Advice to students of EMS, from another point of view

[Dustdevil]

Then again, this is the Bay Area. We have enough problems getting idiots to use turn signals and turn off cell phones inside movie theatres *and* classrooms.

Dude, wtf is the deal with cellphones now? In my refresher class, I notice that only two (out of nine) students had cellphones that rang every night. EVERY night! Multiple times!! And they NEVER took that opportunity to put the damn thing on silence mode or just turn it off til after class. Nope, they just let it go off three more times that night. At least they didn't answer the things in class!

One thing I have also noticed is that there are two kinds of cellphone people. Those who have a normal phone ringtone, who silence it as soon as it starts ringing. And those who have some stupid ass musical (using the term loosely) ringtone (usually rap), who let it ring and ring and ring and ring while they take their time digging it out of their pockets and checking the caller ID before making any effort whatsoever to silence it.

When I become dictator of the local EMS school, that crap will stop. One warning. After that, you're out. No refunds.

[AnthonyM83]

OMG, I hate that.

If a cell phone goes off in class you rush to turn it off immediately! And then you don't let it happen ever again.

I don't know how I keep having people in various classes whose cell always rings. Familiarize yourself with your phone and make it second nature to silence it as you walk into any classroom.

[Nate]

Haha, my cell phone, laptop, and PDA all have wireless web, plus I carry a pager from the private service. (Thank God that the city doesn't make us carry one). When I'm in class I turn all my ringers off. If I'm going to pay for a class, then I'm going to get my money's worth.

[JakeEMTP]

OMG, I hate that.

If a cell phone goes off in class you rush to turn it off immediately! And then you don't let it happen ever again.

I don't know how I keep having people in various classes whose cell always rings. Familiarize yourself with your phone and make it second nature to silence it as you walk into any classroom.

Just to add something to this, when I was in Basic class, our instructor made it perfectly clear in the very first class, that if he heard a cell phone ring during HIS class, that person would be removed from that particular session. 8)

[EMTB2EMTP8605]

I cant agree more nothing breaks my concentration more than a cell phone going off when I am trying to pay attention to important information. It make me mad!!!!! [/font:9934038abc]

[EMTB2EMTP8605]

I like the gory pictures, and basket weaving looks like a bore to me. I would rather watch Trauma life in the ER during dinner than

Vanna White turning letters. If pictures in books are gory, how the heck would they stand the real thing like someone taking a shotgun and blowing their head off, or a vehicle rollover and people ejected!

I Agree!!!![/font:4d5f0e55d2]

[tattoomama]

When we started our Emt B classes as part of the cost was the issuance of two grey polo shirts with the staff of life on it and lettering from the college and Emt B etc. We were to wear those to class along with black pants, black shoes and black socks. Not only that we had to wear said same outfit to our clinicals, we could also purchase a heavy sweatshirt for the ride times. We looked pretty spiffy and professional looking.

We had class twice a week, I studied on the average of 3 to 4 hours daily, that was after work, days off at least eight hours. I also aked questions and challenged some questions etc. I was there to learn, however we had some students the instructor constantly had to remind them to shut up and pay attention. Some were more concerned about gossiping than learning. Those students had to take the practicals more than once and the test more than once, one girl has never passed her test at all.

I think its all in your commitment and how you want to succeed or if you want to succeed. If your there for the glory you will do just what it takes to get buy, (my opinion). But if you truly want to succeed you will do what ever it takes, research, chemistry whatever to make the grade and dress the part, dress for success.

My humble opinions.

Cookie, this sounds ALOT like my experience so far! I'm an EMT-I student, due to take the NREMT on MArch 25. The things you mentioned remind me so much of my classmates. Actually had people complaining about doing homework!!

[AnthonyM83]

So many EMT's, including paramedic students, that I talk to see being a paramedic as simply a collection of technical skills.

I know this is an old post, but wanted to say I think this is a result of the classrooms?/teachers?/textbooks?/DOT? being scared of liability. Very quickly I figured out how they just want us to actually be basic technicians. It's like following algorithm. Sure, the instructors tried to get us to see the big picture and not get stuck on the algorithm (cookbook?), but unless they made the classes and requirements longer, I don't think that'd be a good idea. There'd be too many 'crazy ideas' EMTs would try. I think their role currently serves the setup of the system. As far as I know, the main places you can get hired (ambulance or FD), you're going to have paramedics partnered with you wherever you go who can make those deviations from cookbook treatment that require critical thinking skills.

[Dustdevil]

But nobody is stopping those schools from exceeding the minimum requirements. In fact, most schools I see do so significantly. Those schools who do not extend their curriculum in order to give their students an education sufficient to produce competent practitioners are the main problem. And those students (and agencies) who choose their school simply based upon how short it is are also a problem.

The point is to elevate education to a higher standard, not to dumb it down to the lowest common denominator.

[AnthonyM83]

And those students (and agencies) who choose their school simply based upon how short it is are also a problem.

There's also the issue of finances. For example, I chose to take mine at a community college, because it was 5 minutes from home, but also less expensive then a private program. I'd love to take the most in-depth class available, but it's not too likely. Also, a lot of EMTs are younger kids who can't afford the good programs. This is reminding me of previous conversations on this topic. It's all one big circle, I guess.