scollins1191

My EMT class is starting in about two weeks, are there any last minute things I should do to prepare for the class? Or any advice for preparing for the class?

HAHAHA I love the responses to the original post, so just to clarify, we AREN'T going to be on TV? lol

Thank you all for the advice it helped me a lot. I may not be able to take any other classes this semester just the EMT due to financial concerns, I am hoping i can figure something out to stay a full time student, if not I will be working full time either way I am going to have a full schedule. That being said, what exactly is a clinical, when do they start and how much time do they consume?

I was in school full time, worked full time when I took my EMT class. Manage your time appropriately and you'll be fine.

What subject are you pursuing for your degree?

Thanks, and I`m thinking fire science but i was also interested in law enforcement.

If you have your pic or your real name it would be wise to at least watch what you post. In one of my fire science classes we were discussing how many employers now look online for any social media profiles. Needless to say the guy with the beer and a lampshade on his head is automatically at a disadvantage from say someone with a family photo or even something like a car. On the other hand I see what Dwayne is saying. If you say something online or not you should stand behind it. Just know that what is done online will stay with you...forever.

Hi all,

I am starting an EMTB course in January, I am also going for a degree. I`m not sure if I should take any other classes while I`m in the EMT program. Has anyone else done this with good or bad results? Any advice would be very helpful.

Looks like Herman Cain is in a little trouble for sexual harassment. Did he really think they would not find that info ? Now the question is, who is sabotaging him, Republicans or Democrats ? I vote Republicans, because democrats would have held on to it until the week before the election.

I was on Google reading the news and the firs story was "Cain denies sexually harassment" I went on two hours later the first story was " Cain admits to settlement in harassment case". lol

In Mexico they are putting pictures like those described on cigarette packs. I can't tell that it has made any difference.

I disagree strongly with the idea. I disagree with smoking but respect their right to market a legal product. Industry discrimination is a slipery slope. If a product is legal it should have the same advertizing rights and privileges as all other legal products.

Who would they demonize next, Make Mc Donalds put pictures of obese people on their wrappers, or budweiser put pictures of mangled cars on their cans? Many will only agree with the demonization of cigarettes because it is not their industry that is being attacked.

I am a big advocate for personal responsibility and think that if allowed government will overstep their bounds.

I absolutely agree. I probably should have specified that I think it is an individuals responsibility to not consume or limit consumption of products that are unhealthy, or harmful to them.

I'm still fascinated by this concept that all things carry the same amount of risk. I would love to see how someone lives when they believe that eating a sandwich carries the same risk as playing Russian Roulette!

Well what kind of sandwich are we talking about here? lol

You mean to say that you too have been the intoxicated individual blubbering to your DD that you're having a situation critical "Mac Attack"? Say it isn't so Kiwi!

We have all been there...lol

On another note, I can see what the state was going for. I`m not saying I agree with it, but the government and health organizations have been telling everyone for years and years fast food in unhealthy and exercise is good but people never listened. So now they are trying a different approach. kinda like some of the laws that have been talked about for putting pictures of cancerous lungs and mouths on packs of cigarettes. That being said they should maybe put pictures up of a clogged artery or some other problems due to obesity but people may complain about them being too graphic to put on billboards. I still don`t agree with calling anyone ugly though.

Im glad I saw this post. I am on the fence on if I want to go into the fire service or LE. I heard a blurb about a tactical medic on a SWAT team and it caught my attention for obvious reasons. If i chose to go into LE will having my EMT-B give me an advantage over other applicants?

Wow what? Wow, you have realised that there is such a thing as risk versus benefit?

I completely agree. This was NOT an emergency situation and if the medic transporting did not deem it to be safe then they should not have transported. How can someone be fired for doing what is best for the PT? I understand that people needed to get where they are going and quickly, and if the hospital knew that they needed to be somewhere else for something important they would have taken care of it. And from previous posts it sounds like the hospital already had a secondary plan in place. Patients safety trumps all else, I would have refused it as well. There is a saying in the fire service "risk a lot to gain a lot, risk little to gain little". There was little to gain so little was risked. Makes sense to me.

I am going to start my EMT-B course in January, what steps can you take while defending yourself? I`m sure there are things you can do only in certain situations. Is it up to the state that im in? I know that its an all too common part of the job for things like that to happen, did anyone have a problem keeping their cool in some of these situations? If you did, how did you handle it?

I havent started my class yet so im not sure how much help i can be but this is something that i have gone over in my head a million times, I would think that everyone is going to handle death differently and the people like the nurses are more accustom to death then the students. I`m sure as time goes you`ll get more accustom to it as well. (not sure if accustom is the right word). And im sure i will have that same scared S***less feeling as well. As im sure a lot or most everyone else had too. Don`t second guess yourself too much, it sounds like you did everything you could and were supposed to, you cant save everyone, no one can. Take it in stride my friend and best of luck i hope it gets better.

Thanks guys, that actually helps a lot. I`m so excited for the class to start I think I was getting a little ahead of myself lol. But all of the information you guys gave was great. I also got a kick out of some of it, it sounds like a lot of fun but hard work. I like this lol

I'll echo what the others have said, and will only add this: By the time you get out of your EMT class, you WILL know all of your classmates more intimately than you know most of your friends, because you WILL be putting your hands on their bodies, and they in turn will be putting theirs on you.

This is NOT the time to be 'shy', and be sure you've got clean underwear on!

I know its something to take very seriously but its nice to know that it can be fun as well. Thanks again for all of the information it really did help. I really cannot wait for class to start.

Hey guys,

I`m going to be starting an EMT-B course this spring. I was wondering if anyone can tell me what to expect as in:

The class in general

Supplies (shoes, scrubs?, anything else that might be helpful)

Advice for studying

Other classes that may be useful to take.

Any other advice for the class or the field in general would be very helpful, thanks!

I am new to this as well so I don`t have much insight to give but I know that here in the suburbs of Chicago the EMT-B course is offered through my community college but classes are at the hospital.

As for tattoos, it really does depend on the company or department`s policy. They are different everywhere you go. I was at a fire house for an assignment and that was one of the first things I asked (i have a tattoo on my forearm) and their policy was no visible tattoos. The FF i talked said to not let that discourage me from applying there or anywhere else. I know some places want you to where sleeves year round or have a skin colored sleeve over it.

I know its not that much info but hope it helps, good luck!

Hello all,

My name is Shawn Collins, I`m from Chicago, IL. My current town is Roselle, IL. I am enrolled at Harper College in Palatine. I am interested in the fires service both the fire and EMS side. I am also interested in law enforcement, I have not decided what career I want to pursue just yet. I will be taking the EMT-B class at Northwestern Community Hospital in the spring. I am an active member on the Elk Grove CERT team. Any advice anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.