Home again - back to work and ambulances!

Well, back to reality.
Eight days in Arizona was a decent break, even if I did have to spend it with my family ;)

Still very little snow, and no calls as far as I know.

Just went to check on the ambulances, and only Effie is in the bay.  New ambulance is nowhere to be found - need to check in with The Pit Boss on that one. (Guess they managed to borrow the garage next door to get the new rig under cover - will check that out later).

Effie went in for warranty work a couple weeks ago, so it's good to have her back.  Did a quick check of supplies, popped a fresh bag of saline in the IV warmer, but other than that she looks good to go!

The search for a duffel bag for the c-spine supplies continues (goes with each backboard: adult & peds c-collar, head blocks, back raft, duct tape).  The bags we had were not great as I ripped the zipper off one the first time I opened it.  Also just a wee bit too small.  So I looked around and found what I thought would be the ideal bag.  Metal zips, heavy-duty cordura, but still at a decent price.  We bought one as a test, thankfully, as it was HUGE.  Chagrined by my lack of measuring skills, I went back to the old bag and found one that was just a bit bigger.  Arrived while I was on vacation, so I just got the chance to test load it.  Looks like a winner!
Heavy duty and the right size.  I'll offer a plug here for the folks at duffelbags.com - they have EXCELLENT customer service and listened to my requirements and offered great suggestions.  I highly recommend them.

Still have hefty to-do lists.  We are back to EMT class on Monday with General Pharmacology, so I need to make the most of this week to get some tasks done.  Mr. Medic is back from vacation later this week, so will likely have his help.  Taylor is around as well, but pretty much everyone else is on vacation.



NEW AMBULANCE:

• Wash
• Apply striping and decals (just a big white box right now)
• set up strap system for backboards
• set up strap system for stair chair
• mount wall holders for protocol books
• mount glove holders (waiting on shipment)
• draw supplies from stock
• organize supplies
• set up bins for supplies (when they are delivered)
• label bins (about halfway done)
• label ambulance (informational labels for radio, etc.)
• set up 2 spare portable O2 bags
• install trash can
• set up spare portable suction (ambo manufacturer forgot to send the new one)
• arrange forward compartment (waiting on extra shelf hardware from manufacturer)
• set up manual BP
• order duffel bags for c-spine supplies
• measure bins we have for next order
• measure backboard retention strap system to replicate for Effie

EFFIE:

• Wash
• Wax
• remove paint scratch (um, I'll tell that story later)
• sew and install new backboard retention straps
• Full inventory
• White Board for the ambulance bay

THE BEAST (New Volunteer Ambulance):

• Contact Tess at the volunteer squad to find out what's needed (still a lot of work to do, last I heard)

So off I go!

8 hour days at work, plus trying to get the house in order for the nephew & sister who return Friday, get work done on at least two of the ambulances, and try to get further ahead in EMS reading.

Another relaxing week.

No calls, lots of ambulance work, and something of a personal life

Yep.  No calls. Been weeks now.
HOWEVER our winter season just 'officially' started, so you never know.

We are still working on kitting out the new ambulance.  It surprises me how much minutiae is required to get it right!  Have had tons of help, but true to fashion Mr. Medic is securely working his tush off on it.  Here's the "to do" list (in no particular order):

• Wash
• Apply striping and decals (just a big white box right now)
• set up strap system for backboards
• set up strap system for stair chair
• mount wall holders for protocol books
• mount glove holders (waiting on shipment)
• draw supplies from stock
• organize supplies
• set up bins for supplies (when they are delivered)
• label bins
• label ambulance (informational labels for radio, etc.)
• set up 2 spare portable O2 bags
• install trash can
• set up spare portable suction (ambo manufacturer forgot to send the new one)
• arrange forward compartment (waiting on extra shelf hardware from manufacturer)
• set up manual BP
• order duffel bags for c-spine supplies

one very dirty, very white ambulance

coolest backboard retention strap system EVER (designed and sewed by A. Ranger herself)

closeup of the strap system - holds each backboard separately

 so they don't all fall out when the first strap is released

To make matters more interesting, Effie goes in for warranty work today, so we need to get the new rig set up for us to use on runs.  Going to be a busy night.

Headed off toward Arizona for a week over the holidays.  Not sure how many EMS books I can fit in my carry-on luggage, but the blessed Kindle Fire grants me access to my course books at least.

And I'm sort-of dating again.

Just trying to stay sane.

:-)

EMT Class week 9 part 2 - Exam & Break

Woot!
Scored a 93% on the patient assessment written exam.  Well, everyone did well, but I'm feeling pretty good about it.  Some controversial questions & answers as always, but not too bad all things considered.
We all passed, and now we get a break for the holidays.
Maybe I'll finally get my reading caught up...

EMT Class week 9 - feeling a bit better about assessment

OK, I feel like less of an idiot this week than I did last week.

We had skills lab last night and I did fine.  Didn't miss any critical criteria, and correctly surmised our medical patient needed to go to the hospital and convinced her to do so as the in-charge.  I got a sinking feeling when she  described the transient headache, pain in her thoracic spine.  I thought to myself, "this day is going to end with an EMS incident report, and all of us will be taking antibiotics."  I made the decision to transport, let the patient know I was worried about meningitis so she needed to seek more treatment, and as we were wrapping up I asked, "so what did you have?"  She got a little smirk and said, "meningococcal meningitis."
Lucky guess? Nah.
What can I say?  I'm that good.
(Taylor will disagree with me here and just say that I watch too much House, ER, and MASH...)

Actually, I was just discussing this with an old friend over the weekend.  His son contracted meningitis which progressed into septicemia.  His son's blood vessels were breaking down and letting blood leak out into his tissues.  He was two years old.  It happened twenty years ago he should have died.  I cannot imagine living through something like that with one of my boys.  He's a damn strong dad, with a damn strong kid, for sure.

Trauma assessment went OK, but I still need to drill it into my brain.
Got smacked down AGAIN by the same instructor as last week.  I'm taking too long to get the oxygen going.  I mumble and he can't hear me verbalize.  Blergh.

Other than that, a very successful night's work.  I'm way more comfortable with assessment and might get through this section.  Written exam tomorrow night over all 8 chapters of section 3 (Patient Assessment).
So, still need to:
Finish flash cards for vocabulary
Finish flash cards for patient assessment steps
Memorize pediatric vital signs
Write out and answer chapter objectives (thanks EMS Newbie, for that suggestion)
...and probably a million or so other things I'm forgetting.

Wish me luck.