Remote Paramedicine

[mutumbo 0]

Anyone here have any insight on becoming a remote area paramedic? Ive found a new company id LOVE to work for, and am just trying to see where i need to go/ work toward as far as certifications go, im still slightly shy as far as years-in-service go so ive got some time to build a resume, They offer a advanced wilderness medicine course, designed for paramedics and higher, which ill be taking in july, i'm trying to get back into high angle rope rescue at the tech level (HAD ops lvl but it expired). What else should i be looking at trying to do? This company employs medical personnel from base camp at everest to film crews in the Sahara.

ive heard rumor of some wilderness medicine course being offered at eloy? anyone have any insight on that by any chance?

Thanatos340(on landing rounds)--
Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet.

[medic001918 0]

I'm assuming that you're alreay a paramedic if you're considering taking a course that's open to paramedics and higher. But before going into a "remote area" or a wilderness setting, you want to make sure you're proficient in all of your protocols. This means all the way through them, not just your first and second line treatment modalities, but every bit of them. In a remote environment, you'll be with your patient long enough to get into longer term care, med drips (since you can't use the excuse of being 'down the street' for why you didn't get to it. You need to not only deal with the patients problems, but also the ramifications (side effects and general effects) of your treatments. Many times in a short transport system people forget that when they give meds, they do cause an effect that might need to be changed.

Before going to an extreme environment like Everest, I'd try to find somewhere to work as a paramedic where you have long transport times (there are servies with transports well over an hour...or more). This will give you a good idea of what you'll be facing in longer term care before you tackle trying to manage a patient for more than an day.

Otherwise, you'll want to be proficient in the environment you're working in. For Everest, you should be good at mountaineering and be able to be self sufficient before you add someone incapacitated to your dilema.

I don't know how long you've been a medic, but make sure you're comfortable with you local medicine before going to a hostile environment with longer term care.

Shane

[PiLFy 0]

The Feds offer tuition forgiveness for those willing to pledge to work for four or so years in an under-served area (nursing). I don't know if they offer something similar for paramedics. You could take whatever courses you're lacking, & get to work in a remote area.

[mutumbo 0]

Ive had my paramedic liscense for about 2 years now, have just gotten my critical care medi liscense and will be takin the fligh medic and CCP-C tests soon(will put me a 2 separate ground critical care liscenses and one flight liscense) We do some long distance transfers, right now mostly bad burn pts to the burn center about an hour and fifteen away, along wth lots of interfacility critical care transports either requiring multiple iv drips, vents, central lines, A-lines, the works. Since our service now has 5 critical care medics,( myself included) we are pushing hard for a long(er) distance critical care ground service. Theres 3 helicopter services and one fixxed wing service in the immediate area. Im working on applying for the fixxed wing service, who is also now getting a lon distance ground ceitical care truck put together, to gain more experience with long transport times and exactly what you were talking about.

Im mainly asking to see if there are any other hits, tricks or classes i should be looking for whilr i get more time-in-field experience.

Thanatos340(on landing rounds)--
Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet.

[Broke 0]

Define Remote... like extended ETAs to facilities, or are we talking about you are hunkering down with a patient for a week until the weather clears?

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[mutumbo 0]

http://www.remotemedical.com/About-Us/Company-Story

Well im not entirely sure, possibly both? Heres the companys website. Let me know what ya think, to me it sounds like an AWESOME gig.

Thanatos340(on landing rounds)--
Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet.

[Broke 0]

Sweet... where do I sign up

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[mutumbo 0]

Haha. On that site. :)

Thanatos340(on landing rounds)--
Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet.

[jdthomas 0]

I have always wanted to attend one of these classes.
http://www.wilderness-medicine.com/Default.asp
Sadly i never got around to it and maybe never will. things change once the family comes into play!
I was reading the thread, good point about the long transport times. here in the city we are 7min any direction from nearest hosp. while working out in county I enjoyed less call volume but more pt contact time as the nearest facility could be easily 30min drive time.. so from house-cot-rig-hosp time you could easily have 45 min contact time.. last week while in a very, very rural setting i worked a car accident that took 45min for a rig to show up (not my coverage area, I rolled up on a sheriff car vs truck) and they where only 1st responders!
anyway you go, enjoy it all for as long as you can!
Joe

www.greenboxphotography.com