Starting ride time soon, advice?

[fiznat]

Its finally that time! I just finished my 2nd semester of medic school and, after a few more weeks of lecture, will be starting ride time!! I'm freakin pumped... after 9 months of sitting in classrooms, clinical sessions, and labs, I am itching to get out into the ambulances and start applying this to the real world.

I wanted to ask you guys, what advice do you have for me for ride time? Is anyone here an instructor? How can I best prepare? How should I present myself? How aggressive should I get on calls? What kinds of things can I expect to be quizzed on? Etc etc etc. Any advice you guys can give me will be appreciated. I feel pretty confident with my skills and knowledge to this point, but ride time has a reputation for shaking that confidence so I hear. Help me out!

[Scaramedic]

1. Study the protocols for the service you are riding with. That is one thing you will be quizzed on.

2. Present your self as knowledgeable but not arrogant. You will have to prove to the preceptor you have the chops by doing it not saying it. Except for the knowing your protocols thing above, that is saying it. :dontknow:

3, Prepare to stand by your decisions, like you said ride time will shake up your knowledge. The key is to know why you are doing something. Your preceptor will want you to give a strong clinical reason why you chose any intervention. You need to understand the etiology of the problem and how the intervention helped the patient. This also goes back to the protocols. See a trend here?

4. How aggressive should you be? That is a very fine line, under and over aggressive is a major problem for many interns. When you start your ride-alongs there will be a time when you are just watching the crew work, this is a good time to learn from their style. Watching them gives you a starting point on finding your own rhythm and posture on patient care. Once again protocol comes up, protocols are guidelines not cookbooks. Not every patient will need the interventions lined out in the book, this is the time where you have to decide how aggressive to be with each patient.

5. Keep in mind this is the time to learn and it is the time to screw up without major consequence because you have somebody watching over you. Most preceptors will not let endanger a patient, and after wards they will talk to you about what you did wrong. These debriefings are a great learning experience for you.

I hope this helps a little. Good luck and enjoy yourself.

[nuEMSgurl]

I've got a question related to it-what if you're riding with multiple services? We used to only have one service that was contracted for ride time with our school until that service started their own paramedic training program and telling University students who had already been scheduled for ride time, "Oh, gee, I'm so sorry but one of our own absolutely has to have that truck! You'll just have to reschedule!' And the university student would reschedule and get, "Oh, gee, I'm so sorry but one of our own is has to have that truck! You'll just have to reschedule!" In other words, it's a good ol' boy system where if you're not one of "us," good luck.

Finally, someone at the University told them that if they didn't shape up, we'd be allowed to ride with other services. Well, they didn't shape up so they got permission for us to ride with other services.

Got any advice on how I should conduct myself and memorizing protocol in that situation?

[ffpm41]

Don't act like you own the place or are a full member of the crew. I know it sounds harsh, but remember that you are a visitor to their house. If and when you are included in conversations they will invite you.

Also, help with duties like stocking the unit, station cleaning, washing rigs etc. It will go a long way and they will see that you respect their equipment and them.

[OVeractiveBrain]

Get out while you still can

-OveractiveBrain

[somedic]

Fiznip: I think you have generated an excellent subject here. I wish more ridealong students were as considerate as you. Here are some additional tips:

I disagree with Scarmedic on studying the department's protocols unless you are going to work with that department or you are bored. No one should quiz you on protocols that you may not have to work under.

FFPM41 gave you some good advise in his post.

I would also recommend you help the crew you are riding with in doing shift chores such as washing the ambulance, clean up after calls, etc.

Dont flirt with the nurses at any hospitals you go to. Unless you look like a greek god or have a bottle of love potion # 9...you wont impress them.

Dont try to insert yourself into conversations between your ridealong crew.

No practical jokes.

Offer to pay for lunch. Carry money just in case.

Dont make any suggestions to the medics you are trying to learn from.

Dont make bodily noises because you might think that you are "cute/cool....yes you know what Im talking about and yes we had a medic student come to our fine department and do that!

Keep your sexual exploits and any lurid details to yourself..yes I met a student one day that did not........

Remember that no one has to prove anything to you but you have EVERYTHING to prove to your preceptor.

Good luck

SOMEDIC

[Asysin2leads]

Offer driving tips from the back seat. Crews love that.

[akflightmedic]

Offer to pay for lunch. Carry money just in case.

Good advice so far. Forget about this one please.

You are a student. I would never, ever allow or accept this. Could get pretty expensive if you add up all your ride times. You are not expected to do this and no one would ever hold this against you. Now if you are a new hire, it is a different situation.

If you want to be nice and bring in something home baked or doughnuts or something, fine but do not do this every ride along and do not spend money you may not have. We have jobs, you do not (in EMS anyways).

[becksdad]

Asysin2leads wrote: offer driving tips from the back seat.....LMAO!

Gotta agree with AK on the lunch thing. As a matter of fact if you're a really good student on our truck (shows interest, asks questions, helps out, etc.), its just the other way around. We would probably offer to buy you lunch. Anybody who seems intelligent and motivated, we want to have a good experience.

[Dustdevil]

Asysin2leads wrote: offer driving tips from the back seat.....LMAO!

Yes, things that will win you big points, and show the crew that you aren't a clueless rookie would be comments like"

• "What are you stopping for? There's no traffic coming!"

"The right lane is clear! Just pass him!"

"Don't you use the phaser tone on the siren?"

"Here, hand me the PA microphone!"

"More diesel!!"

• But, on the serious side... As for the meal thing, if you're riding with hosemonkeys, then the issue is settled. You'll eat in the house, not on the road, so as soon as you see, hear, or smell somebody start making chow, find your preceptor and ask him who to give your meal money to. Don't make them ask.