Well what can I say, the weekend wasn't that bad. Friday had a run to a nursing home for some congestion, not really an emergency and turned out to be nothing the way I understand. I think they just over-reacted.
I think it might be part of the nursing home handbook or requirement to at one time or another to be proven to not exactly be the smartest. I have seen some of these nurses do things they think are so right when actually they are really trying and just don't have the tools to accomplish the task.
I remember a few months ago a shortness of breath call, the patient has a history of like COPD and Emphezema if I remember right. They have the patient on a non-rebreather mask at 6 Liters. Why? Because the oxygen tank only went that high. The nurse states the patient had refused a breathing treatment, the patient says they didn't. So who do you trust, the nurse who has an education or the patient who is agitated because they can't breathe?
Lung sounds are one area that nursing home nurses seem to lack in. I think they think that all elderly people should have clear lungs like the rest of us, not considering the fact that most of these old people smoked, have CHF, or renal failure, or other types of breathing issues. Also audible sounds can come from the throat which they don't even consider. If you listen to the lungs and they sound clear but the patient makes a noise on some expiration you might try gently placing your stethoscope on either side of the neck and listening.
We managed to wrangle with a psych patient who might have been of their meds over the weekend. I hadn't seen a situation like this before that I remember. The patient was cooperative then next minute wasn't listening to anything. I think that was the bi-polar part. Then would totally jump off the wall and be dancing and singing like they were happy. Totally sober the way I understand it too. Wierd.
Did manage to get another call later in the weekend for an elderly Patient, who had fell, broken their glasses and only complained of pain in the nose, and bleeding. They had likely broken the nose by the looks of it and she had the raccoon eyes which is a common sign of head injury, and broken facial bones. There was also a laceration on the chin looked like maybe been the teeth poked all the way through the lower lip. Wierd.
On Monday my day off I had volunteered to help one of the local EMS classes with their practical exam's. My first time doing this sort of thing and I wasn't even sure what I was doing. I would be the examiner for longbone splinting, and traction splinting. I enjoyed it although I screwed myself up and some of the students. I didn't have senarios thought out or planned for me. Heck I just found out what I was doing when I got there. I was never a senario king remember EMS is still new to me. I haven't taught a class yet and I have no teaching experience. I gave a student a lower leg injury without thinking for traction splinting lol FOOL! No one noticed it until the student repeated it and the co-instructor who had been on the phone earlier while were applying the splint to him caught it to see if I was throwing them off. You know how many times I have used hare traction or let alone traction? I think 1 time and it was during a transfer for that matter! I was red faced I felt it! At least they had caught me and I didn't make a major screw up in front of everyone. So this student continues they all did well and I didn't have to help them. I would ask them to make them think,"Anything else you would do or someone with you would be doing?" They would all start repeating everything they had given. I did notice one thing from these students. Everyone...... was BSI, then ABC. Which is good, the teachers pounded that into their heads. They will forget it once they go to their first call.
It usually goes, BSI (maybe) then focus on the main problem and go from there, while gathering history and in no real order. Myself and another guy were to handle another station for the patient care section. I was a 20's-30's depending on the student, male who had a been held up while leaving the convenience store closing up and taking the receipts to the bank, I was held up and shot in the right thigh and right forearm. My Blood pressure was 80/40. My leg injury was spurting and my arm injury was not doing anything. Every student they had was like BSI, is the scene safe, ABC before the other guy even told them what they had. They jumped right in.
They all were good with the ABC's and the banadage and direct pressure to the leg, which wasn't stopped by pressure, so they had to go to pressure point to control the bleeding, they were good about checking Pulse, Motor and Sensory in the foot and the other foot. They were good! We did find a few issues, when they log rolled me or more less verbalized it, they rolled me towards them, they were on the right side, they all quickly once they were questioned about it understood and it and one of them said they would go to the other side to roll me over, close to them so they could control my body. We were in a small office so it was understandable they weren't on the left of me. They have knowledge I never thought of having when I was in class. I came out of class with minimum exposure and ready to work with no EMS run time. I had put in my 16 hours of ER time or whatever it was at the time. These students had to have RUN time. Awesome! I am amazed that these teachers have got this much accomplished and it really shows promise in the future should pay increase or their be a difference in caring and payment fees.
I was there standing prior to leaving, I jumped into my vehicle and was warming it up, on the way home I thought, how nice it was to be with a group of EMT's, EMT-I, and a Paramedics all who worked well together to give these students a good training and give them a test they all had to think about, and work towards. I can't remember my practical but these student's won't either after they take their tests it is all history and the real learning begins once they start running. I was filled with a joy that I had helped these students, I can feel the warmth in my heart during the holiday season the same one you get at Christmas, and Thanksgiving. I was happy I had been a part of helping these students and those few hours I had with them was amazing! I can see why teachers, teach amazingly now. I felt like I had known the the other facilitators forever we all used each other as examples and shared our stories with the class abou things to do and things not to do. We shared the secrets about trauma conferences and free stuff. We all told our stories to each other. We were friends for a short while. They seemed to know each other I was the one that hadn't met them before. I made a few friends for a few hours. Guys and girls who could really come up with senarios and who I respected and who really respected me. They looked to me for ideas, and help. They were down to earth like myself. I don't think this should be taken the wrong way but as a basic you just feel better hanging out with people who don't act like or seem like they are above you. You feel on a level playing field. I try to make contact with every basic I can. I make contact or at least smile or wave at every EMT that I can. Maybe I can brighten their day, maybe just a smile will make them remember that sometimes we all just need to stick together. Anyways busy day so I should go. I hope you enjoy this blog!
Another year approaching the threshold entering new explorations, new challenges, the same game. Coworkers have came and went a few more than normal this past year and likely more any day now. I am starting to think more like a go with the flow person and less with a complainer attitude. I won't say this year was easy, there were many 12 hour shifts and shift coverages due to long term illness and resignations. Nearing 10 years in the seat behind the headset and at times I feel unwanted, unrespected. Then a day comes up where my officers thank me or have a discussion with me about nothing. But it shows they are people to who maybe forget dispatchers need asked if they are ok too.