A Medical Experience :: essays research papers

A Medical Experience     It was the end of a conventionalism day at the station. The medics ar justgetting to bed after running a half a dozen calls for an assorted minor aesculapianand trauma problems. The paperwork was finished. The reports were entered intothe computer. The truck was even restocked. They were just about intodreamland but, as with most nights at this particular station, sleep was not tobe.     Several miles away, in a small, well kept flat tire, Angie Briggs, aeighty-year-old woman awoke to the feeling that the life-giving air was beingdenied to her. She tried to sit up, but the feeling would not subside. Walkingmake it worse. She also noticed that, even though the temperature in her roomwas comfortable, she was dripping with sweat. The longer that she waited, theharder it became to breath. So, realizing the fact that her doctor was probablyasleep, she did the next logical step, she called her daughter, who lives in some other state. The daughter realized that her mother needed more help than shecould give over the phone, tried to persuade the mother to call an ambulance,which, of course, the mother refused to do, stating that it wasnt necessary.The daughter past took it upon herself to call EMS from her own house.     The medics were notified of the problem through the usual method, aseries of tones over a radio that cause a loud horn to noise and all the stationlights to come on, much to the annoyance of the fire lieutenant. This alarm wasimmediately followed by the dispatchers voice giving all the applicableinformation on this call.     "Med unit 2, respiratory call, 103 Royal Terrace Boulevard, apartment 7,in reference to a 80 year old woman with shortness of breath."     Not that the EMS faction were listening at this point. They are busygetting into their jumpsuits and putting their boots on. It does not matter ifthey are eating, sleeping, watching TV, or even taking a shower, they arerequired to be in the ambulance and en route to the scene within two minutes.     "Med Twos en route." Stated EMT Jennifer Meyers in a sleepy voice     " duplicate med 2 is en route to 103 Royal Terrace Blvd., apartment 7." Nowthey are listening. "This is in reference to a 80 year-old female who is in unforgiving respiratory distress. Received the call from her daughter that is out ofstate. Patient sounds very short of breath."     "Copy"     "Im pretty sure that it is in the first entrance into the apartment