04/27/04

Well, my 12 hours as ambulance driver from 1800 Sat to 0600 Sun went without a hitch and with no calls. Campus safety transported over 20 intoxicated students to the ED over the weekend but we were thankfully without another call after our MVA on Fri/Sat. At some point I’ll blog on Campus Safety and their transporting patients. They WILL get sued some day.

I was on the board for 12 hours Monday as medical personnel but still no calls. Things do tend to run hot-and-cold.

My EMT class is ending with a flurry:

Thursday 4/29: Kids, Older folks and Obstetrics.
Saturday 5/1: Cutting up cars and extricating people.
Monday 5/3: Fourth Exam + Review of Class
Thursday 5/6: Final Exam for the class
Friday 5/7: Practice for the state practical exam.
Sat 5/8: State practical exam
Thursday 5/20: State written exam

Waiting for the state written exam date will be OK, but the state then takes 4 to 6 weeks to grade the tests (though they are scantrons) and get the cards out. That wait will be annoying.

Am I ready to be an EMT? Probably not without someone more knowledgeable around, though in a pinch I’d be able to pull it off. I think the more experienced EMTs can walk in on a scene and know what is going on, and how the call should be handled, MUCH sooner than me. And I am sure I miss some details they see as I still have to focus on the basics. I do look forward to getting more experience.

One week of classes (at the college) left, meaning I am one week away from effectively being done with my sabbatical. Yech.

Next fall I’ll likely have more posts related to academia. I realize the few of you who read this mess now are EMS folks and hope you’ll be willing to wade through the academic crap as there will still be EMS-related content (for all I know I’ll be in the medic class in the fall).



DJ