Firefighter Intern: Day 36 and 37
Oct. 25th, 2018 02:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grim23Instructions are most effective when they are understood. - Unknown
Other than an hour-long class from the Paramedic Intern (also a Combat Medic) about how to pack and tighten wounds in areas that a tourniquet wouldn't work (neck, groin, armpit), When I wasn't doing other things, I was studying for my midterms this Monday. I had my nose in the book or my computer most of the shift. *smile* I spent most of the day at the station studying for my midterm. No other calls, and with the Paramedic Intern we had a full house - so I spent the night in the Quincy substation with Utility 482, with my turnouts loaded in the truck, with the plan I would chase both medical and fire calls from the substation.
I got back to the main station at 0800, and poured a cup of coffee... and then we were toned out for a diabetic emergency and a transport. Once we were back from the transport, I had a few seconds to spread butter on my cold toast, and then we were toned out again for a respiratory problem from the local doctor's office. I got to administer my first blood glucose test on a real patient, and I'm getting a higher level of responsibility for direct care, as I learn to do things.
We responded after lunch to a residential fire alarm and got all geared up for nothing - and since we were already in our turnouts, we got a bit of training in. I grabbed the wrong supply hose off Engine 481 (a 3-inch hose instead of a 5-inch hose), and set my hose lay wrong, so I got some extra training in taking a hydrant. I needed it; I had trained on other engines where 3-inch was the right supply line, and I needed the practice.
After dinner, we went to the local high school football game for medical support, and we took Engine 481 for the bonfire afterward - but our Medic crew and I saw very little of the game as we had two calls - both repeat calls from earlier. I got some practice getting a blood glucose reading from the injection catheter, prepping the IV for the paramedic, some practice getting vitals, and some practice with patient transport and gurney operations.
Other than an hour-long class from the Paramedic Intern (also a Combat Medic) about how to pack and tighten wounds in areas that a tourniquet wouldn't work (neck, groin, armpit), When I wasn't doing other things, I was studying for my midterms this Monday. I had my nose in the book or my computer most of the shift. *smile* I spent most of the day at the station studying for my midterm. No other calls, and with the Paramedic Intern we had a full house - so I spent the night in the Quincy substation with Utility 482, with my turnouts loaded in the truck, with the plan I would chase both medical and fire calls from the substation.
I got back to the main station at 0800, and poured a cup of coffee... and then we were toned out for a diabetic emergency and a transport. Once we were back from the transport, I had a few seconds to spread butter on my cold toast, and then we were toned out again for a respiratory problem from the local doctor's office. I got to administer my first blood glucose test on a real patient, and I'm getting a higher level of responsibility for direct care, as I learn to do things.
We responded after lunch to a residential fire alarm and got all geared up for nothing - and since we were already in our turnouts, we got a bit of training in. I grabbed the wrong supply hose off Engine 481 (a 3-inch hose instead of a 5-inch hose), and set my hose lay wrong, so I got some extra training in taking a hydrant. I needed it; I had trained on other engines where 3-inch was the right supply line, and I needed the practice.
After dinner, we went to the local high school football game for medical support, and we took Engine 481 for the bonfire afterward - but our Medic crew and I saw very little of the game as we had two calls - both repeat calls from earlier. I got some practice getting a blood glucose reading from the injection catheter, prepping the IV for the paramedic, some practice getting vitals, and some practice with patient transport and gurney operations.
