Coming Together

In the past 2 weeks I feel as if I've begun to make noticeable progress in becoming a Paramedic. I have been to Red Pod at HHED more then I remember and count, the staff is recognizing me as a Paramedic and not an EMT now as I continue to make the transition. I have continued to do routine ALS and BLS calls, and I have seen critical patients now. I have struggled with getting IV access and beat myself up over it to only watch the staff in the ED have to resort to Central Lines or getting a line with ultrasound. I got my first pre-hospital Adult Cardiac Arrest and my first field intubation and first intubation since my OR time last May. The feeling of that first Code, that first tube, the first time you shock someone, is indescribable, but those who have been there know it, and crave it as do I now. I crave my next tube, my next code, its still so fresh and new to me that it still excites me and I hope it will the rest of my career. The slim chance of making a difference, the feeling of getting pulses back and fighting to keep them, the chance to some day see that person walking down the street again, that is after all what we got into EMS for right?

I continue to gain more confidence and get more comfortable with my skills and knowledge, sure I have a long way to go still, more to learn, and more to do, but for now I'm happy where I am and where I'm going. Out of all the feelings and emotions I have gone through in the past few months as you have read, the best feeling was my preceptor giving me the chance to tech a routine ALS diabetic on my own while he rode up front, sure it was as routine as it could get, the nursing home pretty much fixed her believe it or not before we arrived, but it was still something I was doing by myself and I soaked it up and loved every second of it.

For now I will get in the truck and continue to do my best, continue to learn, crave my next tube, my next code, and hope for trauma the one thing I've yet to see while precepting.