Starting EMT School - Help?!?

[CadetProgramGuy]

Well I am off to EMT School at the local Community College.

It runs from now until May 2 nights a week with 2 Saturdays and additional Clinical and Ride time.

Any thoughts that would be considered usefull?

[Stonewall]

Study and get a good partner.  Don't do what I did and got the hottest chick in the class to be my partner.  She ended up almost failing us during practicals.  Luckily, we packaged and loaded up the patient in under 10 minutes anyway.  Since it was a "load and go", aka <10 min, the only thing we didn't do was say "it's a load and go".

EMT school should be easier than, say, algebra.  You're in EMT school because you want to be which should already be a feather in your cap.  It's always easier to learn something you actually enjoy.

You'll be fine, just pay attention and don't be afraid to touch the patients during the clinicals.  I actually volunteered for a few extra rotations in the ER.  Also, in an effort to hook up with a nurse...which worked BTW.

I've been an EMT for 15 years now.  Got it in the Army and always, on my own, went to recert classes or took the entire course again just for my own benefit. 

Good luck.

[Slim]

Don't do it!!!!!

Just kidding.

Actually, Kirt's right on the money.  This is something you want to do, so you're already going to be more motivated.  I really can't offer up more academic advice than what he did.  Study the materials, learn the treatment algorhythms, and keep an open mind.

What I would like to offer advice in is when it comes time to do ride alongs.  My company works with the local community college, and a few different fire department based academies, so it seems like we always have students coming in and out.

When the time for ride-alongs comes:

• Keep an open mind.  Remember, this business is like most others; there's the school way of doing things, and there's the way we do things on the street.
• Don't be a know-it-all.  Nothing alienates a crew quicker than the words "They taught us to do it this way in class."  As long as it isn't going to get someone hurt, remember that we see a hundred plus patients in a week.  A lot of us have developed shortcuts and better ways to do things that still get the desired results, but may not be "By the book."
• Be prepared.  Show up in whatever your school's clinical uniform is, including appropriate shoes/boots (I recommend boots for the ankle support and extra protection) and a jacket/coat.  Hat and insulated gloves if the season warrants.  Remember, we can get stuck outside for a loooong time on an MVA/extrication.  Not only that, but have a watch and pen with you too.  If you want to bring your own stethoscope and BP cuff, feel free; sometimes the stuff we buy isn't the best.  There's a reason most companies stopped buying good diagnostic equipment--it kept disappearing.  If you bring your own stuff, keep track of it.
• Don't show up with more crap on your belt than we carry in the jump box.  Privately, we call such students "Fisties".
• I don't know if you plan on going into the business full-time; if you are, treat your clinicals as an audition.  In my area, there aren't a lot of places to work, so we pay close attention to what our students do and how they act.  If you're a bad student, chances are you're going to be a bad employee.  Nothing sucks more than to spend all that time, money and effort to get licensed and not be able to find a job because no company will hire you.
• As Kirt said, don't be shy, or be afraid to get your hands dirty.  If you're doing a good job with your patients, and your crew trusts you, they just might let you run the whole call, from assesment to PCR.  They'll have to sign off on it, but if they trust you, and you did everything right, that shouldn't be a problem.
• Bring something to do on your down-time.  You're not going to be running calls the entire time; you're going to spend a lot of time sitting in a station, or on a street corner somewhere.  Don't count on the crew to entertain you.  Either bring your books to study, handheld games, magazines, portable DVD players, etc.  Just don't bring a ton of stuff, remember that your crew has their stuff too, and it should be compact enough to stuff under a seat or in a cabinet.
• Stay with your crew at all times.  We've had to leave students at hospitals because they wandered off and we couldn't find them.  If you've got to get out of the truck alone, ask them to use a portable radio or a pager or something.  If it goes off, or you hear your unit number, get back with your crew ASAP.  Don't get left behind because you were dropping a deuce.
• Don't plan on sitting anywhere other than the jump seat in back

I'm not trying to scare or intimidate you here.  All of these situations have actually happened in my company.  We've had fisties, we've had students who complained all day because they were stuck in the back.  We actually had one student who thought he was going to drive the rig in because they had a critical patient.  Our employees are with us for two months before they even think about sitting in the drivers seat.  We've also left people behind because we couldn't find them, or they were too involved in their constitutional to get out to the truck.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head.  If you have any questions, feel free to pipe  up either here or via PM.  I fell into this job by accident almost 17 years ago, and I've enjoyed it.

[CadetProgramGuy]

To you all this seems trivial, but to me this is good stuff.

Runnning several calls a day, a hundred a week you all have your tips and quirks (good things), I just want to learn a few of them, and not become a "Fisty".

Did plan on getting my own Sethoscope and clothing shears....

[fyrfitrmedic]

 Speaking as both an EMS provider and an instructor, here are a few tips:

- Keep up with the material
- Find a partner who seems to have a bit of a clue
- Show up 'ready to go', whether on rotation or in class
- If you're going to buy a stethscope, buy a decent one
- Don't wear a belt that makes Batman jealous
- 'Get in there' and get hands-on, whether in practicals or on rotation
- EMS tends to be a small world; what/how you do in class or on rotation will be remembered

[isuhawkeye]

you will be required to get a stethoscope, and sphigmomanomiter (SP) for the class (I was in the same program). 

when you show up for clinicals do not have it around your neck

[BlueLakes1]

If you're going to make a career out of EMS, don't jump into being a paramedic too quick. Be sure you get some good experience as an EMT-B first, it will help you in the long run. We can teach you the book stuff all day long, but the only way to learn good judgement is to make runs and gain experience. I'd been an EMT-B (well, back then it was EMT-A) for almost two years when I started paramedic school, and I sometimes wonder if I should have waited.

And to reiterate what's been said, don't get the "Batman Belt". It's often said that you can easily judge an EMT's experience by looking at his belt, as the amount of crap on it is inversely proportional to his/her experience level.(I must be getting old...I only carry my cell phone and radio on my belt!)

Tony's right in everything he has said, pay close attention to his advice!

[JohnKachenmeister]

Learn the anatomy and the terms so that you dream about them.  Your reports will be much more professional with terms like "Lateral aspect of the left thigh," than "Outside of the left leg."  Sometimes it helps to understand the Latin words that medical abbreviations refer to, like "O.D." being "Oculus Dexeter" as opposed to O.S.," Oculus Sinister.

[Stonewall]

...when you show up for clinicals do not have it around your neck

And don't go for the nursing student look either and throw the stethescope over your review mirror.

And to reiterate what's been said, don't get the "Batman Belt". It's often said that you can easily judge an EMT's experience by looking at his belt, as the amount of crap on it is inversely proportional to his/her experience level.(I must be getting old...I only carry my cell phone and radio on my belt!)

Same goes for CAP.

[Horn229]

If you're going to make a career out of EMS, don't jump into being a paramedic too quick. Be sure you get some good experience as an EMT-B first, it will help you in the long run.

The guy who runs the paramedic program at my college actually told me the exact opposite. I was going to get my EMT-B cert a while back, (I'll be starting paramedic clinicals this May) and my advisor told me that by not having the EMT-B knowledge, they wouldn't have to untrain the quirks I had learned as an EMT-B.

Do you disagree with this logic?

[Stonewall]

Do you disagree with this logic?

I disagree with it and I'm not a paramedic.  In fact, I think it would be beneficial to have real world EMT experiences to bring with  you to the classroom.  Like a lot of things, law enforcement included, there are "classroom" ways of doing things and "the way we do them in the field".  You can't have the second without the first, if that makes sense.  You'll learn several different ways to do something in the field, but the basics (what you learn in the classroom) is the foundation of all the other handy-dandy things you do in the field.

I remember in Basic Training, the drill sergeants said they'd rather train someone to shoot that has never touched a gun before than someone who grew up hunting.  Personally, I never noticed the difference in the types of trainees.  You had hunters that could score expert and hunters that couldn't shoot worth a darn.  Same for the first-time shooters....

[SJFedor]

If you're going to make a career out of EMS, don't jump into being a paramedic too quick. Be sure you get some good experience as an EMT-B first, it will help you in the long run.

The guy who runs the paramedic program at my college actually told me the exact opposite. I was going to get my EMT-B cert a while back, (I'll be starting paramedic clinicals this May) and my advisor told me that by not having the EMT-B knowledge, they wouldn't have to untrain the quirks I had learned as an EMT-B.

Do you disagree with this logic?

It depends on who you are as a person.

I'm not an EMT (yet), but plan to head to school when I get the time away from REAL college. But, I do work in a urban ER/Level 1 trauma center as an ER tech. A lot of the techs I work with are nursing students, whom my hospital hopes to hire on once they graduate.

Long story short, I've seen some that excel because of their prior department experience; they know the computer system, they know the flow of the department, they know the people. I've seen others that, once they're GNs or RNs, they struggle to step up to the next level, because all they've ever done is work in the capacity of a tech, and tend to still think like one for a while.

But, in the long run, having the practical field experience when you go to Medic school will make you a better medic. I've known people who were EMTs for 5 years and went to medic school, and were awesome medics. But, I've also seen people who have sped through EMT and Medic school, and also turned out to be great medics. It all depends on who you are. But, your patients are the ones that will benefit most from your experience.

[arajca]

There is a saying:
Paramedics save lives. EMT's save paramedics.

[SARMedTech]

you will be required to get a stethoscope, and sphigmomanomiter (SP) for the class (I was in the same program). 

when you show up for clinicals do not have it around your neck

We were never required to get our own stethoscopes of SPs. The school provided the former and the services provide the latter. You dont need to be carrying around a BP cuff becuse either the ER or EMS agency you ride with will have one. Maybe get a Littman stethoscope, but dont waste your money on the cuff.

There has long been a discussion that only doctors where their scopes around their neck. Non-sense. I wear mine there and with good reason. If I take it off and lay it around my neck, I always no wear it is. Its easier to access then when its carried in a pocket or holster. Everytime I use mine, I take it off my neck and drape it around my shoulders. What you dont want to do is wear it hanging off your neck ( like a neck tie). Ive seen medics do this and they either drop their scopes on the ground, it makes a good "grab handle for your patient". Finally, where else are you going to put it.

As for stuff on the belts...where what you feel you need to do your job. On my belt I wear a black holster/pouch (contains bandage and trauma sheers, tape, a pressure bandage, seatbelt cutter, ring cutter,pen light and window punch. I also keep a pair of kevlar lined gloves stuck in my belt for use during extrications or other times when I am likely to get cut. I wear my cell phone on belt and a Stinger Scorpion in a holster and obviously my radio. I carry a knife with a three inch blade clipped into my right front pocket. The only thing I carry in my cargo pockets are gloves and a pocket EMS field guide. A lot of crap in the side pockets looks terrible.  You could also get a duty belt from somewhere like Galls which would fit over top of your pants belt and could hold your gear. Its easier to take off when you need to sit, go in the water after a patient or when sleeping in the barricks room. Oh yeah, I also carry a 5" kubaton on my belt. Ive been attacked twice by patients and dont intend to be defenseless again.

As I say, carry a pen and a notebook for your patient care reports and make your own PCR for class. Dont rely on the medic to supply you with a copy most of the time they dont.

[Hoser]

Hoser's rules of EMS

1. Everything you learn in school is wrong.
2. People die and you can't do squat about it.
3. Occasionally people live because you did.

[isuhawkeye]

sarmedtech.

I have taught for the program that he is going through.  I have a pretty good idea as to what that specific class will require.  I am also a manager for one of the 3 service choice options with witch he will ride.  please don't blindly discount my advice

[♠SARKID♠]

I have only this to say on the subject.


My dad's a firefighter/EMT and loves it, so good luck to you!

[Nomex Maximus]

Ah, yes the EMT textbook... my favorite gross picture:

THE PROTRUDING EYEBALL !!!

EEEEEEWWWWWWWWW !!!

[SARMedTech]

sarmedtech.

I have taught for the program that he is going through.  I have a pretty good idea as to what that specific class will require.  I am also a manager for one of the 3 service choice options with witch he will ride.  please don't blindly discount my advice

I wasnt blindly discounting anything. Its just that it seems silly to spend $60 on a BP set up when either the hospital or rig will have it. In my class, we had enough to give each student one to practice with. What I was getting at was that its not a skill that needs to be practiced all the time at home, since the whole process takes 10 minutes to learn. What I was basing that on was that most services around here want you to use their gear anyway.

[SAR-EMT1]

Advice:

Classroom: In addition to the BPC, Stethascope and lobotomy kit, make sure you get a mini tape recorder and a "pocket reference" while some may chalenge this, there is nothing better then to be able to find an answer or recall some info at a moments notice.
Finally: NEVER be afraid to ask (intelligent) questions. Folks that never ask questions are either arrogant fools or are too shy. Either one is dangerous in the field.

I was one of the folks that was asking a question every other minute. Other students thought it was a drag, but the only guy in the class that did better then me ( and I had a 98%) was a PA from the local Level 1 ER. I was also immediately offered a job by one of the local EMS providers.

Clinicals: get a pair of EMS pants: they are blood and vomit resistant, Khaki dockers are NOT. Get a good pocket flashlight. ( I have a AA size minimag) Also a pocket "rite-in-rain" notebook for vitals and a pen that works on said paper.

At work when Im on the Rig (ambulance) I wear the required dept polo, black EMS pants (black works with ANYTHING) a riggers belt, a decent pair of shears, the minimag, stethascope, ( AROUND MY NECK  )  my radio, my cell, a mini tape recorder, a vitals notebook and two pens in the drop pouch and a pair of Nytrile gloves.               While this may seem like a lot, its not.

I dont have a special belt and I dang sure dont look like batman. 
I have proctored several new basics ranging in age from 18 to 50 who looked like inspector gadget.

-- As its a Fire Dept one compartment in the Rigs have two full sets of Bunker Gear with basic extrication gear.  ( Anything that we cant handle and we just call the Rescue)

I am an EMT I am not an Ambulance driver, I am not a Paramedic (yet) and as such not an Officer.

There isnt a single Officer that hasnt had his arse saved by one of his troops at some point or another. 
Just dont put it in their face... it tends to make them cranky, and you will get stuck with nothing but rectal bleeds for the rest of the month in return.


As for going straight from Basic to the Paramedic class: in my system its not even allowed except in very special cases. (must have six months in the field) However it is allowed to go directly from Basic into the Intermediate Class.