I think it’s about time we get one for Social Media, although I’m not entirely sure that this should be it simply because it’s more of a spoof than an original piece of work. I’d really like to see an original piece with this sort of hook

Found via Mashable

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I stress the word like because I find it useful for some things, but not so useful for many others. This doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in it’s power or it’s influence, just that I recognize the limitations the tool has and my expectations don’t exceed it. It’s important to remember that as you read on.

So in the same vain of answering Greg’s question, I am now going to answer a question most recently asked by Steve Whitehead on Twitter that deserves more than 140 characters will allow:

Can The Real Protocol Please Step Forward?

There is a reason why medicine is still considered an art.

You can have two patients with the same complaint, but because of having vastly different histories the same treatment applied to both may help one but harm the other.

This is one of the reasons why you will find some vastly different protocols across the country. What works well for some areas may not work well for others, and what works well for some patients may also not work well for others.

In My Experience

It’s important to understand that I am New York State Certified, so my experiences are limited to working within NYS Protocols. On the fifth page of those protocols under the Introduction heading appears this paragraph:

God bless the New York State Department Of Health Bureau of EMS.

The Continuing Problem

Unfortunately, even with that paragraph there, it still leads to problems. EMT recruitment is as easy as checking the ABCs. If you’ve got a pulse and can breathe you can become an EMT. The current education is centered around the protocols and complying with them as opposed to independent thinking with good clinical judgement, because by not following them you run the risk of being held liable if anything goes wrong with the patient.

Why is that 90 year old patient with osteoporosis strapped to a backboard after falling out of bed? Protocol.

Why is that hyper-ventilating patient suffering from an anxiety attack wearing a non-rebreather set to 15 liters per minute? Protocol.

Why is that patient sitting on a roadside construction sign (next to the car he was in when rear ended ever so slightly and obviously got out of) being strapped into a soft Spinal Immobilization Vest? Protocol.

Burn The Protocol Book, Care For Them All, Let The Triage Nurse Sort It Out

I once had a paramedic who would always refer back to the protocol book. If you were turning cyanotic and gasping for breathe in the tripod position in front of him, he would take a minute to look it up in the protocol book before giving you some much needed oxygen. This over reliance on protocol is a bad indicator that our education model needs to be revamped, our recruitment methods are not working, and that we are more concerned with the potential lawsuit down the road than we are the patient in front of us.

If that paragraph didn’t exist in the NYS Protocols, I probably wouldn’t be in EMS anymore today. Heck, I probably wouldn’t have made it out of my first year because strapping down 90 year old patients with osteoporosis is just not something I think I could actually do with or without legal “justification”.

Which is another thing I blame protocol for. EMTs and Paramedics use protocols as justification for providing treatment that doesn’t benefit the patient, but benefits them. Such as taking the patient to the nearest hospital as opposed to the hospital the patient has a doctor at. Sure in a perfect world hospitals would be able to share records, test results, and other information… but right now they can’t. It’s a major shortfall of the healthcare system that we won’t be able to solve, but for that specific patient we may be able to alleviate that issue as well as some anxiety by simply taking them the extra mile (or five) to where they already have received treatment.

Finally, I hate protocol because so many people think that providing patient care is a black and white issue when it is far more complicated than that. Sure protocol can provide you guidance on the basic treatment a patient should receive, but it doesn’t provide you with a methodology or the tools to provide exceptional patient care. As I said before, there is a difference between treating and caring for your patients. Which one would you rather do? Which one would you rather be on the receiving end of?

I say burn the protocol book, care for them all, and let the triage nurse sort it out.

This post is solely representative of my own opinion and using my local protocols as an example. It’s important to educate yourself on your own local protocols and adhere to them as required. I am in no way advocating violating protocols just for the sake of it.

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However passion, just like The Force in Star Wars, also has a dark side. Passion can blind you with an emotional rage. This rage will cause you to react to a situation, instead of intelligently respond. This out of control passion was on full display yesterday in the EMS Blogosphere.

The emotional eruption came to full steam between Medic 22 and Timothy Clemans. I am not going to be expressing an opinion on the actual topic, but rather how passion can be a problem in Social Media.

Welcome To The Dark Side… We Have Cookies

Timothy laid the bait at the opening of his blog post when he wrote:

The following is my take on a discussion with Medic 22, a very angry EMT and paramedic student who works for a BLS private ambulance company in South King County.

Whether Medic 22 is angry or not really has no relevance. That’s a personal swipe that was totally uncalled for and is a prime example of baiting a passionate person for that emotionally charged rage type of reaction. In Medic 22’s blog post he fails to take the proverbial high road and writes the following as a closing statement:

Timothy, I called you an idiot in my IM conversation, and that stands. I also stand by the statement that you need to gain some experience in the field, even as an EMT, before you start to judge what is right and wrong with EMS today. You need to see sick and injured people before you can make blanket statements about treatment modalities.

Earlier today, I was pretty pissed when I saw that this kid took a private conversation we had and turned it into blogfodder, than I remembered he’s just a goofy kid sitting at a PC in his mom’s basement typing away… and I realized I don’t give two shits about what he thinks.

Now in all fairness to Medic 22, he felt that a private conversation had been unfairly taken public which spurred his emotional reaction. I can understand feeling this as a violation of… something… but it’s the nature of the electronic beast that what we say on the Internet can outlive us. I look at that as a learnable moment for Medic 22, because you can’t have a reasonable expectation of privacy in what you do on the internet.

However his reaction is still very unprofessional and belittling of another person’s opinion. Sure it would be nice if everyone who judged EMS actually had experience in EMS. How many Mayors, City Council Members, Senators, and lawmakers judge EMS and create budgets or legislation for it without stepping onto an ambulance? While their numbers have increased over the years, how many medical directors have actual ambulance experience? How many people, who have influence over their local EMS has Medic 22 now alienated from being aligned with our needs from his emotional rant?

It may be none.

It may be many.

We may never actually know… and that’s the scary part.

Don’t Feed The Troll

I think debate between open minded individuals willing to listen to each other and challenge the idea instead of attacking the person is not only healthy but necessary. We as a community should not estrange someone who we think may not be as “experienced” to comment on a situation, but rather take that opportunity to bring them closer and educate them as to why we feel this way and try to understand their point of view. Chances are that there are others with those same beliefs and if we can understand where the misconceptions are originating from then we can identify the source and render a solution.

Everyone has something to contribute to the conversation. We need passionate people to be able to really effect the kind of culture change we want to see in EMS. We need to respect the passion that other people have even when their opinion differs from our own, and keep our passion professional.

However it is important that we recognize someone who is failing to listen to the discussion and is more interested in creating controversy than contributing substance for what they are.

An internet troll.

My advice when these creatures appear is simple… don’t feed the troll lest you run the risk of becoming a troll yourself.

Be responsible with your use of Social Media. Learn the Responder Do’s and Don’ts of Using Social Media while working that I published in July of 2009. For a better understanding of Social Media Best Practices, sign up for the E-mail Bootcamp at PIOSocialMediaTraining.com

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• Rogue Medic continued to provide a clearer picture of the Pittsburgh EMS situation by responding to anonymous comments from those who don’t do the job. Additionally TOTWTYTR hits the nail on the head by pointing out that Public Safety Director Michael Huss continues to throw around blame instead of accepting responsibility. I can think of no other bloggers I’d want backing my social media less department at such a time, and maybe someday one of the trade magazines or publications will take a stand for a department and write an original story instead of just reposting the Associated Press drivel. Chief McCaughan, my offer still stands
• Sean Eddy from Medic Madness asks a very important question… who do YOU work for? The answer may surprise some of you… and it may just make you rethink how you care for your patients
• Ms Paramedic has an inspirational post about making thunder as opposed to stealing it. I can relate to that post on a number of levels. Everytime I think I may have pushed the boundaries or have backed a lost cause, I am reminded of a saying my mother once told me: Every mighty oak was once a nut that stood its ground. Nuts make thunder, just in case you didn’t know…

And finally…

• I would be remiss not to mention Steve Whitehead’s fabulous monthly February Roundup in case you missed anything during that month…

Have a safe week!



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]]> http://davidkonig.com/2010/ems-blog-rounds-edition-32/feed/ 0 http://davidkonig.com/2010/my-emstoday-2010-experience/ http://davidkonig.com/2010/my-emstoday-2010-experience/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:00:08 +0000 David http://davidkonig.com/?p=2781
• My Do And Don’t List For #EMSToday As you’re reading this I’m down in Baltimore, Maryland for...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> This past Friday I got my large French Vanilla ice coffee light with cream and with four Splendas, set my iPod to listen to podcasts, and hit the road to Baltimore for the EMS Today Conference in Baltimore. The trip was pretty uneventful, making one stop at the Walt Whitman rest area for… well… rest, and arrived in Baltimore around 12:15.

I parked by the M&T Bank Stadium (where parking for conference attendees was free) and walked the 4 or so blocks over to the convention center. Once there I checked in to get my conference badge from Lauren who was extremely helpful and answered all my important questions… namely where I could find the restroom. Did I mention I drink large coffees? So of course right after that break, I got an ice coffee from the lobby Starbucks, where I was glad to see that the decline in customer service at Starbucks was not just a New York City phenomenon.

Once done there, I descended to where the exposition hall was. Going down the escalator was what looked to be an 8-10 foot tall banner from Zoll touting some of their exhibits… including a panel for The Chronicles of EMS. I have to say that it is great when innovators support innovators, and that was just one of many examples of that I saw while there.

Entering into the exhibit hall I went left and began going up and down the aisles checking out vendors and their products. I’ve gotten pretty used to doing exhibitions, so I walk in the middle of the aisle unless I see something I’m interested in. If a vendor throws a hook my way in an attempt to real me in, I’ll generally start off by asking, “What’s the price point?” which usually makes them wince. I’m not a fluff kind of guy, I’m all about the bottom line. This is kind of my way of really saying “I’m not interested in your product which is probably overpriced, but thanks anyway,” and most of them back off. I was pleasantly surprised that there weren’t very many of those at all.

Finally I reached the Zoll booth which was actually right by the entrance only in the complete opposite direction from where I had headed when I first walked in. As I looped around the booth grabbing some literature and checking out the latest Zoll innovations, I found myself looking at none other than Ted Setla (@Setla).

So I approached him and said, “Hey, I know you!”

He looked at me with a slight look of fear before there was that spark of recognition… and thus began the rush of meeting face to face those who I’ve been conversing with over the past 11 months or so. Ted and I talked briefly about his set-up and what was going on so far at the show. He explained that Justin and Mark were down the aisle at the live podcast for EMS Garage (@emsgarage), and then I was able to turn an old partner of mine who spotted me there onto Ted and the Chronicles of EMS.

Leaving Ted to continue to swoon the passerbys at the Chronicles of EMS Booth, I wandered down to where the EMS Garage was doing a live podcast. It was a standing room only crowd, so I stood off to one side in order to get a good view. Then I worried that I might be violating fire code by blocking a fire lane because it was pretty crowded for the podcast, and I moved closer to a a beautiful tall redhead who I completely accidentally bumped into. She turned to me, turned away, and then quickly turned back and said, “Oh my god. I know you.” I had literally just bumped into soon to be Paramedic Epi_Junky of Pink Warm and Dry. Imagine that coincidence!

The live podcast was featuring Justin Schorr (@thehappymedic) and Mark Glencourse (@ukmedic999) who had to depart mid-stream for their presentation back at the booth Ted was holding down. The host Chris Montera (@geekymedic) then called up Jamie Davis (@podmedic) and… of all people… me to come up and join him!!!



You can watch the video that was live streamed of the podcast by clicking on the picture above

After extolling the virtues of Social Media for EMS Agencies and soliciting fertilization for my farm in Farmville, I finally had the opportunity to actually meet Jamie and Chris who are incredibly passionate about EMS and Social Media. There can be no better advocates for that marriage than those who are turning out high quality content… and those two are definitely at the top of the list.

While basking in the afterglow of the live podcast I also was finally able to meet the fabulous Chris Kaiser (@ckemtp) who I constantly find myself nodding in agreement to his blog posts and I found myself doing the same thing in his presence as well. I was also afforded the opportunity to finally meet Rhett Fleitz (@firecritic) who I’ve corresponded with numeorus times about all sorts of issues and his podcast partner John Mitchell (firedaily). This was closely followed by meeting Justin Schorr and having a nice conversation with him about the going ons and how word about #CoEMS is spreading. At this point, pretty much everyone went their own way with plans to meet up later that night at the big Blogger/Tweeter Meetup… and I once again found a restroom. Did I mention the Starbucks Coffee was large too?

After using the fine facilities in the exhibit hall, I still had about an hour before me lecture to kill, so I found a nice comfy spot on the second (third?) floor. While I was there checking Twitter and some e-mail, I was approached by none other than the EMS Blogfather Kelly Grayson (@ambodriver) and his friend. I don’t remember exactly what was said, because I was in shock that THE Kelly Grayson had felt the need to come over and introduce himself to me. It was a shocker moment which I shared on Twitter:



My girlfriend was concerned by that tweet, and called me. That conversation went something like this:

Her: Is everything okay?
Me: I just met Kelly Grayson!
Her: Kelly who?
Me: The EMS Blogfather, Kelly Grayson!
Her: I have no idea who that is.
Me: You know the book that sits ontop of my computer? He’s the one who wrote it!
Her: Oh. Cool!

Now I’m not always the sharpest tack in the box, because after that conversation with her I realized that I also potentially met another iconic EMS Blogger who prefers to preserve his anonymity. I happen to have alot of respect for anonymous bloggers because I think others undervalue or overlook their contributions simply because they don’t use their real name. It’s not the blogger’s identity that matters, but the content that they produce. Anonymous bloggers usually have to build a bridge of trust from the ground up by providing solid reliable information instead of the trust that gets afforded to you when you disclose your name and service. So a hat tip to that gentleman for remaining fiercely independent.

So after my session, which ironically (or not) was about Social Media, I headed over to where the big EMS Blogger Meetup was at the Pizzeria Uno. There I got to continue chatting with those I had met earlier as well as finally actually meet Mark Glencourse, and we even shared a Kodak moment that you can see somewhere out there on the internet. I have to be honest, the excitment that Ted, Justin, and Mark have for the Chronicles of EMS is not only off the charts but damn near contagious, and that can be a strong catalyst for the change we need.

I also had the opportunity to meet Mike Ward (@fossilmedic), Chris Eldridge (@thedridge), Sebastian Wong (@sebwong) and Carissa O’Brien (@carissao) who insists that I trademark my eyebrow. The conversation was interesting, the gossip about who else was going to join the “FireEMSBlogs.com” lineup was entertaining, the experience enlightening, and the food was delish.

Unfortunately, the clock struck 10 and it was time for me to make my departure since I still had a 4 hour drive ahead of me after my 1.7 kilometer walk back to my truck. Leaving such fine company was a bit sorrowful. There were conversations that had started online concluded, and in their place new ones arose in person that undoubtedly will be continued online. It served as an important illustration of what effective communication among passionate people can accomplish, and the power that Social Media has in helping that along.



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]]> http://davidkonig.com/2010/my-emstoday-2010-experience/feed/ 12 http://davidkonig.com/2010/weekly-digest-for-march-8th/ http://davidkonig.com/2010/weekly-digest-for-march-8th/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:00:08 +0000 David http://davidkonig.com/2010/weekly-digest-for-march-8th/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>
RT @gfriese: on the @EMSGarage podcast tonight. Lots of fun with @DavidKonig, @SteveWhitehead, @GeekyMedic, @PodMedic @Setla and Skip [davidkonig]

Had a blast recording @EMSGarage w/ @GeekyMedic , @PodMedic , @Setla , @gfriese , @SteveWhitehead and Chief Kirkwood! Thanks for having me! [davidkonig]

Published Weekly Digest for March 1st.

Checked in at Dunkin Donuts

I’m at Dunkin Donuts (81-55 Lefferts Boulevard, Cutthbert Road, Kew Gardens). http://4sq.com/5sfnDp [davidkonig]

Published Don’t Treat Your Patients, Care For Them.

Sherman’s Tank #fail today. #FTW tomorrow. [davidkonig]

@poppycede it made it into the lette… but then I had an inverter failure. Too much amp draw. Going to try again tomorrow. Very frustrating [davidkonig]

RT @bloggercalendar Vote Vote Vote! http://bt.io/EaF6 [davidkonig]

New Post: Don’t Treat Your Patients, Care For Them http://bit.ly/bNyrwG [davidkonig]

New Post: Weekly Digest for March 1st http://bit.ly/bUAczk [davidkonig]

Shared Letters in the files are flying today.

Excellent post from @thehappymedic: Letters in the files are flying today http://is.gd/9tk39 [davidkonig]

Checked in at Dunkin Donuts

I’m at Dunkin Donuts (81-55 Lefferts Boulevard, Cutthbert Road, Kew Gardens). http://4sq.com/5sfnDp [davidkonig]

Already losing this battle, and my forces haven’t even taken to the field yet… [davidkonig]

The General is off to War College… #FTW [davidkonig]

Shared What The New US Military Social Media Policy Really Means.

RT @emssafe: New free EMS vanity email. http://MedicEMail.com plz RT. [davidkonig]

Analytics 101 – Traditional Service Overview http://bit.ly/9tAkuW [davidkonig]

Hope u found it helpful! RT @wildlandfirepio: I completed PIO Social Media Training Boot Camp from @piosmtraining http://bit.ly/ECaEY [davidkonig]

RT @TheFireTracker2: DNR !!! RT @EMSWeek: NBC’s ‘Trauma’ has chance to revive itself; much criticized show returns: http://bit.ly/cK6SqY [davidkonig]

Shared Anonymous Comments on the Death of Curtis Mitchell.

RT @FireCritic: RT @Epi_Junky: http://twitpic.com/16aun5 – Thanked for doing my job on a patients facebook acct. How cool is that? ~ Very [davidkonig]

New Episode of the @PIOSMTraining Podcast coming in the early am. Subscribe in #iTunes and make sure you don’t miss it! http://bit.ly/cLO04H [davidkonig]

RE: Thanks Tim! While I understand the need for them, all they are doing is setting a bare bones minimum and creating … http://disq.us/dim5z [davidkonig]

The National Registry is Emergency Care for Monkeys http://bt.io/EawD (via @backtype) [davidkonig]

Shared News.

Shared News.

Shared Firefighter quits union after charges are brought over volunteering. The story of Michael Schaffer in Cherry Hill, New Jersey..

Checked in at Dunkin’ Donuts – Beach 129th

Going to CEVO III training. Need caffeine (@ Dunkin’ Donuts – Beach 129th) http://4sq.com/chBenn [davidkonig]

RT @zollemsfire: Help support Chronicles of EMS http://bit.ly/cj9zlw [davidkonig]

RT @gfriese: RT @drval: You Could Pay A Fee For Calling 911 If You Abuse The Service: http://bit.ly/awYpAI [davidkonig]

Norwegian Salmon and apple strudel for lunch today. All trainings should feed us so well. [davidkonig]

@mashable When can we get a #droid app from you Pete? [davidkonig]

RT @mashable: WordPress Goes Real-Time With PubSubHubbub – http://bit.ly/bbcC00 [davidkonig]

RT @HazCenter: What the White House has planned for cybersecurity: http://bit.ly/352BmT [davidkonig]

For #EMSToday participants – Bump : The Must Have Networking App http://bit.ly/dcfoVS [davidkonig]

Shared Episode 5: Create and Click Responsibly.

RT @piosmtraining Episode 5: Create and Click Responsibly http://bit.ly/cP9LbL [davidkonig]

Episode 5: Create and Click Responsibly http://bit.ly/bzh0c3 [davidkonig]

RT @setla: Limited quantity! Donate and get your Official Chronicles of EMS t-shirt – http://shar.es/mXBSN – sponsored by @zollemsfire [davidkonig]

RT @shortyawards: Don’t forget to tune in live to the 2nd Annual Shorty Awards at 7:30 EST! http://shortyawards.com [davidkonig]

Shared The February EMS Roundup.

RT @shortyawards: Congratulations to @smashingmag for winning the #ShortyAward in #Design! #ShortyAwards [davidkonig]

RT @shortyawards: Congratulations to Janis Krums for winning the Real-Time Photo #ShortyAward with "Plane in the Hudson". #ShortyAwards [davidkonig]

RT @piosmtraining: New Hub Message: The Policies are Coming http://bit.ly/bhXeYJ [davidkonig]

I’m in full agreement with the points you make regarding what we, as an industry, need to do. The best way to improve … http://disq.us/djtbm [davidkonig]

RT @ckemtp Guest Post – From JDmedic on Two Cases, One Letter http://bit.ly/bjBIR5 [davidkonig]

Posted a comment.

MUST READ – The #ACTA of Evil as explained by @blogography – http://bit.ly/c263bL [davidkonig]

Posted a comment.

Posted a comment.

Very cool – RT @theHappyMedic: http://twitpic.com/16lio8 – This sign is 8 feet tall. #CoEMS @ZollEMSFire #EMSToday [davidkonig]

RT @piosmtraining: PIOSocialMediaTraining Posts for week ending http://aweber.com/b/1Hw-f [davidkonig]

Checked in at 7-Eleven

I’m at 7-Eleven (101-04 Metropolitan Ave, 71/Continental Avenue, Forest Hills). http://4sq.com/cKGXMI [davidkonig]

RT @EMS1: Check out photos from earlier today in our EMS Today slideshow http://ow.ly/1erq3 [davidkonig]

Published My Do And Don’t List For #EMSToday.

2 new comments today on "PIO Social Media Training " and more http://bt.io/Ebrc [davidkonig]

New Post: My Do And Don’t List For #EMSToday http://bit.ly/95et4u [davidkonig]

Next stop #EMSToday (@ Dunkin Donuts) http://4sq.com/5sfnDp [davidkonig]

Checked in at Dunkin Donuts

RT @poppycede: Vote for me or I’ll change your shampoo and conditioner to clam CHOWDAH http://poppycede.com (*giggle*) [davidkonig]

Checked in at Walt Whitman Plaza NJ turnpike

Getting my road grub on (@ Walt Whitman Plaza NJ turnpike) http://4sq.com/cAQzuj [davidkonig]

Shared Consider yourself lucky.

Checked in at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Free parking for #EMSTODAY ! (@ Oriole Park at Camden Yards) http://4sq.com/3VS9u3 [davidkonig]

Checked in at Baltimore Convention Center

Let #EMSToday begin! I have arrived and am credentialed thanks to Lauren who also knew where the restrooms were! http://4sq.com/5KQu1m [davidkonig]

@poppycede thanks! I missed lunch but I don’t think that’ll be an issue http://tweetphoto.com/13338573 [davidkonig]

Luvin’ the Demers Sprinter http://tweetphoto.com/****** #EMSToday [davidkonig]

The Demers Mirage EX http://tweetphoto.com/****** [davidkonig]

Test drive a #Segway at #EMSToday ! (Right by Demers ) [davidkonig]

JEMS has podcasters? Who knew? #EMSToday [davidkonig]

@gfriese They have cup holders AND bag holders [davidkonig]

#EMSToday innovation #1 is #Happyfeet ! Get some now!!! [davidkonig]

The live @emsgarage with #CoEMS http://tweetphoto.com/13346678 [davidkonig]

@MsParamedic they are incredible! My feet stopped screaming instantly [davidkonig]

Just made an impromptu appearance on @emsgarage at #EMSToday [davidkonig]

I just had a OMG moment at #EMSToday . Now self treating myself for shock. [davidkonig]

Getting a good seat for my #EMSToday session. Anyone want to guess what it’s about. [davidkonig]

@poppycede ding ding… winner [davidkonig]

The crowd here is… interesting to say the least. Not as many Chief types as I expected. [davidkonig]

Checked in at Uno Chicago Grill

Found the #EMSToday Blogger Meetup spot! I think… (@ Uno Chicago Grill) http://4sq.com/b83KBi [davidkonig]

@foursquare sweet! [davidkonig]

The coolest hand drier eva http://tweetphoto.com/13373650 [davidkonig]

Gased up, Droids charging, farewell #EMSToday … it’s been a blast (@ Maryland House Travel Plaza w/ 2 others) http://4sq.com/cPfOuV [davidkonig]

Checked in at Maryland House Travel Plaza

Shared Disabled is a word that needs to be redefined.

I’m going with Hurt Locker for Best Picture tonight at the #Oscars . Avatar was good… just not THAT good. [davidkonig]

@SteveWhitehead I don’t know if I can answer that question in 140 characters or less. [davidkonig]

RT @KrikkitChamp: Ground zero hotel wants to attract 9/11 tourists http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_15980/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=BGJ2wG38 [davidkonig]

RT @FireCritic: #EMSToday in Retrospect…Thanks for the Memories and Meeting Everyone in Person! http://bit.ly/avOOtO #Fire #Firefighting [davidkonig]

Checked in at Super Stop & Shop

Getting Oscar Party supplies… (@ Super Stop & Shop) http://4sq.com/8NLiao [davidkonig]

Checked in at East Meets West

Gotta get some Lo Mein and some tofu. Fortune cookies are a plus too (@ East Meets West) http://4sq.com/8U6fBC [davidkonig]

@KrikkitChamp Yeah, me too. I knew at some point it was going to happen… but I thought it would at least get past the 10 year mark [davidkonig]


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]]> http://davidkonig.com/2010/weekly-digest-for-march-8th/feed/ 0 http://davidkonig.com/2010/my-do-and-dont-list-for-emstoday/ http://davidkonig.com/2010/my-do-and-dont-list-for-emstoday/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:00:54 +0000 David http://davidkonig.com/?p=2761
• My #EMSToday 2010 Experience This past Friday I got my large French Vanilla ice...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> As you’re reading this I’m down in Baltimore, Maryland for the EMS Today Conference. I’m just doing a one day run but I still have a list of things to do:
• Get a large French Vanilla ice coffee with four Splendas and light with cream at Dunkin’ Donuts for the road… because afterall, I am the mayor
• Stop by the Zoll both to meet the Chronicles of EMS team… and hopefully price out one of those credit card accepting monitors
• Stop by the Demers booth so I can drool over the new Mirage EX Sprinter
• Do some serious schwag shopping
• Finally, attend the Blogger Meetup/Tweetup at the Pizzeria Uno sponsored by FireEMSBlogs.com to meet all the fine bloggers I’ve been reading and conversing with for the last year or so

Since I am me, I also have a list of things NOT to do while I’m there:

• DON’T get defensive when the Maryland State Trooper that pulls me over for speeding refers to it as “an Ambo meeting”
• DON’T offer myself as a testing dummy for the newest barriatric equipment without insisting on a helmet
• DON’T admit to being the one sending Aimee Garcia of Trauma flowers wrapped in multi-trauma dressings and band-aid boxed candy while signing the 4×4 cards General Morphine
• DON’T get upset when all the schwag shirts are size Large… because you know, it’s not like obesity is an epidemic that is afflicting more and more Americans or anything
• DON’T criticize the people from FireEMSBlogs.com for putting Fire before EMS in the URL even though EMS comes first in not only call volume but also alphabetically… at least not until AFTER I eat their food…

Wanna see how I do? You can follow me on Twitter @DavidKonig for updates as they happen!

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• Fire/EMS blogosphere meet-up at EMS Today (ems12lead.blogspot.com)



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1. My #EMSToday 2010 Experience This past Friday I got my large French Vanilla ice...

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]]> http://davidkonig.com/2010/my-do-and-dont-list-for-emstoday/feed/ 1 http://davidkonig.com/2010/dont-treat-your-patients-care-for-them/ http://davidkonig.com/2010/dont-treat-your-patients-care-for-them/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:00:05 +0000 David http://davidkonig.com/?p=2743 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> There were two blog posts last week that really made me think about where EMS is as an industry and where we need to be.

The first blog post came from Chris Kaiser titled Two Cases, One Letter – From One Paramedic’s Struggle Change Can Come. To summarize the post, it was about a letter from an anonymous Paramedic who had two cases that left him concerned about the priorities of his organization. The first case had to deal with the transfer of a patient with MRSA to a birthing unit, where he did what the facility had called for and did not speak up about the potential contamination of the birthing unit, he was not reprimanded for this failure to identify and prevent a potentially dangerous situation. The second case had to do with a terminal patient being transported for a direct admission and their condition in the paramedic’s assessment warranted them going to the emergency room instead, against the family’s will but in accordance with treatment protocol, which ended in the paramedic being reprimanded for this decision. I left a comment on the original post regarding my thoughts on both cases. This blog post shows us where we are.

The second blog post was Steve Whitehead’s post titled Passion Counts. To summarize the post, Steve points out that to be successful as an EMT or Paramedic you need to have a passion for medicine. I didn’t leave a comment on the post, but instead my opinion will undoubtedly come out in this post. This blog post also shows us where we are, but puts us on the path where we need to be.

Where Do We Need To Be?

Don’t treat your patients, care for them.



Image via Wikipedia

I first heard that phrase over a decade ago from a grizzled EMT that most people considered out of touch with what was going on back then. It really resonated with me for quite a few reasons that first time, mainly because I realized that he wasn’t the one out of touch with reality… rather I had been. It reminds me of where we truly need to be as an industry.

One of the things we need to stop doing is complaining about the other healthcare professions and the public lacking respect for our profession. We are providers of a service and as such we can’t expect accolades for providing the service we are supposed to. Really take a moment and think about it. How many of you have taken the time to write a letter or even provide a compliment about a cashier at McDonald’s when they provide you with the correct order? Probably not very many, if any. How likely are you to complain when the order is wrong or not to your liking? Chances are quite a few of you would, if not all. We as a society are not very complimentary to our service providers, which is exactly my point. We need to stop worrying and complaining about these broad perceived injustices and focus on the opinions of those that truly matter… the patient.

When it comes to focusing on the patient, we need to stop thinking of medicine as one solution fits all. There is an absolute need for you to have a strong clinical base of knowledge and understanding. Its true that over time we have slowly moved towards more evidence based medicine influencing our clinical protocols, that does not exclude the unique conditions of patients in both physiology but also emotionally and personally.

We need to be able to listen and understand their wants as opposed to what our protocols dictate their needs are. The true art of medicine is in blending the two together for the best possible outcome. This is the difference between just treating your patient (protocols) and actually caring for them. Yes, you need to be passionate in this job, but you need to be passionate about actually caring for your patient. If we were able to get past being stuck on treating the patient and instead began caring for them, then the respect from the public and other healthcare professionals would come in time.

So make the conscious decision to start passionately caring for your patients as opposed to just treating them.




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]]> http://davidkonig.com/2010/dont-treat-your-patients-care-for-them/feed/ 4 http://davidkonig.com/2010/weekly-digest-for-march-1st/ http://davidkonig.com/2010/weekly-digest-for-march-1st/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:05:52 +0000 David http://davidkonig.com/2010/weekly-digest-for-march-1st/ Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]>
Shared Facebook Beats Twitter and Google Buzz in Reader Poll [RESULTS].

Checking out "Chronicles of EMS – A Seat at the Table (Episode 3)" on Chronicles of EMS: http://ning.it/cOvpPY [davidkonig]

Actually I see it as refreshingly honest… RT @ruralemtb: My first "real" post… and it probably sucks. http://wp.me/pOF6h-b [davidkonig]

Published Weekly Digest for February 22nd.

New Post: Weekly Digest for February 22nd http://bit.ly/cRbfXZ [davidkonig]

Shared Did She Say Yes? Did Scouting NY Readers Help A Guy Get Engaged?.

Checked in at Dunkin Donuts

Its Mondays… (@ Dunkin Donuts) http://4sq.com/5sfnDp [davidkonig]

Published EMS Blog Rounds Edition 31.

New Post: EMS Blog Rounds Edition 31 http://bit.ly/cHlrQz [davidkonig]

RT @Ckemtp: RT @davidkonig: New Post: EMS Blog Rounds Edition 31 http://bit.ly/cHlrQz ^ thanks for the mention ~ thanks for a great post!!! [davidkonig]

Shared The Perfect Emergency? Well, almost.

RT @FireCritic: Monday Morning Shoutout – Life Under The Lights (@Ckemtp ) http://bit.ly/cYftX5 #Fire #EMS [davidkonig]

RT @piosmtraining: New Hub Message: Why You Need A Social Media Presence: The Case Of Pittsburgh #EMS http://bit.ly/dAfpvD [davidkonig]

Shared Why You Need A Social Media Presence: The Case Of Pittsburgh EMS.

RT @ckemtp The Perfect Emergency? Well, almost http://bit.ly/9YKeyz [davidkonig]

Shared Former Twilight Director Tries To Reignite Supernatural Sexual Tension With Werewolves [The Girl With The Red Riding Hood].

RT @CraigatFEMA: CrisisCamp Haiti at World Bank – Washington DC (9:00am – 5:00pm) Sat, 2/27/2010 – http://crisiscamphaitidc.eventbrite.com [davidkonig]

Shared Americans Would Ignore Public Health Advice in a Bioterror Event.

Indeed RT @zoll_rescuenet: Fascinating stuff….. http://bit.ly/axoZfn [davidkonig]

Posted a comment.

RT @NotifyNYC: Outbound Lincoln tunnel closed for emergency construction. Motorists advised to use Holland Tunnel or GW Bridge #NYC [davidkonig]

Shared Public Safety Director Michael Huss and Others Continue to Blame the Medics for the Snow.

@FireCritic I have the Opera [davidkonig]

RT @setla: Get your Official XL#CoEMS T-Shirt for only $10 http://shar.es/mmuDP via @chroniclesofems [davidkonig]

New comment today on "Why You Need A Social Media Presence: The Case Of Pittsburgh EMS" http://bt.io/EXur [davidkonig]

RogueMedic is cracking skulls: Public Safety Director Michael Huss and Others Continue to Blame Medics for the snow – http://bit.ly/cPQaOd [davidkonig]

Awesome! RT @alexpriest: Canada responds to historic Olympic hockey game loss to US http://j.mp/bka3qa /via @ninjaclectic – ouch! [davidkonig]

EMS Blog Rounds Edition 31 http://bit.ly/cHlrQz [davidkonig]

Shared Is Google Android or the iPhone the future of mobile smartphones?.

So backed up on paperwork… it isn’t even funny. [davidkonig]

Checked in at The Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps

I’m at The Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps (92-29 Metropolitan Avenue, Trotting Course Lane, Forest Hills). http://4sq.com/4MioYp [davidkonig]

@gfriese Congratulations on the appointment! #wilderness [davidkonig]

Really? This is crazy. What’s a guy got to do to get fired from volunteering. [davidkonig]

SOP change FTW! [davidkonig]

Checked in at Gulf Gas Station

I’m at Gulf Gas Station (89-07 Myrtle Ave, Woodhaven Boulevard, Glendale). http://4sq.com/8MEL7n [davidkonig]

Shared The Need for Evidence Before Assessing Guilt.

Checked in at Dunkin Donuts

I’m at Dunkin Donuts (81-55 Lefferts Boulevard, Cutthbert Road, Kew Gardens). http://4sq.com/5sfnDp [davidkonig]

Published EMS1.com Covers The #CoEMS Premiere With A Shotgun.

The word of the day is "Infiltrator" [davidkonig]

New Post: EMS1.com Covers The #CoEMS Premiere With A Shotgun http://bit.ly/d6Wo7a [davidkonig]

Checked in at Beth Israel Medical Center

I’m at Beth Israel Medical Center (East 16 Street and 1st Avenue, New York). http://4sq.com/83tOMb [davidkonig]

Meeting @robertajackson for lunch to discuss #ems #socialmedia policy [davidkonig]

@MusicPub the Infiltrators are indeed everywhere. Inside saboteurs copying policies and other saboteury stuffs [davidkonig]

Excellent post from @thehappymedic "Walk / Don’t Walk" http://bit.ly/cZC5MV [davidkonig]

RE: @thehappymedic I think there are quite a few reasons why systems insist on having patients carried to the ambulanc… http://disq.us/cuytu [davidkonig]

RT @NotifyNYC: WTC personnel will be conducting an evacuation exercise at the WTC Transportation Hub on 2/25/10 at 11:20AM. [davidkonig]

RT @NotifyNYC: WTC personnel will be conducting an evacuation exercise at the WTC Transportation Hub on 2/25/10 at 11:20AM. #NYC [davidkonig]

Recommended @Ckemtp to MrTweet. ‘he’s an excellent voice for the true belie… ‘ http://bit.ly/aGRoRe #mrtweet [davidkonig]

Recommended @MusicPub to MrTweet. ‘he is a public relations maven, a great … ‘ http://bit.ly/cfOoWy #mrtweet [davidkonig]

Recommended @setla to MrTweet. ‘his passion for communication translates ve… ‘ http://bit.ly/cCRusw #mrtweet [davidkonig]

Recommended @SteveWhitehead to MrTweet. ‘he is enthusiastic about all thing… ‘ http://bit.ly/bHzCX7 #mrtweet [davidkonig]

Just joined the Social Media community. http://mrtweet.com/community/social_media?v=jt #social_media [davidkonig]

Just joined the Wordpress community. http://mrtweet.com/community/wordpress?v=jt #wordpress [davidkonig]

Boooo! RT @gfriese: #HolidayInn total #fail on getting a room for @imagemedic in Stevens Point WI [davidkonig]

Checked in at The Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps

I’m at The Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps (92-29 Metropolitan Avenue, Trotting Course Lane, Forest Hills). http://4sq.com/4MioYp [davidkonig]

RT @NotifyNYC: Con Edison is responding to a power outage in the Woodside neighborhood of Queens. [davidkonig]

RT @zollemsfire: Are you attending #EMSToday? Sign up for "a Seat at the Table" dinner discussion http://bit.ly/c5o08H [davidkonig]

I got recommendations from: @setla. See yours here too! http://mrtweet.com/davidkonig?v=rr [davidkonig]

@mrtweet has become oddly addicting. Maybe it’s the new functuality… or maybe I just never spent enough time there before. My bad. [davidkonig]

Just joined the Healthcare community. http://mrtweet.com/community/healthcare?v=jt #healthcare [davidkonig]

This should be gospel- RT @EmergCommNetwrk: #Emergency notification systems form the cornerstone of saving lives during a crisis. [davidkonig]

@ENeitzel Heard some good things about #SMFire yesterday… looking forward to hearing more good things today! [davidkonig]

RT @Chroniclesofems: Be There " #EMSToday / #CoEMS Tweet Up/ EMS-Fire Blooger – Meet Up" http://ning.it/bdj5er in Baltimore [davidkonig]

From @thehappymedic: Behold! A Meetup of epic proportions! http://tinyurl.com/y9uzfme [davidkonig]

RT @gfriese: right now, live broadcast from #WTCSEMS conference http://ow.ly/1be7X [davidkonig]

RT @OPENForum 10 Fantastic Places for Finding Designers Online : Technology :: American Expr.. http://tinyurl.com/yfpvlxo [davidkonig]

RT @depiction: 45 min until a free webinar introducing Depiction 1.2 – Mapping, simulation 7 collaboration software: http://bit.ly/dnmS5v [davidkonig]

@gfriese Great presentation! Loved the interaction with the response pads… very effective… [davidkonig]

@gfriese Sounded good to me! [davidkonig]

RT @FireCritic: Introducing the First Due Blog Carnival http://bit.ly/aMeWF2 #Fire #Firefighting [davidkonig]

RT @mattbacak: Types of Posts To Incorporate On Your Blog http://bit.ly/c6J8pJ [davidkonig]

Checked in at Snowpocalypse NYC

I’m at Snowpocalypse NYC (New York City, New York) w/ 49 others. http://4sq.com/9sxQNl [davidkonig]

I just unlocked the "Swarm" badge on @foursquare! http://4sq.com/d7eArO [davidkonig]

RT @foursquare: ATTENTION PEOPLE OF #NYC – The "Snowpocalypse NYC" venue has officially been re-opened! http://foursquare.com/venue/1042461 [davidkonig]

Correcting unoptimized and badly linked #SocialMedia has replaced running spellcheck through e-mails I receive as a past time. #sadbuttrue [davidkonig]

RT @zollemsfire: Are you attending #EMSToday? Sign up for #CoEMS "a Seat at the Table" dinner discussion http://bit.ly/c5o08H [davidkonig]

RT @foursquare: Now trending in NYC on Twitter – you guessed it – "Snowpocalypse". (could it be the 700 people who are currently checked in? [davidkonig]

Not leaving as early as I had wanted, but it could be worse… #snowpocalypse #nyc [davidkonig]

Checked in at Taco Bell

I’m at Taco Bell (96-27 Atlantic Ave, Woodhaven). http://4sq.com/bsemiR [davidkonig]

Checked in at Dunkin Donuts

Snowpocalypse be damned! (@ Dunkin Donuts) http://4sq.com/5sfnDp [davidkonig]

RT @projwoodhaven: RT @NewYorkology: #NYC #Sanitation tells NY1 that plows sticking to main roads rt now . Heavier than expected overnight [davidkonig]

Shared How the 2011 Hot Blogger Calendar voting works.

RT @HBC How the 2011 Hot Blogger Calendar voting works http://bt.io/EZCU (via @backtype) [davidkonig]

#Snowpocalypse is causing the average citizen to wreak havoc. If you don’t have 4 wheel drive, stay home!!! #NYC [davidkonig]

With adverse conditions like this, the dedication and commitment my peeps have to make it happen proves I work with rockstars #Snowpocalypse [davidkonig]

These are two interesting cases.

I really have nothing substantial to add to the first, other than maybe giving a re… http://disq.us/d0i3s [davidkonig]


Posted a comment.

RT @NotifyNYC: Con Ed is responding to a power outage in the Jamaica Queens area. To contact Con Edison call 1-800-75-CONED [davidkonig]

My inverter shorted out. Not what I need today. [davidkonig]

Checked in at Snowpocalypse NYC

Mother Nature ain’t got nuthin on me! (@ Snowpocalypse NYC w/ 208 others) http://4sq.com/9sxQNl [davidkonig]

@MusicPub Not only am I gonna cuddle, but we’re on like Donkey Kong! #94IDA #snowpocalypse #multitasking [davidkonig]

@poppycede I think that puts us over the max, so one of the girls has to stay home… and do the dishes [davidkonig]

@MusicPub I’ll grab you if you want me to… 2345 sound good? [davidkonig]

@poppycede it is shining! We’re in the eye! We’re gonna make it!!! #theperfectstorm Not. [davidkonig]

@poppycede u r a rockstar!!! [davidkonig]

Checked in at The Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps

With @musicpub doing the #94IDA #Snowpocalypse edition (@ The Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps) http://4sq.com/4MioYp [davidkonig]

Checked in at Dunkin Donuts. Queens Blvd

I’m at Dunkin Donuts. Queens Blvd (117-16 Queens Blvd, 78 Avenue, Forest Hills). http://4sq.com/7CGeUg [davidkonig]

I’m at 7-Eleven (101-04 Metropolitan Ave, 71/Continental Avenue, Forest Hills). http://4sq.com/cKGXMI [davidkonig]

Checked in at 7-Eleven

#FDNY is running 3 man crews on their ambulances! They can try to be like the #vollies but they still have a long way to go. Namely, ‘tude. [davidkonig]

Shared Press Release: iPhone App for Managing Mass Casualty Incidents.

New comment today on "Two Cases, One letter – From one Paramedic’s struggles, change can come" http://bt.io/EZWs [davidkonig]

RT @areece259: New U.S. Military Policy Opens Up Social Media to the Troops http://bit.ly/aVVHHV [davidkonig]

Sidewalks are more treacherous than the roads right now. #NYC #Icepocalypse [davidkonig]

RT @MsMegan: New Blog Post: For Lisa, One Year Later: You are missed. http://bit.ly/bE7Zkg [davidkonig]

Shared Information on the Chilean Earthquake and Tsunami Warnings.

RT @poppycede: @blondefabulous more info on http://www.ustream.tv/cbsnews as well as CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. [davidkonig]

RT @depiction: Simulations now up for possible tsunami extent in Hilo Bay, Kaluhui Bay & Honolulu: http://bit.ly/bXZTXn #hitsunami [davidkonig]

Checked in at Georgia Diner

Having a Sundays brunch with @poppycede (@ Georgia Diner) http://4sq.com/4wreZ4 [davidkonig]

Some interesting issues here… RT @EMS1: SC firefighter-paramedic fired over Facebook video post –> http://bit.ly/dB2Zwq [davidkonig]

#hockey RT @Ctug: Canada’s healthcare system just exploded with the country-wide heart attacks. [davidkonig]

Where is Canadia’s "Great One" now? Oh. Right. Retired… #hockey No hope for Canadia now… [davidkonig]

On the bright side, best #hockey game I’ve seen in at least 9 years… [davidkonig]

RT @ascottwhite: NBC execs just announced that they’re taking the gold away from Canada and giving it to Jay Leno. [davidkonig]


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]]> http://davidkonig.com/2010/weekly-digest-for-march-1st/feed/ 1 http://davidkonig.com/2010/ems1-com-covers-the-coems-premiere-with-a-shotgun/ http://davidkonig.com/2010/ems1-com-covers-the-coems-premiere-with-a-shotgun/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:00:46 +0000 David http://davidkonig.com/?p=2738 Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.]]> I’ve always been a fan of EMS1.com for news and insights from the industry, because like most internet connected people I like my media when I want it… which is NOW.

Or maybe later.

It really depends on my mood.

Check out this video coverage on the Chronicles of EMS premiere:

What I really like about that video is their shotgun blast reporting style. Usually when a media outlet reports on a story they focus on one or two individuals. EMS1.com got input from ALOT of people who attended the event.

They even interviewed the video editor.

I think that’s huge… and definitely in the spirit of conversation that spawned the Chronicles of EMS.



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