Gadgets and Tricks of the Trade

Comment

Comment by Liz Simma on April 19, 2009 at 6:12pm

When one has a pt on a LSB, take a spare BP cuff and place the bladder under their lower back. Inflate until pt says 'O...that feels better'. For those newbies out there, if your having trouble getting a BP in the back, lift the pt's arm off the pram and the noise from the road won't travel into your ears.

Comment by Betty Ganschow on April 14, 2009 at 6:45pm

To get that bad smell out of the ambulance after the call, get a bottle of Iodaform from the ED and string it up in the back of the ambulance, odors will be gone quick. It is very helpful for those lovely GI bleeds.

Comment by Chris Duncan on March 14, 2009 at 8:00pm

For those who have problems with certain odors, I carry a small tube of Carmex lip balm in my pocket. For the most part, the camphor in lip balm will help ward offf the bad smells

Comment by Richard Boaz on March 7, 2009 at 8:51pm

You might try doing volunteer work in a small town i have lived in the country for 22 years this is how i got my start in EMS starting as a first responder then slowly increasing my level of skills till I was a medic doing this you get to know the people on the ambulances and they can help you get your start thats what i did

Comment by Jennifer on February 21, 2009 at 5:39pm

Thank you, Kyle, I agree; and it is what I keep hearing when I go to apply. (Especially now that many counties have a hiring "freeze" in place.)

Comment by Kyle Martincic on February 21, 2009 at 5:35pm

Of course start applying. If you live near or in a big city, some agencies only require a pulse and a license. IT all depends on whatyou want to do. Talk to your instructor, he/she probably knows of area agencies hiring, and if you showed promise in your classes they can probably give you a great recommendation for a job.

Comment by Kyle Martincic on February 21, 2009 at 5:31pm

Unfortunately most of the time the name of the game in getting an EMS job is experience. It sucks starting out new, because most employers want Paramedics or basics with experience. The best thing I did was join a volunteer EMS agency and started running as many calls as I could. Getting involved in EMS that way helped tremendously. I became a familiar face to the ER and the individuals who worked for paid services. Then as they saw I really knew my stuff, I was able to get great recommendations when I did go apply for full-time EMT positions.

Comment by Jennifer on February 19, 2009 at 4:49pm

Hello, I'm a newbee to this site and to EMS--anyone have "tricks of the trade" for getting hired when you're fresh out of school? :)

Comment by jason on February 19, 2009 at 12:35pm

i once had a bottle of peach body spray that i got in a dollar store. That cut through some of the worst smells . I have found that if you do not have any kind of oils or fabreeze or vics as a last resort you can hook yourself up to a NRB at 15 lpm and with that positive pressure it tends to keep most smells out of your nose and mouth

Comment by Pamela duBois on February 16, 2009 at 5:55pm

Ok, here's my 2 cents...

Heat packs work great on cold extremities when you can't find good IV access.

Mini Mag light works every time when you need to find a vein on some of our "thick" patients or the little old lady with teeny tiny veins.

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