sportygirl Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I am an EMT student and went on my first ride out and at the end I was told that I need to work no my patient assessment how can I do that? I know to ask SAMPLE and OPQRST but I just get nervous and either don't do it or everything is out of order. Also should I ask questions and what questions? Is it normal to be nervous? What can I do to relax during the call? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPINFV Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 What sort of problems are you having? Are you freezing up, but just still know what to ask? Do you just start thinking about 13987 things when you arrive on scene and can't concentrate? Does your mind just go blank? Also, how many more ride-alongs do you have (both required and can get if different numbers)? Have you done your ER time yet, if available? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scaramedic Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Welcome to the city. I would suggest you practice on family members. Become so comfortable with your assessment skills that when you lock up on scene you will revert to your training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 As Scaramedic said practice on family members, and anyone you can. Practice till it becomes second nature to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firedoc5 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Relax. Listen and watch others. Pay attention in detail on how others do it. Practice with family like other's have said. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneEMTP Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I am an EMT student and went on my first ride out and at the end I was told that I need to work no my patient assessment how can I do that? I know to ask SAMPLE and OPQRST but I just get nervous and either don't do it or everything is out of order. Also should I ask questions and what questions? Is it normal to be nervous? What can I do to relax during the call? If, on your first ride out, you handled your assessments well, with focus, intelligence and confidence, then you're a medic pretending to be a basic student. Assessment confidence comes with education, training, and practice, practice, practice. You won't really grasp the essence of assessment until you've had enough education and patient contact to know which "paths" you're trying to follow with your questions...there's no shame on you...it takes time and you haven't had the time yet. The real question is...will you do what it takes to be good at assessment? Will you learn what's needed to be able to focus your assessments? To build a differential with the information you gain? You are at a true fork in the road now. Most will choose to parrot nonsense...and will look skilled to you because they don't seem to faulter when assessing. They are confident, or at least appear so, because they rarely need to think. Others will continue to look clumsy because they need a moment to think between each question, to digest the last answer so as to ask the next 'appropriate' question. This is the hard route, and most won't choose it...but it's the right one. You are right where you're supposed to be. Now you simply need to decided, do you want to look good? Or be good? If you want to be good, then get right with the idea that sometimes you need to think, to pause, even if you think it makes you look goofy, to be sure that you're doing the smart thing...not simply the 'next' thing. Know what I mean? Good luck to you. Dwayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Plain Ruff Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 DW more and more your posts impress me to no end. I see a great future as a medic for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyM83 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 How did your school teach you to do assessments? What did they tell you about this? What format did they use to teach it? Where you tested on it? I know my school was pretty crappy in that sense and I had to re-learn most of it in the field watching medics or through EMTCity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWM_Medic Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 When it comes to pt assessment I have found that you really got to have your own groove. Yes the SAMPLE and OPQRST are important and in the beginning do it that way so you don't forget anything. Eventually you will find your own groove. When I first started I would write those letters on a piece of paper like a check list and go through them. I agree with everyone PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and PRACTICE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don1977 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 What sort of problems are you having? Are you freezing up, but just still know what to ask? Do you just start thinking about 13987 things when you arrive on scene and can't concentrate? Does your mind just go blank? Also, how many more ride-alongs do you have (both required and can get if different numbers)? Have you done your ER time yet, if available? I think about 13988 things actually.. Be cool and calm, you will be fine. We all get nervous at times, but keep your head straight and you will be ok./ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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