Last week I contributed a guest post to the FireGeezer blog about my experience with the Kindle Fire. My post was one of several about the Kindle ereader, Kindle Fire, and Kindle Apps. Check them out.

Product Review – the Kindle E-Reader
Product Review – the Kindle Fire Tablet
Kindle Apps for Laptops
Product Review – Kindle Apps for Smartpones

Share you Kindle experiences, appreciation for other ereaders, and suggestions for the Everyday EMS Tips EMS book store in the comments.

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Today was my first day at the American Ambulance Association Conference and Tradeshow in Las Vegas. Travelling to the Pacific time zone is always a challenge because of the two hour time change. Of course I was wide awake at 0400 local time.

Running the Strip

As I like to do during any Las Vegas visit I arose early to take a run on the Las Vegas strip as the sun was rising. The strip seems to be most quiet on a Monday or Tuesday morning. I saw some other runners and a few revelers that had obviously been going strong through the night. My route took me from the Las Vegas Hilton to the MGM and back.

This was my first run since the New York City marathon. I still have some heaviness in my legs so I tried to keep an easy pace, took the escalators on the pedestrian bridge and took a couple of walking breaks. The temperature was a comfortable 50F. All in all a good first day back in my sneakers. I might do another run tomorrow morning.

Morning Session

I attended a session this morning about best practices in EMS. The speaker really emphasized the importance of employee well being to a successful organization. Some of the key observations he makes when visiting EMS agencies is that successful EMS agencies:

• Spend more on high quality uniforms
• Embrace and understand generational differences
• Create intentional contact between management and field personnel including station layouts so staff at all levels needs to be near each other during the work day
• Performance based shift bid weighting
• Offer employee life skills education in areas like personal financial health and career coaching
• Have an end of shift late call strategy

He mentioned an area that a lot of organizations are struggling is how to communicate with employees. Email is a struggle and many organization aren’t sure how to utilize social networking

Keynote Speaker

The other morning session was a keynote presentation by Erin Brockovich (the real Erin that was portrayed by Julia Roberts). Erin’s message was about the importance of believing in yourself and anything being possible.

Erin has made some amazing life accomplishments despite some enormous obstacles. I wish I had seen the movie recently so I remembered more. Afterwards at a book signing I was able to chat with her briefly and she inscribed a book that I am giving as a gift in a way that it is very meaningful. I really appreciate her time and personal connection. Thanks!

Afternoon Sessions

In the afternoon I attended a session about the process of crafting NFPA 1971 – the standard for Ambulance design. It was much more about the process of developing the standard which won’t be implemented (if approved) until January 2013. I was expecting more on how organizations should be preparing to implement the standard.

It occurred to me that someday we will decide that no one ever needs to be unrestrained in a moving ambulance. Once we get to that point a lot of the silliness about ambulance design will be able to go away. As long as we continue to accept this notion that there are times that a paramedic needs to be unrestrained we will continue to put people at unneeded risk and build odd features to accommodate movement.

American Ambulance Association App

I also downloaded the AAA app from the Android market. I have already roughed out a review that I will post soon.

Tradeshow

About to start. If you are here come see me at booth 309.

Erin Brockovich Books

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The original Family vacation movie is one of my all-time favorites. I love the line, “Sorry folks parks closed. The Moose at the gate should have told you.”

Outdoor Paradise

I am back from my own family vacation. Last week I packed up the metaphorical family truckster with my wife and kids for a delightful week of sun and fun in Arizona. I was in the far northeast suburbs of Phoenix and delighted in the amazing outdoor recreation opportunities available to us. My favorites were hiking to the summit of Black Mountain with my son, running the Go John trail loop at the Cave Creek Recreation area, and looking for lizards on several family hikes. We also enjoyed hours of swimming in a really warm pool, the Phoenix Zoo, and the Phoenix Children’s Museum.

Winter is making an encore visit to my central Wisconsin home tomorrow. We have a winter storm warning posted for 6-12″ of snow so I am really missing the 90F temps we left behind in Phoenix.

Great Reading

I may be a few years behind but I got caught up in the Millennium Trilogy of books on vacation. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, the Girl Who Played with Fire, and the Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. I couldn’t put them down. Any free moment I was reading. The great thing about all that reading was I almost completely ignored my email inbox, Facebook and Twitter feed, and my Google Reader. Oh well. Have you read any of the books?

Vacation Tips

Vacation is wonderful, but it usually takes me a couple of days to unwind and start the vacation and a couple of days to recover. When I go on vacation I try to:

1. Maintain a regular routine of sleep, eating, and exercise.

2. Separate from work related communications.

3. Set some goals which for me are usually related to outdoor pursuits, reading, and playing Scrabble.

4. Give myself a full day at home post vacation and before returning to work.

What are your vacation tips?

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During much of 2010 I have been reading my way through the genre of “EMS Literature.” Here are my picks for the Everyday EMS Reader on your shopping list (or for your own personal reading list). Some are recently published while others are EMS classics.

1. Paramedic by Peter Canning

2. My Ambulance Educationby Joseph Clark, PhD

3. Population 485 by Michael Perry

4. Frantic by Katherine Howell

Two books, that I have not yet read yet, that are high on my list for 2011 are En Route by Kelly Grayson and Rescue 471 by Peter Canning

What books are you giving to EMS readers?

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Books, shoes, and DVDs oh my. Check out these recent deliveries to Everyday EMS Tips.com headquarters.

Novels from Paramedic Katherine Howell
I was contacted by former Australian Paramedic and novelist, Katherine Howell, about the Medical Author Chat Podcast. I am working with her to schedule a recording time soon. Meanwhile she was kind enough to send me both of her novels, Frantic and the Darkest Hour. I have already read Frantic and really enjoyed the fast-moving story of crime, paramedicine and intrigue on the streets of Sydney, Australia. Book review and medical author chat interview coming soon.

New Running Shoes
Magnum Boots USA, part of the Hi-Tec family of boot and shoe brands, sent me a pair of trail running shoes – the V-Lite Hornet. I will be putting these to the test with lots of trail running as I prepare for the first ever trail marathon on the Birkiebiener ski trail. The race, the last Saturday of September, will wind along the famous trail, with lots of climbing (at least by Midwest standards), and will be run during the height of the fall colors.

Headsweats Hat
Another piece of new training gear just arrived from RoadID.com – a Headsweats running hat. I love these hats because of the great combination of lightweight construction, low profile, and snug fit.

Sign Language for Emergency Situations
The DVD and translation card, Sign Language for Emergency Situations, teaches signs for emergency situations. The DVD includes English, Spanish, and ASL versions of the content.

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The grass is greening, new shoots are coming up in the flower beds, and the trees are starting to leaf out. On several recent afternoons my yard work has been interrupted by the UPS and Fedex drivers making deliveries to EverydayEMSTips.com headquarters. Some of the books and products that I have received recently include:

Flight Shears

Trauma shears can disappear on a scene faster than a small branch pruner set down in the mulch. The Flight Shears replace the finger ring of the shears with a carabiner. The shears can be clipped to a belt loop, pant waist, pocket closure, trauma bag, or really anywhere. I have already put these into service and I am pleased with the early results. They also can be embossed with your name, organization or product name, or a website. The engraving and uniqueness of the carabiner would make these a great gift for a new graduate or as a member recognition.

Pocket BVM

I am thinking of adding a garden gnome this year. Would miniature stuff make the trees look bigger?  The age of miniaturization is coming to EMS. Without fail the biggest/bulkiest item in any jump kit is the BVM and mask. What is especially ironic is that the space occupied by the BVM is mostly air. The Pocket BVM collapses the BVM and mask into the size of a fast food clamshell. This is one of the few products that is a solution for a problem (instead of a solution looking for a problem). Check out the Pocket BVM at PerSys Medical.

High Viz Public Safety Vest

In the garden I avoid brightly colored clothing so I am not a target for bees and wasps. When I am on the streets as a paramedic or riding my road bike or running I want to be as visible as possible. ML Kishigo sent me one of their High Visibility PSV400 vests made with their Viz Lite material. One of the best developments in EMS in the last two years has been the increasing attention paid to roadside safety during motor vehicle collision response. High visibility work wear is just one part of roadside safety.

iPod Touch

Gardening uniform – old shoes, old pants, work gloves, and a new iPod Touch. My newest gadget is the iPod Touch 3G 8GB. I mostly listen to podcasts and don’t have a music collection so I felt like the 8GB was plenty of storage space. I am already adding EMS and social networking apps. With the WiFi capability I can pause from my gardening to update my Facebook status, check my email, and even look for gardening advice.

Books, Books, and More Books

Recent book arrivals include My Ambulance Education by Joseph F. Clark and Unprepared by DA Ramsey and Jim Rush. Jim and Joe have both been guests on the Medical Author Chat podcast.

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This is a guest post by respiratory therapy and EMT-B student Jared Scott. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

As an EMT student, I have come to realize that we are taught very simple life-saving techniques: ABC’s. Airway, breathing, and circulation.Two of these (airway and breathing) fall directly within the same body system– the respiratory system– and as my time in Respiratory Therapy schooling has shown, EMS providers are not taught nearly enough to fully understand the respiratory system and its more complex disease processes and concepts that medics and EMTs run calls on all the time.

Because of this, I would like to use my knowledge as an RT student and share with my fellow EMS providers some excellent respiratory reading material.

Respiratory Disease: a case study approach to patient care

An important part of an EMT or Paramedic’s assessment is evaluating the patient’s respiratory condition. For some patients, respiratory diseases are often a part of their past medical history. Wilkins’ Respiratory Disease gives an in-depth explanation of a number of respiratory diseases that are only briefly covered in EMS education programs, such as Chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema, Interstitial Lung Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Asthma, and Bronchiectasis.

Each chapter of the book can be read in roughly an hour or less, and provides in-depth information on the etiology, epidemiology, and treatment of a particular disease, as well as actual case studies, which include lab values, pertinent patient history, assessment, and recommended treatment for the disease(s).

Clinical Applications of Mechanical Ventilation by Chang, David. (2005). Clinical application Delmar Pub.

Many of my paramedic, CCP, and MICT colleagues often transport patients on the ventilator. Quite a few of them have come to me with questions about mechanical ventilation: modes, settings, principles, and so on. I realize that Paramedic school skims the surface regarding Mechanical Ventilation, so this book is for anyone who has ever wanted to know more about it.

Chang’s Mechanical Ventilation provides both a concise and easy-to-read approach regarding respiratory physiology and the practical application of the simplest ventilatory modes (VC/AC, PC/AC), to the more advanced modes and concepts (BiLevel, APRV, intrinsic PEEP).

The chapters are relatively short, but an excellent resource for anyone who takes care of a mechanically ventilated patient. One of my favorite things about this text is that it offers visual examples, and key points are highlighted in the margins.

Clinical practitioner’s pocket guide to respiratory care. Health Educator Publications, Inc.

Textbooks are excellent, but as we all know, they don’t often come in handy in the back of a rig, or even in the hospital setting when you’re knee-deep in patients and don’t have the time to pull out a large book. If an EMT or paramedic were to come to me and ask what is the one resource I would recommend for the care of a respiratory patient, the Clinical Practitioner’s Pocket Guide to Respiratory Care would be it.

I can’t even begin to count the number of times I have used this reference, or how many times I will in the future. It summarizes and highlights virtually everything to do with the respiratory patient, including respiratory assessment, cardiovascular dynamics, pulmonary dynamics, cardiovascular and respiratory equations, respiratory pharmacology, diseases (including a description of each disease, recommended treatment, and much more), as well as CPR and clinical practice guidelines/steps for almost every respiratory procedure.

Another thing I have come to learn that many paramedics and paramedic students struggle with is ABG interpretation and acid-base principles. The best part about this reference, in my opinion, is a detailed chapter on nothing but ABGs, including a handy little chart to help you interpret a blood gas.

These are but a few of the excellent resources I have found to be helpful for both Respiratory Therapists and EMS providers alike. Remember– as a provider in any health care field, it is important to continually educate yourself for the benefit of your patients.

Coming soon: Helpful respiratory links and web resources.

Jared Scott is an RT and EMT-B student in Texas. In his free time, he authors the blog Surviving RT School and is co-host on the new podcast Generation Medicine. He can be found on Twitter (@myrtlife) or reached via email at jared (at) genmedshow (dot) com.

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The UPS and Fedex drivers in my neighborhood have been making almost daily deliveries to EverydayEMSTips.com headquarters. Some of the books and products that I have received recently include:

Act Fast – Anti Choking Trainer

I am bringing the blue neoprene vest anti-choking trainer to my first responder training meeting tonight. In some initial practice with the Act Fast I am really impressed at how it works and how it requires the right combination of hand placement, hand and arm movement, and delivery speed to free a simulated foreign body obstruction. Look for a more complete review in a few weeks. Learn more from Act Fast.

PneuSplint – Disposable Air Splint

I am a fan of disposable splints. When was the last time you actually found a full set of reusable splints in the ambulance? They are usually scattered around several hospitals and stations. The PneuSplint is easily inflated and secured with attached velcro straps. Learn more from Care2Medical.

Vertx Pants and Polos

I will be looking sharp in a new pair of Vertx Pants and polo shirt at the Chronicles of EMS premiere. I put the pants on straight out of the bag and I am wearing them as I type. The comfort, mobility, and concealed pockets will be ideal for my trip to San Francisco. The polo features sun reflector UV protection – UPF 30. Learn more and see styles from Vertx – clothing for the operational athlete.

RapiTube- iPhone RSI app

I am not an iPhone user so I have two team members busy at work evaluating and preparing a review of the RapiTube iPhone RSI app. Learn more from RapiTube.

Books, Books, and more Books

One of my personal goals for 2010 was to read a lot more books. I am already almost finished with my fourth book – Buried Alive (review coming soon). Some of the books that have arrived recently and are on my to be read shelf.

Linchpin - author Seth Godin unexpectedly sent me a second copy to share with an indispensable artist. I am bringing this copy to the Chronicles of EMS premiere to give to one of the many indispensable artists that will be attending. Read my Linchpin review.

The Paramedic - a new textbook from McGraw Hill by Chapleau, Burba, Pons, and Page. The Paramedic is a massive paramedic textbook that is next to my desk for quick reference as I develop online CE programs, write articles, and solve disagreements.

Mass Casualties – a young medic’s true story of death, deception, and dishonor in Iraq by SPC Michael Anthony. This will probably be my on the plane book for the trip later this week to and from San Francisco. This will be my third Iraq war related book of 2010 (review of Saber’s Edge and Buried Alive in progress). Find Mass Casualties: A Young Medic’s True Story of Death, Deception, and Dishonor in Iraq at Amazon.com and review and medical author chat with SPC Anthony in the weeks to come. Buried Alive: Kidnapped and Entombed in the Deserts of Iraq Amazon link.

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I have been writing a series of  “How to Buy Guides” for EMS1.com. Here are links to a few of those articles:

How to Buy EMS Apparel and Accessories

How to Buy Books

How to Buy EMS Satellite Communications

How to Buy EMS Sirens

How to Buy EMS Scheduling Software

How to Buy ePCR software

How to Buy Medical Equipment Services

How to Buy Pediatric Equipment/Supplies

How to Buy Fire Department Billing and Administration Products

How to Buy Personal Protective Equipment

How to Buy Portable Generators

How to Buy EMS Medical Products

I am working on compiling the How to Buy guides into an ebook. If you have a category of product/service you want to make sure is included or would like a certain product reviewed contact me.

How do you make EMS product purchasing decisions?

Link to all of the How to Buy Guides at EMS1.com

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One of my favorite things to do is go to the library to peruse the racks of new fiction. I love picking up a book that has been freshly wrapped in library issued cellophane. I love the smell of the pages as I open the book, and the sound of the spine cracking for the first time. I love to look for my favorite authors. While I keep close tabs on bestseller lists, it is possible that one has slipped onto the market without my knowledge. When I find the book that grabs my interest, I am giddy. I can hardly wait to get home and become immersed in a new adventure.

I love choosing my own books. Sometimes a friend or family member recommends a book that I will read or often I read something mandatory for my profession; however, for real enjoyment and engagement, I choose my own book. Research proves that readers are more engaged and more apt to continue reading if they are allowed to choose their own books. Teachers in middle schools and high schools throughout the country have embraced this research for many years in a teaching concept called Readers Theater. For the first portion of Readers Theater students silently read books that they have chosen. One student may read Harry Potter, another War and Peace and yet another a Harlequin romance. What the students read is not nearly as important as the fact that they are reading.

In my own experience teaching students who read far below their grade level, I definitely found my students much more apt to keep reading on a daily basis in the classroom if I allowed them to choose what they read. Being invested in the process of reading, as with any process, keeps the reader wanting to read more. For example, imagine if someone chose what you were going to eat all day without giving you any choice. Now imagine if someone gave you choices and allowed you to choose what you wanted to eat. It is the same for reading, we will choose the chocolate brownies over the mushy green peas every time.

1. Visit your local library.

2. Use the computers to find books that interest you.

3. Choose your book.

4. Read!

Visit Martha’s favorite books to see what is on her reading list.

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