5 patients is an awesome book, although heavy going if you're used to other Michael Crichton books.

NO! NO! Anything but Agenda For Change! I beg of you!

:)

God, no. *Bangs head against desk*

Didn't "Five Patients" also become the (sort-of) theme for an episode of "House", named - cunningly - "Three Patients" ?

But you're right - it makes for interesting (and hopefully informative) reading. Good on yer.

That episode of House was amazing. I love that show. Might not be very realistic but I love it.

I love House, too, but sometimes find the lack of visible nurses to be too much! A patient calls for a nurse and three docs come running to help - in what universe?

Ok, so it is a good idea you have had here.

I really really really LIKE this new 5 patients segment. I used to work as an admissions clerk in a US hospital and was always impressed by the EMTs and First Responders who ferried patients to the Emergency Rooms. Although I live in New Jersey, we never had anything really dramatic like gunshot wounds, usually MI (myocardial infarctions), etc. Love the BLOG! Regs, Trish

By the way, I wrote the segment of my novel based on your 80/50 entry over my weekend. It's at http://www.springdew.com/nanowrimo2005/?p=23 - I took liberties, of course. It's fiction!

I do warn you, though, not to read the rest of the novel if you've any innocence left in you at all. I'm afraid the subplot involves an explicitly documented love story between a human and a tentacle monster.

Interesting, and well written. I shall continue to read, should I have any type of free time availible.

I feel driven as only a retired EMT could be that the term Paramedic should be applied to all emergency ambulance personnel. Your comment in Joan 2,“like a paramedic but not paid as well”, just about sums it up! The difference between an experienced Paramedic and technician in the UK is a three month sandwich course paid for by the London Ambulance Service. Why the Service adopted these differing terminologies has always baffled me. In so far as the paramedic has additional skills and knowledge commensurate to a sandwich course, it doesn’t amount to a great deal to the suspended patient. It’s a heart start and solid professional CPR that really counts when technically all is lost. I always found that at a trauma call it was I as the EMT that took overall responsibility in what is the control and management of an emergency situation! The Paramedic was always too busy spiking the patient and drawing up medication and drug infusions. I always regarded the introduction of these separate terminologies as a slap in the face and it’s about time they got back to a more correct formulation. Every month when I received my wage slip as you do today, I was paid for paramedic skills, so why cant they acknowledge that by utilising the Paramedic, Qualified Paramedic terminology. This would more clearly reflect the reality of ambulance service tasks and anyway a so called Emergency Medical Technician is only some-one still on the journey, to becoming a fully qualified Paramedic!