DISQUS

A Day In The Life Of An Ambulance Driver: Does This Mean I'm Fully Assimilated?

  • Life on Pause · 1 year ago
    yay! Go Y'all!
  • Life on Pause · 1 year ago
    yay! Go Y'all!
  • marcia · 1 year ago
    Google says the national average stats for survival to discharge is only about 5%, so you all kick ass!< />< />To what do you attribute the improvement and high rate of success (other than having the finest medics in the nation... that goes without saying)?
  • marcia · 1 year ago
    Google says the national average stats for survival to discharge is only about 5%, so you all kick ass!< />< />To what do you attribute the improvement and high rate of success (other than having the finest medics in the nation... that goes without saying)?
  • Phoebe · 1 year ago
    Wow! Congrats!
  • Phoebe · 1 year ago
    Wow! Congrats!
  • medicnurse · 1 year ago
    Wow! Congratulations! You all have some good medics! (but you knew that already)
  • medicnurse · 1 year ago
    Wow! Congratulations! You all have some good medics! (but you knew that already)
  • Jean Poole · 1 year ago
    Popeye of Borg - Prepare to be askimilgrated.
  • Jean Poole · 1 year ago
    Popeye of Borg - Prepare to be askimilgrated.
  • Rogue Medic · 1 year ago
    interrupting compressions.< />< />Do they count the ambulance crew leaving the hospital neurologically intact as part of those stats? :-)< />< />Great job. too many places can still demonstrate their survival stats on one hand and not even use all of their fingers.
  • Rogue Medic · 1 year ago
    interrupting compressions.< />< />Do they count the ambulance crew leaving the hospital neurologically intact as part of those stats? :-)< />< />Great job. too many places can still demonstrate their survival stats on one hand and not even use all of their fingers.
  • Tom B · 1 year ago
    May I please know if you participate in the CARES registry?
  • Tom B · 1 year ago
    May I please know if you participate in the CARES registry?
  • Anonymous · 1 year ago
    whitecap nurse says:< />That is Extremely Damn impressive! That has got to be comparable to Seattle. Share your secrets?
  • Anonymous · 1 year ago
    whitecap nurse says:< />That is Extremely Damn impressive! That has got to be comparable to Seattle. Share your secrets?
  • Anonymous · 1 year ago
    RM pegged it, use of the 2007 AHA guidelines now has many agencies trumpeting their improved resuscitation rates.< />< />Going one step further and using the guidelines in place in Rock and Walworth counties in Wisconsin will get you a 30% survival (Borg def) rate.
  • Anonymous · 1 year ago
    RM pegged it, use of the 2007 AHA guidelines now has many agencies trumpeting their improved resuscitation rates.< />< />Going one step further and using the guidelines in place in Rock and Walworth counties in Wisconsin will get you a 30% survival (Borg def) rate.
  • Anonymous · 1 year ago
    in Rock and Walworth.
  • Anonymous · 1 year ago
    in Rock and Walworth.
  • Tom Reynolds · 1 year ago
    Wow, that's really rather impressive.< />< />I'm guessing that they are, like us, not counting the ones where you turn up and they are asystole/PEA?< />< />A quick question, and I'm not being snarky here - in the NHS such good practice would be shared, with different businesses running separate healthcare provisions in the USA, would they also share best practice between each other or would it remain a 'trade secret'?< />< />I ask because I honestly don't know what the culture is like with non-socialised medicine (something that is being brought in over here in the UK with private ambulance firms being brought in to 'compete' with the NHS)
  • Tom Reynolds · 1 year ago
    Wow, that's really rather impressive.< />< />I'm guessing that they are, like us, not counting the ones where you turn up and they are asystole/PEA?< />< />A quick question, and I'm not being snarky here - in the NHS such good practice would be shared, with different businesses running separate healthcare provisions in the USA, would they also share best practice between each other or would it remain a 'trade secret'?< />< />I ask because I honestly don't know what the culture is like with non-socialised medicine (something that is being brought in over here in the UK with private ambulance firms being brought in to 'compete' with the NHS)
  • fuzzys dad · 1 year ago
    Congratulations.
  • fuzzys dad · 1 year ago
    Congratulations.
  • Old NFO · 1 year ago
    Well Done AD! When I was doing this stuff back in the late 70's we were happy if we converted 10% and got them to the hospital.
  • Old NFO · 1 year ago
    Well Done AD! When I was doing this stuff back in the late 70's we were happy if we converted 10% and got them to the hospital.
  • TOTWTYTR · 1 year ago
    Considering the size of the company, the service area, and even the varying quality of hospitals you transport to, those are good numbers. Systems with far more advantages in all of those areas can't do as well. < />< />As to be assimilated, it's not impossible for a for profit ambulance service to preserve quality of care.
  • TOTWTYTR · 1 year ago
    Considering the size of the company, the service area, and even the varying quality of hospitals you transport to, those are good numbers. Systems with far more advantages in all of those areas can't do as well. < />< />As to be assimilated, it's not impossible for a for profit ambulance service to preserve quality of care.
  • Ambulance Driver · 1 year ago
    , which also includes the patients found to be in PEA or asystole. If resuscitation was never attempted, we don't include those in the numbers.< />< />As far as "trade secrets," we really have none. As I replied to other commenters, most of our success can be attributed to strict adherence to the 2005 ACLS guidelines which stress uninterrupted CPR. Here in the states, while we may have several private EMS agencies in a given area (though not often the case), all of them are bound by state and municipal regulations to provide the same minimum level of care, equipment and staffing. < />< />Theoretically, the small "Mom and Pop" services should be able to provide the same quality care as the bigger, more well-financed systems, and I have worked for Mom and Pop services where that was indeed the case.< />< />< />The difference primarily lies with pay, equipment and benefits. The systems that pay the best, offer the best equipment and trucks, and the most favorable working environment can often pick and choose which medics work for them, while those that refuse to pay well or staff adequately are left with the dregs.< />< />Also, in the States, volunteer EMS is quite common. The quality of the care they deliver is directly related to how much their community supports their efforts, in terms of taxes and other forms of fund raising.< />< />If your community isn't willing to pay for quality EMS care, generally speaking it won't get it, no matter how dedicated the volunteers that provide it.
  • Ambulance Driver · 1 year ago
    , which also includes the patients found to be in PEA or asystole. If resuscitation was never attempted, we don't include those in the numbers.< />< />As far as "trade secrets," we really have none. As I replied to other commenters, most of our success can be attributed to strict adherence to the 2005 ACLS guidelines which stress uninterrupted CPR. Here in the states, while we may have several private EMS agencies in a given area (though not often the case), all of them are bound by state and municipal regulations to provide the same minimum level of care, equipment and staffing. < />< />Theoretically, the small "Mom and Pop" services should be able to provide the same quality care as the bigger, more well-financed systems, and I have worked for Mom and Pop services where that was indeed the case.< />< />< />The difference primarily lies with pay, equipment and benefits. The systems that pay the best, offer the best equipment and trucks, and the most favorable working environment can often pick and choose which medics work for them, while those that refuse to pay well or staff adequately are left with the dregs.< />< />Also, in the States, volunteer EMS is quite common. The quality of the care they deliver is directly related to how much their community supports their efforts, in terms of taxes and other forms of fund raising.< />< />If your community isn't willing to pay for quality EMS care, generally speaking it won't get it, no matter how dedicated the volunteers that provide it.
  • tgtsmom · 1 year ago
    As for you being assimilated, I believe it is quite possible to be inside a hive, recognize something they do well or have done right, and yet not be under the mind-control of the queen. So long as you are still willing to tell them when they have screwed up, you're at least only partly assimilated. < />< />Keep up the good work! And watch out for Sumdood. With his Obamassiah assending, he will be gaining ground.
  • tgtsmom · 1 year ago
    As for you being assimilated, I believe it is quite possible to be inside a hive, recognize something they do well or have done right, and yet not be under the mind-control of the queen. So long as you are still willing to tell them when they have screwed up, you're at least only partly assimilated. < />< />Keep up the good work! And watch out for Sumdood. With his Obamassiah assending, he will be gaining ground.
  • Cheating Death · 1 year ago
    Pretty damn impressive!
  • Cheating Death · 1 year ago
    Pretty damn impressive!
  • Herbie · 1 year ago
    Stop drinking the Kool-Aid they offer you!!!!< />< />In all seriousness, if the place makes you happy, that's all that counts.< />< />Where's the BP story?
  • Herbie · 1 year ago
    Stop drinking the Kool-Aid they offer you!!!!< />< />In all seriousness, if the place makes you happy, that's all that counts.< />< />Where's the BP story?
  • PublicityTim · 1 year ago
    Did you get my email yesterday regarding (shameless plug) you hysterical book En Route. Tim your shameless book publicist.
  • PublicityTim · 1 year ago
    Did you get my email yesterday regarding (shameless plug) you hysterical book En Route. Tim your shameless book publicist.
  • Wyatt Earp · 1 year ago
    Resistance is futile . . .
  • Wyatt Earp · 1 year ago
    Resistance is futile . . .
  • Real Live Lesbian · 1 year ago
    Congrats! That's certainly something to be proud of.
  • Real Live Lesbian · 1 year ago
    Congrats! That's certainly something to be proud of.
  • Medicmarch. · 1 year ago
    Not too shabby, us drones. (FIGHT THE HIVE MIND)Well, off to check my drone scores (FIGHT IT)!
  • Medicmarch. · 1 year ago
    Not too shabby, us drones. (FIGHT THE HIVE MIND)Well, off to check my drone scores (FIGHT IT)!
  • Matt G · 1 year ago
    What makes me proud is that you can stand there and open state: < />A: You like your job. < />B: You're actually appreciative of the way your job runs things. < />< />That makes you an unusual cat, given that I know you're not a Polyanna who sees Every Day Is A Lovely Day. You weren't gushing, but you were positive. < />< />The ability to objectively assess your world about and find goodness is a surprisingly rare trait.
  • Matt G · 1 year ago
    What makes me proud is that you can stand there and open state: < />A: You like your job. < />B: You're actually appreciative of the way your job runs things. < />< />That makes you an unusual cat, given that I know you're not a Polyanna who sees Every Day Is A Lovely Day. You weren't gushing, but you were positive. < />< />The ability to objectively assess your world about and find goodness is a surprisingly rare trait.
  • Tom Reynolds · 1 year ago
    Cheers for the reply AD - very helpful.< />< />We've also seen an increase in survival rates since the new guidelines, also since our calltakers started talking people through CPR (although a lot of people refuse to do it).< />< />I don't think we are up to your level though for some reason - which is strange considering our run time to a call is less than eight minutes in most cases.
  • Tom Reynolds · 1 year ago
    Cheers for the reply AD - very helpful.< />< />We've also seen an increase in survival rates since the new guidelines, also since our calltakers started talking people through CPR (although a lot of people refuse to do it).< />< />I don't think we are up to your level though for some reason - which is strange considering our run time to a call is less than eight minutes in most cases.