Still Around!

Man I'm awful at this.

I put my thumb through a bandsaw (ironically while working on a wooden replica of the Star of Life) so I've got an excuse. Somewhat. Not really. I'm just lazy.

I really love Megacodes. I think they're fascinating. I love having an algorithm that I follow and that's that.

For example (aren't you excited? I'm back to sharing knowledge!).

Pulseless V-tach/V-fib

• First...well...make sure you have that rhythm
• Witnessed: Defibrillate immediately at 200J (biphasic) or 360J (monophasic)
• Unwitnessed: 2min of CPR followed by defibrillation.
• 2min CPR while pushing EPI
• Shock
• 2min CPR while pushing either EPI or VASOPRESSIN
• Shock
• 2min CPR while pushing Amiodarone
• Shock
• 2min CPR while checking for underlying causes
• Continue until a regular rhythm resumes. However always finish a full 2min cycle of CPR even if there's a normal rhythm so the heart has extra friction to keep going normally.

There. I've shared.

I've also covered fun stuff like psychiatric emergencies (don't let them get between you and the exit), childbirth (they will be slippery, dropping a newborn is really bad PR), abdominal emergencies, diabetic emergencies (D50 for hypo, lots of fluids for hyper).

Only 16 more classes until the end. Wow. I can't believe that.

Interesting information for Colorado EMTs: You can send in a name-based record check for all of your previous residencies and they will issue a 90-day provisional license while awaiting your CBI/FBI fingerprints! This awesome allowance was enacted January 2010, I found out about it at the EMS Symposium in my area.

That's it. All I have for now. I'm exhausted. Pain medication is nice.

For the Record

A quick run-down of things:

• I got my NREMT certification, huzzah. I really, really thought I was going to fail that test. I had a horrible headache, and I nearly cried while I was going "ohmigod I don't know what this IS. Or THIS. Or THIS OR THIS OH MY GOD HOW DID I EVER GET OUT OF MY EMT CLASS?!??!" However, an hour after I took the test I got an email all huzzah, you are not going to kill someone today sucka, welcome to being an EMT! For those curious, I got to question 86.
  
• Still in my EMT-I class. I was SURE I was going to fail out of it. Positive. Panicked. I don't know why but I had these fierce mental blocks going on or something and I kept doing very badly on tests. You have to get a 75+ on tests in the EMT-I class, and you only have 3 failure/retakes allowed before you're screwed and failed. I used all three of my retakes before the final test and I was FREAKING OUT. I took that final test and got a 76. I was actually a little angry, since I had really, honestly, been studying my ass off for that test for days.
  
• I have exactly one semester of EMT-I left before I am officially an Intermediate. Once I get my certification from the state in, I'll be able to actually do my 100+ hours of clinicals and the people will rejoice. Especially the people I'm going to stick with IVs. Yay fieldsticks!

So that's all that's going on for me. I will try to keep things updated for my EMT-I class. Maybe when I get really extra bored I'll write up some blogs about reading 3-lead EKGs and megacodes. Yay megacodes. That was so much fun for me. I danced around in socks!