Observation on Ambulance

[LilMedic04]

Okay, so I'm starting my EMT-B classes soon and have a few questions that keep popping into my mind. Can anyone answer them?

1. When I'm doing my ride alongs, should I ask if I can carry anything for them when going into calls?

2. When first starting the shift, should I ask the paramedics what they would like me to do when on calls? Like, set some boundaries or something, as where to sit in back, what to do for them, etc...

3. I heard that some paramedics get irritated with EMT students, and don't want to have them on ride alongs. Is this true?

Just curiousity that's been killing me. Thanks for the help!!

[dmleblanc]

Okay, so I'm starting my EMT-B classes soon and have a few questions that keep popping into my mind. Can anyone answer them?

1. When I'm doing my ride alongs, should I ask if I can carry anything for them when going into calls?

2. When first starting the shift, should I ask the paramedics what they would like me to do when on calls? Like, set some boundaries or something, as where to sit in back, what to do for them, etc...

3. I heard that some paramedics get irritated with EMT students, and don't want to have them on ride alongs. Is this true?

Just curiousity that's been killing me. Thanks for the help!!

Yes, yes, and yes.....

[LilMedic04]

LOL, gee thanks. Any advice on how to NOT annoy them? Or to make the situation better?

[jmoulton]

at what point in the class are you doing your ride time??

[btroutm]

It is all about communication. Talk with your preceptors and let them get to know you. Let them know what you feel comfortable with and what you need help with. Pay attention and you'll catch on pretty quickly. Ride time is easy. Good luck.

[LilMedic04]

I'm not sure when exactly we'll do our ride time. My classes don't start for @ 3 more weeks.

What's some of the worst situations that you all have had to deal with being EMT-Basics?

[dmleblanc]

OK, I have a tendency to give smart aleck answers, but I'll usually follow up with some actual information..... :D


1. When I'm doing my ride alongs, should I ask if I can carry anything for them when going into calls?

2. When first starting the shift, should I ask the paramedics what they would like me to do when on calls? Like, set some boundaries or something, as where to sit in back, what to do for them, etc...

These should basically be handled together....When you arrive for your ride time, ask the crew right up front where you should be, what you are expected to do on a scene, what equipment should you carry for them, if any. It might be their company policy to only allow students to do certain tasks, or it might just be up to the discretion of the crew you're working with.

If they do expect you to retrieve certain items for them, spend some time getting familiar with where those items are located on the rig so you won't waste time looking for them.

If they'll be expecting you to help with the stretcher, get familiar with how it works....it might be a different model than you've practiced with in class and there are few things that will make you feel more foolish on a scene than fumbling with the stretcher when there's a crowd watching. Doesn't inspire much confidence in the patient, either. :rolleyes: A lot of "I don't know how to do that" on the scene can be kept discreet between student and crew, but fighting with the gurney sticks out like a sore thumb.... :rolleyes:

Speaking of "I don't know how to do that", if you are asked to do something you are unsure about, make sure you get it straight before you do it, or discreetly let them know that you're not familiar with that. They know you're learning, they should expect that you won't know everything. Also, if you're riding with a Paramedic/Basic team, the medic might assume that you know how to do certain things as a Basic because he's used to his partner being able to do those things, just from experience. Crews that work together for a long time get to intuitively know what the other is going to do, and on-scene their communication borders on telepathy....Sometimes they forget that you, the "outsider" to the team, doesn't always pick up on their signals. So ask.

When you have some down time, ask questions..if you've just run a call, after the paperwork is done and the rig restocked, ask questions about things on scene that maybe you didn't fully understand. If you've never been around EMS before, know this....things "on the street" are not always like you learned them in class. So definitely DO NOT come across as second guessing the crew, because "That's not how they taught us in class". Things will often be very different from what you were taught to expect.


3. I heard that some paramedics get irritated with EMT students, and don't want to have them on ride alongs. Is this true?



Yes, but don't take it personally. Most of them are willing to help...they don't want to see you fail, they want competent successful people in EMS, because who knows, they might have you for a partner some day. Those that don't like their students usually also don't like their patients, their partners, their boss, and EMS in general. :rolleyes:

[skyraider]

I agree w/ Chief LeBlanc "yes, yes, yes."

Matter of fact, I was riding 3rd w/ the career medics not long ago...I just assumed they knew I was there to ride w/ them (I've done it enough times). But the LT sees me put my gear on the rig and asks if I'm riding w/ them? I "assumed' he knew I was.

Bottom line...you don't have to be completely new to understand courtesy & respect. Even though I was signed up in the book & called ahead, I should have gone to the LT when I first walked in the station and let him know I was on his crew. I messed up and it won't happen again.

You know what they say about assuming...

As far as communication...that's key. When you first get to the station, sit with the preceptors and ask them what they expect of you. Don't ask them what they want you to do during a call...they'll want to know what you're capable of doing up front and they'll be busy. If you don't know how to do vital signs yet, tell them. It may be they'll just tell you the name of the bags and when they get to the scene they'll tell you to grab those bags, oxygen, whatever. Never pretend you know what you're doing when you don't. If you're ever unsure, tell them up front..."I don't know what that is" or "I've never done that before." In my experience, the medics have been very helpful in letting me learn and showing me and/or explaining during or after the call what they did, what I did right, what I did wrong, etc. We go through a critique session pretty much after every call.

After they teach you something, make an extra effort to learn it because they will expect you to know it from then on. You sound eager...sounds like you'll do great.

[skyraider]

......

:D What he said! :D

[jmoulton]

I cant agree more with what the rest have said so I will not go over that again but here is something that i was advised to to during my EMT-I ride time. If your ride time is towards the end of the class, copy a blank runsheet and write your own after the call. Then ask the preceptors review it with you and get a copy of thier runsheet if possible to compare it with yours. This will go a long way with your skills with the narrative and it can even help your assesment skills.

[LilMedic04]

Thanks guys, these were really helpful comments. I'm so excited to start classes, and can't wait to start working in the field! It's been something that I've secretely always wanted to do.

[Dubbsy]

What's some of the worst situations that you all have had to deal with being EMT-Basics?

in reference to what? Calls? Crew?

Calls: It's EMS, be prepared for everything and expect nothing. My first shift riding along I expected a handfull of drunks puking on themselves (7pm sat-7am sun). I spent 12 hours sitting on the couch (very slow night all around the system). Second shift I dealt with the textbook '80yr old with trouble breating' calls. My third shift started with my first code in EMS - I did compressions from the load to the ER table. So like I say, prepare to be doing everything from sitting in the truck at McDonalds to working codes.
As far as my worst situation.. probalby that code and the large amount of vomit involved (and it really wans't an issue for me).

Crew: 5 different crew members over the 3 shifts and I got along great with 3 of them (1 I knew previously, 1 knew me through my GF [also a EMT-B student], and the last just a nice guy). Some of the crew members (like my other 2) will just go about their jobs as usual without a whole lot of conversation directed at you (and they just let you sit back and observe).
Then you might run into the guy/girl that's just unhappy with life in general.
My worst situation.. ducking from 'that' guy. ;) I almost ended up on a truck with him too.



I think your first questions were answered well enough, but I'll add in an additional Yes, Yes, Yes!

[crsemt1258]

It will depend on "who" your preceptor is, everyone pretty much covered everything. It will also depend on your preceptors personality. I have had some good ones and bad ones. I have been praised and yelled at all in one shift. You are there to learn and nothing more. So, don't take what is said to you personally. Also, like Dubbsy stated be prepared for anything expect nothing. My first ride along, I sat for 10 hours and my first run was to haul a "suspicious death" to the morgue for autopsy. I will also add the Yes, Yes, and Yes.

[gatewayhoward]

What you'll be doing entirelly depends on the preceptor. So when you get there, immediately ask what they want you doing. unfortunetly most EMT students only sit back and take vitals from what I've seen. When I was into my paramedic field time, I would sometimes instruct EMT students to assist me. So some medics might let you do any of your skills if they find they can trust you. Just ASK ASK ASK!!

[Dave1983]

I must have missed something. There are preceptors who dont like students, then why are they preceptors? Or do you do ride alongs without assigned preceptors, people who didnt even know you were riding? How does that work?

This is all a little hard to understand. Can someone explain it please?

Here, students only ride with preceptors assigned by the EMT or paramedic program. The preceptors all volunteer, and are given credits that they use as tuition for their own classes. The ride alongs are also set up in advance. As far as I know, its always been that way, even 20 years ago when I was in EMT school.

[Dubbsy]

I must have missed something. There are preceptors who dont like students, then why are they preceptors? Or do you do ride alongs without assigned preceptors, people who didnt even know you were riding? How does that work?



The place where I went through my EMT-B training, nearly every truck has a student on board (run 3 or 4 trucks depending the day), either from the basic or paramedic class.

I think they're pretty much just given a student and expected to take them.
(atleast that's the way I understood it. We were never assigned to a preceptor; we didn't find out who we were riding with until we jumped in the truck or if we asked the dispatchers before hand.)

[LilMedic04]

There are a few companies that you can ride through here. The major one is our county ambulance district, which covers a lot of ground. Or I could go into St. Louis, and ride with a district there. I'm still undecided, but the county district here is a lot closer, and is staffed with ALL paramedics. I figured this way I could see a more variety of calls. But then I'll be more limited to what I can do when riding with them... And most of them have the holyer (sp?) than thou attitude.

[CH47Doc]

I love EMT students. It remids you of where you came from. I try to overload em with stuff, make em think about what and why theyre doing a certain task. ive had some that dont even want to know how to operate a stretcher. i had one girl tell me 'thats ok, i have 96 hrs to learn it'. i zeroed her out on her eval and sent a nastygram email to her clinical coordintaor. my advice is dont be TO gung-ho. try to relaxe. get a voicepager/radio or whatever your crew uses, if able, to hear how the call is dispatched. then formulate a 'plan of action' on how YOU would treat the PT and what gear might be needed. remember ABC's and youll do great. but FIRST study hard and pay attention in class or you may NOT get to ride out...:-) and ASK QUESTIONS !!! dont sit in back of my truck and 'steal air'.

[crsemt1258]

I must have missed something. There are preceptors who dont like students, then why are they preceptors? Or do you do ride alongs without assigned preceptors, people who didnt even know you were riding? How does that work?

This is all a little hard to understand. Can someone explain it please?

Here, students only ride with preceptors assigned by the EMT or paramedic program. The preceptors all volunteer, and are given credits that they use as tuition for their own classes. The ride alongs are also set up in advance. As far as I know, its always been that way, even 20 years ago when I was in EMT school.

Here we have an agreement to be a precepting agency for the Tech School. You never know who is on duty when you sign up. Most of us believe we should always use our abilities to teach. However, we do have a couple that just like to complain and show authority. It usually makes the student very uncomfortable and they are weary about coming back to our service. These preceptors also are very hard on new EMTs'. My theory is if I preceptor you, expect to work. You are not there to take up space and get in my way. Also another word of adivice bring your books with, so you can study when you are not on a call. You are not there to sit in the recliner or sleep on the couch. Also if I ask you to do something, do not say "I have already done that, so I don't need to do that anymore."