Well the semester ends this Friday. I cannot believe how short the time has seemed and how little I feel like I have learned.
My classmates and I have grown quite close in the past few months. We have our inside jokes and we know exactly how to annoy each other to no end, and tend to do so. However we have also learned how to motivate each other and how exactly we all learn.
We wrapped up ACLS today and we still all feel like we do not know enough. Our teacher sensing this pointed out how far we have come. However he made sure we all knew that we have so much still to learn.
In the beginning for chest pain we had pretty much 1 route to follow.
*Aspirin 324mg chewed (as long as they were not allergic).
*Nitroglycerin up to 3 tabs (As long as the patient hadn’t taken any and BP was above 110 systolic. Also no sexually enhancing medications).
*Oxygen 15L by NRB
*3-5 lead EKG. We can see if the rhythm looks strange and potentially send to the hospital for prewarning.
*Gasoline to Hospital.
If they happen to code on the way to the hospital we did what the AED told us to do and we called for more trained help. Performed CPR and used a BVM, OPA, NPA, or Combitube.
Now we know why we do what we do and have more options.
*Aspirin: to make the platelets slippery so the clot does not get worse (be careful of allergies, ulcers, active bleeding. It does it by blocking Thromboxane II.)
*Nitroglycerin: up to 0.12 mg. Vasodilates vessels in the body. Is used in the hope that blood will then be able to squeak past the blockage. (Can be repeated as long as systolic above 90 systolic)
*Oxygen- At whatever level will keep the patients O2 sats WNL and in the hopes of getting more oxygen to the ischemic tissues causing the pain. O2 also vasodialates in high concentrations.
*5-12 lead EKG- We can see abnormal variations in rhythms and the electrical activity in the heart. Using all of its capabilities and our basic knowledge we can now tell roughly where the problem is, and potentially even how bad it is.
*Morphine: We can give morphine to reduce pain. It also reduces preload, afterload, and myocardial oxygen demand.
Now we can treat some of the abnormal rhythms we see in the hopes of preventing codes. We do this with medications, and electricity. However if they do code we can monitor their rhythms and provide appropriate shocks to treat the severely disorganized electrical activity. We also give many medications dependant on what we see. Amiodarone, diltiazem, lidocaine, epinephrine, atropine sulfate and more. We still perform CPR and use BVMs, OPAs, NPAs, and Combitubes. However we can also intubate via the oral- or nasal- pharynx.
Looking at what we have learned I guess we are in a vastly different place then when we stated the class. However we still get stuck sometimes. Some days we do not think enough like Paramedics and we under treat the patients. Some days we think too much like Paramedics and forget a basic intervention that would have been easier, and just as effective as the advanced skills we jumped to.
It is a challenge to remember to start basic and move towards advanced; while still remembering that there are advanced skills for a reason. This is especially challenging with the growing sleep deficit the class is beginning to experience.
40 hours of class a week
+ >10 hours of HW and reading to do a week.
+ 30-40 hours of Clinical time a week.
= >80 hours a week
None of that includes drive times to and from all of these places, sleeping, eating, bathing, laundry, second jobs, or families.
Not that I am complaining I am loving every minute of it. Despite my new caffeine addiction or ability to fall asleep when and where I want.
12/16/2009
11/22/2009
Month 3-4
Well we finished up Respiratory and started Cardiology. I am currently drowning in EKGs. Sometimes I think I understand what is going on and then I look at the net strip and suddenly I have no clue what I am looking at and might not even know how to find out what it is.
Clinicals are in full swing and I am currently pulling 24 -30 hours a week in random hospitals in my area and soon I will be pulling random shifts on ambulances also. I had two fairly slow shifts, one at the blue hospital and one at the teal hospital. Each shift I had a maximum of 3 patients in 8 hours. However on my second shift at the blue hospital I had three pediatric patients come in in the first 10 minutes. With a rash, a transient medical issue related to a permanent debilitating medical condition, and a little baby needing stitches. I did a quick sets of vitals on all three and then helped hold down the baby for stitches. Then a little old lady who had a syncopal episode. The next patient was a college age student to fell and dislocated her wrist at a family function. Then another college age student came in with a severe medication reaction. All in all it was a fairly slow night but better than the ones I had been having.
I am really excited to begin working OR shifts and being able to intubate patients and start massive quantities of IVs.
That is all for now more to come.
Clinicals are in full swing and I am currently pulling 24 -30 hours a week in random hospitals in my area and soon I will be pulling random shifts on ambulances also. I had two fairly slow shifts, one at the blue hospital and one at the teal hospital. Each shift I had a maximum of 3 patients in 8 hours. However on my second shift at the blue hospital I had three pediatric patients come in in the first 10 minutes. With a rash, a transient medical issue related to a permanent debilitating medical condition, and a little baby needing stitches. I did a quick sets of vitals on all three and then helped hold down the baby for stitches. Then a little old lady who had a syncopal episode. The next patient was a college age student to fell and dislocated her wrist at a family function. Then another college age student came in with a severe medication reaction. All in all it was a fairly slow night but better than the ones I had been having.
I am really excited to begin working OR shifts and being able to intubate patients and start massive quantities of IVs.
That is all for now more to come.
10/28/2009
0200 Beginning of Month 3
Well it is official my professor's predictions and warnings on the first day of class have come to fruition.
*SAY FAREWELL TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS BECAUSE FOR THE NEXT 9 MONTHS YOU ARE MINE. I OWN YOU:
I have no life. All my friends are at university or working and when they have free time I am in clinicals. I am not meaning to whine I love class with all my heart and soul. However the only time I am able to talk to my boyfriend is really late at night (right around now) or random five minute bursts
*YOU WILL LEARN TO LOVE COFFEE. THIS IS NONEGOTIABLE.
I am getting less sleep now than I did during college. The only difference is used to stay up late to hang with friends and eat and play games. Now I stay up late studying Calcium channel blockers and Tricyclic antidepressants, Medications, dosages, uses, indications, contraindicates, special considerations, routes, dosages (adult and peds). I have begun to consume coffee to stay awake during lectures in class.
*IF YOU ARE AT ALL SHY YOU WILL NOT BE. BY THE END OF CLASS YOU WILL HAVE BEEN IN EACH OTHERS PERSONAL SPACE SO MUCH YOU WILL NOT BE EMBARRASSED ANYMORE.
I have officially passed into the realm of, my hand is going into your crotch to tighten a strap and you know this, so I will simply mutter move the boys if you need to while tightening. I also do not feel bad popping an angiocath into somebody's arm and fishing a little bit to get a decent vein and flash.
*YOUR HUMOR IF NOT ALREADY SLIGHTLY WARPED WILL BECOME WARPED SOON ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE.
We make jokes about the songs we sing while doing CPR to keep a steady beat. We had a debate about when it is appropriate to sing "Another One Bites The Dust" vs. "Staying Alive". We came up with some definite guidelines that shall never be repeated.
*YOU WILL KILL SOMEONE.
No one in class has done this yet and this is part of the prophecy that we hope does not come true. However as a class and as individuals we have killed several simulated patients in scenarios. In our defense we were trying to do this while looking at an examiner in a chair not acting at all and having no paper on which to write vitals or anything from SAMPLE or OPRST or anything else pertinent. And the patient we killed as a class had a problem none of us had ever heard of and we were only allowed to ask one question before the professor moved on to the next person. It was the worlds weirdest way to diagnose and very hard to get other tudents to follow your line of thought.
Well for now that is it but there will be more when we start respiratory and cardiology and definitely some clinical stories. Of course all the stories will be completely fictional or so generic no one will ever know who it could possibly be.
*SAY FAREWELL TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS BECAUSE FOR THE NEXT 9 MONTHS YOU ARE MINE. I OWN YOU:
I have no life. All my friends are at university or working and when they have free time I am in clinicals. I am not meaning to whine I love class with all my heart and soul. However the only time I am able to talk to my boyfriend is really late at night (right around now) or random five minute bursts
*YOU WILL LEARN TO LOVE COFFEE. THIS IS NONEGOTIABLE.
I am getting less sleep now than I did during college. The only difference is used to stay up late to hang with friends and eat and play games. Now I stay up late studying Calcium channel blockers and Tricyclic antidepressants, Medications, dosages, uses, indications, contraindicates, special considerations, routes, dosages (adult and peds). I have begun to consume coffee to stay awake during lectures in class.
*IF YOU ARE AT ALL SHY YOU WILL NOT BE. BY THE END OF CLASS YOU WILL HAVE BEEN IN EACH OTHERS PERSONAL SPACE SO MUCH YOU WILL NOT BE EMBARRASSED ANYMORE.
I have officially passed into the realm of, my hand is going into your crotch to tighten a strap and you know this, so I will simply mutter move the boys if you need to while tightening. I also do not feel bad popping an angiocath into somebody's arm and fishing a little bit to get a decent vein and flash.
*YOUR HUMOR IF NOT ALREADY SLIGHTLY WARPED WILL BECOME WARPED SOON ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE.
We make jokes about the songs we sing while doing CPR to keep a steady beat. We had a debate about when it is appropriate to sing "Another One Bites The Dust" vs. "Staying Alive". We came up with some definite guidelines that shall never be repeated.
*YOU WILL KILL SOMEONE.
No one in class has done this yet and this is part of the prophecy that we hope does not come true. However as a class and as individuals we have killed several simulated patients in scenarios. In our defense we were trying to do this while looking at an examiner in a chair not acting at all and having no paper on which to write vitals or anything from SAMPLE or OPRST or anything else pertinent. And the patient we killed as a class had a problem none of us had ever heard of and we were only allowed to ask one question before the professor moved on to the next person. It was the worlds weirdest way to diagnose and very hard to get other tudents to follow your line of thought.
Well for now that is it but there will be more when we start respiratory and cardiology and definitely some clinical stories. Of course all the stories will be completely fictional or so generic no one will ever know who it could possibly be.
10/01/2009
What can you do?
I am writing this because... Well I need opinions and I need to get it off my chest.
So you are called to a house for an assault. Her roommate states that your patient stumbled into the house crying, bloody and very confused.
When you open the door to her room you find an approximately 18 year old female cowering in the corner. She is bloodied, her clothes are torn, and she is rocking back and forth slightly. As you introduce yourself from the door she doesn't move or acknowledge your presence. You slowly enter the room watching her and talking to her the whole time. Eventually you are close enough to see her well enough to start your assessment. You can see she is breathing, slightly fast but adequate. You observe quite a bit of blood coming from some deep lacerations to her face and arms. As you keep talking to her, your partner brings you a sheet to wrap around her while you take her to the hospital.
As you slowly move closer she still is not showing any sign that she sees or hears you.
**How do you proceed?
You touch her foot as they are the part of her closest to you. She looks up at you and starts rocking faster.
**What do you do now?
You keep talking to her and reassuring her but you back up a little to give her some space. You bring the roommate in, in the hopes that a familiar face will calm her down and it seems too. You have the roommate help explain who you are and what is going to happen now to your patient.
Eventually you get her in the vehicle and start towards the hospital. She still has not spoken but she is following simple commands and nods in the affirmative and negative in response to questions. She starts crying and grabs onto your hand. You just keep talking to her.
**What do you talk about? (Anything you can think of? weather, sports, school)
When you get to the hospital and the nurses take over and ask you to leave the room she will not let go of your hand.
**Do you reassure her and leave? Do you see if you can stay just a little longer? Do you out her hand in a Nurses and tell her that she will be taken care of?
** How do you decompress?
** What if this was your best friend, your little sister, your mom, your girlfriend, your daughter?
** What would you have done differently?
So you are called to a house for an assault. Her roommate states that your patient stumbled into the house crying, bloody and very confused.
When you open the door to her room you find an approximately 18 year old female cowering in the corner. She is bloodied, her clothes are torn, and she is rocking back and forth slightly. As you introduce yourself from the door she doesn't move or acknowledge your presence. You slowly enter the room watching her and talking to her the whole time. Eventually you are close enough to see her well enough to start your assessment. You can see she is breathing, slightly fast but adequate. You observe quite a bit of blood coming from some deep lacerations to her face and arms. As you keep talking to her, your partner brings you a sheet to wrap around her while you take her to the hospital.
As you slowly move closer she still is not showing any sign that she sees or hears you.
**How do you proceed?
You touch her foot as they are the part of her closest to you. She looks up at you and starts rocking faster.
**What do you do now?
You keep talking to her and reassuring her but you back up a little to give her some space. You bring the roommate in, in the hopes that a familiar face will calm her down and it seems too. You have the roommate help explain who you are and what is going to happen now to your patient.
Eventually you get her in the vehicle and start towards the hospital. She still has not spoken but she is following simple commands and nods in the affirmative and negative in response to questions. She starts crying and grabs onto your hand. You just keep talking to her.
**What do you talk about? (Anything you can think of? weather, sports, school)
When you get to the hospital and the nurses take over and ask you to leave the room she will not let go of your hand.
**Do you reassure her and leave? Do you see if you can stay just a little longer? Do you out her hand in a Nurses and tell her that she will be taken care of?
** How do you decompress?
** What if this was your best friend, your little sister, your mom, your girlfriend, your daughter?
** What would you have done differently?
9/19/2009
Weeks 1-3
Ok so for the 2 of you that actually read this I apologize. It has been more than a little crazy around here. I am sorry that I have not posted in such a long period of time. So here it goes.
Wow so classes 2-11.
We have been covering everything we ever covered in Basic class. Taking vitals, Pt assessments, immobilizing Pts on backboards, standing take downs, KED, extrications, KTD, hand washing, PPE use and removal. Then we moved on to Anatomy and Physiology. We have been studying body systems, the differences between the different age brackets, how to approach and interact with patients.
We are now in our second book of the 5 books we have for this class. It has been hard work to keep up with class mostly due to the fact that we are going very fast to get through the information that we should know already and the information that we will build upon for the rest of the class.
We have also been working on learning drugs. So far we have to know, Name, class, doseage, route, actions, emergency use, contraindications, and special considerations. For the first 9 drugs. Acetominophen, Adenosine, Albuterol, Amniodarone, Aminophylline, Amyl Nitrite, Asprin, Ateolol, Atropine.
The class is definitely bonding though. We joke and tease like we have know each other for a very long time. We have begun forming study groups and exchange emails and text messages of a fairly regular basis.
We are becoming the family that we will need to survive and pass this class.
Wow so classes 2-11.
We have been covering everything we ever covered in Basic class. Taking vitals, Pt assessments, immobilizing Pts on backboards, standing take downs, KED, extrications, KTD, hand washing, PPE use and removal. Then we moved on to Anatomy and Physiology. We have been studying body systems, the differences between the different age brackets, how to approach and interact with patients.
We are now in our second book of the 5 books we have for this class. It has been hard work to keep up with class mostly due to the fact that we are going very fast to get through the information that we should know already and the information that we will build upon for the rest of the class.
We have also been working on learning drugs. So far we have to know, Name, class, doseage, route, actions, emergency use, contraindications, and special considerations. For the first 9 drugs. Acetominophen, Adenosine, Albuterol, Amniodarone, Aminophylline, Amyl Nitrite, Asprin, Ateolol, Atropine.
The class is definitely bonding though. We joke and tease like we have know each other for a very long time. We have begun forming study groups and exchange emails and text messages of a fairly regular basis.
We are becoming the family that we will need to survive and pass this class.
Week 3
Ok so for the 2 of you that actually read this I apologize. It hasbeen more than a little crazy around here and I am sorry that I have not posted in such a long period of time.
8/24/2009
Day 1
Today was day one of Paramedic school. We began today with 12 students, 4 girls, 8 guys. We spent eight hours in conference room that will serve as our classroom for the next year. After an hour of paper work and procedural things our professor Jay began to lecture. He began his lecture with a small bit of a reality check for all of us in the class.
Jay: Look around this room. Go home tonight and say good-bye to your families. You are mine, body, mind, and soul for the next year. The people you see around you will be your family for the next year. No matter what you back each other up. You all need each other to learn from and to be there for support. Your significant others will not understand, your children will not understand, you friends will not understand. The people in this room will understand. You miss classes or come in drunk or hung over you will be automatically dropped. If you fail to achieve a 80% or higher on every test and every quiz you fail. You fail to complete a skill, you fail. You do something outside you scope of practice, you fail. Understood?
Class: (all looking like we want to run for the door and yet still smiling and looking like we want to be there) Understood.
Jay: However I am the rule maker. If you are a good student and a good person and are working hard in the class and something comes up tell me. I will do whatever I can within my power to help you. But there are limits to how much I can do for you. Try your hardest and we will get along just fine.
So now I am both excited and terrified. This is what I want to do no matter how hard I have to work to achieve it.
Jay: Look around this room. Go home tonight and say good-bye to your families. You are mine, body, mind, and soul for the next year. The people you see around you will be your family for the next year. No matter what you back each other up. You all need each other to learn from and to be there for support. Your significant others will not understand, your children will not understand, you friends will not understand. The people in this room will understand. You miss classes or come in drunk or hung over you will be automatically dropped. If you fail to achieve a 80% or higher on every test and every quiz you fail. You fail to complete a skill, you fail. You do something outside you scope of practice, you fail. Understood?
Class: (all looking like we want to run for the door and yet still smiling and looking like we want to be there) Understood.
Jay: However I am the rule maker. If you are a good student and a good person and are working hard in the class and something comes up tell me. I will do whatever I can within my power to help you. But there are limits to how much I can do for you. Try your hardest and we will get along just fine.
So now I am both excited and terrified. This is what I want to do no matter how hard I have to work to achieve it.
6/10/2009
5/29/2009
Memorial Day
This Memorial Day was more bittersweet for me than most others have been. With my little brother gone with the Marines I found myself reflecting on the true meaning of the day more than usual. I have never really thought of it as just a vacation from school like some people I know. But this time it truly made me think of the men and boys my brothers age who died so that I can live and have the freedoms I do have.
Later in the day I went to a party with my friends. Some of whom are enlisted and some of whom were missing from the party because they are currently in deserts in other countries. One got back from field training the day before and one left for 4 months the next day. Playing kickball and swimming and dancing with these men who have just left boyhood and who would be leaving soon was also sad. Everyone made sure to give them a few extra hugs for the road.
I almost had to use my EMT Training more than once at the party. We play this game that is a mix of wrestleing, tag, and frogger. It leaves major bruises and more than a few people had to tap out before they got hurt. Playing it in the water was even more dangerous. It had less of a danger of simply getting bruises but more a danger that someone would be held under water by accident.
All in all it was a good Memorial day.
Later in the day I went to a party with my friends. Some of whom are enlisted and some of whom were missing from the party because they are currently in deserts in other countries. One got back from field training the day before and one left for 4 months the next day. Playing kickball and swimming and dancing with these men who have just left boyhood and who would be leaving soon was also sad. Everyone made sure to give them a few extra hugs for the road.
I almost had to use my EMT Training more than once at the party. We play this game that is a mix of wrestleing, tag, and frogger. It leaves major bruises and more than a few people had to tap out before they got hurt. Playing it in the water was even more dangerous. It had less of a danger of simply getting bruises but more a danger that someone would be held under water by accident.
All in all it was a good Memorial day.
5/08/2009
Silly Police
Disclaimer: I have no problem with law enforcement personel. In fact I have many friends who are in law enforcement.
So at 0645 this morning I was driving down the hwy in Fond du lac. I was going maybe 70(at the most) in a 65 zone. Yes I know I should have even been going that fast but I was keeping up with traffic. And then I made the mistake of trying to pass the car I had been following for an hour. As I was passing him I saw the trooped ahead of me and took my foot off the gas and let it drop to 65. At this point the guy on my right flew past me. And after I got in the right hand lane again the trooper pulled me over.
He took a good look at the box that was taking up most of my car and then told me he was giving me a written warning for speeding. Yeah right. I know he did not clock me speeding. I figured he had pulled me over because he didn't think I could see well enough to be safely driving with that box in my car. In fact he tested this by pulling up behind me so I could not see him out of my side mirrors and then turned his lights on so that he was only in my rear view mirror.
So now for the first time in my life I have gotten in trouble with the law. I am more angry that he pulled me over for going 1 mph above the speed limit when all the cars around me were going faster. And he could have just said that the box looked dangerous and not given me a warning.
Grrrr
So at 0645 this morning I was driving down the hwy in Fond du lac. I was going maybe 70(at the most) in a 65 zone. Yes I know I should have even been going that fast but I was keeping up with traffic. And then I made the mistake of trying to pass the car I had been following for an hour. As I was passing him I saw the trooped ahead of me and took my foot off the gas and let it drop to 65. At this point the guy on my right flew past me. And after I got in the right hand lane again the trooper pulled me over.
He took a good look at the box that was taking up most of my car and then told me he was giving me a written warning for speeding. Yeah right. I know he did not clock me speeding. I figured he had pulled me over because he didn't think I could see well enough to be safely driving with that box in my car. In fact he tested this by pulling up behind me so I could not see him out of my side mirrors and then turned his lights on so that he was only in my rear view mirror.
So now for the first time in my life I have gotten in trouble with the law. I am more angry that he pulled me over for going 1 mph above the speed limit when all the cars around me were going faster. And he could have just said that the box looked dangerous and not given me a warning.
Grrrr
5/03/2009
Reciprocity
For my summer job I was getting all ready and packing. Buying sunscreen and soap and such things necessary to live somewhere for 2 months. And then my boss sent me an email. Dear Freckles I sent your credentials into the health department and they have decided that you are not qualified enough. Apparently in this state being a NREMT is not enough. So now I have to prove that I took a class and have the WI EMS bureau fill out paper work on me to send to them. And then I will get a number that will allow me to take a refresher course and test to be a legal EMT in the state I will be working in all summer. That is all fine I can do that. The problem is this state is a 10+ hour drive for me and I have to take the refresher course there. And with enough time to fill out all the necessary paperwork and have it all filed and cool before I am supposed to start working. I have 1 month.
Well here is hoping for Reciprocity to go quickly and everything to fall in place easily.
Well here is hoping for Reciprocity to go quickly and everything to fall in place easily.
4/29/2009
Presidents and Press Conferences
Thank you president Obama. Without you how would we know that to prevent Swine flu we should... wash our hands, cover our mouths, and stay home if we are sick. I am not sure about you but I have known this since I was 2. Get off my tv and talk to people who care.
I strongly dislike when presidents interrupt regular programming to hold a press conference. I also dislike when they do it because something they deem really important happens. I do not mind a quick blurb or a scrolling across the bottom of the screen.
I feel that maybe there should be a tv channel completely devoted to the president and world events or something like that. A news team on every continent could broad cast on it for 2 hours a day each covering world events on their continent that are important. And when the president feels that he has something really important to say he can go on there and talk to his hearts content. And they can replay the president on it for those that missed it the first time and really want to see it. Heck make it interactive let us pose questions for him.
Sorry I really have nothing against presidents or press conferences and I am not that addicted to tv I just really do not like all 3 together.
I strongly dislike when presidents interrupt regular programming to hold a press conference. I also dislike when they do it because something they deem really important happens. I do not mind a quick blurb or a scrolling across the bottom of the screen.
I feel that maybe there should be a tv channel completely devoted to the president and world events or something like that. A news team on every continent could broad cast on it for 2 hours a day each covering world events on their continent that are important. And when the president feels that he has something really important to say he can go on there and talk to his hearts content. And they can replay the president on it for those that missed it the first time and really want to see it. Heck make it interactive let us pose questions for him.
Sorry I really have nothing against presidents or press conferences and I am not that addicted to tv I just really do not like all 3 together.
4/24/2009
Results
Today I found out many things
a) I do not have Tuberculosis (I already knew that) 1 test down 1 to go.
b) I got offered the job I have been waiting for. Outside doing first aid all summer!!!
c) My parents really are worried about me going away all summer.
d) Allison (my car) looks better with out paint on her front bumper.
e) My Big Brother from school is graduating in a couple of weeks and is on his way to being a grownup.
My brother is also sleeping next to me on the couch right now he got leave for a week before he is leaving again.
Today is a good day.
a) I do not have Tuberculosis (I already knew that) 1 test down 1 to go.
b) I got offered the job I have been waiting for. Outside doing first aid all summer!!!
c) My parents really are worried about me going away all summer.
d) Allison (my car) looks better with out paint on her front bumper.
e) My Big Brother from school is graduating in a couple of weeks and is on his way to being a grownup.
My brother is also sleeping next to me on the couch right now he got leave for a week before he is leaving again.
Today is a good day.
4/18/2009
Yay for paperwork
Today I received my Pre-Paramedic paperwork and it made me feel like a dog. I have to prove that I have had all of my shots and in the proper order and amount. I also have to go get more shots and boosters to satisfy the requirements of my program. MMR, TB, Varicella, Hep B, Hep A (recommended),Tetanus. Not that bad but still trying to find the records is tough when you have had several different doctors over the years.
Yay for TB tests I have to have a 2 step test again because it has been 12 months and 4 days. At least this time I know I am allergic to their bandages so I will not get a false positive due to a bandage reaction this time.
Well off to become a human pincushion. Here is hoping I do not have TB.
Yay for TB tests I have to have a 2 step test again because it has been 12 months and 4 days. At least this time I know I am allergic to their bandages so I will not get a false positive due to a bandage reaction this time.
Well off to become a human pincushion. Here is hoping I do not have TB.
4/15/2009
Paramedic Mandatory Meeting
Today I went to the mandatory meeting about paramedic school. I showed up 25 minutes early and was told that I was at the wrong building but that they could set up a Video Conferencing relay for me so I did not have to make the hour drive and miss the meeting.
So they set me up in a quiet room with a note pad and a pen staring at a tv screen of an empty room. Not a good sign when the meeting was supposed to have started 5 minutes ago. Then the teacher and my fellow classmates showed up and we got down to business it was slightly awkward but not too bad.
Then a woman came into my room to give me the papers that I was supposed to be filling out. She chatted with the people on the tv for awhile and then left.
5 minutes later there was a man outside my door signing.
He signed "need interpreter?".
I signed "No".
He signed " Deaf?”.
I signed “No hearing”.
Yes folks that is right apparently if you accidentally sign while you are talking you get an interpreter! It made me happy because they were trying to make sure that I knew what was going on and being helpful.
I also found it hilarious that at the meeting for a profession in which you cannot be deaf I was asked if I was deaf.
So they set me up in a quiet room with a note pad and a pen staring at a tv screen of an empty room. Not a good sign when the meeting was supposed to have started 5 minutes ago. Then the teacher and my fellow classmates showed up and we got down to business it was slightly awkward but not too bad.
Then a woman came into my room to give me the papers that I was supposed to be filling out. She chatted with the people on the tv for awhile and then left.
5 minutes later there was a man outside my door signing.
He signed "need interpreter?".
I signed "No".
He signed " Deaf?”.
I signed “No hearing”.
Yes folks that is right apparently if you accidentally sign while you are talking you get an interpreter! It made me happy because they were trying to make sure that I knew what was going on and being helpful.
I also found it hilarious that at the meeting for a profession in which you cannot be deaf I was asked if I was deaf.
4/11/2009
I love WI
So for the last few days I have been up north in northern WI. Now as many of you know it is pretty much Spring in most of the country. Well not here it isn't today I had to shovel snow out of the way so I could walk down to the lake. Then I proceeded to walk out to the end of the pier and walk across said lake. Yes in northern WI the lakes are still frozen enough to be considered safe to walk and ice fish on. The lake still has 2 feet of ice in the center but the edges are sketchy. I also made a very large bonfire to burn all the wood and pine needles that fell during late fall and winter. This was so that come true spring we can plant things. And by things I mean anything that the deer will not instantly devour. I have also been interviewing for a summer job and I will know by the end of the week if I have the job or not. I would be health officer at a camp this summer. Well that is all.
4/08/2009
Marine Corp Symbol
So I have decided that this Blog will be Bipolar. I will be posting about the Marine Corp and I will also be posting about Paramedic school. So today's Marine bit is the story of the Marine Corp symbol.
"We stole the Eagle from the Air Force,
The Anchor from the Navy,
The Rope from the Army,
and on the seven day when GOD rested,
we overran his perimeter and stole the Globe,
and have been protecting our shores ever since,
We Are.....The United States Marine Corp
4/07/2009
Plagerism
Ok so this following story I found years ago on the internet and I have no clue who wrote it. I amm going to post it any way. If you know tell me and I will give credit.
When the Lord made EMT's, he was into his sixth day of
overtime when an angel appeared and said,
"You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one,"
And the Lord said,
"Have you read the specs on this order?
An EMT has to be able to carry an injured person up a wet, grassy
hill in the dark, dodge stray bullets to reach a dying child unarmed, enter
homes a health inspector wouldn't touch, and not wrinkle their uniform."
"He has to be able to lift three times his own weight, crawl into wrecked
cars with barely enough room to move, and console a grieving mother as he is
doing CPR on a baby he knows will never breathe again."
"He has to be in top mental condition at all times,
running on no sleep, black coffee, and half eaten meals.
And he has to have six pairs of hands."
The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands....no way."
"It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord,
"It's the three pairs of eyes an EMT has to have."
"That's on the standard model?" asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees open sores as he's drawing blood and
asks the patient if they may be HIV positive,"
(When he already knows and wishes he'd taken that accounting job)
"Another pair here on the side of his head for is partner's safety.
Another pair of eyes here in front that can look reassuringly at a bleeding
victim and say 'You'll be all right ma'am' when he knows it isn't so."
"Lord," said the angel, touching his sleeve,
"rest and work on this tomorrow."
"I can't," said the Lord, "I already have a model that can talk a 250 pound
drunk out from behind a steering wheel without incident and feed a family of
five on a private service paycheck."
The angel circled the model of the paramedic very slowly,
"Can it think?" she asked.
"You bet," said the Lord. "It can tell you the symptoms of 100 illnesses,
recite drug calculations in its sleep; intubate, defibrillate, medicate, and
continue CPR nonstop over terrain that any doctor would fear...and still it
keeps its sense of humor."
"This EMT also has phenomenal control.
He can deal with a multi-victim trauma, coax a frightened elderly person to
unlock their door, comfort a murder victim's family, and then read in the
daily paper how EMT's were unable to locate a house quickly
enough, allowing a person to die.
A house which had no street sign, no house numbers, no phone to call back."
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the EMT.
"There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told you that you were trying to put too
much into this model."
"That's not a leak," said the Lord, "It's a tear."
"What's the tear for?" asked the angel.
"It's for bottled-up emotions, for patients they tried in vain to save, for
commitment to hope that they will make a difference in a person's chance to
survive, for life."
"You're a genius," said the angel.
The Lord looked somber, "I didn't put it there."
When the Lord made EMT's, he was into his sixth day of
overtime when an angel appeared and said,
"You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one,"
And the Lord said,
"Have you read the specs on this order?
An EMT has to be able to carry an injured person up a wet, grassy
hill in the dark, dodge stray bullets to reach a dying child unarmed, enter
homes a health inspector wouldn't touch, and not wrinkle their uniform."
"He has to be able to lift three times his own weight, crawl into wrecked
cars with barely enough room to move, and console a grieving mother as he is
doing CPR on a baby he knows will never breathe again."
"He has to be in top mental condition at all times,
running on no sleep, black coffee, and half eaten meals.
And he has to have six pairs of hands."
The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands....no way."
"It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord,
"It's the three pairs of eyes an EMT has to have."
"That's on the standard model?" asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees open sores as he's drawing blood and
asks the patient if they may be HIV positive,"
(When he already knows and wishes he'd taken that accounting job)
"Another pair here on the side of his head for is partner's safety.
Another pair of eyes here in front that can look reassuringly at a bleeding
victim and say 'You'll be all right ma'am' when he knows it isn't so."
"Lord," said the angel, touching his sleeve,
"rest and work on this tomorrow."
"I can't," said the Lord, "I already have a model that can talk a 250 pound
drunk out from behind a steering wheel without incident and feed a family of
five on a private service paycheck."
The angel circled the model of the paramedic very slowly,
"Can it think?" she asked.
"You bet," said the Lord. "It can tell you the symptoms of 100 illnesses,
recite drug calculations in its sleep; intubate, defibrillate, medicate, and
continue CPR nonstop over terrain that any doctor would fear...and still it
keeps its sense of humor."
"This EMT also has phenomenal control.
He can deal with a multi-victim trauma, coax a frightened elderly person to
unlock their door, comfort a murder victim's family, and then read in the
daily paper how EMT's were unable to locate a house quickly
enough, allowing a person to die.
A house which had no street sign, no house numbers, no phone to call back."
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the EMT.
"There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told you that you were trying to put too
much into this model."
"That's not a leak," said the Lord, "It's a tear."
"What's the tear for?" asked the angel.
"It's for bottled-up emotions, for patients they tried in vain to save, for
commitment to hope that they will make a difference in a person's chance to
survive, for life."
"You're a genius," said the angel.
The Lord looked somber, "I didn't put it there."
4/05/2009
Pre paramedic classes
Tomorrow starts the craziness of what I got myself into.
A little background, up until December I was a student at a Big State University. I was in a major I hated and stuck in classes that I didn't need for the major I really wanted. So I mustered up all the courage I had and said, "Screw this, I am becoming a stripper". JK instead I said "Screw this, I am becoming a Paramedic". So I told my parents, and started packing and applying to the paramedic school that was in my home town. Three weeks before the end of the semester I finally told my friends that I would in fact not be coming back at the end of break.
Then I got to figuring out how I was going to pay for school, and a car and still have enough money at the end to set off on my own to go live like a big girl. Alone.
So now I am trying to get all the extra classes required for an associates degree done before I start the Paramedic core classes. These extra classes would not be so bad if I had started at the beginning of the year like most normal students. But no I am trying to cram 2 years worth of classes into 1.25 years. And trying to work at the same time because books are expensive.
So in a matter of 6 weeks I am taking 12 credits. Yeah doesn't sound that bad to you right. Well for a reference each credit is 20 hours of class time and approximately 20 hours of non-class time aka. homework. So...
12 credits x 40 hours per credit = 480 credit hours.
Divide that by 6 weeks and you get 80 hours a week of class work.
So yeah going to school like this is equal to having 2 full time jobs at the same time and having to take tests and learn in them. All in all it makes for an interesting time.
-Freckles
A little background, up until December I was a student at a Big State University. I was in a major I hated and stuck in classes that I didn't need for the major I really wanted. So I mustered up all the courage I had and said, "Screw this, I am becoming a stripper". JK instead I said "Screw this, I am becoming a Paramedic". So I told my parents, and started packing and applying to the paramedic school that was in my home town. Three weeks before the end of the semester I finally told my friends that I would in fact not be coming back at the end of break.
Then I got to figuring out how I was going to pay for school, and a car and still have enough money at the end to set off on my own to go live like a big girl. Alone.
So now I am trying to get all the extra classes required for an associates degree done before I start the Paramedic core classes. These extra classes would not be so bad if I had started at the beginning of the year like most normal students. But no I am trying to cram 2 years worth of classes into 1.25 years. And trying to work at the same time because books are expensive.
So in a matter of 6 weeks I am taking 12 credits. Yeah doesn't sound that bad to you right. Well for a reference each credit is 20 hours of class time and approximately 20 hours of non-class time aka. homework. So...
12 credits x 40 hours per credit = 480 credit hours.
Divide that by 6 weeks and you get 80 hours a week of class work.
So yeah going to school like this is equal to having 2 full time jobs at the same time and having to take tests and learn in them. All in all it makes for an interesting time.
-Freckles
4/03/2009
Marines are Amazing
So today I dropped my Brother off at his Marine Reserve Unit for training. His Unit was recently called to active duty and he was pulled out of classes and told to get his stuff together. He will be training for the next 3 weeks. After that he will be deployed. Deployed to an undisclosed location, with a new unit, from a different state, for an indeterminate amount of time, to do classified things. Yay. I am proud of my brother and I love that he bucked what my parents wanted and decided to join the Marine Corp. However I am going to miss him a lot and I am very worried that he will be injured while doing what he does. Also my parents are very worried about him and are a little crazy about things including him being deployed. They are very over protective in general and this is not helping them relax at all.
Well that is all for now.
Well that is all for now.
3/31/2009
My boring week.
Well I just got home from donating double red so I am treating myself to some down time and some relaxation. So I figured I better bring this up to speed.
Well for Paramedic school there are classes you have to take along with the Paramedic core classes in order to graduate with a degree. The ones I am currently enrolled in seem mildly pointless and boring.
For Example before you take any classes at the school you are required to take a series of tests to determine what classes you do not have to take and at what level. The highest you can get on the Math section is 12.9 which is equal to having above and beyond high school math capabilities. When I took the test I received a 12.9. I immediately thought awesome I will not have to take anymore math classes this will be nice. Oh was I wrong they looked at my score and said you have to take this self paced class there are 15 tests and a ton of busy work and you have to finish it this semester. Yes I too found this ridiculous that i received the highest score and still have to complete Basic Math Proficency!!! YAY.
Then I had to take student Success. Basically I sat in a class room for 4 days for a total of 16 hours and listened to some of my classmates talk about things they did not understand. very very simple things. Like how to navigate a website or save documents so they could be sent to our professor.
And now i am enrolled in computer literacy. I am currently 2 weeks ahead of the class in the homework. I am also only doing the homework during class time and I am teaching the stuff to 2 little old ladies who sit behind me and I still have time to do homework for other classes. Oh and did I happen to mention today was only my second class there and I am ahead!!!
I cannot wait until classes that I feel will be more useful start up. I can understand Human Anatomy and Microbiology and Ethics and Oral and Written Communication. All those classes seem at least marginally useful to me unlike some classes. And yes I know for the little old ladies behind me these classes are extremely useful but come on there has to be a way to all some of these classes to be tested out of some how.
I applied for a job at Boy Scout Camp yesterday and I recieved an email about doing a phone interview. I am excited. It seems like it will be a fun job, I will be the camp EMT. I love the outdoors and I will be getting plenty of it and I really hope I get it. Problem is the job is in NY and I live in WI. I am thinking about driving my car there for the summer. However it is a 10+ hour drive and I have to be there 2 days after classes end here.
Well until next time don't do anything you wouldn't want to explain to the paramedics.
Well for Paramedic school there are classes you have to take along with the Paramedic core classes in order to graduate with a degree. The ones I am currently enrolled in seem mildly pointless and boring.
For Example before you take any classes at the school you are required to take a series of tests to determine what classes you do not have to take and at what level. The highest you can get on the Math section is 12.9 which is equal to having above and beyond high school math capabilities. When I took the test I received a 12.9. I immediately thought awesome I will not have to take anymore math classes this will be nice. Oh was I wrong they looked at my score and said you have to take this self paced class there are 15 tests and a ton of busy work and you have to finish it this semester. Yes I too found this ridiculous that i received the highest score and still have to complete Basic Math Proficency!!! YAY.
Then I had to take student Success. Basically I sat in a class room for 4 days for a total of 16 hours and listened to some of my classmates talk about things they did not understand. very very simple things. Like how to navigate a website or save documents so they could be sent to our professor.
And now i am enrolled in computer literacy. I am currently 2 weeks ahead of the class in the homework. I am also only doing the homework during class time and I am teaching the stuff to 2 little old ladies who sit behind me and I still have time to do homework for other classes. Oh and did I happen to mention today was only my second class there and I am ahead!!!
I cannot wait until classes that I feel will be more useful start up. I can understand Human Anatomy and Microbiology and Ethics and Oral and Written Communication. All those classes seem at least marginally useful to me unlike some classes. And yes I know for the little old ladies behind me these classes are extremely useful but come on there has to be a way to all some of these classes to be tested out of some how.
I applied for a job at Boy Scout Camp yesterday and I recieved an email about doing a phone interview. I am excited. It seems like it will be a fun job, I will be the camp EMT. I love the outdoors and I will be getting plenty of it and I really hope I get it. Problem is the job is in NY and I live in WI. I am thinking about driving my car there for the summer. However it is a 10+ hour drive and I have to be there 2 days after classes end here.
Well until next time don't do anything you wouldn't want to explain to the paramedics.
3/21/2009
Things I should have known
So funny and not funny story....
Last night I went to a dance with a bunch of friends at a town hall near our homes because everyone was on Spring break from school. Well at the dance there were 3 very intense strobe lights and one of my friends is on anti-seizure medication for past seizures.
Okay so temporary pause for a side note... Any of you that know anything about health care at all know that strobe lights are BAD BAD BAD for people who have had seizures because they can trigger them. In fact to test for epilepsy people are place in front of a strobe light to attempt to induce a seizure. Me and my friend, both EMT-B's failed to put this together.
So mean while bad at the dance... He was going in and out of the dance and smoked a few cigarettes with some of the other guys at the dance. After awhile he came back in and sat down on a chair because he felt funny. I saw him sit down and looked away and when I looked back he was on the ground actively seizing.
He seized for approximately 2-3 minutes. While he was seizing I was trying to loosen his tie and collar and protect his head. I had people call 911 and just stayed there next to him until he stopped seizing.
Once he stopped seizing he was laying there very tense with snoring respirations and I was trying to help him get a patent airway but he was so tensed it was hard to do. He slowly started to wake up and kept trying to stand up I had to physically hold him to the floor in a sitting position so he would not stand up. And as I kept trying to keep him calm and on the floor he kept trying to hold my hand because I was the only one close to him.
When the paramedics came they were trying to ask him questions and he just kept answering NO to everything no matter what the question was and mumbling incoherently. He almost freaked out when they tried to place O2 by non re-breather mask on his face. So they loaded us up in the ambulance and I got to sit in front and try to give them as much information as I could. Then I had to wait in the waiting room at the hospital. Which was heart breaking because he tried to motion me into the room as they we taking me past his room to wait.
Finally they let me in the room and we had some fun talking to various doctors, nurses, phlebotemists, and clerks. Until the doctor finally came in and we talked about strobe lights and how it probably set a seizure off.
In the midst of all of this me and my friend talked about different types of seizure and what had happened to him and the different stages of a seizure. So that he would understand. it also helped kill the time because we got there at 10pm and didn't get to leave until past 1230 am.
So lesson learned strobe lights are not a good idea for my friends.
Last night I went to a dance with a bunch of friends at a town hall near our homes because everyone was on Spring break from school. Well at the dance there were 3 very intense strobe lights and one of my friends is on anti-seizure medication for past seizures.
Okay so temporary pause for a side note... Any of you that know anything about health care at all know that strobe lights are BAD BAD BAD for people who have had seizures because they can trigger them. In fact to test for epilepsy people are place in front of a strobe light to attempt to induce a seizure. Me and my friend, both EMT-B's failed to put this together.
So mean while bad at the dance... He was going in and out of the dance and smoked a few cigarettes with some of the other guys at the dance. After awhile he came back in and sat down on a chair because he felt funny. I saw him sit down and looked away and when I looked back he was on the ground actively seizing.
He seized for approximately 2-3 minutes. While he was seizing I was trying to loosen his tie and collar and protect his head. I had people call 911 and just stayed there next to him until he stopped seizing.
Once he stopped seizing he was laying there very tense with snoring respirations and I was trying to help him get a patent airway but he was so tensed it was hard to do. He slowly started to wake up and kept trying to stand up I had to physically hold him to the floor in a sitting position so he would not stand up. And as I kept trying to keep him calm and on the floor he kept trying to hold my hand because I was the only one close to him.
When the paramedics came they were trying to ask him questions and he just kept answering NO to everything no matter what the question was and mumbling incoherently. He almost freaked out when they tried to place O2 by non re-breather mask on his face. So they loaded us up in the ambulance and I got to sit in front and try to give them as much information as I could. Then I had to wait in the waiting room at the hospital. Which was heart breaking because he tried to motion me into the room as they we taking me past his room to wait.
Finally they let me in the room and we had some fun talking to various doctors, nurses, phlebotemists, and clerks. Until the doctor finally came in and we talked about strobe lights and how it probably set a seizure off.
In the midst of all of this me and my friend talked about different types of seizure and what had happened to him and the different stages of a seizure. So that he would understand. it also helped kill the time because we got there at 10pm and didn't get to leave until past 1230 am.
So lesson learned strobe lights are not a good idea for my friends.
3/18/2009
Post Neglect Sorry
Happy belated Saint Patrick's day to you all. I am sorry to have been neglecting this but classes started and there was mad craziness going on around here. I am excited to go to a black and white dance on Friday. Also I have been sucked into watching you tube videos. I have been watching people starting AC IV's and IO IV's and traechs and other awesome procedures. I have also been trying to get ahead in my classes so that when all my other classes start I do not fall hopelessly behind.
Until next time....
Blood and Guts.... Blood and Guts
Until next time....
Blood and Guts.... Blood and Guts
3/11/2009
Paramedic future
Well yesterday I received a call from the head of the Paramedic program at my school and was told I was accepted!!! I will graduate in May 2010!!!
I also just applied for a job that would have me only working weekends and some holidays which would be perfect for me as a job. That way it would allow me to still take classes while working so I have money. YAY!
Also I was looking for future jobs and found a really cool one in the state I was planning on living in when I grow up. And a house I could rent for $500 a month. which would be awesome times 10. But who knows in a year and a half I might have saved enough money that I would be able to buy a house. Mostly kidding I will not have that much money. However I have been trying to figure out how to make everything I would want and need to take with me into my car so I could drive there with everything I own. Probably not going to happen I will need to borrow or rent a big truck and trailer.
That is all for now.
I also just applied for a job that would have me only working weekends and some holidays which would be perfect for me as a job. That way it would allow me to still take classes while working so I have money. YAY!
Also I was looking for future jobs and found a really cool one in the state I was planning on living in when I grow up. And a house I could rent for $500 a month. which would be awesome times 10. But who knows in a year and a half I might have saved enough money that I would be able to buy a house. Mostly kidding I will not have that much money. However I have been trying to figure out how to make everything I would want and need to take with me into my car so I could drive there with everything I own. Probably not going to happen I will need to borrow or rent a big truck and trailer.
That is all for now.
3/10/2009
EMT Basic Clinicals at a Toy Hospital.
As an EMT Basic you are required to get some real world experience before you are given a license to go and practice. So I decided to do mine at a ED in a well known toy hospital. I also did my rotation over Cinco De Mifflin weekend. The following are some stories and conversations that could have happened had I not been in the middle of no where that morning.
I was asked to take a seat in the waiting room because they were too busy to take me back. I sat there laughing to myself as I waited for my police escort back into the ED. Finally an officer came out and took me back to where I would be pacing for the next 9 hours. Yeah I worked 9 hour of an 8 hour shift. There I was introduced to Cool Nurse and White Haired Doctor. They then asked, what I was comfortable with doing, what I wanted to see, and what I wanted to do, what I was allowed to do.
Patient # 1
My first patient of the night was a Drunk Android. He was very intoxicated and had been brought in so that we could asses his minor cuts, and give him a tetanus booster before he went to charm school (detox).
Cool Nurse: Okay so your patient needs a tetanus booster.
ME: I can give the IM injection in the arm correct.
CN: Honey you can give it where ever you want he is in police custody and too drunk to care. Here it is, there are gloves and alcohol wipes in the room. Have fun and good luck.
ME: (To the 3 officers in the room with him.) I have to give him a shot now.
All 3 promptly left the room. And left me alone with the very drunk android who does not speak any English. The following is the exchange that happened using my limited binary.
ME: Hello my name is Freckles I need to give you a shot.
Drunk Android: NO!
ME: YES! It is necessary so you do not get sick. You are being naughty. Please!
DHM: Ok, fine.
At this point he stands up on the bed and takes his pants off so that I could give his the shot in his glutes.
ME: (Laughing and trying to speak Binary.). No! No! Your arm please.
The patient is also laughing at this point. As he pulls up his pants, sits down, rolls up his sleeve, and gives me the biggest smile
DHM: Thank you very much.
I quickly gave him the injection and left the room. The officers meanwhile had heard and seen everything that had been happening were cracking up in the hall right outside the room as I left victorious. I promptly offered to take care of all their patients that night. They had brought him in fighting mad and yelling and after me he stayed relatively quiet and waved every time I walked past his room.
My Second patient of the night was a female chimpanzee. Nothing too funny happened with the patient. She let me look at her foot which was being eaten away by flesh eating bacteria. She said that two days before it had been a small blister and not it was approximately 14cm in diameter and down to the bone in some places. She was really sweet and was looking on the bright side. She said luckily she has a lack of feeling in her feet due to the diabetes so told me it didn’t hurt very much at all. However as I was leaving A doctor walked in and was poking at it with a pen.
This conversation happened after I left the room and went to find my next victim I mean patient.
ME: Just so you know Young Doctor is poking that foot wound with a pen and not wearing gloves.
Nurse Who has Seen it ALL: Okay honey I will keep an eye on him when he comes out and I will make sure the pen is destroyed and everything he touched is disinfected.
ME: Thank you I was just making sure you knew that. Got anything else really cool for me?!!
NWSA: (shaking her head and laughing) Room 4 honey. You get to start this one alone so don't mess up.
ME: Score! Thanks I will see you soon.
The next patient had been brought in by Paramedics and I soon understood why I had been given this patient to start alone.
ME: Hello my name is Freckles and I am just going to ask you a few questions and take some vitals if that is ok with you.
Psych Patient: OOOHH It hurts and I cannot sleep I am so hungry and stuffed up.
ME: What hurts ma'am? I will let you sleep soon I just need to ask a few more questions. Why did you call 911 today?
PP: Me nose is stuffed up and the construction across the street wakes me up very early every morning. And I just feel like I cannot take care of myself anymore. I am hungry and the heater in my apartment does not work. And nobody cares about me they just think I am worthless. And my nose is stuffed up and I cannot breathe.
ME: (After glancing at the spO2 and her EKG tracing and seeing completely normal vitals. And looking at the doctor who is now in the room with me standing behind the curtain so she cannot see him.) And how long have you been stuffed up ma'am?
PP: Well it all started when I was 4. I got a cold. It never went away it went from my nose to my chest to me head to my left knee them my right foot. When I was 10 it finally move to my right elbow and my left pinky toe and it had stayed there ever since until about 2 years ago when it moved to my nose, head and chest again. And then the construction...
ME: (As I cut her off the doctor is behind the curtain listening and laughing to himself.) Ok well just a few questions...
PP: Me nose is stuffed up and the construction across the street wakes me up very early every morning. And I just feel like I cannot take care of myself anymore. I am hungry and the heater in my apartment does not work. And nobody cares about me they just think I am worthless. And my nose is stuffed up and I cannot breathe...
ME: How old are you ma'am?
PP: Me nose is stuffed up and the construction across the street wakes me up very early every morning. And I just feel like I cannot take care of myself anymore. I am hungry and the heater in my apartment does not work. And nobody cares about me they just think I am worthless. And my nose is stuffed up and I cannot breathe...
ME: Ok I have to go and talk to a doctor and check on some patients. I will turn out the light so you can be more comfortable.
At this point I was just trying to get out of the room before hitting the doctor and or cracking up. When we finally got out of there and had the door shut we both couldn't stop laughing until..
NWSA: So I should call for a Psych consult. (We both nod frantically and I wrote down the vitals I had obtained on her chart)
All of the sudden a Teddy bear walked right in to the ED through the ambulance entrance clutching his chest. Immediately the formerly calm and relaxed nurses moved into calm and you will do what I say the second I say it. He was escorted immediately into the trauma room. he was connected to a pulse oximeter and a BP cuff and a 12 lead EKG before he doctor made it all the way into the room(approximately 30 seconds).
NWSA (to patient): does your chest hurt? Is it hard to breathe? Is your heart pounding in your chest?
Teddy Bear: No only my shoulder hurts. It is not hard to breathe. my heart is only pounding because I am in pain and I do not like hospitals.
Cool Doctor: What is going on?
NWSA: patient walked in complaining of severe left chest pain, sweating profusely, and holding his shoulder. All his vitals look normal.
CD: sir where exactly does it hurt?
TB: My shoulder I have pinched nerve in my neck and I am going to physical therapy for it right now but it is so painful I cannot stand it.
At this point the doctor has a true heart attack roll in and he tell me and NWSA that we should evaluate and present to him in a couple of minutes. After talking to him and getting a history and good vital signs the doctor decided that we could administer phenergen and dilaudid.
ME: Hey I am really sorry about this but I am going to have to give you a shot in each arm to give you the medicines. Is that alright with you?
TBP: Yeah that is fine with me can you bring my boyfriend back for me?
At that moment NWSA brought his boyfriend into the room and then went to draw up the drugs while I got a final set of vitals before administration of the drugs.
Boy Friend: (apparently had a medical back gound but I cannot remember in what) So what are you giving him?
ME: Phenergen and Dilaudin
BF (to TB): You will feel fine very soon honey.
BF(to ME): So I know you are not a nurse what has you working here?
ME: I am an EMT student getting my patient contacts in.
BF and TB: That is so cool of you just so you know we appreciate it.
ME: Thanks. Ok I am going to clean your arms and give you these meds quickly so that you can feel better soon.
TB: OK
ME: Pinch and a burn.
OK.
Clean clean clean.
Pinch and a burn.
All done.
TB and BF: Thank you you are a very sweet girl. Do you mind if we call you girl.
ME: Nope that is fine I know I probably seem very young to you. For being such a good patient would you like a cool sticker?
TB: (Looking from BF to me and smiling) REALLY!!! Yeah.
ME: well there are lots of different kinds do you have a favorite animal.
TB: Teddy Bears.
ME: (Smiling and giggling to myself) Ok I will be right back with your stickers.
After giving them both really cool stickers, taking another set of vitals, and wishing them a good night. I left to go check on patients in other rooms, eat some food, and use the facilities. At this point it was 6 am and it was pretty much my first break and I had been pounding water from the ice machine all night.
And several less memorable patients and easy dispos later I left to go home and catch an hour nap before my first class of the day.
I was asked to take a seat in the waiting room because they were too busy to take me back. I sat there laughing to myself as I waited for my police escort back into the ED. Finally an officer came out and took me back to where I would be pacing for the next 9 hours. Yeah I worked 9 hour of an 8 hour shift. There I was introduced to Cool Nurse and White Haired Doctor. They then asked, what I was comfortable with doing, what I wanted to see, and what I wanted to do, what I was allowed to do.
Patient # 1
My first patient of the night was a Drunk Android. He was very intoxicated and had been brought in so that we could asses his minor cuts, and give him a tetanus booster before he went to charm school (detox).
Cool Nurse: Okay so your patient needs a tetanus booster.
ME: I can give the IM injection in the arm correct.
CN: Honey you can give it where ever you want he is in police custody and too drunk to care. Here it is, there are gloves and alcohol wipes in the room. Have fun and good luck.
ME: (To the 3 officers in the room with him.) I have to give him a shot now.
All 3 promptly left the room. And left me alone with the very drunk android who does not speak any English. The following is the exchange that happened using my limited binary.
ME: Hello my name is Freckles I need to give you a shot.
Drunk Android: NO!
ME: YES! It is necessary so you do not get sick. You are being naughty. Please!
DHM: Ok, fine.
At this point he stands up on the bed and takes his pants off so that I could give his the shot in his glutes.
ME: (Laughing and trying to speak Binary.). No! No! Your arm please.
The patient is also laughing at this point. As he pulls up his pants, sits down, rolls up his sleeve, and gives me the biggest smile
DHM: Thank you very much.
I quickly gave him the injection and left the room. The officers meanwhile had heard and seen everything that had been happening were cracking up in the hall right outside the room as I left victorious. I promptly offered to take care of all their patients that night. They had brought him in fighting mad and yelling and after me he stayed relatively quiet and waved every time I walked past his room.
My Second patient of the night was a female chimpanzee. Nothing too funny happened with the patient. She let me look at her foot which was being eaten away by flesh eating bacteria. She said that two days before it had been a small blister and not it was approximately 14cm in diameter and down to the bone in some places. She was really sweet and was looking on the bright side. She said luckily she has a lack of feeling in her feet due to the diabetes so told me it didn’t hurt very much at all. However as I was leaving A doctor walked in and was poking at it with a pen.
This conversation happened after I left the room and went to find my next victim I mean patient.
ME: Just so you know Young Doctor is poking that foot wound with a pen and not wearing gloves.
Nurse Who has Seen it ALL: Okay honey I will keep an eye on him when he comes out and I will make sure the pen is destroyed and everything he touched is disinfected.
ME: Thank you I was just making sure you knew that. Got anything else really cool for me?!!
NWSA: (shaking her head and laughing) Room 4 honey. You get to start this one alone so don't mess up.
ME: Score! Thanks I will see you soon.
The next patient had been brought in by Paramedics and I soon understood why I had been given this patient to start alone.
ME: Hello my name is Freckles and I am just going to ask you a few questions and take some vitals if that is ok with you.
Psych Patient: OOOHH It hurts and I cannot sleep I am so hungry and stuffed up.
ME: What hurts ma'am? I will let you sleep soon I just need to ask a few more questions. Why did you call 911 today?
PP: Me nose is stuffed up and the construction across the street wakes me up very early every morning. And I just feel like I cannot take care of myself anymore. I am hungry and the heater in my apartment does not work. And nobody cares about me they just think I am worthless. And my nose is stuffed up and I cannot breathe.
ME: (After glancing at the spO2 and her EKG tracing and seeing completely normal vitals. And looking at the doctor who is now in the room with me standing behind the curtain so she cannot see him.) And how long have you been stuffed up ma'am?
PP: Well it all started when I was 4. I got a cold. It never went away it went from my nose to my chest to me head to my left knee them my right foot. When I was 10 it finally move to my right elbow and my left pinky toe and it had stayed there ever since until about 2 years ago when it moved to my nose, head and chest again. And then the construction...
ME: (As I cut her off the doctor is behind the curtain listening and laughing to himself.) Ok well just a few questions...
PP: Me nose is stuffed up and the construction across the street wakes me up very early every morning. And I just feel like I cannot take care of myself anymore. I am hungry and the heater in my apartment does not work. And nobody cares about me they just think I am worthless. And my nose is stuffed up and I cannot breathe...
ME: How old are you ma'am?
PP: Me nose is stuffed up and the construction across the street wakes me up very early every morning. And I just feel like I cannot take care of myself anymore. I am hungry and the heater in my apartment does not work. And nobody cares about me they just think I am worthless. And my nose is stuffed up and I cannot breathe...
ME: Ok I have to go and talk to a doctor and check on some patients. I will turn out the light so you can be more comfortable.
At this point I was just trying to get out of the room before hitting the doctor and or cracking up. When we finally got out of there and had the door shut we both couldn't stop laughing until..
NWSA: So I should call for a Psych consult. (We both nod frantically and I wrote down the vitals I had obtained on her chart)
All of the sudden a Teddy bear walked right in to the ED through the ambulance entrance clutching his chest. Immediately the formerly calm and relaxed nurses moved into calm and you will do what I say the second I say it. He was escorted immediately into the trauma room. he was connected to a pulse oximeter and a BP cuff and a 12 lead EKG before he doctor made it all the way into the room(approximately 30 seconds).
NWSA (to patient): does your chest hurt? Is it hard to breathe? Is your heart pounding in your chest?
Teddy Bear: No only my shoulder hurts. It is not hard to breathe. my heart is only pounding because I am in pain and I do not like hospitals.
Cool Doctor: What is going on?
NWSA: patient walked in complaining of severe left chest pain, sweating profusely, and holding his shoulder. All his vitals look normal.
CD: sir where exactly does it hurt?
TB: My shoulder I have pinched nerve in my neck and I am going to physical therapy for it right now but it is so painful I cannot stand it.
At this point the doctor has a true heart attack roll in and he tell me and NWSA that we should evaluate and present to him in a couple of minutes. After talking to him and getting a history and good vital signs the doctor decided that we could administer phenergen and dilaudid.
ME: Hey I am really sorry about this but I am going to have to give you a shot in each arm to give you the medicines. Is that alright with you?
TBP: Yeah that is fine with me can you bring my boyfriend back for me?
At that moment NWSA brought his boyfriend into the room and then went to draw up the drugs while I got a final set of vitals before administration of the drugs.
Boy Friend: (apparently had a medical back gound but I cannot remember in what) So what are you giving him?
ME: Phenergen and Dilaudin
BF (to TB): You will feel fine very soon honey.
BF(to ME): So I know you are not a nurse what has you working here?
ME: I am an EMT student getting my patient contacts in.
BF and TB: That is so cool of you just so you know we appreciate it.
ME: Thanks. Ok I am going to clean your arms and give you these meds quickly so that you can feel better soon.
TB: OK
ME: Pinch and a burn.
OK.
Clean clean clean.
Pinch and a burn.
All done.
TB and BF: Thank you you are a very sweet girl. Do you mind if we call you girl.
ME: Nope that is fine I know I probably seem very young to you. For being such a good patient would you like a cool sticker?
TB: (Looking from BF to me and smiling) REALLY!!! Yeah.
ME: well there are lots of different kinds do you have a favorite animal.
TB: Teddy Bears.
ME: (Smiling and giggling to myself) Ok I will be right back with your stickers.
After giving them both really cool stickers, taking another set of vitals, and wishing them a good night. I left to go check on patients in other rooms, eat some food, and use the facilities. At this point it was 6 am and it was pretty much my first break and I had been pounding water from the ice machine all night.
And several less memorable patients and easy dispos later I left to go home and catch an hour nap before my first class of the day.
About me
Hello I am new to blogging and so I figured I would post a short little post about me to get this started.
I am a 20 year old Paramedic student in my home town in Wisconsin. This blog is going to be about my adventures as I journey through Paramedic school and get my first job. The challenges and hilarity that ensues as me the girl who cannot sit still tries to sit through Paramedic classes. I will also be posting about patients I have had and situations that happen to me.
And just so everyone who reads this knows ALL THE NAMES AND LOCATIONS IN THIS BLOG HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY MADE UP. I will be the only person in these that is not changed.
I am a 20 year old Paramedic student in my home town in Wisconsin. This blog is going to be about my adventures as I journey through Paramedic school and get my first job. The challenges and hilarity that ensues as me the girl who cannot sit still tries to sit through Paramedic classes. I will also be posting about patients I have had and situations that happen to me.
And just so everyone who reads this knows ALL THE NAMES AND LOCATIONS IN THIS BLOG HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY MADE UP. I will be the only person in these that is not changed.
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