ACLS Inspires Me

Some people are inspired by music, some by art, others by architecture, or nature, poems, books, photography etc. etc. So what am I inspired by?

Quality Chest Compressions and Advanced Airways.

Its weird. I know. I can't help it.

I went to my ACLS renewal class this week and talking about the pulseless v-fib/v-tach and bradycardic algorithms all day got me so excited that when I got home I couldn't shut up about it for like three hours. And three days later I am still talking about it. Poor Jentry. He puts up with a lot.

When I was 15 years old I took my first BLS class. I remember thinking, I hope something never happens while I am around, I don't think I could ever do this to a real person.

Eight years later, even though I use BLS and ACLS skills a lot in my job, I am dying to use my skills in the outside world. Don't get me wrong I don't go around hoping someone will keel over or get in a car wreck, I just know these things happen and I go around hoping that one day in the right place at the right time.

I just can't explain the feeling that you get when something goes wrong, and for a moment you panic, but then your head clears and you know exactly what to do. Or when you are drilling into the medial tibia with the I/O drill or delivering a shock. But the best feeling is when the patient comes back, and then they wake up, and then when they get well enough to leave the unit. It truly is amazing, and humbling. A lot of times it doesn't end up that way and thats hard, but then you can honestly say you did everything you could.

Please don't think I am morbid. I am not. I just love what I do. I am so grateful I have a job that has given me the skills and knowledge so that I can help people.