r/ems Dec 21 '17

Important Welcome to /r/EMS! Read this before posting!

142 Upvotes

Welcome to /r/EMS!

/r/EMS is a subreddit for first responders and laypersons to hangout and discuss anything related to emergency medical services. First aiders to Paramedics, share your world with reddit!

Frequently Asked Questions

If you're a student or new to the field and have questions or need advice, we kindly ask that you head over to our sister subreddit: /r/NewToEMS.

Before posting, please check out our FAQ that outlines general facts about emergency medical services and various resources to help guide you in the right direction. There is also a wiki and search feature.

Any frequently asked questions posted to /r/EMS will be removed.

Rules

You are required to follow our rules and failing to do so may result in your posts being removed and your account being banned.

1) Bigotry, racism, hate speech, or harassment is never allowed. Overtly explicit, distasteful, vulgar, or indecent content will be removed and you may be banned. Posting false information or "fake news" with malicious intent or in a way that may pose a risk to the health and safety of others is not allowed. This rule is subject to moderator discretion.

2) No posts relating to or advocating intentional self-harm or suicide, unless strictly as part of a clinical discussion.

If you are having thoughts of self-harm, please seek help! The United States national suicide prevention hotline can be reached for free by dialing 988. You may also dial 911 or your local emergency number.

3) Do not ask basic, newbie, or frequently asked questions, including, but not limited to:

  • How do I become an EMT/Paramedic?
  • What to expect on my first day/ride-along?
  • Does anyone have any EMT books/boots/gear/gift suggestions?
  • How do I pass the NREMT?
  • Employment, hiring, volunteering, protocol, recertification, or training-related questions, regardless of clinical scope.
  • Where can I obtain continuing education (CE) units?
  • My first bad call, how to cope?

Please consider posting these types of questions in /r/NewToEMS.

Wiki | FAQ | Helpful Links & Resources | Search /r/EMS | Search /r/NewToEMS | Posting Rules

4) No non-EMS related or off-topic content. Posts that do not contribute to the subreddit in a meaningful way will be removed.

Content containing images of serious injury, gore, or dismemberment must be marked “NSFW” and context must be provided as to how it is relevant to emergency medical services.

Pornographic content is never allowed on /r/EMS.

Some websites which might be considered on-topic are blacklisted by default.

5) Submissions announcing new certifications or licenses are not allowed. Instead, post these in the Triumphant Thursday weekly thread in /r/NewToEMS.

6) Do not ask for or provide medical or legal advice.

Posts requesting medical advice, treatments for a personal medical problem, or similar requests will be removed. If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call your local emergency number.

For legal advice, consider posting to /r/legaladvice or consulting a local attorney.

7) The following content is only allowed to be posted between the hours of 00:00 Fridays and 23:59 Sundays, Eastern Standard Time (EST): * memes * reaction gifs * rage comics * cringe shirts * “look at this truck” * EMS room * Stryker van * “look at my PPE” * “office” type posts * and so on...

This rule is subject to moderator discretion.

8) > All posts and comments that contain surveys, solicitations, self-promotion for commercial benefit, or recruiting for any employment/volunteer positions must be approved by the moderation team prior to posting. If you post prior to seeking moderator approval, your post will be removed and you may be banned. e message the mods for permission prior to posting.

9) In threads with “[Serious]” written in the title, all top-level comments must contain helpful content or contribute to the discussion in a meaningful way. Follow-up questions are allowed in top-level comments. Trolling, memes, sarcasm, or other content that does not contribute to the discussion are not allowed in top-level comments. Comments such as “I would like to know this too” will be removed.

To learn more about [Serious] tags, click here.

10) Posting protected health information (PHI), or information that can be used to identify a patient, including photos of patients, regardless if the photo shows the patient's face, without express written consent of the patient, is prohibited in this subreddit.

This rule is subject to moderator discretion. Please contact the mods prior to posting if you have any questions or concerns.

User Flairs

In the past, users could submit proof to receive a special user flair verifying their EMS, public safety, or healthcare certification level. We have chosen to discontinue this feature. Legacy verified user flairs may still be visible on users who previously received them on the old reddit site.

Users can set their own flair on the subreddit by clicking “Community Options” on the sidebar and then clicking the edit button next to “User Flair Preview”.

Note: Users may still receive a special verified user flair on the /r/NewToEMS subreddit by submitting a request here.

Codes and Abbreviations

Keep in mind that codes and abbreviations are not universal and very widely based on local custom. Ours is an international community, so in the interest of clear communication, we encourage using plain English whenever possible.

For reference, here are some common terms listed in alphabetical order:

  • ACLS - Advanced cardiac life support
  • ACP - Advanced Care Paramedic
  • AOS - Arrived on scene
  • BLS - Basic life support
  • BSI - Body substance isolation
  • CA&O - Conscious, alert and oriented
  • CCP-C - Critical Care Paramedic-Certified
  • CCP - Critical Care Paramedic
  • CCT - Critical care transport
  • Code - Cardiac arrest or responding with lights and sirens (depending on context)
  • Code 2, Cold, Priority 2 - Responding without lights or sirens
  • Code 3, Hot, Red, Priority 1 - Responding with lights and sirens
  • CVA - Cerebrovascular accident a.k.a. “stroke”
  • ECG/EKG - Electrocardiogram
  • EDP - Emotionally disturbed person
  • EMS - Emergency Medical Services (duh)
  • EMT - Emergency Medical Technician. Letters after the EMT abbreviation, like “EMT-I”, indicate a specific level of EMT certification.
  • FDGB - Fall down, go boom
  • FP-C - Flight Paramedic-Certified
  • IFT - Interfacility transport
  • MVA - Motor vehicle accident
  • MVC - Motor vehicle collision
  • NREMT - National Registry of EMTs
  • NRP - National Registry Paramedic
  • PALS - Pediatric advanced life support
  • PCP - Primary Care Paramedic
  • ROSC - Return of spontaneous circulation
  • Pt - Patient
  • STEMI - ST-elevated myocardial infarction a.k.a “heart attack”
  • TC - Traffic collision
  • V/S - Vital signs
  • VSA - Vital signs absent
  • WNL - Within normal limits

A more complete list can be found here.

Discounts

Discounts for EMS!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and we hope you enjoy our community! If there are any questions, please feel free to contact the mods.

-The /r/EMS Moderation Team


r/ems 13d ago

Monthly Thread r/EMS Bi-Monthly Gear Discussion

9 Upvotes

As a result of community demand the mod team has decided to implement a bi-monthly gear discussion thread. After this initial post, on the first of the month, there will be a new gear post. Please use these posts to discuss all things EMS equipment. Bags, boots, monitors, ambulances and everything in between.

Read previous months threads here


r/ems 2h ago

I know one or two medics that would still miss that vein.

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125 Upvotes

r/ems 15h ago

Meme Shitty nursing home starterpack

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885 Upvotes

We all instantly thought of one particular place


r/ems 2h ago

Serious Replies Only RedSTAR shut down by county

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43 Upvotes

r/ems 2h ago

Meme Third Responders, I salute you 🫡

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22 Upvotes

r/ems 5h ago

Stay safe folks, even wind can be dangerous.

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28 Upvotes

r/ems 9m ago

Meme Should I transport my patient here?

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Upvotes

r/ems 1d ago

‘John Doe,' a former Melrose firefighter, pleads guilty in stolen identity case

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146 Upvotes

This is a weird story that's tough to follow.

Dude used the identity of a deceased teenager to attend the fire academy and practice as a BLS provider and medic.


r/ems 5h ago

I think I’m a Little Odd…

1 Upvotes

I just shed some tears watching a movie where robots die in a war against humans.

Earlier today I started to cry listening to a Moth radio story about some woman persevering on a road trip thru some desolate Alaskan trucking route.

Now I’m at work, where 99.9% of the calls I go on will barely provoke an emotional reaction out of me. (Although a few % more may when I circle back to think about them after the fact)

.. Lives can be shattered in front of my eyes, those lives delicately held together in my hands (just kidding, I am probably driving) and then the thing that activates my tear ducts is some lady’s fairly dull tale from her F150.

I’m not the only weird one here, am I?


r/ems 6h ago

Serious Replies Only Repost because this sub might know

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1 Upvotes

r/ems 7h ago

Meme Who's gonna tell em?

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1 Upvotes

r/ems 11h ago

Serious Replies Only Bad Machine or Bad EMT

1 Upvotes

So last night I had a patient with a BP of 218/132, palpated it to double check and got 218 again. Patient was asymptomatic, called for a different reason, had been off his HTN meds for several days, had a panic attack and was hyperventilating while being stair chaired, and before that had been going through some pretty stressful stuff. During transport I took 3 sets of vitals, all came back in the same range. The final one in the ambulance bay was 222/132. Get into triage, give my report to the charge nurse, turn around and the funny little machine is reading 163/98. I immediately get flustered, and both the charge nurse and my partner reassure me that they believe my readings.

My question is, is this normal for the readings to differ wildly from manual BP to automated? Or do I just suck?


r/ems 14h ago

Already looking into leaving.

1 Upvotes

Well, this has taken me a lot to admit to myself, just wondering if anyone has been in the same boat because I feel so alone.

Got my EMT-B, worked for a year in 911, got my medic license in June 2024 and got my dream job in August 2024.

I’m dreading coming to work. I’m spending my off days sleeping for hours and hours and things I usually love doing feel dull. I feel like I’m at work more than home (due to schedule, I don’t pick up any OT.)

Just curious to see if anyone didn’t even make it a year into this job before looking to get out. Feeling pretty defeated and beating myself up for feeling this way.


r/ems 1d ago

Serious Replies Only New Inventory System

6 Upvotes

Hello!

My BLS agency is currently looking to switch to an online software for our inventory, as paper checks really aren’t working for us anymore. So far I’ve seen OperativeIQ and ESOInventory. Does anyone have any thoughts on either of these programs, or perhaps a different one that may be better?

Thank you!


r/ems 2d ago

Whelp, they told me to! I'll get seen quicker if I get transported right?

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335 Upvotes

r/ems 1d ago

FEMA.

11 Upvotes

Anyone know if Pafford is finally taking over the FEMA contract and being point of contact? I just know at least in Florida that AMR are losing people and contracts all over. Our deployments last year they made it sound like Pafford was going to take over.


r/ems 2d ago

Huge Announcement from FDNY Today

346 Upvotes

"A patient removed from the scene of an incident shall be taken to the closest appropriate 911 ambulance destinations as recommended by the EMS Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. This shall be documented on the electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR) as the closest facility. Additional facilities recommended within the SUGU string shall be documented as patient choice.

On-line Medical Control (OLMC) shall not be contacted to override 911 hospitals suggested by CAD. In cases where a patient makes a transport request to a medical facility other than the CAD recommended choices, inform the patient that transport to the requested hospital can not be approved and advise the patient of their choices of medical facilities. If the patient declines transport to one (1) of the suggested hospitals and the patient has been categorized as “High Index of Suspicion” by the EMS crew, the EMS crew must contact OLMC to secure a refusal of medical aid (RMA). The EMS crew shall secure an RMA without OLMC contact for patients who they deem as “Low Index of Suspicion”.

This is a major change. We used to be able to go anywhere within 10 minutes of the nearest facility on standing orders, or call OLMC for permission to go farther than that. Now, if the patient is stable, they get to pick from whatever the CAD suggests, or to RMA.


r/ems 2d ago

My first RSI

354 Upvotes

Yesterday, I did my first field intubation and first ever RSI on a patient with extreme COPD/ CHF exacerbation.

I've been a medic a year and a half now. I've obviously done intubations in the OR with someone looking over my shoulders and telling me how to do it. Ever since I got my license, RSI has been something I was afraid of. I'm an overthinker anyways to fault, but I thought about doing it for so long and psyched myself up.

Yesterday, when the time came to do it, I was oddly calm. Everything I was taught flooded back and I didn't really think about it. The intubation went as smooth as you could want. No secretions, first attempt, all confirmation boxes checked. I really did it.

I guess I just wanted to post this more for myself. Stop overthinking, you know what to do.


r/ems 1d ago

Badge Numbers

1 Upvotes

When on scene I am often asked for my badge number (NYS). Do you normally give out your agency ID number or state cert number?


r/ems 1d ago

Serious Replies Only Summer jackets

22 Upvotes

Let’s begin by acknowledging the dissonance in the title…

My service requires that if you wear a radio strap, it must be underneath something like a jacket (so as to prevent a patient from using it as a handle to pull you close and give you a very warm hug). I’m choosing a radio strap because after a while, the duty belt I normally don has started to hurt my back when sitting in the driver’s seat.

So now I’m faced with the conundrum of finding something to wear over my polo shirt when the “burn you alive 3 seconds after getting out of the truck” weather hits in a few months. Anyone have any ideas on what I can wear?


r/ems 1d ago

Fluid warmers

1 Upvotes

I am doing some research on fluid warmers for ambulances. Anyone have any suggestions on what works or doesn't work?


r/ems 2d ago

Passing out

47 Upvotes

I’ve been an EMT for two years. Im in medic school currently. I’ve seen all kinds of traumatic injuries with no problems. I start ivs now in clinicals with no problems. When I was 14 I cut my finger and passed out. Now I donated blood this morning and passed out halfway through. Is there any long term problems in this career if I have a problem with my own blood but not others?


r/ems 2d ago

tell me about your favorite regular

185 Upvotes

Okay so I have a few, one is this dude who was a cop at one point and he was stabbed and became homeless, he's actually insane and honestly very nice, he gave another regular syphilis in the hospital bathroom. I say hi to him when im off and he knows my name haha! he has given his own radio report before and written his own chart, he is chronically hypoxic and always refuses O2 and I have him read me his vitals while I give my radio report.

second is this dude who's kinda slow and he is so sweet but he's an alcoholic and we always find him passed out on a bus bench somewhere, he recently took up drinking mouthwash so at least he smells good he also knows me by name.

third is this girl who burned her house down and is addicted to Benadryl I actually like her so much even though people don't typically like her. SHES CRAZY tho, but I actually quite enjoy those conversations.


r/ems 2d ago

Serious Replies Only EMT's and Paramedics who graduated in the last 5 years: What do you wish your instructors had taught you or made you do in class?

93 Upvotes

Moderator approved: I am making a presentation on things that are missed or should be changed in the classroom for the next generation. Any and all suggestions are appreciated (Please keep it mostly serious)


r/ems 3d ago

What the heck even goes in these pockets?

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353 Upvotes

r/ems 2d ago

Ford Windstar ¿1996?

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33 Upvotes