Saturday, January 19, 2008

Another Call

This weekend I finally had another call, only the second in as many months. I hate the feeling of getting rusty, so it was nice to have a chance to use my assessment skills again. That is, after all, why I go to all these events, why I sign up for so many duties. The music may be good, the shows funny and the sports entertaining, but that is not why I am there. I am there to help people, to treat patients. That is what I truly love to do.

The call came just before intermission, one of the bartenders had been injured. I grab my bag and the observer and head off, my partner trailing us slowly. The poor woman had been perched on a high stool, and as she turned to talk to another staff member, it tipped over. She struck her head, neck and back off the marble counter top, then hit the floor. She was quite a tough older lady though, and insisted she was ok. I checked her out and all was well, a bit bruised, and she'll be sore for a few days. It was really just a good chance to run through the whole assessment, and I think I did rather well. I love being on my own, and every little call is a chance to practice my skills for the bigger calls.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Winter Lull

There have been very few duties lately, and that trend looks to continue for the next few weeks. There are a few hockey games, some shows and a concert or two, but people rarely get injured or sick at those. I'm really looking forward to seeing some of the shows - so I actually hope there are no patients!

In the summer we have the massive festivals, the fairs, GoKarts, the football games, all things where people tend to drop like flies. I've come to the conclusion that people just don't get hurt in the wintertime! Well ok, at least not in the 3-hour time span it takes to watch our local hockey team KICK BUTT. Winter is therefore a time of training, organizing and preparing for the insanely busy spring, summer and fall seasons. I can't really complain about the lull, as it forces me to concentrate on my schoolwork. Memorizing invertebrate phyla is not quite as entertaining as learning how not to kill people, but who said university was all fun and games?

I did get promoted however, which was a bit of a shocker, since I've only been here for a year and a half. I'm now in charge of supplies, which appeared innocuous enough at first glance. I have to wonder what this new portfolio really entails however, as they have not yet told me the whole scope of my duties. I am assuming any or all of the following: uniform sizing, keeping the trucks stocked, organizing and stocking all the trauma bags, complete inventory of supplies, managing the back supply room, random administrative stuff....I'm sure there is more I've missed that they are sure to think of. Ah well, I love my pretty new stripes. A little extra grunt work is easily done.

I want a decent duty though.....it's been too long since I've treated a patient, I'm getting restless. It's not that I'm wishing for somebody to get hurt, but people do, and I just want to be the one responding.