Help Me Self Learn Anything EMT Related (Read)

[KyleKIR]

I'm in Las Vegas, NV. and plan to become an EMT at some point (I'm 20). I may move to another state soon and begin there. Right now I'm not in any EMT classes nor have I had any training. I've been doing a lot of self learning, and am not sure if what I'm learning is correct. I've mainly been trying to do Vocab words.

Take a look at this please: http://quizlet.com/2...ab-flash-cards/ That link is 44 words I put together and learned 2 nights ago. I have them all memorized now (took me about an hour and a half) and now I'm looking for more to learn.

Can you go through them and tell me if those are words I should be learning? Also sorry if some of the definitions are wrong. I have no clue what to learn for "self study" I just learn anything I think is EMT Related.

I'd really like it if some of you who may read this could give me a list of important words.other things to learn. It'll give me something to do, and I really enjoy learning it.

So yeah once again What should I be learning vocab. wise and anything else important that I'll need as an EMT if I'm not in a class yet. I think learning this before I actually enroll in a class will be good and I'll have a bit of a head start.. so I won't go in clueless.

Thanks for your time and help.. I really do appreciate it.

[akflightmedic]

Go to a used college book store...pick up old EMT texts, pick up old AnP books, pick up Medical Terminology books....have fun. I have found same books at Goodwill and yard sales.

Better yet, go to the college and sign up for the above courses.

Your eagerness to prepare ahead is admirable and if you continue at this self study pace, you will be severely disappointed during and after the class, but you will be ahead of the game should you continue on to paramedic.

[KyleKIR]

@ akflightmedic, Thanks for the advice. I will go to a campus book store and look for some books. I have an EMT book right now called "Emergency Care" (eighth addition) the thing is so old I'm not sure if I should even be reading it. Its from like 1998. I mean reading it gives me some basics, and a general knowledge of emt-b, and everything I'll be learning, but who knows what has changed since this book came out. Anyways lol.. I'll just go and look for a new used book from a book store.. and continue to read/ self study on/offline.

More than what a book can tell me and just straight reading from beginning to end.. I was hoping you guys who are already experienced medics can tell me certain things I should start learning myself.. like some MUST KNOWS.. or things I should learn that will benefit me in the EMT field and the emt basic class that I can get a head start on instead of just saying "take an A&P class" and such.

Also.. I do plan to go all the way to Paramedic some day.. I don't want to get too ahead of myself now by talking much about it cause who knows what will happen from now till then...but yes I'd like to be a "Paramedic" someday. Just going to take it one step at a time and see what happens.

[mbuchanan0119]

Now I'm not an experienced EMT or Paramedic, but just a EMT-B student. I would suggest just enrolling for classes. It's really nice to learn some stuff before ya go in to school, but your gonna have to learn it all over again.

I sort of felt the same way before I signed up for classes I really wanted to make sure it was something I wanted to do. Only way I figured to find out is to just give it a try.

But for now I would definitely suggest picking up an A&P book. Theres alot of info in there that will help ya. Maybe even pick up a steth and a B/P cuff. Start practicing taking B/P and pulses.

Anyways best of luck to ya. It seems like an exciting field and I can't wait to start clinicals and ride time.

[KyleKIR]

@ mbuchanan0119, Thanks for writing as well. I understand that if I learn things now I'll just be learning it again in school. I don't mind that actually.. what I'm learning now is pretty much scattered information.. when I get into a class I'll have general knowledge of whats going on. The instructor will be able to reteach me what I somewhat already know, and show me how to apply what I learned.

See I've been learn things myself like certain vocab. words and I have no clue how to use a lot of them in a sentence.

Say for example.. the words: Posterior, Anterior, Ventral, Dorsal, Proximal, Distal.

I'm assuming I'll need to know these words so I have learned them. You ask me what they mean I'll tell you, but When it comes to actually using the words say in a sentence or dealing what a patient I have no clue how to use these words. So I think its good I at least know what they mean now..so when I get into an EMT class the Instructor will be able to then not only re teach me those words, but show me how they'll be used and how to apply them in the field.

does that make sense?

Also, thanks for bringing up the B/P Cuff. I used to look at those blood pressure numbers and see/hear numbers like 120/80... I used to think "what does that mean?" "what is 120/80?"

Now after looking it up I know they are the numbers from systolic pressure and diastolic pressure.. which are used to determine the persons blood pressure level..or something like that lol. I will now go look for a B/P cuff and stethoscope and practice taking pulse. (Saw both together on amazon for like 9$)

Okay so this post is not only for the guy who replied but everyone to read.. feel free to respond.. Also while I'm here I want to add some questions.

I read about respiratory rate... how do you determine someones respiratory rate? Along with B/P and Respiratory rates.. what else do you measure or check for in that sense on patients.. that I should know?

One last question. I'm not sure if this is something to know for someone who is just starting out.. but things like Liters, Milliliters, and certain numbers like 12mg of blah blah whatever you use... when dealing with patients... I don't know any of that and I'm thinking that's stuff for "Paramedics" ? Do you know where I can start learning all that? Hope that makes sense I'm not sure how to better ask about that... but if you understand what I mean hope you can reply.

Thanks again to all of you and sorry if I ask too much.

[mobey]

Also, thanks for bringing up the B/P Cuff. I used to look at those blood pressure numbers and see/hear numbers like 120/80... I used to think "what does that mean?" "what is 120/80?"

Now after looking it up I know they are the numbers from systolic pressure and diastolic pressure.. which are used to determine the persons blood pressure level..or something like that lol. I will now go look for a B/P cuff and stethoscope and practice taking pulse. (Saw both together on amazon for like 9$)

Okay so this post is not only for the guy who replied but everyone to read.. feel free to respond.. Also while I'm here I want to add some questions.

I read about respiratory rate... how do you determine someones respiratory rate? Along with B/P and Respiratory rates.. what else do you measure or check for in that sense on patients.. that I should know?

One last question. I'm not sure if this is something to know for someone who is just starting out.. but things like Liters, Milliliters, and certain numbers like 12mg of blah blah whatever you use... when dealing with patients... I don't know any of that and I'm thinking that's stuff for "Paramedics" ? Do you know where I can start learning all that? Hope that makes sense I'm not sure how to better ask about that... but if you understand what I mean hope you can reply.

Really, you asking us to explain the EMT-B curriculum in one post. After we answer the above questions you will just have more right? You need to focus less on pre-learning the "skills" portion and start learning about the human body. Things like how the heart is constructed, what is the difference between arteries and veins?, what does each organ do? Take a piece of food and follow it through the body. Now do the same with a drink of water.

This is the stuff that will really help in school.... and to be honest, it is usually grazed over in class.

Honestly it is not difficult to take a B/P, it will only take a few times, and you will be proficient, now understanding what the kidney does and how it does it.... That is difficult.

BTW, hit youtube for good A&P videos.

Edited September 18, 2010 by mobey

[KyleKIR]

You're right Mobey.. I prob. have too many questions and should just take a class and I will soon. I will stop asking take your advice along with everyone else's and just read about the human body.

I was prob. dumb for asking half those questions because really... I just googled them after this post and pretty much just got the answers I was looking for so sorry.

Oh and I know the difference between veins and arteries cause I googled that a few min ago as well

So yeah I will stop asking and start reading on the human body.

I didn't understand though what you meant about "Take a piece of food and follow it through the body. Now do the same with a drink of water." I'm not sure I can do that myself but I can look for videos on that.. and see what really happens to the food/drinks we put in our body.. it'd be kinda cool.

I'll check out youtube for the A/P like you suggest.

thanks again. : )

[mobey]

You're right Mobey.. I prob. have too many questions and should just take a class and I will soon. I will stop asking take your advice along with everyone else's and just read about the human body.

I was prob. dumb for asking half those questions because really... I just googled them after this post and pretty much just got the answers I was looking for so sorry.

Oh and I know the difference between veins and arteries cause I googled that a few min ago as well

So yeah I will stop asking and start reading on the human body.

I didn't understand though what you meant about "Take a piece of food and follow it through the body. Now do the same with a drink of water." I'm not sure I can do that myself but I can look for videos on that.. and see what really happens to the food/drinks we put in our body.. it'd be kinda cool.

I'll check out youtube for the A/P like you suggest.

thanks again. : )

No apologies necessary. You are gung-Ho... That is a good thing! Just wanted you to focus on what will be most beneficial.

What I meant by the food thing is: Food enters the mouth, then is chewed and swallowed down the esophagus and into the stomach, Then what... what happends in the stomach? when it leaves the stomach where does it go? etc etc.

The point of this exercise is to get your brain used to understading concepts, as well as reasearching and comprehendig medical literature.

The same exercise can be used for blood flow through the heart. Blood enters the heart to a chamber called the right atria... Then what?

[JPINFV]

See I've been learn things myself like certain vocab. words and I have no clue how to use a lot of them in a sentence.

Say for example.. the words: Posterior, Anterior, Ventral, Dorsal, Proximal, Distal.

I'm assuming I'll need to know these words so I have learned them. You ask me what they mean I'll tell you, but When it comes to actually using the words say in a sentence or dealing what a patient I have no clue how to use these words. So I think its good I at least know what they mean now..so when I get into an EMT class the Instructor will be able to then not only re teach me those words, but show me how they'll be used and how to apply them in the field.

does that make sense?

For example, the location of a laceration could be described as, "The patient has a 1.5 inch laceration on the anterior forearm beginning approximately 2 inches distal to the cubital fossa.

Also, thanks for bringing up the B/P Cuff. I used to look at those blood pressure numbers and see/hear numbers like 120/80... I used to think "what does that mean?" "what is 120/80?"

Now after looking it up I know they are the numbers from systolic pressure and diastolic pressure.. which are used to determine the persons blood pressure level..or something like that lol. I will now go look for a B/P cuff and stethoscope and practice taking pulse. (Saw both together on amazon for like 9$)

This is where a good anatomy and physiology comes into place. It's nice to know that the high number is systolic and the low number is diastolic, but what do those terms really mean in conjunction with the heart contracting and the rest of how the body works?

I read about respiratory rate... how do you determine someones respiratory rate? Along with B/P and Respiratory rates.. what else do you measure or check for in that sense on patients.. that I should know?

Resp. rate is simply counting the number of inhalation/exhalation cycles in 60 seconds, or a shorter period (15 seconds or 30 seconds is most common, however you could also do 20 seconds) and muliply by how much needed to reach 60 seconds (so a patient breathing 7 times in 30 seconds is 14 respiration per 60 seconds). For a blood pressure, you place the cuff on the upper arm, inflate to, generally, 150-160 mmHg (might need higher depending on the patient), and then slowly release pressure while listening with a stethoscope to the brachial artery at the cubital fossa. When you hear the beating (korotkoff sounds), the pressure represents the systolic pressure. When the beating goes away, the pressure represents the diastolic pressure.

One last question. I'm not sure if this is something to know for someone who is just starting out.. but things like Liters, Milliliters, and certain numbers like 12mg of blah blah whatever you use... when dealing with patients... I don't know any of that and I'm thinking that's stuff for "Paramedics" ? Do you know where I can start learning all that? Hope that makes sense I'm not sure how to better ask about that... but if you understand what I mean hope you can reply.

Liters and grams are different forms of measurement in the metric system and can be used and are useful at all levels of health care.

[Lone Star]

There's nothing wrong with being 'gung-ho' about learning what you need in EMS. The focus at this point should be developing good study habits, and not just memorization. You should start with the human body, its parts, where they're located and what they do. Then you can focus on HOW they do what they do (ie: how does the air we breathe in get to the cells of our feet?)

As far as aplogizing for asking questions; that's what we're here for. There is nothing 'wrong' with your quest for knowledge, but since you're 'pre EMT class', rather than trying to pick our brains for 'advanced knowledge', you should start with the basics of anatomy and physiology. You'll be surprized how little A&P will be taught in the EMT-B class!

As far as terminology, very few people still use 'dorsal' and 'ventral' in their verbal/written reports. The more common terms would be 'anterior' and 'posterior'.

Once you get an understanding of how the body works, you'll have a deeper understanding of how certain diseases and injuries affect the body. Then you'll be able to understand WHY you do the treatments you do, and how the expected outcomes will benefit your patients. It will also help you to understand what to do if the treatments don't yield the expected results.