First shift ever tomorrow, bright and early

[Zoom-Zoom]

So I go on my first shift ever tomorrow, it is a ride-along to complete my program. 12 hours, with no pay

Anyway, I'm kind of excited but mostly nervous..because I have no idea what to expect. Any words of advice?

Also, would it be weird if I brought a book or backpack with me, is there a place on the ambulance to keep it?

Thanks

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[Siggy]

Ridealong as a basic or as a paramedic?

Paramedic ridealongs I can't speak about.

Now I've both been though and had a basic ridealong. Personally, I'll say that if you do bring a book, make it a medical book. Better yet, practice your skills instead. Pt assessment is a big one. Ask them what they look for, what order they go in, etc. Remember that it can be a little weird for the crew that your with because they don't know how far through the class you are and how much your comfortable doing. When ever I help one of my company's FTOs with a new EMT, one thing I always mention is that there is a fair amount of art to pre-hospital care. There are a million and one ways to get a BP or do a patient assessment, for example. Everyone does it their own way, and just because its different doesn't mean that it is necessarily wrong.

 

[leviathan]

Ridealong as a basic or as a paramedic?

Paramedic ridealongs I can't speak about.

Now I've both been though and had a basic ridealong. Personally, I'll say that if you do bring a book, make it a medical book. Better yet, practice your skills instead. Pt assessment is a big one. Ask them what they look for, what order they go in, etc. Remember that it can be a little weird for the crew that your with because they don't know how far through the class you are and how much your comfortable doing. When ever I help one of my company's FTOs with a new EMT, one thing I always mention is that there is a fair amount of art to pre-hospital care. There are a million and one ways to get a BP or do a patient assessment, for example. Everyone does it their own way, and just because its different doesn't mean that it is necessarily wrong.

The only thing that matters is that you meet the objectives of what you were trying to do.

 

[streetdoc]

So I go on my first shift ever tomorrow, it is a ride-along to complete my program. 12 hours, with no pay

Anyway, I'm kind of excited but mostly nervous..because I have no idea what to expect. Any words of advice?

Also, would it be weird if I brought a book or backpack with me, is there a place on the ambulance to keep it?

Thanks

good to see excitement, but i'm guessing your shift will be filled with a bit of puke, some urine and maybe feces...my advice is to avoid getting any of it on you. if, by chance, you have a real call, stay out of the way and watch how things are run. what kind of service are you with? rural or city?
good luck!
streetdoc

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

good to see excitement, but i'm guessing your shift will be filled with a bit of puke, some urine and maybe feces...my advice is to avoid getting any of it on you. if, by chance, you have a real call, stay out of the way and watch how things are run. what kind of service are you with? rural or city?
good luck!
streetdoc

Hey guys. Thanks for the replies.

I ran my shift as an EMT basic out of AMR cerritos (between Compton and Long Beach) in LA, which is just about as "urban" as you can get.

We ended up having 7 calls, only one was an IFT. It worked out well because one of the EMTs did his training program at UCLA, which is where I did mine, so he knew all the stuff I had been taught and was super nice. (On a side note, if you are from LA I highly suggest doing training at UCLA. I was really, really well prepared, their students are in the top 3 in the nation for registry exam pass rates, they literally wrote my text book (Brady), and the instructors are great).

Anyway, we ended up with a chest pain, abdominal pain, febrile seizure, homeless dude, old lady syncope, motorcycle crash, and the IFT. I had a bunch of fun. Even the fire guys were pretty chill and I never felt "in the way".

I have heard a lot of bad stuff about AMR but I really enjoyed my shift. I figure I either got pretty lucky or just really like this stuff...maybe both. Later



p.s. About the puke, urine and feces. We got some puke on the abdominal pain, but it was all bile, still pretty gross. We didn't get any urine but I did have to play with a catheder a little bit. As far as feces..I'm pretty sure the homeless dude shat himself on the way to the hospital. He also had scabies, which rhymes with feces....kind of....and lice...ewww Apparently, the cure for scabies is drinking 3 Colt 45's, AKA "only 3 beers"

 

[Medic Of One]

No Shatner Rolls. They are outside the NREMT scope of practice.

 

[ShyRem]

The one piece of advice I can give you: (ok, two pieces):

1. NEVER lie to your partners/crew. If you didnt' see it, say so. If you don't remember, say so. If you don't know, say so. Don't MSU (make **** up).

2. NEVER say you know what you're doing if you don't. Example: I had a rider, and as with all my riders I invited him to check the ambulance out with me to familiarize him with where the equipment was. I asked specifically if he knew how to spike a bag, how to take a BP both ausculatated and palpated, lung sounds, EKG hook-up, spinals, hold pressure, yada yada the usual stuff. He answered he didn't need any help with those. Yet on a call later on he said he couldn't take a BP 'cuz he "couldn't hear very well in an ambulance" and "didn't know how to palp one". On a major trauma he couldn't spike a bag, couldn't get a set of blood tubes out for me, couldn't hook up the EKG, basically couldn't do anything he said he could at the start of the shift. His ride ended early with a bad eval. On the other hand, I had another rider who said he'd like a 'refresher' on techniques. I spent 3 hours with him going over basic things until he felt comfortable (he also palped and ausculated a BP and listened to lung sounds on every person in quarters until he felt good about it). While he still needed a little reminding later on for a few things, he TRIED and he admitted he needed help. Gimme one of those people any day of the week - he was a joy to have along.

Those two pieces of advice will do well no matter how far in medicine you choose to go. Good luck to you, learn lots, and stay as long as it still thrills and excites you.

 

[Med-tallica]

I didn't want to make a whole new thread for this question, but I'm gonna be going on my first call(ridealong for EMT-B training) in a few weeks, and I know how to take blood pressure and vitals, but for bp I was hoping for a recommendation for a field stethoscope. I usually have a hard time hearing bp and I don't want to be constantly having to palpate or say I can't hear anything during my training. I really want to continue training and volunteering with this EMS service so I want to make a good impression.

 

[southerndoc]

So what's your question? A good stethoscope?

Litman's are pretty good (that's what I use -- a master cardiology), but I'm not sure I would go out and buy one so early in your training. If you're hearing impaired, perhaps you might look at getting an electronic that allows you to adjust the volume. These are incredibly expensive though.

When you are doing your ride along, if you cannot hear a blood pressure, please, please, please, do not make one up! Nothing will tick off your preceptor more than lying. If you cannot hear the blood pressure, simply tell him/her that you have a hearing deficit and aren't sure if you're getting the correct reading.

 

[12R34Y]

I liked the Littman Light or LIttman IISE on of the mid-range in price models.

I don't think I could justify you to go out and buy a 12-150 dollar Master Cardiology as a new EMT-B right now.

I love my Master Cardiology, but didn't get it until medical school. I used the Littman light and/or IISe and NEVER ever had a problem in the field. plus stuff gets misplaced, taken by a fire crew, put in a equipment bag, left on the ambulance etc....its nice to have something that cost about 30 bucks versus 150.


later

 

[thirdunity]

From my own experience (have done 2 ridealongs as an EMT-B in training):

1) You might get a little motion sick.
2) DON'T take Dramamine Less Drowsy formula. Note that it says "LESS DROWSY", not "NON-DROWSY". I slept through my entire two ridealongs, whenever we weren't with patients.
3) Take the initiative and ask to do anything they'll let you do. You will likely be allowed to take b/p, do histories/assessments, etc.
4) If you are doing your ridealong in Contra Costa County, where I did, you will likely only get three calls per day, to nursing homes.
5) Being an EMT, and seeing the inside of nursing homes, will help you be that much more motivated to become a doctor, so that you can afford to hire a private nurse and caretaker for your mother. Only Norman Bates' mother would deserve such a place as some of those nursing homes.
6) Yes, you can likely take a backpack - at the very least, ask.
7) DON'T take your GOOD stethoscope!! You'll leave it on the rig. I did.
8) Your preceptors are really not impressed that you are pre-med. Really, nobody cares. Actually many, many people think pre-med people are tools.
9) If you are a woman, and you're riding with guys, they will be stopping to look at chicks, and they will talk about girls. Get used to it.
10) Take a lunch with you, although if you're lucky your preceptors know all the good hole in the wall places and you'll never end up eating it.
11) If you are a pre-med/science major and a bit of an egghead like I am and like many real life doctors are, be prepared for the fact that most of the EMTs you ride with will NOT be eggheads, and will generally talk/joke about the types of things noneggheads tend to joke about (the opposite sex, sports, etc). My *own* experience on the ridealong is making me want to work more in the ER, just because that type of small talk is reaaaaaaaaaally painfully boring to me, and I really dread the idea of having a partner who is not a little bit geeky or at least someone who doesn't talk.

 

[a_ditchdoc]

I agree with all of the above. Especially about the "Don't lie". I once had someone check a BP for me. "BP: 124/70...Pulse 80." "Hmmm that doesn't sound right" I said to myself. "This guy looks really sick...are you sure?" "I rechecked it while you got the monitor...134/76." I scratched my head and loaded the guy. BP: 50 systolic, Pulse: 50. I was too angry, and my patient too sick, to beat him to death.

Try to be motivated. It is tough to balance being in the way versus being eager to help. Offer your assistance if you know how to do something. I hated students that sat on their but all day and watched me. I would give them a rundown at the beginning of the shift of what I expected "Jump right in if you know how to do something...on a bad call I will have the time to hold your hand." Of course, I would find out beforehand if they could intubate or start IV's.

If you have worked three shifts, don't tell a "war story" from one of your calls. It is unfair, but we have hundreds to choose from and tend to get a blank look on our faces or sigh when you start telling yours.

Take note of how they take a histoy and call in report to the hospital. Taking a proper history is one of the most important things you will learn.

Offer to help with base duties such as checking equipment and cleaning the truck.

Relax and enjoy your day.