It took some preparation but the time is almost here. Tomorrow morning I am presenting at the Massachusetts EMS Conference. On a personal level this is quite the first step for me. My goal, ultimately, is to be able to present at EMS Today or EMS World sometime in the next year or two.
While I have always been quick to present on topics that have to do with the well being of a paramedic, and better treatment from a provider stand point rather than a clinician’s stand point, my class tomorrow is clinical in nature. The topic is one that I am passionate about: capnography, and specifically, how it should guide and effect your assessment and treatment.
Furthermore, this visit marks my first “full” return to Massachusetts. I spent twelve years up there that I valued greatly because of the friendships and work relationships that I made. Truth is, if it was not for the time that I spent up there, I would not be the paramedic that I feel that I am today.
In just six short weeks, I will mark my first year in my new system, and it has been quite the ride. My views on a lot of things have changed: skill dilution, and working in a union shop just to name a few. Municipal EMS is fantastic, and I have to say, I am now a firm believer that third service EMS is the best model. It might not be the most fiscally responsible but in my opinion, it does not get much better than that, especially for someone like me who has the utmost respect for fire fighters with zero desire to run into a burning building.
But I digress. . .
It’s time to suppress the butterflies and make a few last minute changes to my presentation, then tomorrow at 11am, it’s go time!