Goggles

So I struck out again yesterday. Had a great day checking out the helicopter and counting narcotics at the base. We had a "tour group" of EMT students from a local chemical plant and a reporter from a local paper. The reporter was asking questions (mostly to me) and taking lots of pictures. It should be in the paper today or tomorrow.

One of the cool things about this job, other than flying around in a multi-million dollar aircraft with the best equipment saving lives, is that we are always getting new toys. Most air-medical helicopters are really focusing on safety, and therefore are obtaining night vision goggles (NVG's) for the pilot and crew to wear during night flights. I got some ground school when I went out west to train, but have not had them available for normal use until now. So last night we did go up with goggles so I could get used to wearing them in flight. The batter mounts to the back of my helmet, and the goggles flip down over my eyes (I swear its JUST like in the movies!). I was amazed at all the shit I could see from 1200 feet. The pilot said summer is funny cuz we can see all the people skinny dipping in their backyards!

Sushi

The "get off of orientation" conversation with the doc was short and sweet. I flew the next day..... or should I say I stayed at the new base and did jack shit the next day. I'm looking forward to getting into the groove of things and having a routine.

We (the flight crew) went to a firefighter's symposium this weekend. The idea is that these are the folks that call us and set up our landing zones, so we'd better give away some swag and make nice. It was at this symposium that I got the true picture of the boys club. Being the only chick there I soon found my place as "bait." The big wigs would see me, I would give them a "hi, how are you?" with the southern accent and big smile and they would come talk about the helicopter. I know it is flat out sexist, but that is marketing. The cop was down for the night, since work was paying for the oceanfront hotel room. He really hates being around firefighters, but he sucked it up and it was a great opportunity to get the hell outta dodge. I did get a cool new toy while I was down there. Its a helmet camera that shoots video. So I can mount it to my helmet and get some great video of us flying, landing zones and patient airways. If I get anything usable I will put it on here.

I spent tonight with my sisters having sushi at this little hole in the wall place. My little sister liked it except for the "raw" part.

OR Third Time

Unfortunately, following my last post I spent 8 hours in the OR and didn't get a single tube! We joke that "theres no crying in flying" but I was close. I have never in my professional life, had people treat me as if I wasn't even there. That is exactly what happened all day yesterday. I was flat out dreading going back.

So today was better. I was on the women's side and had lots of opportunities. There were some that I should have been able to do, but there were new CRNA's who had to do their own cases. The first was a lady with big ol horse teeth. Try putting a blade in that mouth and not breaking teeth off! I got it, but wth some help. The rest of the day went pretty well. I met up with the head MD who was working on the gyn side. I called him Dr Shrek. He was tall, thick Scottish brogue and sounded exactly like Shrek. He actually looked like him from the second movie. What a charmer! The patients love him and the nurses do as well. He went in with me on another and took what would have been a failed attempt (by me) and talked me through a really good experience.

So the third time truly was the charm. I just want to move on and get to flying.

OR

So I am almost(!) off of flight orientation. All of my ride-along time is complete. I am just waiting to finish some clinicals, have a pow-wow with our medical director and thats it. Unfortunately, one of the clinicals I have to do is in the operating room. When we fly we can chemically knock someone out (either medically necessary or the asshole tube. Assholes don't fly!) and intubate them. So we go to the OR to practice intubations. What I am learning is that the nurse anesthesistists do everything and the anestesiologists "supervise." Also, OR nurses are for the majority, BITCHES! I have never been treated like I was by some of those nurses. The physicians, surgeons and even CRNA's treated me with respect understanding what I actually do.

With few exceptions, the circulating nurses were assholes. They thought I was a student and I was told "get out of my way" "what are you doing here?" and while a neuro patient was crumping...."I sure as hell don't need a student in there." The sad part is that I was treated at par or better than some of my other flight counterparts. The guys, as a general rule, get fawned over wherever they go. They have been offered jobs, given special treatment and asked to come back. Ah, such is the curse of the murse. (murse=male nurse) One of the guys went to the same OR I went to the day befre and got 7 tubes in the first hour and got to go home. I got one in 4 hours and was told there were no more intubations to be had. Grrrrrr........So until I get 6 total sucessful intubations, I have to go back. Which is why I'm up at the ass crack waiting to leave for the OR again.

Once I get me 6 tubes, I don't have to go back to the OR unless I don't tube someone every 6 months. You can bet your ass I'll be getting my tubes!

My last day flying was finally a good one. 4 flights in 24 hours. We had a kid that fell through a screen on a second story window. He was about 3 and had a broken wrist. Lucky boy. We flew a very nice guy with a second incident of AAA that was dissecting. He was more worried about being able to pay for the flight. Crazy as shit took a bunch of pills and ran her car into a guardrail on purpose and finally a poor soul with a medical condition that he was unable to manage at home. It was so bad that he jumped off a highway overpass onto a street below. He survived (no cars below since it was 6am) but was pretty broken up. I am interested to see what moving to my permanent base will bring. I hope I'm not bored as shit.


**** I can't get spell check to work and I have to get going, will fix the type-os later!*****