Mann, III
From Mr. Mann:
I understand your points, maybe you’re right, maybe you’re not. I will still be here for my shifts on time, and I will continue to try to be a good paramedic for the sake of my patients and Denver. I think if you disagree with my statements it’s your perogative.
I understand your point about the study performed by Haukoos, Pons, Markovchick, et al, and I do know that the only substantial outcome improvement data that they found was with responses less than 4 minutes. Can anyone afford this? Of course, probably not.
I’ll write this passage more for everyone else reading this blog: this will be the last time that I’ll write an entry, not because I don’t think that we have a healthy argument, but that I’m disappointed that you won’t own your statements with a name. If you think your opinions endanger your job then you’re probably working for the wrong people just the same as you suggest that I may be.
Yes I did know about this system before I applied. My ideas are only suggestions of different solutions that might make our system work better for our patients, our employees, Denver Health and our city. If that creates a low opinion of me by someone who cannot identify themself, I welcome it.
I don’t have a low opinion of you Mr. Mann. I don’t know where you would get that idea.
By the way… you should re-read NFPA 1710… in section 5.3.3.3.2.3 which pertains to two-tiered response systems with BLS as first responders it states that ALS response should be within 8 minutes, not 8:59 (8:59 would be within 9, not eight if I remember kindergarten corrrectly)
Ok, it seems I have made a mistake. However, I would wonder if you know that DFD uses the :59 in their calculations? Let’s also try this: counting from 0-1:00, has one minute expired at the time of :59? Has the second minute expired at 1:59? The answer for both is no. And in the example of 8:59 the 8th minute has not expired either. It is a matter of how one counts and also accounts for some people foolishly celebrating the new millennium on Jan. 1st 2000, when in fact the new millennium did not start until a year later
Sure it’s semantics, and sure there was a study which substantiated that this is not a useful or accurate time, but let me pose you one question, Veritas (by the way latin for truth): Do you think that the study would mean anything whatsoever to a person who thinks that an ambulance response should be compliant with national standards regardless of how arbitrary the numbers are after they watched their relative die, especially the average citizen who has zero to almost no medical training in comparison to a paramedic or an emergency doctor?
True, but you as a provider must be able to make the difficult decision about who lives and dies when confronted with a triage situation, correct? The situation the division is in is providing resources to 500K potential patients. The obligation that the authority and the city have agreed upon is that 85% of emergent calls will be responded to within 8:59. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that even at 90% compliance there will be some callers who experience a prolonged response time. Since we agree that no one is willing to pay for 4 minute response times, why would we then think that based upon flawed studies, upon which the 858 and 3634 base their arguments on, that someone would want to spend not quite as much to get 8 minutes 100% of time?
Just as you wished many to have a good time with japanese films, enjoy watching your boondock saints. Matt Mann out
Boondock Saints is a cool movie, by all accounts. But the moniker comes from the saying- in vino veritas. Since wine is my drink of choice, I used it.
φ Veritas
So, Veritas, why are you back again? I will admit to not really remembering why you left to begin with, but I do remember you had a good explanation…more than the explanation given for your return. I keep waiting for you to give us your thoughts on why you wanted to come back again – I find it hard to believe that the Channel 7 news story was enough to make you return.
I will agree that several of those who have posted comments with an emotional overtone don’t do themselves any favors in the argument department, or in their life department, for that matter. There are DG medics, ex-DG medics, and perhaps soon-to-be-ex-DG medics who have invested their heart and soul into their work, and at the end of the day have found that what they have to show for it is nothing but a lot of time wasted (that they will never get back) in being so focused in their job and all the culture that went with it. I think a lot of anger is coming from a lot of disappointment, so I ask people to ask themselves what are they so disappointed about? I’m not saying there’s nothing to be disappointed about, but I’d like to hear people’s thoughts.
A couple things that I think can be learned about some of the disappointment. One, make sure your life is balanced and that work is just work, nothing more than that. It can’t be your life as it will consume you and if you don’t end up killing yourself at the end of it all, you might feel you want to, especially when looking at your empty bottle of vodka. The other thing is that the Denver Health management, no matter what face is on a chief or on the decision makers on the 5th floor will never care about you as much as you do and will never make decisions where your personal best interest is first in their minds. I think some chiefs in the past made it seem as if they did care and you were #1 in their minds, but in reality they just did a better job with the touchy-feely end of things (some chiefs a little too literally touchy-feely) to make you feel as if you mattered. The dollar sign is what matters to these people in the long run, and that is apparent with the Nugent administration. Keep in mind that is in reality what happens in every business – it’s all about money.
Veritas, since you seem to be not so subtle in what you are not in favor of (Petre and the union), I would love for you to start up a discussion about what it is that you think is good about what Nugent and the assistant chiefs have done. I would think that by you making some non-emotional statements about what you see is positive, some people might start having a mature discussion and be able to clearly state what they feel is negative (without emotion, of course).
And discussions go on and on…..Mann and all others, Veritas is correct, no need for being anon in an adult forum. I was pleasantly surprised that Veritas is truth, I thougt it was Satire backwards. Satiric truth is a good thing as it keeps things light when getting into subjects that could grow into hostility. I wanted to throw out there among the folks that the time for changing the term AMBULANCE in reference to DHPM has come. The word PARAMEDIC TRANSPORT says it all. The Fire Department responds as first responders/initial evaluators and extrication-brute force and heavy manpower elements in the City and County of Denver. A long eta or a call involving the need for the above elements SHOULD ping dispatch to get them rolling on an as-needed basis. This normally works fine if you can get the entertainment center of dispatch to turn off the damn multi channel cable TV extravaganza equipment which is constantly distracting the critical FD element of the response system. Why else is it so hard for FD to get the right address and equipment rolling, let alone answer the FD rigs calling in with questions and more questions needing timely and ACCURATE answers. Sorry but that 911 dispatch area is the only area that CANNOT focus due to HBO/SHOWTIME/SPORTS-s RAMA that takes the dispatching smokies attention away from all elements of their critical job. Yes Paramedic Transports are needed to be timely, trained and tactfull when it comes to the work-shift. The emergency triad of PD/EMS. and FD are exemplary in the C of D and each group should strive for improvement on a daily basis. Has anyone thought of an on-line or in-house suggestion/beef sub-system that is open to addresss the issues that need tuning up or overhauling? Can the group stop using monikers and names of those that fall to the dis-favor of some to remove the HOSTILE WORKPLACE indicators? Professionalism is always welcome even in the most conflicting of times………………….please lets look at improving the day to day operations and showing the publec and other PD & FD folks that we carry the flag of what has been obviouws for years, true, fine EMS.
HEADSET…OUT