Welcome back to another roundup of some of the most stimulating and thought provoking posts on the EMS blogosphere over the past month.
One thing is becoming very obvious to me while writing this feature, and I am sure it is to you too. Why are there so few UK blogs featured?
There are not many of us putting ourselves out there to share our experiences and thoughts—maybe it is about time to equal the balance? If you have ever considered starting a blog and would like some advice on how to do it safely and respectfully, then drop me an email, and lets start the discussion.
Lets begin this month by travelling back across the Atlantic to one of my favourite and amusing (at times) bloggers.
Chris Kaiser writes the blog ‘Life Under the Lights’ (2011) and along with fellow blogger ‘The Happy Medic’ started a movement in America that is being used as a figurehead for change and development in US EMS. This movement is EMS 2.0 which continues to grow and lead the way for operational medics to have a say in the way the profession moves forward in the ever changing landscape of US medical care. I asked Chris to introduce himself to the JPP:
‘I am a paramedic working for an emergency ambulance service. I have been working as a paramedic as my full time occupation for more than ten years and I still love my job. Sure, there are things I do not particularly enjoy, such as the long hours, the less than stellar pay, and the projectile vomiting; but I still wake up in the morning happy that I get to go to work on my shift days. I can't get enough—I do it for my full time job, for my part-time job, and I even volunteer to do it.
Some years ago, I was pondering leaving the field as I have seen so many of my long time colleagues do over the years, when it hit me: I could not change myself. I love what I do. I ‘am’ a paramedic. Since I could not change myself, I had to change EMS. Following this epiphany, I created an EMS blog on a free blogging site and typed two articles. Then, for weeks afterwards I typed something in daily. Then I wrote more. This whole time, I did not think anyone would read what I was saying. Then I got some comments, then some more. Finally I put in a traffic counter and I was astounded. People were actually reading what I was saying about EMS. This inspired me. I wrote more and participated in the discussions going on in the EMS blogosphere, building an amazing network of people.
I started delving into social media areas such as Facebook and Twitter, and from that time I have met thousands of people just as passionate about EMS as I am. We share our experiences and we learn from each other. It is as professionally enriching as it is personally enriching. I am so glad I did this.’
Chris has progressed from his start in blogging and now writes for many of the large US EMS journals as well as some of the larger EMS related websites— however, he never writes finer than when it is just him, his laptop and the readers of his blog. Go and take a look, you will not be disappointed.
Now onto the roundup—this month I am going to start of with a couple of posts that show the less than glamorous side of providing care to the population of whatever city, or country, you may be in.
Rescuing Providence
Michael Morse from Rescuing Providence wrote the post ‘Broken windows’ (2011) to reflect on the frustration he felt when ‘caring’ for a patient who has been produced from the neck pain and claim culture, while in the very next bed a ‘real patient’ is fighting for her life after horrific injuries. I can certainly identify with the feelings he had, how about you?
Insomniacs Guide to Ambulances
Ben Yatzbatz, from Insomniacs Guide to Ambulances has a day from hell, including a job that made him see red for all of the right reasons.
In the post ‘Birthday Boy’ (Insomniacs Guide to Ambulances, 2011), we are reminded that sometimes the difference between a successful career and unemployment is the presence of a good partner.
Trauma Queen
Next comes the post ‘At the sharp end’ from Kal, the author of ‘Trauma Queen’ (2011a). We are taken on a journey from the lighthearted side of dealing with a heroin addict and sharing best cannulation techniques, to every medics worst nightmare. There is strong language to be found here, but it is more than justified in the situation that Kal went through. He followed up with Part 2 (2011b) which lets readers know the outcome of this unfortunate event.
Medic Three
Medic Three looks inwards as he writes the post ‘Unnatural Fear’ (Medic Three, 2011). I would argue it is far from unnatural to consider your own mortality when we do the job that we do. I know I have had these same thoughts from time to time, but maybe that is what (hopefully) keeps us safe.
Lets now move away from the difficult side of our profession, to a couple of more clinically focused posts.
Street Watch—Notes of a Paramedic
Peter Canning from ‘Street Watch – Notes of a Paramedic’ (2011) is working his way through accepting the fact that he can now give pain relief beyond what was normal under previous standing orders for his system. It has always interested me to have conversations with our colleagues in the US regarding analgesia. Where we seem to have become accustomed to ‘titrate to effect’, there are still some systems across the pond where the medics cannot fully treat the patients pain for fear of stepping outside of the boundaries of archaic standing orders. ‘You gave her 20 milligrams?’ (Street Watch–Notes of a Paramedic, 2011) explains the changes in his ability to effectively manage his patients pain.
EMS 12 Lead
Tom Bouthillet from EMS 12 Lead, moves away from interpreting 12 Lead ECGs and instead reminds us of some basic and fundamental lessons that we really should take note of. In ‘The Pit Crew Concept in Cardiac Arrest’ (EMS 12 Lead, 2011), Tom compares a working arrest to a pit stop in a NASCAR race. Do we really practice as we should to ensure that we are at our best, always?
EM:RAP TV
Now to introduce a ‘vlog’ to you all. This is a video blog, which uses videos rather than words
for its posts. EM:RAP TV, is a blog which provides fascinating instructional videos on many emergency topics. One that caught my eye was a video showing the right and wrong way to apply direct pressure to serious knife wounds to a patient's neck (EM:RAP TV, 2011). This type of injury may, thankfully, not come around too frequently, but if I am presented with such a patient, I am sure that I will remember the tip shown in this clip. Make sure you check out the archives as well for over 100 other videos.
Everday EMS Tips
Greg Friese from Everyday EMS Tips, links to a fun but informative interactive test that he produces for the large EMS Website, EMS1.com. This latest test is titled ‘Its Traumatic’ (2011) and has some interesting questions that students may find helpful in their studies (and you can print off a certificate).
The Social Medic
Finally, take a look at this application that David Konig from ‘The Social Medic’ shared on his blog. ‘Innovative mobile app summons bystanders for CPR’ (2011) links to a video of some software developed by Sam Ramon Valley Fire Department. This gives an amazing look into the potential of ‘apps’ to enhance an EMS department's effectiveness by calling on the skills of its citizens to help in a time of need.
That is it for this month. Hopefully there is something for you to get your teeth into amongst the posts.