Who Hit Me With That 4 X 4?

Many Firefighters and Paramedics who treated seriously ill patients years ago (circa 1970 to about 1983) will recall that, before newer methods were developed, we used 4X4 gauze when securing an intravenous line (“IV”) to the skin. And, Firefighter Paramedics on occasion would “shock” patients who had unstable life threatening heart arrhythmias, even when they were partially conscious because these patients were so sick we could not wait to sedate them. In one memorable case, while one paramedic was preparing to shock the patient, the other paramedic was starting an IV (placing a needle in the arm as a means of administering fluid or medicine). The paramedic starting the IV asked me for a “4X4” right before the patient was shocked by the other paramedic. Fortunately, and this always amazed me, the patient was converted into a stable heart rhythm and immediately recovered. So, as we would normally do, one of the paramedics asked, “how are you doing?” The patient responded “ok, but whoever hit me with that 4X4 — don’t do it again.” True story and it is also true that the patient lived.

Submitted by Michael Duchemin (Bellevue Fire)