This is the result of things like, piercing through the other side of the vein or it just being too thin to hold anything and just bursting.  The end result is the vein bleeding into the surrounding tissue causing swelling and bruising.  This is called ’tissueing’.

When the needle ‘pops’ through into a vein the back end of the cannula fills with a tiny amount of blood.  This is called ‘flash back’ and proves you’ve got into the vein . . . but its doesn’t mean you’ve finished!

Motorcycle Response Unit – These are similar to FRUs but obviously go round on bikes.  Big bikes.  1300cc I believe.  And they carry a lot of kit on them making the bikes very very heavy.  So it comes to no surprise that there is lots of mirth and laughter when news befalls everyone that an MRU has dropped their bike.

Technician Grade 4 – These are people who’ve been in the job long enough to still have good worker-friendly contracts and whose stance on any situation, whether from a multi casualty major incident to a disciplinary hearing, is more solid and unmoving than the foundations of Everest.  You can spot a Tech 4 a mile off by their presence – a casual swagger and a glazed expression that tells you they’ve probably been there and seen everything “before you were born mate”.  A Tech 4 will never be wound up and can never be unnerved by a bad job.  But nothing will give a Tech 4 more happiness and satisfaction than when he or she sees some terrible misfortune befall higher management.  They are that magical breed of person that could probably bring a patient back to life with nothing more than a hefty boot and a look of utter contempt.

A quick reflex test to show up any neurological problems . . . you run an object (like a pen) up the sole of their feet.  If the big toe curls backwards (extends) then it can be a sign of neurological damage, like a CVA.

Small tube that gets put into the mouth and a tiny bit into the throat to stop the tongue from rolling back and occluding the airway.