New way to blog…

Uncategorized

I’ve completely revamped the way I blog…. Let’s start with a touch-o-history… I started blogging with Live journal back in the day…  It had an amazing blog format with great networking with friends…

But I never liked how I didn’t “own” my blog.  I know it seems like a petty complaint, but that was one of the reasons for leaving.  I then started this WordPress blog which I host in my own domain space.  But I lost a lot of the networking capabilities of LJ.

Well much has changed with social networking sites and it took me a while to jump back in.  But I think I’ve found a good combination of features to cobble together my own thing.  So here it is.

My main blog is still here.  When I have large posts (like this one) I’ll enter it straight into WordPress.  A full crosspost will get sent to Livejournal (Thanks to a nifty little WP plugin) Facebook will get a Twitter (Due to it’s small post sizes) and Myspace gets a Twitter (Due to the fact that Myspace doesn’t play nice with others due to it’s lack of an API) and Twitter gets a Twitter (Obviously)

If its a small post, I’ll enter it into Twitter, which will then get posted to WordPress, Livejournal, Facebook and Twitter (again obviously).  Then Myspace will get the posts via a small widget I have installed (again because they refuse to play well with others.)

Also I’ll be setting up Twitter to do phone posts soon.

So, in theory, I post once and all my sites/blogs get it and you’re free to follow it as you like (or not).  If you want to comment on any post, just do so in the site of your choice.

This post kind of acts as a test for the whole set-up.  So we’ll see how this goes.  🙂

Paramedic update

EMS

star of life

As usual crazy amounts of time between updates…  ‘Tis the norm, wouldn’t want to disappoint.

I had completed all of my requirements last year then went on to testing.  Different states have different requirements…  I got my national liscence…then my Rhode Island, then my Massachusetts.

I started practising in the field in November of last year(2007).

So as of now I have been a practising paramedic for 13 months… I’ve enjoyed it a lot.  I’m still with Alert Ambulance in Fall River.  I have a great schedule Sunday (16 hours), Monday (12 hours), Tuesday (16 hours) for a total of 44 hours in 3 days with 4 days off a week…

So far, so good…

Paramedic Update

EMS

Star of Life

Here is an update on my medic program…

There are 3 sets of requirements that must be met before you can take the test to get a paramedic license.

1) 220 hours of classroom.

2) 442 hours of hospital internship.

3) 150 hours of ambulance ride time.

I’ve completed the classroom time and the hospital time. All that’s left is the ride time. Today was my 4th shift on the ambulance (10 hour shifts x4) so I’ve completed 40 of 150 hours. So the entire program is 812 hours long, and I have 702 done with 110 left (86% done)

But in addition to the hours you have to get “points” which are signatures to attest that you have completed certain competencies. Two of the hardest points to get are intubation (placing of a endotracheal breathing tube) and “electrical” therapy (defibrillation, cardioversion, or transcutaneous pacing). The reason that these skills are tough to get is that the opportunity to use them is rare. They are only used on a person who is either in a cardiac arrest, or very close.

Today I got both of these skills in one shift. My first patient of the day and my last were in cardiac arrest which allowed us to use these skills. So now all thats left is the remaining hours and common skills like IV lines and patient assessments…

Should be done within a couple of months. Then on to the tests…