hannahblumel

Well in the class they told us we could do whatever we felt comfortable doing that we learned in class, but the emts I ride with are a little less open and I didn't even get any good calls. One was transfering a Schitzophrenic from one hospital to another where I wasn't allowed to take vitals at all, and the other was a diabetic who overdosed on her medication and by the time my station got there another station was already there and had already handled the situation so I wasn't allowed to take vitals on that call either. I basically just rode around on the engine and studing at the station.

I know better than to go wandering around a patient's house. The only interventions they allow basic students here to do are vitals and CPR. But if I get a call I'm sure I'll learn a lot just by watching.

Thanks guys good advice!

Hey guys,

Haven't been on here since class started. Three weeks from finishing my EMT-B course. Had my first ride along. Very uneventful. Didn't even get to take vitals. My second one is coming up on Thursday. Any suggestions? Hope I get more calls so I can test my skills. Hope to be EMT-B certified by January. Any suggestions would be appreciated for the ride along or anything else. Its strange to see how much i understand on this forum now vs before I took this course.

Congrats! I hope to be doing the same in January, but I'm not quite sure how long it takes after finishing the course it takes to get the license etc. I hope my professor helps me understand the process a little more because I'm a little unsure what steps to take after I finish the course. My course will be over at the beginning of December. Do you have any tips since you just finished?

Welcome and good luck!

Thanks Denny!

Getting the textbook early isn't a bad thing...but please know that some of the textbooks are lacking. Take time to research what you read in your text books to get a good feel for "what is".

Ok I will keep that in mind for sure. I will read it and then adjust my learning based on what the professors have to say. I can also ask on here too as I read before school starts.

This looks really helpful! Thank you!

The first time I seen someone bleeding everywhere, before I was trained in any facet of patient care, I went right to it and did what I could. I knew that I was cut out for it at that moment. On the otherhand, if I see blood dripping from my own body, catch my head, b/c I'm prolly gonna faint. Almost a 100% guarantee.

There will always be moments, that even the strongest provider cannot handle. You have to learn how to get past those in a healthy and proactive manner. Once you get that down, you're good to go. I don't know how else to explain it.

I am the same way! If its me even if it doesn't hurt I still get nausious, but if its someone else I'm helping I'm fine.

Thanks Toni! I will definitely be asking you many questions once i start my classes. I don't know how much this will help me, but I'm getting the textbook early so I can read through it before I start class. If nothing else it will make me less nervous!

The atrocities people are capable of always amaze especially when it is so close to home. It reallly shouldn't after watching news my whole life. May God help the survivors and their famlies as they deal with the days to come.

Hey Hannah! Welcome to the City!

I'm afraid that I've got no Utah specific advice, and I'll skip the Mormon references.

A word of advice for EMTCity though. Jump in. Watching is OK, but you will get a hundred times more value here if you participate. Ask, answer, guess, theorize, joke, but POST! Trust me on this....I'm a paramedic, what could possibly go wrong?

Good to have you girl...

Dwayne

I'm not Mormon lol

Thanks for the welcome!

An Ambulance Officer is many things however broadly speaking it is 98% people management, 1.9% fundamental praxis and 0.1% advanced care.

Most of the jobs you will go to are acute exacerbations of chronic disease (angina, heart disease, asthma/COPD, diabetes, renal failure etc) and are not glamorous or exciting. Despite what your poorly written textbook tells you, most patients are not in an immediate threat to life. There is nothing exciting about attempting to resuscitate somebody in cardiac arrest on the floor of their home with the family watching you when you know full well there are overwhelming odds he is going to stay dead. There is nothing exciting about having to tell that persons family their loved one is dead and Brown finds it an incredibly undignified way to die.

Many Americans it seems are "trauma junkies" well news flash trauma is a horrible disease which has a profoundly devastating effect on society. There is nothing "cool" about assessing and treating somebody who amputated his arm with a rotary saw and may never be able to use it properly meaning he can't work and support his family any longer or going to a road traffic accident where the occupants have died meaning their families are going to forever be burdened with grief, anger and the untold emotional pressure of loosing a loved one.

Do you have an interest in talking with people and building meaningful rapport with them in order to provide care? Do you have an interest in biology, chemistry and the inner workings of the body as they relate to physiologic and pathophysiologic states? Do you have an interest in continuing education? Do you think you are able to relate well to people in different circumstances and situations? Do you work well with others?

I'm not doing it for the excitement. I just want to help people and be a part of the medical field. I love working with people work well with everyone. Thanks for the advice.

After I finish basic I do plan on getting Paramendic certification.

Hi everyone! I start emt basic courses at the end of August. I'm wondering if any of you are in Utah. Any tips specific to Utah or in general? I'm so excited to start these courses.

Hi I'm also a student beginning in August.

I am also a new student beginning August 27! So excited!