countries.

Is this you OP?
youtube.com/watch?v=mJ36huw50yM

You can't, you cant prove it was a broken rib that caused it at least. Times that the cause doesn't matter all that much, you just have to identity the pneumo by assessing the patients level of resp. distress and a really good lung sound assessment. The convient part is that if you're catching a true "tension" punmo you're already really late in the game and you'll have shit like JVD and the tracheal deviation (also the patient will probably die so like, less work for you).

>youtube.com/watch?v=mJ36huw50yM
No put I did donate to his paypal.

Yeah seems that it is for advertising purposes

So the english wording, the white skins and the armed cop with police on their sleeve would be in one of those countries that has a lot of english speaking white people with loads of guns that require the cops to be armed then?

hmm... wonder where that could be. Let me stick those criteria into google and see which part of the world pops up.

why wouldn't you just niddle them right on spot, so heres a small question: "you've got called to a car crash and a mans rib bones and collar bone are totally broken and he has a flail chest on the upper right rib cage. how to you connect the monitor/ekg stickers on?

I mean I'm not saying that its not from the states, I'm just doubting it based upon a feeling that it's foreign.

I mean I obviously would??? Thats indeed how you treat a pneumo lol.

Also as far as severe trauma goes I'm not to worried about a full 12 lead, so I'd just use the limb leads. If for some reason I needed a 12 lead on a patient who couldn't tolerate the stickies on their chest I could use the patients back.

Told you.

I'd probably only look good in a cop uniform and that's it.

i haven't said you wont! lol, so you just use the patient back to place the stickers? didnt thought about it, im a first aid provider who voulenteer every day on ambulance with paramedics in israel im still 16 but dreaming about doing it in the future. also, do you have a quick-trach or does a coneutomia kid? we have those kits only in a far places when ambulances takes about 40 min to reach a hospital

Do you ever get angry when you realize the ED RNs have so very little respect for you. I mean they trip over themselves if your also a firefighter. Cops get great treatment. Paramedics get treated like the second rate low class dime a dozen techs that they are. Does that bother you? Do you hate it when nobody even listens to your report because they have no respect for you? Does it suck very bad when the nurses ignore you and sigh when you beg them to sign your reports. Is it just to much when you realize that you are the niggers of the emergency medical world. Just asking?

EMT Checking In. Worked hospital for years and recently stopped to do a masters.

listen, last time someone cursed me and the crew and almost stabbed the pramedic we kicked him out of the ambulance and didnt get any police into arrest cus we defended ourselves xD

How do you enjoy your alcohol poisoning calls?

We do needle criks and we do surgical. I've never done one though.

Changing bed pans and asking "mother may I?" before being able to do anything is worse.

never done one? how long are you in service? and even intubation!?

No not really, I actually rather like my job.

What? Who are you?

It's mostly just bullshit, until becky the 16 year old is so fucked up beyond belief that you have to intubate her because she's so far gone she's only breathing 4 times a minute. It's always fun to see beckys friends reactions to me literally breathing for their friend.

I wasn't really planing on getting into a pissing contest with the gentleman, but you should feel free to if you'd like to mate.

im a fella emt from israel

2 years a medic, 2 as a EMT. The actual need to preform any form of cricothyrotomy is beyond rate. As far as intubations go I average 4-5 a month.

Weirdest call?

LOL my paramedic done around 4 in a shift omg im loling hard now xDD

Lot's of cardiac arrest saves in this thread?

You're a medic dude, not a doc, not a nurse. In most areas of the country, Paramedic school takes slightly over a year and only requires your EMT cert. It's not an impressive job friend.

Grandmom vomits up her own shit due to bowel obstruction X8 days. Possibly the HIV+ vegan who called 911 because he was having abdominal pain because he ate a big-mac for the first time in 6 years. Or the cardiac arrest post orgy, the best part about that one is we actually got the save and he walked out of the hospital.

in israel its like 2 years + getting certefied on ambulnaces and hospitals wich takes around a year

lesson one: scene safety

Not OP, I've had five. That being said, four of those five were arrests caused by drug usage, which tend to be easier to correct.

The fifth save was a massive anterior wall STEMI and the dude was lucky the airport fire guys knew what they were doing before we arrived.

You should be cricing whenever the airway is threatened and facial trauma prohibits tubing, unless your local protocol says differently.

You paramedic preforms 4 cricothyrotomies a shift? Thats beyond fucking insane. Are you working in a war zone?

I've only had 4 in 4 years.

Are you just stating that out of the blue or? I didn't make an AMA to state that my job was impressive or anything along those lines.

leave those palestinians alone you asshole.

Homie how often does facial trauma prevent tubing? I've had maybe one or two cases in the last two years that I almost considered cricing but I got the tube on the first shot. You just gotta shoot for the bubbles sometimes.

I practiced IVs, hooked up CPAP, and pushed epi, zofran, morphine off the record as a basic. Even tubed a cadaver once. it's all in how the situation presents and whether your partner trusts you to do the right thing for the patient.

The implication that anybody has anything to ask you suggests it.

This. Period.

Not very often, but it's important to recognize when it does. Had a call last year where motorcyclist spun out and cracked his Maxilla in such a manner that in completely occluded the airway.

That's cric time baby.

I would never say my job is impressive, it's interesting and weird as hell though. Also apparently "people" have things to ask.

You're absolutely right, and I 100% agree.

got called to a scene by cops once. long story short, some chick got drugged up, pulled the mirror off a hotel bathroom wall and shit in the sink. The cops got so antsy with all the shit and the blood that they forgot about the dude in the bed. It was great to hear one of the cops say to another "oh, hey, check that guy for weapons" after I've been standing at the foot of the bed for 5 minutes already.

Cops aren't always the brightest. Sometimes they require a bit of a nudge in the right direction. Thankfully like some 80% of all true emergencies are medical in nature so as the medic, we make the calls.

you can intubate through the tear duct, you know. same as an NT, just gotta pretty much bury it.

You just have to push really really really hard.
"big pinch"

How often do you sexually assult your unconscious patients? ie tit grab, ass squeeze

im an emt for my local fd and tried to go comercial ems. it went horrible not only was i new (absolutely new, like had my nys emt card for a few months with no prior medical training b4 hand) but the company i joined was in the middle of taking on a recently collapsed paid ambulance corp. and they bullshited me after a month. the medics treated me like shit. i was on my third day on the job it was a 24hr supervisor shift and i had pcr's that needed finishing via the new EPCR on the windows 10 tablets.it was the end of my shift, and the medic was only on for 8 hrs.
and my supervisor medic said" ill brb i need to get somthing from my car. i said ok. never saw him again. that happened 2 more times with 2 other medics and emt's durring my orientation time. but anyway ive had a horrible time with comercial ems i loved the job but i hated my co workers. just felt like i needed to tell somone so if you made it this far thanks. im applying to my local vac for more training so i can go fdny ems .