Ask A Medic

Provincial run. Still some private services running around, but slowly 'The Man' is buying them out.

EMT-A wage starts at either $22.50 or $25.50/hr if memory serves me correctly.

Tell them to chill out.

And take some Tylenol if it refuses to break.

Honestly though, we just transport. Just realize the fever is the bodies way of combating whatever it has. So dropping the fever via cold dressings or Tylenol can sometimes increase the recovery time of the Pt.

 

So I am about to become an EMT, I am studying for my final that is coming up and a came across this question, wondering what you guys think of it? You are responding to a 23 year old drowning victim, Patient, he is unconscious and does not have a patent airway with gurgling noises. What should your first step be? A. immediately start to BVM the pt. , B. Insert either an OPA or a NPA, C. Suction the airway, D. Decompress the abdomen.
- I feel like the best answer is C, suction first but what do you guys think, sorry if it is a dumb question. Thanks for the help, -Thomas

 

You're correct.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

NVM!! I was just having a blank.

 

No problem. If it gets a little confusing go back to the basics. A-B-Cs. In this case his airway is compromised by water. So breathing is out cause you're going to force water (or more of it) into his lungs. Decompress the abdomen, I'm not even sure what they're asking here so it's out automatically. OPA/NPA is possible but because we know the gurgling is water based and something we can suction, no point doing that yet cause it's going to get in our way when we do try to suction.

And no that's realigning a joint if it's out. Traction is constant pulling pressure.

 

Yeah I had a brain fart.

 

Shit stinks...

 

Not as bad as our pt the other night.

She is a hooker and proud. She had flank pain and an UTI. She smelled like 2 week old tuna!!
It lingered in the back of the ambulance for about 2 hours with the vent on.

 

Ewwww!

 

I know the kind.


Ooohhh.

Gag. Gag.

Yeah, not enough bleach in the world my friend...

 

I hate the 'Phantom smells' that follow the actual stank for like 3 weeks. and then reappear years later with the right trigger. Thats right..there will be a part of your brain that remembers deathly hooker cottage cheese smell forever.

 

Usually when your eating too.

 

C. Gotta have a clean airway to breathe. In reality, suction then OPA then BVM. Always remember A before B, B before C

 

Thanks for the help Mitch, In the feild as a medic (ALS) do still use OPA's /NPA's or do use a different method such as a kink tube or ET tube?

 

Every code I've ran this month we started with an OPA and BVM, then I moved up to a ET. You can't do good ALS without great BLS. If BLS works and is doing the best, then stick with it.

 

Impatient baby delivered on icy road: krqe.com

we got called out for this two days ago at 0545. was kind of a crazy call, but it turned out really well, thank goodness. speaking of good BLS....

 

I had my first field delivery 2 weeks ago. The local hose heads were all about it so I let them go right ahead. I caught the placenta. Then handed it off to one of their basics. If was pretty funny seeing the look on that guys face

 

I agree with Mitch. ABC for a reason. With my department (50 total EMS / 25 or so medics) I probably use an OPA or NPA the most. I will manage an airway with BLS measures long before I attempt ALS measures. We still have RSI (one of the last few in our area), and this is a last resort for me. No need to paralyze someone if you can manage them with a BVM and OPA/NPA.

 

Agree and disagree. If you are able to manage an airway with BLS measures that is good, but if the OPA went in with no problem, they NEED a defintive airway and that is when you should move to ALS skills.

And I don't know what I would do if I couldn't RSI people.