Saturday, June 11, 2005

New Experience

On June 1 the new protocols went into effect. I took great joy in removing the big vials of solumedrol from the med kits. They took up so much room and we never used them. I haven't had a chance to apply any of the new protocols yet. I anticipate using the new morphine dosing regime, phenergan on standing order for vomiting, and the lower minimm BP to give nitro for chest pain and pulmonary edema if its not contraindicated by the patient's presentation.

Here's a link to our protocols.

North Central Paramedic Protocols June 2005

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First call of the day was sort of a new experience. Called for an unresponsive at a nursing home. Arrived to find patient awake and stabilized. The nurse told me they found him unresponsive in the bathroom, having just had a large bowell movement. She was on the phone to the doctor, trying to get him to cancel the order to transport. I checked the man out. The vagal story was good. The doctor told the nurse to alter the man's atenolol, and agreed the transport could be avoided. I told them to call us again if needed, and we left with a refusal. I appreciated them using some sense.

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Did a diabetic refusal. Blood sugar of 30. Got an amp and a half, then his family brought him lunch.

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It was sort of a slow day. Only did two more calls, an abd pain and a guy who thought he had a chicken bone caught in his throat. The last call came in at 9. Every Saturday night I get a call bewteen nine and 10. And he wanted to go to the farthest hospital. Even though he lived just a block from the closer hospital, he said a family memmber had died there and it gave him bad memories. How do you agrue with that. I only got off fifteen minutes late.