just me Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Hello, I hope I posted this in the right area. I'm an EMT-B student with some questions... I was wondering if you might have some good advice on study tips for a verbal/visual learner. We are well into our class but I'm at that 'overwhelmed' stage. We are coming up on Spring break and I was hoping to spend the week doing review over everything that we've covered so far. I've made flash cards, recorded myslef doing practicals, and keeping up with my workbook (i love workbooks!). Anyway, I was curious if there were other's who have the same learning style that have some studying techniques that I may not have thought of. Another question I have is regarding the NREMT. We don't do a lot of 'scenario' practice in class. I've asked my teacher if she knows of any study guides that are scenarios based for the EMT-B student, and she said no. I've found some for nursing students, but not for the EMT-B. Is there such a thing? And I have done some research of the NREMT study guides, there are so many one can feel a tad overwhelmed. Is there one that some of you recommend that is better than another, and follows closely to the NREMT (besides the NREMT practice exams itslef). Is it normal to feel like you've hit a brick wall half way through the course? I've loved every minute of it, but man it's a lot of information to digest in only a couple of months. Maybe I'm just scaring myself... -Just Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZCEP Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Everyone will hit the proverbial wall at some point. Some sooner, some later. Look for "Case based" study guides. I know that Brady has one for ALS, so I would guess that they have one for BLS also. As for your learning style, you will know better how to direct your energy than anyone else. Take the information, and manipulate it until you are able to make it yours. If that means writing everything down, do it. If it means reading it into a tape recorder, then listenig to the tape for hours on end, so be it. I would suggest you get a group of your classmates, with similar goals together, and make scenarios of your own for the practice you will need. Most EMT programs run into this same problem. There just isn't enough time to get you all the practice you want/need. It is the system's fault, but it will become your problem in fairly short order. Good luck to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyM83 Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 You could practice scenarios and definitions with a stuffed animal at home. If you're visual you might remember hypovolemic shock better if you have the memory of holding a stuff animal of some kind and imagining all his fluids bleeding out of him and you giving him a diagnosis...though probably a little more complex...and not quite as morbid (though the more morbid the image, the better it sticks in your head). The more you can act out, the more visual memories you'll have to recall during the test. Also, it might help to make notecards in very tiny writing with several definitions on one index card. I found that during tests I can more easily recall a small card (because it's a small field of vision...more like a picture) and can even recall where on the card I took those notes, and then scan for it. It's like when you can remember that you read about a topic and it was on the upper right corner of a right-side page...but there's way to many right-side pages to go through in your head. With index cards, you only have a few to recall visually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneEMTP Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 Near the beginning of my Basic class we were warned about DKSDIO (don't know $hit due to information overload). I wasn't very concerned as I love to study hard and was one of the best students in class. But sure enough, maybe 3/4 of the way through the class, everything I knew became one huge multicolored ball of slime in my brain. Nothing had a connection to anything else! I was hating it...all that time wasted.... One my next test I got something like 14 out of 45. I was dying....when my instructor came up grinning...."DKSDIO....don't sweat it...." I didn't and in a couple of days everything lined up in my head much clearer and more logical that it had before. It seems most people hit the same wall. Try not to freak out and I think you will find you'll come out the back much better than you were going in....just keep doing what you're doing!! I didn't use the study guides, so I can't help you there. And my way of studying is grunt labor when alone and study groups whenever possible.... Good luck to you! Dwayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnatomyChick Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 There is a GREAT Case Study based workbook out there... however, why aren't you doing more scenarios in class...?? Ah well, none of my business. I believe that the Case Study book is published by Mosby, but I don't have it in my office here, it's at home... send me an offline and I'll get the publisher for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILKMAN Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 THERE ARE ALOT OF GOOD TIPS THAT WERE GIVEN BY MANY WHOM HAVE REPLIED. AS AN INSTRUCTOR I AGREE WITH THEM. A GOOD ONE IS GER YOURSELF INTO A STUDY GROUP AND MEET AT LEAST 1 TIME A WEEK OR MORE. ALSO KEEP WORKING WITH THE MATERIAL AND MAKE IT YOUR OWN. WHEN I WENT THROUGH THE CLASS FOR THE STATE OF PA. I MADE UP 555 FLASH CARDS AND DID THEM ON END UNTIL I KNEW THE MATERIAL FOWARDS AND BACKWARDS. YES WHEN YOU REACH THE MIDDLE OF CLASS IS WHEN MOST STUDENTS BECOME CONFUSED AND LOST. BUT JUST REMEMBER IT IS LIKE BUILDING A HOUSE ( NOW YOUR PROBALY THINKING THIS GUY IS NUTS ) BUT IT IS ONE BRICK AT A TIME ONCE YOU HAVE LAYED THE FOUNDATION THE REST WILL JUST FALL INTO PLACE. IF YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF CLASS AFTER THE LECTURE THAT NIGHT . ALL YOU SHOULD BE DOING IS SERINOS. THAT IS WHAT I HAVE MY STUDENTS DO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeEMTP Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cap lock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnatomyChick Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 Whew... glad I wasn't the only one who noticed. Especially for an Educator.. and the spelling... well, don't get me started! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
als_medic_uk Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 The caps are a little off putting, but there is nothing wrong with spelling mistakes, some people are dyslexic, nothing they can do! Spelling does not justify your competence. Regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneEMTP Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 The caps are a little off putting, but there is nothing wrong with spelling mistakes, some people are dyslexic, nothing they can do! Spelling does not justify your competence. Regards. Gotta go with AnatomyChick on this. Unless your spell checker is dyslexic as well, it looks bad. Especially if you are a teacher. Sorry, it's a pet peeve..... Though I'm definitely with MILKMAN on scenarios. We did little to none in my basic class and it hurt. Fortunately many of us students recognized this weakness and did them in study groups, which saved the day. Dwayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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