This past weekend was the National Collegiate EMS Foundation Conference in Philadelphia, PA. BEMCo sent 13 delegates, and before I get into the real description of everything--we had a wonderful time. We left on Friday morning, picked up one of our people in NY and checked out his firehouse, got stuck in GW bridge traffic, and arrived two hours late (around 6).
Six of us competed in the EMS skills competition--a medical, a trauma, and a "team building" exercise. Team building was essentially "the floor is lava" but with a patient. Medical was a stroke that they tried to trick you into giving glucose, and I didn't do trauma, but I think it was a leg injury. Following this, we had a group dinner and then came back to make our group banner and socialize.
Saturday: thoroughly in convention mode. 5 hours of sleep is not a problem for me!
7:30: get up
8: go eat breakfast!
8:30: open panel--I skipped and went back to the room to meet the others.
9:30: Panel on acute spinal injury. Did you know they if the phrenic nerve in the diaphragm is still intact in tetraplegics, it can be artificially stimulated, and these people can be weaned off their ventilators?
10:40: Panel on capnography. Everything about it is cool.
11:45: Roundtable with other Masschusetts groups. We are doing very well. =)
12:30: Lunch. Cheesesteak from a street cart!
1:30: STEMI lab--looking at EKG strips and IDing a STEMI.
2:40: Ultrasound lab--we looked at the abdominal aorta, the neck and arm veins, and did a FAST bleeding examination.
3:45: snack!
5: Went to 15 minutes of a poorly done lecture on bariatrics, then 15 minutes of a lecture on nonlethal force, and then 20 minutes of an awesome talk about high altitude medicine. Treatment for most HA problems: descend.
6: Big lecture on blunt trauma, mostly with MVCs. Very interesting, very glad I wear a seatbelt properly.
7: Awards ceremony: BEMCo was awarded the Striving for Excellence award, along with some other schools.
8: Try to find a place that will seat 13 for dinner on a Saturday with no reservation. Finally find Lee How Fook in Chinatown, thanks to Hannah, and have delicious food.
9:30: Back to the hotel--casino night, and socializing in our rooms.
Sunday: Wake up for breakfast, drink way too much coffee.
8:30: talk on "what's the worst that could happen" or "when good calls go bad" and "what would you do." Interesting things to think about in the med/legal/ethical route.
9:30: back to the room, we are leaving at 10.
10:40: Actually leave the room.
11:15: actually leave the hotel.
DRIVE HOME. Stop for food, drive more, get home, go back in service. Take a shift because the tertiary didn't show.
Amazing, informational, fun, geeky weekend. Thinking about applying to give a talk at next year's convention!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
i love you
It may not feel like it right now, but someone loves you.
Take care of yourselves, take care of the people you love.
Let the people in your life know that you care about them.
Take care of yourselves, take care of the people you love.
Let the people in your life know that you care about them.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Status Update: January
The semester starts in two weeks. This means:
That the EMT class starts in two weeks. Oh man oh God. We're trying to get more people registered. We're trying to iron out all the details. It is currently still very wrinkly. Eep.
That I need to decide what I'm doing with housing. I'll be sad to give up my beautiful room and kitchen, but for my own emotional and mental health, I need to be where my friends are.
That I need to see what's up with this ambulance company. They're asking that I go part-time, and I don't know if I can do that. They're asking me to miss the first week of classes to go to orientation, and I don't know if I can do that, especially since I am shopping quite a few classes. I'm already going to be working most every Sunday at BU, and I don't want to put my academics in danger. More to come.
That I am leaving my home again. Because I had a bad fall semester, I have LOVED being home. Doing puzzles, seeing hometown friends, baking with my family--and I don't want to leave. Which is why I'm trying to arrange for everything to go well this semester with housing so that I get off to a good start.
Bleh. My life. Not nearly as much EMS as I would like, but there's time yet.
That the EMT class starts in two weeks. Oh man oh God. We're trying to get more people registered. We're trying to iron out all the details. It is currently still very wrinkly. Eep.
That I need to decide what I'm doing with housing. I'll be sad to give up my beautiful room and kitchen, but for my own emotional and mental health, I need to be where my friends are.
That I need to see what's up with this ambulance company. They're asking that I go part-time, and I don't know if I can do that. They're asking me to miss the first week of classes to go to orientation, and I don't know if I can do that, especially since I am shopping quite a few classes. I'm already going to be working most every Sunday at BU, and I don't want to put my academics in danger. More to come.
That I am leaving my home again. Because I had a bad fall semester, I have LOVED being home. Doing puzzles, seeing hometown friends, baking with my family--and I don't want to leave. Which is why I'm trying to arrange for everything to go well this semester with housing so that I get off to a good start.
Bleh. My life. Not nearly as much EMS as I would like, but there's time yet.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Status Update: December
Team:
Orienting with the aforementioned ambulance company in mid-January. News to follow after that.
Really want to learn about running a megacode. Borrowing medic textbooks from the library.
Reconsidering PA, considering MD. Thoroughly okay with the idea of taking a few years after college to work and find out what it is I'm looking for in a medical career.
Knit myself a hat. =)
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Also, I'd like to give a shout-out to the other BEMCo TA liaison-person, who is currently in the middle of her first ever ambulance shift! I'm incredibly envious of her--but here's to that it all goes well. Rock on, girl.
Orienting with the aforementioned ambulance company in mid-January. News to follow after that.
Really want to learn about running a megacode. Borrowing medic textbooks from the library.
Reconsidering PA, considering MD. Thoroughly okay with the idea of taking a few years after college to work and find out what it is I'm looking for in a medical career.
Knit myself a hat. =)
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Also, I'd like to give a shout-out to the other BEMCo TA liaison-person, who is currently in the middle of her first ever ambulance shift! I'm incredibly envious of her--but here's to that it all goes well. Rock on, girl.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Good news!
Greetings everyone!
I bring a variety of good news. Going chronologically:
1) I've completed my CPR instructor certification. My card will be on its way this week, and I'm now allowed to teach CPR up to the BLS level. My first class will be a BLS refresher on the 1st. We're also starting to teach people CPR with AED, as part of the new public access defibrillation program at Brandeis. Very exciting!
2) After driving out to drop off my resume and cover letter last week, I am currently in the pre-employment process at a local ambulance company. I had an interview on Monday, had my pre-employment drug test done day (my first one ever!), and I'm in the process of getting an attested copy of my driving record. Hopefully, I'll start with orientation in December! The internet is notoriously poor with conveying emotion, but I am through the roof about this. I have wanted to work for this company since I was an EMT student, and I plan on working with them until I go to PA school around 2015.
3) Completely not related to EMS, but I'm turning 20 tomorrow!
ETA: I am 20 now! Yay!
Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving, readers!
All three of you =)
I bring a variety of good news. Going chronologically:
1) I've completed my CPR instructor certification. My card will be on its way this week, and I'm now allowed to teach CPR up to the BLS level. My first class will be a BLS refresher on the 1st. We're also starting to teach people CPR with AED, as part of the new public access defibrillation program at Brandeis. Very exciting!
2) After driving out to drop off my resume and cover letter last week, I am currently in the pre-employment process at a local ambulance company. I had an interview on Monday, had my pre-employment drug test done day (my first one ever!), and I'm in the process of getting an attested copy of my driving record. Hopefully, I'll start with orientation in December! The internet is notoriously poor with conveying emotion, but I am through the roof about this. I have wanted to work for this company since I was an EMT student, and I plan on working with them until I go to PA school around 2015.
3) Completely not related to EMS, but I'm turning 20 tomorrow!
ETA: I am 20 now! Yay!
Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving, readers!
All three of you =)
Friday, October 8, 2010
love letter
To the Brandeis community,
This is what happens when you call BEMCo.
When the pager goes off, I will most likely swear, sometimes rather loudly, since I’m probably being interrupted. I might be making dinner or watching a movie or trying to finish that lab report that is due tomorrow and why didn’t I start sooner? But I will turn on my radio, put on my shoes and jacket, and wait for someone to come get me to take me to you.
I will see you at your worst: sick, scared, drunk, unresponsive, covered in your own vomit, bleeding, alone, embarrassed—sometimes, just having a bad day. These things happen to everyone—everyone falls down or drinks too much or just doesn’t feel well sometimes. I will sit with you, hold your hand, and say just that. “Don’t apologize, you’ve done nothing wrong,” I find myself saying so much.
People often complain about how boring it is to be the secondary—on paper, our duty is to fill out the paperwork. Our job is to ask you, “Where do you live? What’s your social security number? Do you have Brandeis insurance?” It gets boring. We stand around, get things from the truck, get in the way. I’ve realized that this is the absolute bare minimum for what the secondary should do. The primary’s job is to direct medical care—and you will be well cared for in that respect, I assure you—and the tertiary’s is to take vitals. I’ve taken it upon myself to care for you. I want to make sure that even if you do not remember my name, remember my face, you will remember that you did not feel alone.
I will explain things to you in a way that you will understand. If you need to go, I will try to find your wallet, your phone, your shoes. No one likes being in the hospital without these things. Depending on what happened, I may ride with you to the hospital, or I may help take you down to the ambulance. Whatever happens, I will tell you what is happening every step of the way, and when we get there, I will say to you, “I hope that when we see each other again, it will be under better circumstances.” Or I may say to you as they load you into the ambulance, “Feel better—” and I will call you by your name. I do not want you to be just a call statistic number.
I will return to my life, and eventually, you will return to yours. Perhaps our paths will cross. Like middle schoolers who like each other, I cannot make the first move. So you may—I’ve been hugged, thanked, apologized to. I never expect it, so when it happens, it’s the highlight of my week. Just seeing you back on campus and healthy is reward enough—everything else is a bonus. I really cannot express this in words.
Or you may not remember me, which is what I generally expect. I’ll probably look at you a little longer than most when I scan the room, perhaps passing over twice—yes, it really is you. You’re back on campus, and seemingly doing well, and that will be satisfaction enough for me.
Forever yours,
Mariah
This is what happens when you call BEMCo.
When the pager goes off, I will most likely swear, sometimes rather loudly, since I’m probably being interrupted. I might be making dinner or watching a movie or trying to finish that lab report that is due tomorrow and why didn’t I start sooner? But I will turn on my radio, put on my shoes and jacket, and wait for someone to come get me to take me to you.
I will see you at your worst: sick, scared, drunk, unresponsive, covered in your own vomit, bleeding, alone, embarrassed—sometimes, just having a bad day. These things happen to everyone—everyone falls down or drinks too much or just doesn’t feel well sometimes. I will sit with you, hold your hand, and say just that. “Don’t apologize, you’ve done nothing wrong,” I find myself saying so much.
People often complain about how boring it is to be the secondary—on paper, our duty is to fill out the paperwork. Our job is to ask you, “Where do you live? What’s your social security number? Do you have Brandeis insurance?” It gets boring. We stand around, get things from the truck, get in the way. I’ve realized that this is the absolute bare minimum for what the secondary should do. The primary’s job is to direct medical care—and you will be well cared for in that respect, I assure you—and the tertiary’s is to take vitals. I’ve taken it upon myself to care for you. I want to make sure that even if you do not remember my name, remember my face, you will remember that you did not feel alone.
I will explain things to you in a way that you will understand. If you need to go, I will try to find your wallet, your phone, your shoes. No one likes being in the hospital without these things. Depending on what happened, I may ride with you to the hospital, or I may help take you down to the ambulance. Whatever happens, I will tell you what is happening every step of the way, and when we get there, I will say to you, “I hope that when we see each other again, it will be under better circumstances.” Or I may say to you as they load you into the ambulance, “Feel better—” and I will call you by your name. I do not want you to be just a call statistic number.
I will return to my life, and eventually, you will return to yours. Perhaps our paths will cross. Like middle schoolers who like each other, I cannot make the first move. So you may—I’ve been hugged, thanked, apologized to. I never expect it, so when it happens, it’s the highlight of my week. Just seeing you back on campus and healthy is reward enough—everything else is a bonus. I really cannot express this in words.
Or you may not remember me, which is what I generally expect. I’ll probably look at you a little longer than most when I scan the room, perhaps passing over twice—yes, it really is you. You’re back on campus, and seemingly doing well, and that will be satisfaction enough for me.
Forever yours,
Mariah
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Quick Update
I know that I've been doing a terrible job of keeping up on this blog, and I promise I will post something substantive soon. But for now:
I love EMS even more now. I can feel that I'm getting better with patients. I don't feel awkward talking to them anymore. I feel like I actually know what I'm doing on scene. And I do. And it's awesome.
Mariah
I love EMS even more now. I can feel that I'm getting better with patients. I don't feel awkward talking to them anymore. I feel like I actually know what I'm doing on scene. And I do. And it's awesome.
Mariah
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)