Happy New Year.

Posted from the home computer,,,, because that's where I am,,,,, at home and not working on New Years Eve!!!!!!!

I love my wife, I think that any regular reader would know that.

But this is one of those special nights.
For Ambo's it's full of drunks and cut feet and stupid stuff, with the distinct possibility of some really good work just because of the massive numbers of punters going into the city for the party and the fireworks.

I love this kind of work either as a special event coverage overtime crew or just as a normal roster shift, but no the boss had me doing my second day shift today so I'm not doing either.

Nothing really stunning that I want to share with you from the work so far, sorry.

I have been working on the idea of having another crack at Uni but I'm looking around the other Uni's to see who has like a conversion type course for already qualified and experienced officers who have been taught by vocational training with class clinical education but don't have that recognised as much as having that bit of paper from uni, (how many grads get into the job and then ask why did they stick around for the third year at uni?)

But I also have to work out the academic stuff, the whoops there cut the legs out from under me.

Anyway party safe if you are.
Thank you for returning to the blog as often as some have.
It has been very cathartic.
It's the first diary that I have every kept and it's one anyone can read?



Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

My festive nights.

Christmas Eve - Ten jobs for the shift.

Explain to me why, all the way through to the last hour of the shift (that's now Christmas Day), where we rescuing people from their own self destructive nature?

No particular age (but mostly young <30yrs).
Not the lonely or street dwellers.
Not lonely overseas tourists (they in fact have a very organised Christmas).

Just the Gen X or what ever, who believe that the world owes them everything and take no responsibility for themselves.

Tracy cooked a wonderful Christmas Lunch that we enjoyed mid-afternoon before I left for work.

Christmas Night - Four jobs, no Pubs open.

There's the difference straight away.
There were alcohol related incidents but they were falls and just the pissed un-co stuff not brawls and violence.

Some crews got a bit more of a pasteing then I did.
The station down near our big gaol or jail on the coast have been getting hammered, something needs to be done about there, they may need an extra crew.

But all in all the Big Jolly Fat Man day was alright.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Certificate to Practice

Has been renewed.

After a pleasant two days at a local education centre myself and eight other officers have received updates on best practice and new developments within the Pre-Hospital field.

Had an uninterrupted play with some of the tools we might not use as often as we like and therefore slipped in our skills and also brushed up on some core skills.

Thank you to our Paramedic Educator and the other education staff who came in to help and direct us.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Good service recieved.

Well we don't have young kids to celebrate Christmas for so Tracy and I really didn't need anything and were struggling to come up with presents for each other.

I've just had my bike serviced (just like you would your car, it does make a difference) and I had a pair of pannier bags put on the rear to increase what I can carry (uniforms etc,) and to keep them dry. So Tracy could give me them.

Tracy's computer has been running slow so I enquired with a manufacturer recommended agent yesterday by email and they were on the phone this morning and she drove there and had the up-grade done there and then.

Well done Express Computer Repairs, Bridge Rd, Epping.

Of course this is only for Sydney readers, Oh Renegade Cycles from Lane Cove do all my bicycle work.

The preceding has been an un-paid advertisement.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Male fallen, Intoxicated.
Intoxicated Male with facial injury.
Intoxicated person fallen.

And that was pretty much it for the night.

Spine board, Collars and Metoclopramide seemed the order of the night.

The Two AM lockout seems to be working with reducing party goers from drifting all night from Pub to Club and therefore anti-social behaviour.
Or so it seemed to me last night.
It was my first Friday night since it came in.

It doesn't stop the alcohol injuries though, nor the generalised effects of alcohol that most of the pretty people we attend don't acknowledge.
After hours on the grog you will have difficulty doing most things like,
Walking,
Talking,
Breathing when you vomit (well that one saves their lives I guess),
Getting a taxi because you can't walk and talk,
Understanding basic concepts (cars will not stop just because you hold out your hand!),
Does not increase your intelligence or charm.

Don't get me wrong I love my job and love my Friday/Saturday double but it does help to spray about the numb nut patient we do have to deal with.


So how about something for Christmas?

CHRISTMAS CAROLS FOR THE DISTURBED

* 1. Schizophrenia --- Do You Hear What I Hear?

* 2. Multiple Personality Disorder --- We Three Kings Disoriented Are

* 3. Dementia --- I Think I'll be Home for Christmas

* 4. Narcissistic --- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

* 5. Manic --- Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and.....

* 6. Paranoid --- Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me

* 7. Borderline Personality Disorder --- Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire

* 8. Personality Disorder --- You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why

* 9. Attention Deficit Disorder --- Silent night, Holy oooh look at the Froggy - can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away?

* 10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder -- - Jingle Bells,! Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells , Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Yes!

Yes, Yes, Yes!

Of course I'm available for overtime tonight at my station.

It'll be another two weeks before the roster has me on my favourite Friday/Saturday night double.

It's not just that you can have a lot of fun on these nights but everyone is out, all the coffee shops are open and I just love the city.

I'll let you know if we have anything interesting.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Another four shifts done.

Well the Padawan and I have survived again.

New lessons learnt, job reviewed and the training goes on.

Nothing of great interest to you as the reader except that I had to use my Mental Health Act powers again (no assault this time) and the hospital agreeded by placing the patient in further care.
There must be some 'funky' heroin on the streets as we had two odd overdoses last night?

Well it's time to go home now.

I have my re-certification course next week (wish me luck) so I'll only have my night shifts next week.

(posted from the station plantroom)

Well really!

After five years in the job you do get hit by the odd flailing limb and such but this was a direct attack!

Using minimal force to restrain a patient that I had scheduled under the NSW Mental Health Act 2007, I was told that they would now be compliant and could I just loosen my hold so they could re-position on the stretcher.

Sounded reasonable, and the arm moved, aim was taken and even though I pulled back they still landed a cheap shot right on the end of my chin.

I was stunned not by the blow but by the deliberateness of the action.

My padawan and several staff were all witnesses and very concerned for my well being, thank you to them all.

While I brushed off an offer to be assessed by the doctors, but I remembered that it is important to document all such attacks on health staff even the unfortunate contacts with struggling patients so I have now got a medical record at our hospital even if most staff don't recognise my real name and Taz the Ambo.

Anyhow, the District Officer was called, I took the forty odd minutes to complete the incident paperwork and thankfully I returned to the job I love with no injury and only pity for the poor troubled patient who attacked a health care worker.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

I just got assulted!

I'm ok, more surprise than anything. Posted from Ambulance Bay of local hospital, more details after shift.

The training changes.

My padawan has had a different kind of week so far.
More intense jobs, more expectation of his ability and more constructive direction.

We've had a couple of hot days and the work has been very diverse.
We'll see what the night holds.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

I can't sleep.

I've posted about this before.

The night before I'm due to start my normal rostered shifts I sometimes have difficulty sleeping. My mind pulls work related scenarios or replays jobs. I recall really weird work related stuff.

Tracy and I even went for a bike ride today.
I bought a bike computer for mine and thus we have now found out that the ride we thought was about 23km round trip is in fact 35km. We had a head wind on the return and a 29 degree day so I thought that would knock me out but that doesn't seem to be the case.

So I've got up, made a sandwich, played some solitaire and am now blogging.

A message to Chris, your book should be out to you next week.

Night everyone.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Got one overtime shift.

On the Intensive Care Ambulance at my old station.
Had to knocked back a day shift at my own station because I had already accepted this one.
Four lousy jobs.
All jobs I would have normally been responded to as just a regular Paramedic from my station.

Some people might think of it as easy money.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

We met a nice lady last night.

She had lived a long life (ninety seven years in fact).
Was as sharp as a tack.
I met her Niece and Grandniece too.

She smiled a cheeky grin when I scooped her in my arms to place her on the stretcher.
She gave me a warm smile as I stroked her hair into place while I put the seat belts on.

Her family rushed to keep up with me as I got her out of the home and into my ambulance.
The nursing home staff chased after me with the med chart and her details.

Padawan had picked up that I took over the job and then re-turned it to him while I drove.
She got the smoothest, fastest lights flashing drive of her life.

They, the team where waiting for us to arrive (I called ahead).
I did the handover, Padawan still wasn't sure of why I took over (he's not supposed to yet, that's for me to teach).
I lingered in the Resucitation Bay, helping where I could, listening to what I could, to learn.

I was there while the doctor explained that there may have been reversible causes for her heart racing and then dangerously slowing.
I listened as he explained that there also may not be any cure. I had touched on that in the car.

She had been chatting to her nurse as I was on my way back to the hospital with my next patient and just went quiet and everything just stopped.
There was no pain.
She was ready.
It was time.

I'm glad I had been involved, I believe that I had made a positive difference, I brought a smile and pleasure to my patient, I had selected the right hospital with the right staff attitude and I believe we all did good.


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz