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If Al Gore was a Paramedic

July 10, 2010 By 2 Comments

As science continues to work against the theory of global warming and allegations of inappropriate behavior plague the former Vice President, the possibility of Al Gore seeking alternative employment has never been closer to reality. While adjusting to an EMS salary will prove itself to be difficult, I couldn’t think of a better person for the job.

So now we ask ourselves the question of the week. What kind of paramedic would Al Gore be?

Shifts

Recent news has shown us that Mr. Gore prefers to operate at night. I’m guessing that his service would be based out of a hotel room as well.

Response

Al Gore wouldn’t utilize traditional forms of EMS dispatch. He would require extensive scientific studies performed by people not related to the health care industry before responding to calls for service.

Vehicles

EMTs and paramedics working for Al Gore’s ambulance service would be required to drive hybrid or electric powered vehicles. This would require longer response time standards. Also phrases like “the golden hour” would be abolished as such time frames would be unachievable. It should also be noted that members of management would be exempt from using these vehicles and would be issued large SUVs.

Radio Reports

Rather than call into base hospitals via a core radio, Al Gore would hand off patient information in the form of books and public speeches.

Uniforms

Al Gore would most likely adapt the traditional button-up EMS uniform. This includes an “AIAS” patch, an acronym for “An Inconvenient Ambulance Service”.

Critical Incident Stress Management

Al Gore would address the stress that comes with running critical calls by participating in sessions of late night massages at his hotel-based ambulance station. These sessions are private and confidential.

Equipment

There are many essential tools that make running Mr. Gore’s ambulance service possible. Some of which include:

  • Solar powered cardiac monitor / defibrillator - Comes with an optional hand-crank for night time use. This device is capable of delivering up to 13 joules of energy with every5 hour solar charge.
  • Gauze wraps – Made from 100% used bandages. Not very sanitary but extremely environmentally friendly.
  • Reusable IV catheters.
  • Wind powered laryngoscope – The portable wind generator can be stuck out the window of a moving ambulance to illuminate the light while intubating. Unfortunately due to the low speed of the hybrid ambulance, the light isn’t very bright.

As always, I welcome any comments or suggestions. Have a great week!


Filed Under: Celebrity Medics, Humor Tagged With: , , , , ,

If Michael Jackson was a Paramedic

June 26, 2010 By 7 Comments

The anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death left me asking myself a bunch of “what ifs”. What if the king of pop never pursued a music career, but instead took up a job in pre-hospital emergency care? For all we know, he might still be alive today. So of course this left another question roaming around inside my head….

What kind of Paramedic would Michael Jackson be?

Shifts

As we have found out from Michael’s recent tragedy, he really enjoys his sleep. This leads me to believe that he would work day shifts. I’m guessing that he would be well rested for every day he shows up to work.

Response

Michael Jackson wouldn’t necessarily be dispatched to calls. Instead, he would invite his patients to stay with him at Neverland Ranch and care for them there. Besides, we know he has a physician on staff.

Scene Safety

Law Enforcement would not be necessary to ensure Michael Jackson’s safety on scene of a call as he has several defense mechanisms in place. His first line of defense is the ability to change colors and blend in with his surroundings. If that fails, then he would perform dance routines such as the crotch thrust to scare off his attackers. If all else fails, then he could just turn into a panther or moon-walk away.

Pediatrics

If you have worked as a paramedic then you know that running sick kids can be stressful. This is not the case for Michael Jackson as he specializes in pediatrics. Please refer back to “response” on how these patients are cared for.

Equipment

Now what paramedic would be complete without his equipment? Below is a list of the essential tools for Mr. Jackson’s service.

  • White gloves – To be worn on one hand for BSI purposes.
  • Lot’s of heavy sedatives.
  • Fake Nose – Can be removed and used as a handheld blood alcohol detector or a pediatric BVM.
  • Shiny Jacket – Used as a safety feature when working on the highway or to signal helicopters.

As always if you have anything to add, comment below! Have a great week and stay tuned for the next “Celebrity Medic”.


Filed Under: Celebrity Medics, Humor Tagged With: , , , , ,

Should EMS be Allowed to Carry Weapons?

June 22, 2010 By 50 Comments

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

2nd Amendment - United States Constitution

All of us that work in EMS know that our job comes with it’s fair share of risks. I think most of us would argue that we put ourselves in harms way far more that than the average citizen. But what mechanism do we have in place to protect ourselves? …….anyone?

Every ambulance service I have worked for has strict rules against carrying weapons of any type while on duty. This includes guns, knives, pepper spray, etc. Every time I have heard these policies questioned, it is typically addressed with a general “we are not cops” statement. And they are right. We aren’t cops. We don’t enforce laws and we don’t track down bad guys. But we DO deal with the same people that law enforcement does. We run drug overdoses, assaults, homicides, suicides, etc. We find ourselves in the middle of trouble almost on a daily basis.

So back to my previous question.

What mechanism do we have in place to protect ourselves? Well for starters we have a dispatcher who decides whether or not the scene is safe to enter based off a 30 second phone call. Our next line of defense is a radio to call for help. And lastly we have the ability to run away. Criminals beware!

I’m going to come right out and say that I believe that EMS professionals should be allowed to carry concealed weapons in the name of personal defense. As a citizen the United States Constitution grants me to the right to keep and bear arms. So should my employer be allowed to deny me this right while I’m on duty?

Now I must play devils advocate for a minute. To look at this issue from an employer’s prospective, I can see where they might have issues with their employees carrying and possibly using a weapon. This opens up the doors to legal action and liability in the event that one of their employees acted inappropriately and killed someone. Employers have the right to tell us how to dress, speak, act and even cut our hair. In exchange for following these rules, we get to stay on board and receive a paycheck every 2 weeks. If we don’t like the rules, then we are free to leave at any time.

I guess where I am going with this is that while I believe that I have a right to protect self on and off duty, I don’t think that employers should be told they HAVE to allow their work force to carry weapons. Having said that, I think that liability should not be placed on an employer in the event that an EMT or Paramedic had to exercise their rights and harm someone in the name of defense. When my life is placed in danger to the point where I have to draw my weapon and kill the person who is trying to kill me, I am no longer acting as a Paramedic. I am acting as Sean Eddy. A human being that is trying to do what I can to make sure I make it home to my family. At that point I have taken all responsibility for my own actions AS A PERSON, not as a Paramedic.

Anyone disagree with me? I would love to hear your thoughts.


Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: , , , ,

Epocrates for Android phones reviewed

June 12, 2010 By 5 Comments

If you work in EMS and own an Android phone, then you have probably searched for EMS-related applications with little success. I wrote a blog post a little while back on the subject. Like most people, I have had little success finding useful applications for EMS professionals. However, with the recent release of Epocrates for Android, this has changed.

Before I get into the actual review I am going to talk about the phone and operating system used to test this software. All of my testing was done on a Motorola Droid from Verizon. I currently have Android 2.1 installed with the latest version of Epocrates. Your experience may vary with different cell networks and phones. If you have a different experience, please let me know!

Installing:

Epocrates for Android is available in the App Market. The quickest way to install it is to just do a search, but it can be found under the health section as well.

Putting it to use:

This app has several different features that can be extremely useful in the field. The “Pill ID” features is great for drug overdoses or identifying pills that belong to patients who cannot communicate. You simply identify the pill by matching a number of different variables like color, shape, markings, etc. It then shows a list of matches with pictures and you select the pill that you have. It then shows you details about the medication.

My favorite feature on the app is the “Interaction Check”. It gives you the ability to select multiple medications and see if they interact with each other. For example, we all know that if you administer Nitroglycerin to a patient who recently took Viagra, that it can cause an unsteady drop in blood pressure. If you enter those 2 medications into the interaction check, it will tell you that there is a contraindication and list details on the reaction. You can enter as many meds as you want. I suppose you could put all of a patient’s medications into the checker, but it would be time consuming.

Epocrates for Android also comes with a drug reference guide, which can come in handy for looking up a patient’s medications to get a better idea of their medical history. Another neat feature is the “tables”. This is basically a list of algorithms for all types of medical situations. It contains sections for ACLS, Emergency Medicine, Cardiology, etc. I could see this being handy for study material or as a refresher, but not so great in the field. This kind of stuff should be pulled from our brains on scene of a call, not a phone. But that’s just my opinion.

One more feature is the “Med Math”. This is probably handy for nurses or doctors working in longer care environments. It is basically a bunch of medical calculators. There were a couple neat ones that could be handy in the field like a “Dosing Calculator” and a “Pregnancy Wheel”.

Possible areas for improvement

I would like to see more medical calculators that are relevant to work in a pre-hospital setting. Some quick drip rate calculators like Dopamine or Epi would be really handy. I know that there are paid versions of Epocrates software that contains more features. I haven’t had a chance to review the paid versions so I don’t know if it exists there. Other than that, I really don’t have any gripes about the program. It’s stable, fast and free. Can’t beat that.

Conclusion

After testing Epocrates at home, and having the opportunity to use it on a couple calls, I feel that it is a must for EMS professionals. I would definitely add this to my list of essential EMS apps. I do know that the software is available for iPhone, Windows Mobile and Blackberry as well.

If you have any questions or comments, please voice them below or e-mail me. Thanks!


Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

If Lindsay Lohan was a Paramedic

June 11, 2010 By 1 Comment

This weeks Celebrity Medic features someone who many will think isn’t fit for the job. Some may criticize my writing and say that she’s too irresponsible or flaky to hold down a job in EMS. I say your wrong! With her career circling the drain, she may be forced to find alternative forms of employment, and what better job could she land than being a paramedic? So hang tight and read on to see how I answer the question of the week…..

What kind of paramedic would Lindsay Lohan be?

Shifts

I’m not quite sure what kind of shift that she would prefer to work, I just know that she might have some issues showing up on time. Perhaps making duplicates of her passport would solve this issue.

Protocols

Whatever system Lindsay works in, would have to have loose protocols on controlled substances. I really couldn’t see her being tied down by making base contact to crack open the narc-box.

Vehicle

I would recommend that she drive a Volkswagen Bug(as seen in Herbie), but by the looks of things, I’m thinking that calling a taxi would be more appropriate.

Dispatch

Lindsay wouldn’t carry around the traditional UHF or VHF radio. Instead she prefers to be summoned to calls for service by subpoena’s.

Base Contact

Lindsay wouldn’t utilize the radio or cell phone to make contact. Instead she would hand off patient information in the form of tabloid articles and TMZ commentary. Besides, we know all the nurses would be right on top of that.

Court Appearances

All of us that have been working in EMS have probably been called to appear in court at one time or another. For most people, this can be stressful and sometimes frightening. For Lindsay this would be a walk in the park. Her experience in the legal system far exceeds that of anyone else currently working in the pre-hospital setting.

Equipment

As always, I sit here every week and brainstorm the type of equipment that our Celebrity Medics would carry. You might be surprise at what comes next.

  • A Passport – To make sure she can make her shift on time.
  • Scram Device – This can be rubbed up against other people to detect their blood-alcohol level.
  • Over-sized sunglasses – Used at BSI, and for hiding hangovers.
  • Modified Boots – To fit the scram device.
  • Blackberry – Used to reference medical information and keep in touch with her bail bondsman.

As always, feel free to comment below or e-mail me with suggestions, comments or hate mail.


Filed Under: Celebrity Medics Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Why my daughter should be a paramedic

June 9, 2010 By 3 Comments

After some thinking, I have come to the conclusion that my 3-year-old daughter would make a perfect paramedic. Some of you might question a child’s ability to work in the pre-hospital setting. Most of you think I’m crazy. But I truly believe that you will agree once you are done reading this article. You might even sign your own kids up!

Shifts

Long hour shifts would be perfect for my 3-year-old. She seems to have no problem waking up at all hours of the night with the energy of a cheetah. She would be a perfect fit for working long-hour shifts.

Training

She wouldn’t require any training as she seems to already know everything. She often likes to play doctor and actually does a pretty good job of it. I’m starting to rethink spending all that money on my HMO coverage.

Patients

She would have no problem dealing with patients. She has never met a stranger.

Blood and Guts

I really don’t think that gross things would bother her. She seems to be attracted to every nasty thing on this planet.

Driving

She already has to remind me when the lights green or when it’s my turn to proceed. She has also been known to tell me that I’m driving too slow. I’m sure that she would have no problem telling her partner how to drive.

Sharp Objects

Some people have issues dealing with needles and sharp objects. My daughter seems to be mesmerized by them and manages to get a hold of them, regardless of my efforts. She still somehow has gone all this time without getting so much as a scratch.

So there you have it. Recruiters interested in hiring my daughter should inquire by e-mail.


Filed Under: Humor Tagged With: , , ,

10 extremely useful on-line EMS resources

June 8, 2010 By 1 Comment

I find myself constantly browsing the internet for information related to EMS. Whether it be from my home computer looking for study material, or from my phone looking up information on a poison while on scene of a call. I can pretty much find anything I need within minutes, if not seconds. There are a number of sites that I have found to be extremely useful that I visit time and time again. So I figured I would share them with you.

Paramedicine 101

I stumbled across this site a couple months ago. It is an amazing resource for information related to EMS. I wish I would have known about this site when I was going through paramedic school.

Everyday EMS Tips

Greg Friese does a wonderful job of providing good tips for people that work in EMS. He does app reviews for EMS related smart-phone apps, book reviews and even gives advice on doing interviews for your next job. Greg has also has an e-mail newsletter that I find quite useful. If you haven’t checked out his site, do so now.

Epocrates

Epocrates is any medical professional’s dream. It is a limitless on-line medical resource, and contains tons of great information for free. The best part is that they offer free smart-phone apps. It is currently available for iPhone, Palm, Blackberry, Windows and my favorite, Android. If you have a smart-phone and haven’t taken advantage of Epocrates, you are missing out.

EMS Educast

The EMS Educast is a really cool podcast aimed at providing useful tips to the EMS professional. This is one of those podcasts that I pull up on my phone and listen to while I’m driving or sitting on a street corner at work. Definitely a must for everyone!

MedicCast

Jamie Davis AKA “The Podmedic” has really cool podcast that I listen to every week. He covers EMS news, tips and does some cool commentary as well. He recently added video to his weekly show, which I think is awesome. Jamie also has a podcast for nurses and provides “MedicCast Extra”, an affordable study aid for EMS students at all levels. The man must have found a way to invent a 30 hour day, because I have no idea how he finds time to do all the cool stuff that he does.

FEMA Independent Study

FEMA’s independent study program is an on-line training program aimed at emergency responders like EMS, Fire and Law Enforcement. They offer on-line ICS (Incident Command) training that I highly recommend taking. The best part is that it’s free. These classes are full of great information when it comes to MCI’s. They are also redeemable for CEU’s, which is a plus.

EMS 1

EMS1 is a great source of EMS news and information. They feature tons of great columnists and have daily information that I find to be extremely useful. Be sure to add them to your bookmarks.They also have a monthly newsletter that I would recommend subscribing to.

JEMS

JEMS.com is the leading on-line EMS resource for news, case reviews and discussion. Not a day goes by where I don’t check in to keep up on information related to EMS. If you don’t mind spending a few bucks, their monthly publication is worth a subscription. Tons of great information. Also be sure to check out connect.jems.com an on-line social network for EMS professionals.

EMS Garage

The EMS Garage is another great podcast that I listen to weekly. I also occasionally find myself on the show discussing and debating topics in the industry. Chris Montera has put out over 80 episodes of really cool material. My favorite feature on his page is the mobile version of the site. I listen to his podcast from my phone all the time while I’m on the road. You are missing out if you haven’t been listening to the garage.

Chronicles of EMS

I saved the best for last. The Chronicles of EMS is a up and coming TV show that features EMS systems from around the world. The creators of this show are traveling around the world filming paramedics in their unique systems and showing the rest of the world how EMS is different and the same in many aspects in all the different areas. This is a must-see for all EMS professionals.


Filed Under: Reviews, Web Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

If the Blues Brothers were Paramedics

May 28, 2010 By 7 Comments

After a successful gig that brought the power of the Blues Brothers band back to life, Jake and Elwood unfortunately had to do some serious time in the slammer. Just as it did last time, their incarceration separated the band and left the duo to fend for themselves once they were released for prison. Now faced with the task of starting a new life, they must decide on a career path. Now what could possibly be better than pre-hospital emergency medicine? So we must now ask ourselves the question of the week……

What kind of paramedics would the “Blues Brothers” be?

Vehicle

Since the infamous “Bluesmobile” fell into pieces, this would leave Jake and Elwood searching for a new ride. Perhaps they could buy a late 70′s paddywagon from a police auction and retrofit it for use as an ambulance. They could even call it the “Blueswagon”.

Dispatch

Rather than using the conventional radio-dispatch systems, Jake typically prefers to contact his agent via late-night phone booth calls to book transports.

Scene Safety

Scene Safety isn’t typically a concern for Jake and Elwood. They are pretty good at thinking on their feet and talking their way out of physical altercations. Disgruntled country musicians and pissed off bar owners are no match for the Blues Brothers. Besides, if the cops showed up on their scene, they would probably have to run.

Radio Reports

I think it’s obvious that the Blues Brothers would hand off patient information via a large loudspeaker that is mounted to the top of the “Blueswagon”. How else would they do it?

Protocols

The Blues Brothers don’t need to follow protocols. They can’t get in trouble…… they’re on a mission from God.

Equipment

As with any pre-hospital provider, the Blues Brothers must carry some essential tools to get the job done. Most of which was probably stolen from their previous employer…

  • First-in briefcase (handcuffed to Elwood’s arm)
  • Dark safety glasses
  • Used latex gloves
  • Black medical-aid jackets
  • Half a pack of 4×4′s

As always, I welcome any comments or suggestions. If you have any suggestions for the next “Celebrity Medic” , please comment below or e-mail me at sean@medicmadness.com


Filed Under: Celebrity Medics, Humor Tagged With: , , ,

And that's why I do this job

March 13, 2010 By 10 Comments

I just finished reading a great post on Jeramedic’s Blog about his first true save in the field. The whole time I was reading it, I couldn’t help but remember my first. Fortunately Jeremiah got to see the save right before his eyes. I had gotten pulses back in the field, but I knew (or thought) the downtime was to long for her to have any real neuro activity. I actually left the hospital sure that she wasn’t going to make it. That’s where this story gets good.

I was teaching an EMT class at the local college one night. The semester had just started and I having the students introduce themselves and explain why they want to become an EMT. After 20 minutes of the usual “I need this for my job” or “I want to be a firefighter”, a student asked to share a story if I didn’t mind. I encouraged him to take all the time he needs.

He walked up front and told the story of how he witnessed his mom collapse and go into cardiac arrest. He talked about how he didn’t know what to do and how scared he was. Then he started to explain what happened once the ambulance showed up. As his story went on, I started paying closer attention. This sounded familiar…..very familiar. After he told his story, I excused myself from the class for a minute and called a break. I made a call to my dispatch center and asked to reference the last name and see if any patient’s were run for a cardiac arrest in the last year. Just as I suspected, I ran his mom a little over a year ago. I was the paramedic that he was talking about.

Not quite sure how to approach this, I asked to speak to him in private. I thanked him for sharing the story and broke the news. He immediately teared up and gave me a big hug and thanked me over and over again. He went back in the class and announced to everyone that I was paramedic that saved his moms life. Everyone clapped for a good few minutes. I was full of emotion and didn’t really know how to act at that point. He went on to tell everyone that this is the very reason he wanted to become an EMT and eventually become a paramedic. I couldn’t believe it. I had inspired someone to do this job without even knowing.

He asked if I would be willing to share my side of the story, to which I did. I started from the point where we were dispatched an explained the series of events up until we reached the hospital. I watched tears come to everyones eyes and it wasn’t until that point that I truly understood why I do this job.


Filed Under: Field Medicine Tagged With: , , , , , ,

What do I look like?

February 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Let’s rewind back a number of years to the first week of my paramedic internship. I thought I had it all figured out. 400 maybe 500 hours and I was going to be off to take my registry test and get my license. The first call of the day is a motorcycle down. My preceptor informs me that I am running the call alone. Its sink or swim time. “No problem, I got this” I say through the window tha seperates the cab from the patient compartment.

We get on scene to find an intoxicated biker standing in the roadway talking to law enforcement. They don’t want him to go by ambulance as they are arresting him for dui. The officer asks me to evaluate him and make sure he is ok to go by squad car. I walk up to the man and ask “what’s going on?”

“I got bit by a shark” he replies.

Sean – “very funny, are you hurt?”
Patient – “you tell me”
Sean – “are you having any pain?”
Patient – “am I getting billed for this?”
Sean – “only if you are transported”
Patient – “then I’m not going”
Sean – “do you know where you are?”
Patient – (he tells me the cross streets)
Sean – “what is the date today?”
Patient – (tells me a date that is off by a couple days)
Sean – “what does that man look like over there?”
Patient – “a cop”
Sean – “what do I look like?”
Patient – “a dumbass”
My preceptor – “well sounds like he’s alert and oriented to me!”


Filed Under: Misc Tagged With: , , , , ,
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