Para God-Like
by

I have a partner in a private company that should not be involved in EMS. He is a basic with our company as well as a local rural EMS department. It's not so much that he shouldn't be in EMS, it's that he REALLY shouldn't be involved. He's one of those "para-Gods" without that whole "Para" part. He's seen it all, (didn't want to watch me push Adenosine, because he's done it) done it all, (decompressed a chest because the CareFlight Nurse couldn't get it) and wrote the book on the proper procedures of Emergency Medicine.

The story starts here....We are dispatched on the first call of the day for a 300 lb female at the local "run-down" nursing home. She has an SpO2 of 60%, sounds "full" and is also on a vent. "grrrrreat!" We arrive on scene, the pt's eyes rolled back into her head, blood spilling from her mouth and a CNA holding a crushed suction device also covered in said blood. I coordinate with the LPN (Let's Pretend Nurse) to switch from the vent which is alarming to our BVM. I watch as the basic hooks up the BVM while I am trying to displace the pt's tongue with a bite block. Halfway down the hallway I see that the BVM is attached to the on-cot oxygen and running at 4 lpm! What the F***!?! When I asked the basic what the thought process was behind this, I was informed that he didn't see that the BVM had a reservoir on it.....Does anyone else see a problem with this?!?! Are they making BVM without reservoir that only require 4 lpm?

I turn up the oxygen to the recommended 15 lpm and proceed to the unit. Now, I should mention that we also had another basic with us, that amounts to 1/2 a real EMT. Literally. She stands about 4' 5.5" (gotta add that 1/2 inch) and needs a running start to hop in the unit. When we reach the unit, still bagging the pt., she hops in the bus and looks at the on board regulator and asks, "What do I put it on?" That's bad...but it gets worse.....the first basic yells out, "Four!"

Did I just sign up for a tour of the Twilight Zone? Is Candid Camera about to lunge out of the bushes? Once again, What the F***!?! Needless to say, we bust hump to the hospital and drop the pt. (still alive) Returning to the unit for clean up, I open a can on my crew. Blame is placed on each other..."it's not my fault", "that's they way I was taught", etc. Upon return to the station I inform the higher ups of the events of the call. The whole team is brought in to discuss it and it becomes me vs. the world.

Long story short, according to the crew and the owners, I was the highest trained, I should've checked the settings, I am ultimately responsible for the call, and HERE IT COMES.......Directly from the owner: "Well, four liters is better than none!"

So, I'm now the company @$$hole and labeled as the company "ParaGod."

P.S. The first basic is in his second quarter of medic school. Happy Hauling!