Finally back with some exciting news!

Hello everyone!

This is my first blog in months! I have finally finished my first year of the paramedic program at Georgian! It's hard to believe how much information and skills I have learned in just one school year. It has been a fantastic first year and I can't wait to get right back into my third semester. The summer is far too long if you ask me!

This summer I have applied to a patient transfer service in Grey County as well as many places in town. I am going to need all of the money I can get!

Perhaps just as exciting as finishing my first year of the program is that I just got my first car! My brother Jeff has recently purchased a used car of his own and he is giving me his old car for free! Yes, I love my brother VERY MUCH! It is a 2003 Toyota Corolla and I can't wait to get it on the road!This is a picture taken by Rebecca against the college's ambulance!

Thanks for reading! :)

A much needed break!

Hello Bloggers!
Well, I am now 5 weeks into my program and loving every minute of it! I have never been this busy in my life! Two weeks ago we had our first test in our Patient Care Procedures class. We were required to do a 170 lb. stair chair lift test and our primary surveys. The primary survey test required us to look and feel for any immediate threats to our patents within the first 2:00 minutes of our assessment. I completed the survey in 2:02 seconds which resulted in a fail. I did however successfully complete my stair chair test. The retest date was today (Oct.8th) and I completed my survey in 1:32 seconds. Here is a list of each point that must be mentioned and assessed in my primary survey:

-PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
-EMCA (Environment, Mechonism of Injury, Casualty Number, Additional Resources)
-AVPU (Alert, Verbal, Painful, Unresponsive reactions)
-C-spine (cervical spine immobilization)
-ABC's (Airway, Breathing, Circulation checks)
-Put on Oxygen at 15 lit/min via non-rebreather mask
-Look for JVD (Jugular Vein Distention) and feel for Tracheal Deviation in the neck
-Expose the chest looking for CLAP (Contusions, Lacerations, Abrasions, or Penetrating wounds) Feeling for STICD (Subcutaneous Emphysema, Tenderness, Instability, Crepitus, or Deformities)
-4 Point Auscultation of the chest listening for Full air entry bi-laterally from apex to base with no adventitious sounds
-Abdomen Check for a pulsatile mass, and 4 quadrant check looking for rebound tenderness
-3 point pelvic check with Syn. Pubis
-Gross bleed check along with medical alert bracelets
-Decision to "load and go" or "stay and play"

So that is a full primary survey! So much to learn and that was only in the first 2 weeks! Well, I am glad that I have got a chance to blog finally! It is great to be back in Port Elgin for a break and finally relax for a bit. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! :)

An eye opening week!

Hello bloggers! This is my first blog since school started and I apologize for my absence! This has been an incredible week of college for me! I have already learned so much about para-medicine and it excites me to no end.

The biggest eye opener for me this past week was my very first lab on Friday. In our lab we have 3 professors (all of which are full time Simcoe paramedics) and they are all amazing at what they do. This class was the first time I fully realized that I am finally in THE paramedic program. Our professors really spelled out our purpose and responsibilities as students and future paramedics. Possibly one of the most inspirational speeches I have ever heard was voiced by our one professor during this class. So much is expected of our small class already and for the first time my monthly calendar is almost completely full!

My main focus this week is to successfully complete and master my "Primary Survey" which is the very first thing a medic does when arriving on scene. We have 90 seconds to complete our Primary Survey without forgetting a "critical" aspect or (for obvious reasons) killing our patients! At the moment I have no idea how I am going to fit the 18 step survey into a 90 second window but apparently it is possible!

This past weekend I was able to visit Rebecca (which was a fantastic break for me!) and It really helped to get away from the Residence Student Council responsibilities, St. John Ambulance and of course my paramedic studies. Rebecca was graceful enough to help me practice my primary survey however which really gave me a head start in our lab today!
So with all of the things I have to do in the coming weeks I will try to update my blog as much as possible. Thanks for reading!

Back to the Books!

The summer has almost passed with only one short week left for me. I am very excited to be starting my new program and to be off on my own once again! The hardest part is leaving the people so close to me (even though I know it's not for long).

Just thinking about the new things I will learn and all the people I will meet excites me to no end! I know for certain this will be one of the busiest semesters of my school career. With my new Residence Student Council (RSC) position, SJA, and all my school work, time for myself will be a great blessing!

St.John Ambulance

St.John Ambulance is a charitable organization that provides the public with first aid services through courses, volunteers, and many medical products. I became a volunteer for the 125 Barrie division in October of 2009. It is one of Ontario's biggest divisions with over 50 volunteers in the Medical First Response (MFR) services alone. There are 4 different services: MFR services, Therapy Dog services, Youth services, and an Emergency Preparedness program.

In the MFR service program, we attend events everywhere within the Barrie, Simcoe and Muskoka area. Some events I have attended are the Ontario Hockey League games with the Barrie Colts, the Kempenfest fair, and many "casualty simulations" set up for volunteers to train. We set up first aid posts at these events in case of any emergencies and also for minor things such as providing areas for people to rest.

Joining SJA has been a helpful and fun experience for me and I plan to continue to volunteer for as long as possible. The training has proved to be very educating and useful to me!

From an Idea to a Journey

When I think of all the different occupations I have wanted to pursue, I just cant help but laugh. Marine biologist, Architect, Police Officer, none of them seem to make any sense! I don't swim very well, I'm lousy at math, and I just cant picture myself like Jacky Chan in "Rush Hour". When it came time for me to decide what I really wanted to do, I started with the basics. Do I want an office job? No. I want a job that keeps me on my feet, in exciting situations, always striving to help others. For some reason I just couldn't figure it out! Then, one day I was discussing the topic with my girlfriend (Rebecca) and her mom (Barb). Barb had a suggestion that clearly had an impact on me. Be a paramedic. It was an idea that floated in my mind and had me thinking "Yeah! I could do that!". This is when the ball started rolling. Honestly, I knew next to nothing about the job, but it fit all of the attributes I was looking for.

They say that people in our generation will change their careers several times throughout their lives. I have no idea if this is true and it doesn't really effect my decision. However, I feel that uncertainty will always play a role in any commitment. You just have to try things that you think you want to do. If you fail, perhaps that thing isn't what is planned for you.

So here I am taking an idea and starting my journey.

Dedication

"Dedication is not what others expect of you, it is what you can give to others."

This is a quote I heard which explains the very foundations of my greatest ambition: to become a paramedic. I am a 19 year old guy that just wants to chase a dream and see where it takes him. I will use this blog as an opportunity to share my experiences as I continue on the path I have chosen.