ITLS be gone

Since the ITLS instructor was familiar with the school and the students, he decided to make us do real life scenarios to pass (including starting IVs, etc) which were much more complex than the normal ITLS skills stations. So my 'patient' was a 75 year old man who cracked his hip and banged his head on the coffee table as he was on his way to the washroom in the middle of the night.

I had a partner who is a volunteer firefighter during his off time, so it was a really fantastic match. While I was focusing on the patient, my parter was delegating our backup crew to get a scoop instead of a backboard, etc. We got everything done in good time, with minimal pain shifted the old chap onto the stretcher and got him to the ambulance with no issue. He had CHF and was a bigger man so that maintaining his airway was difficult to manage given he was scooped and the stretcher head was not staying up, but we did the best we could. We passed and the written exam was simple.

It was painful sitting through 2 days of lecture on what took us 3 months to learn. Seems so simple now. What isn't simple is real life scenarios and undoubtedly real life emergencies. It takes a special kind of emergency nazi to take care of everything properly, delegate and take vitals.

I need to become Kali-like somehow. The extra hands would come in handy methinks.

Hannah Georgas - All I Need

Put on my old fall coat
While listening to 'Fists Up' by The Blow
Grab my toque and go
Can't forget my scarf

The air bites at my nose
The leaves do what they're told
Their colours match the tone of my skin

Oh, oh the sun peeks out to play
We all welcome her for the day
Oh, oh the sun peeks out to play
We hope she'll lengthen her stay

She said: All I need is this right now
Got the wind on my back
Got the sun standing tall
All I need is this right now

The willows have a chat with the breeze
The grass sways in time to the beat
The birds and I all sing along
Sha la la la la la la la

Oh oh the sun peeks out to play
We all welcome her for the day
Oh oh the sun peeks out to play
We hope she'll lengthen her stay

She said: All I need is this right now
Got the wind on my back
Got the sun standing tall
All I need is this right now (repeat)

ITLS

Boy, after finishing an EMT course and then having to do an ITLS course? It's boring.

Rural Hospital

Well, I found out where my hospital practicum is, right off a main highway and I'll be there February 10-12. They have an Operating Room and I was told that if I am invited to be in the OR, I should go because it is a rare occurrence and a privilege.

Today is ITLS day and after skimming the book it's a really nice review of the last 3 months and it's even nicer that it is a quick read... I actually know my stuff :)

Tom Waits - Green Grass

Lay your head where my heart used to be
Hold the earth above me
Lay down in the green grass
Remember when you loved me

Come closer don't be shy
Stand beneath a rainy sky
The moon is over the rise
Think of me as a train goes by

Clear the thistles and brambles
Whistle 'Didn't He Ramble'
Now there's a bubble of me
And it's floating in thee

Stand in the shade of me
Things are now made of me
The weather vane will say...
It smells like rain today

God took the stars and he tossed 'em
Can't tell the birds from the blossoms
You'll never be free of me
He'll make a tree from me

Don't say good bye to me
Describe the sky to me
And if the sky falls, mark my words
We'll catch mocking birds

Lay your head where my heart used to be
Hold the earth above me
Lay down in the green grass
Remember when you loved me