First Ride with the Career Staff

Christmas Eve, decided since i'm the only one in my house home for the holidays, and there doesnt seem to be much to do around the house that i'd head on over to the firestation and ride the medic unit.

Really a quiet day, although i do have to say that a little more experience on the medic unit will make me much more comfortable with the way they operate.

A few good calls, one unknown sick, general body pain guy. Most likely the flu, no transport. Nothing much for the rest of the day. But after dinner we're just sitting down to watch the polar express for the second time and the tones drop again. Difficulty Breathing and general dizzy while sitting. Usually a good indicator of a cardiac episode. Up the street, woo woo's and blinky blinks going. Get to Mr. Bad Christmas sweater's house and get him on the monitor. His blood pressure is through the roof, no identifyable cause really, the OIC looks at the stsripchart from the Lifepak and everything looks normal except for the 192/110 BP we're getting. Not an emergent case that REQUIRES transport unless the patient wants to go. Mr. Sweater wants to go anyways just to be sure. Good move on his part, just in case. Got to watch Lt. P put in an IV lock, test dexy all the stuff we don't really do on the ambulance. It was fun. Get him to the hospital and drop him off with his family just in time to see 0001 pop up on the clock. TIME FOR BED!!!

ok back to the station. just settling in finding that one spot on the bunk where a rogue bedspring isnt jabbing me in the kidney. HONK HONK BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP Engine and Medic respond to ALS Emergency. Possible seizure patient, combative, pre-existing medical condition, feels like shes falling through space whenever shes touched. As is protocol in our jurisdiction dispatch send an engine crew and a medic crew to any ALS emergency. thats a MINIMUM of 6 people and 2 pieces of apparatus responding to this poor family's house at midnight on christmas. The whole crew rolls in stretcher, heart monitor, oxygen tanks, and its quite overwhelming for the family "OH, a whole crew here, wonderful" Not in that condecending way, but more of an expression of surprise. My dumb ass forgot to bring in the treatment bag so we're scrounging around for a penlight to check Ms. Patient's eyes. This event only further exasperated the engine crew's disdain for this call and for my "green-ness" i don't think they MEAN to dislike me but i need to learn a lot. This is that experience thing i was talking about earlier coming into play. Its ok, i get the O2 canula in place and stay out of the way of the people that KNOW what they are doing. We get into the back of the unit and the driver and OIC get to treating the patient. ABC's are good, shes responsive to painful stimulus, which is good, shes at home inside her head for the mostpart. Her existing condition makes communication slightly difficult if she were'nt twisting and thrashing feeling like shes falling. I do my best to comfort her, hold her hands talk to her while our driver gets IV access in her right AC so some drugs can be administered and get her calmed down. It gets to the point where she may hurt herself and its obvious shes very very stressed out and her current condition isnt helping her any so the Lt. decides to administer a half dose of valium to knock her down a little. OUT LIKE A LIGHT, instant reaction. Wow, is that what she needed. Calmed down and getting a little rest after quite the ordeal for her, we got her to the hospital ASAP. I kept talking to her and holding her hand trying to at least comfort a lady who couldnt express to us what she was feeling, but by the look in her eyes thats all she needed right then was a little reassurance.

Got her to the hospital where she came out of her little "happy place" as the valium wore off. No more falling, no more spinning, she was now alert and responsive to verbal stimulus. CAOx3 good vitals, save an elevated temperature. now is the exhausting part, since we administered controlled meds we have to wait for a doctor's sign ature. I just sit back and take in the buzz of the ER on a holiday night.

On the first night of christmas EMT-B got to see: (think ... tune of 12 nights of christmas kinda)
* last rights being administered (got a little choked up)
*a drunk teen and her mom arguing in the hallway
* 2 airlifted traumas
*1 bloody carwreck victim
* a couple in for the same stomach pains, acute onset ("I SHOULD HAVE REFRIGERATED THAT SHRIMP DIP BETTER")
* 1 really hot trauma nurse
* both parties involved in a head on DUI collision put foot to foot in the hallway on their cots, Ms. Car #1 is yelling at Mr. Car #2 through a clenched jaw all the while Mr. Car #2 is snoring because he's passed out in an EtOH induced beddybye time.
*Ms. Car #1's family yelling at the State Trooper because Ms. Car #1 is being charged with reckless driving and facing possible arrest.
* and last but not least the VERY relieved family of our patient finally seeing their dear sweet grandma calmed down and not flailing around anymore.

As much pain as i saw as much hate as the DUI people had, seeing that family with their grandma back to "normal" brought me back down.

I know its nothing grand but hey, i'm a lil' ol EMT-B this stuff is still new and exciting to me.

But i also got to hear from the voices of experience about the downfalls and shortcomings of our EMS system in this jurisdiction. Someone needs to make some changes around here.