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Advise for new EMT-B's
I am new to the world of EMS. just recently got my EMT-B.. I did very well in class but i have to admit i am scared to death to get on the ambulance. They pounded it in our heads in class that the slightest screw up and you can loose your card..
We're taught that from the time of initial dispatch we should be doing "scene sizeup" thinking about the call and everything thing from equipment to take into the scene to possible hazards of the scene. I myself, paid very close attention during my ride time with class and saw alot. so when i go to a call instead of doing the "scene sizeup" i cant help but go over my "jess dont screw up list" in my head..
I myself feel that in this field, you can never learn enough and your always learning something new.. if by chance you feel that you know all there is to know about the field of EMS and will never need to learn anything else, then bow out gracefully before someone tells you how it is.. I am all for any advise, hints, suggestions or comments on how to overcome my fears on the ambulance.
~Jess~
UPDATE September 1, 2007
Thank you to EVERYONE who has offered advise, support, smiles and everything else offered..
You will all be happy to know that i FINALLY got forced into running my 1st call alone.
My mom was visiting for a weekend, and so around 1am or so the paramedic in town was on another call, and the BLS unit was dispatched for a "unknown problem". Since my mom was at the house i woke hubby up and told him i was taking the call, and he said ok c ya.. i smaked him and said get up your gonna be my driver..
Well as we approached the Fire House, i started to get scared and said if there was not another EMT up there , i wasnt going. when we got there i yelled to another member to ask if he was an EMT and he said " No but you are, GET YOUR ASS ON THAT AMBO.. "
I got on the ambo, went responding and listened to the info being provided to me. After listening to the report from dispatch, i knew that PD was on scene and one of the officers was also a EMT-P. so i knew my back up was already there waiting for me.. When we got on scene, i let dispatch know we were on location and grabbed what i thought i would need and went to my patient. Everything clicked. i remembered what to do. i didnt panic. and at the end of the call, i was really proud of myself.
All of your advise, comments and support gave me the know how to build up the little bit of confidence i needed to get out there and prove to myself that i can do this..
Thank you all.. I wish i could give you each a hug..
Jess
We're taught that from the time of initial dispatch we should be doing "scene sizeup" thinking about the call and everything thing from equipment to take into the scene to possible hazards of the scene. I myself, paid very close attention during my ride time with class and saw alot. so when i go to a call instead of doing the "scene sizeup" i cant help but go over my "jess dont screw up list" in my head..
I myself feel that in this field, you can never learn enough and your always learning something new.. if by chance you feel that you know all there is to know about the field of EMS and will never need to learn anything else, then bow out gracefully before someone tells you how it is.. I am all for any advise, hints, suggestions or comments on how to overcome my fears on the ambulance.
~Jess~
UPDATE September 1, 2007
Thank you to EVERYONE who has offered advise, support, smiles and everything else offered..
You will all be happy to know that i FINALLY got forced into running my 1st call alone.
My mom was visiting for a weekend, and so around 1am or so the paramedic in town was on another call, and the BLS unit was dispatched for a "unknown problem". Since my mom was at the house i woke hubby up and told him i was taking the call, and he said ok c ya.. i smaked him and said get up your gonna be my driver..
Well as we approached the Fire House, i started to get scared and said if there was not another EMT up there , i wasnt going. when we got there i yelled to another member to ask if he was an EMT and he said " No but you are, GET YOUR ASS ON THAT AMBO.. "
I got on the ambo, went responding and listened to the info being provided to me. After listening to the report from dispatch, i knew that PD was on scene and one of the officers was also a EMT-P. so i knew my back up was already there waiting for me.. When we got on scene, i let dispatch know we were on location and grabbed what i thought i would need and went to my patient. Everything clicked. i remembered what to do. i didnt panic. and at the end of the call, i was really proud of myself.
All of your advise, comments and support gave me the know how to build up the little bit of confidence i needed to get out there and prove to myself that i can do this..
Thank you all.. I wish i could give you each a hug..
Jess
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Nancymedic on
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You passed the class, you passed the test, now have a little faith in yourself, go forward and do the very best you can do, everyone gets scared or nervous, you are not alone, and as I was told when I took my class, in class you learn many things, especially how to pass the test, and then when you get on the truck, you learn how to use what you have learned in class, and become the very best you can be. Smile you have lots of people behind you, your back is covered.....................................
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Permalink Reply by medic69 on
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yes!! make sure you write everthing from start to finish!! i had an old partner that forgot to put something in the run report and was fired so make suer you get all the info you need to do a run report-court rooms are no fun. always ask questions and look online for other things to help you out. hope that helps you out
mandy~~
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Permalink Reply by Maygin on
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It was BEAT into out heads that if your pt is going downhill you do not sit on your ass and wait for ALS that could take 15 min to get there and you could have already been at the hospital you go and go fast.
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Permalink Reply by iceman on
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Hey Jess,
True what they tell you in class, but like my instructor told our EMT class. There is the book world , and the real world. Not everything can be done according to the book everytime. True scene safety and size up are number one upon arrival, but there are many other things to take into account also.
I have been riding the ambulance for only a little over a year and a half. First time man was I nervous. But if you are not calm your patient can sense that. Just take a deep breath and relax, at that point you usually know what to do. It's just like in class , it always seems that the book opens to the right page. Of course the more runs you tech, the calmer you become. The worst is children, especially if you have any. It always plays on your mind that it could be yours. Remember we are there to help people. Yeah the state always looks for a scapegoat when things go wrong. But if we think about screwing up we probably will. be strong be safe
George
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Permalink Reply by Mary Ellen Shea on
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I'm a training coordinator, and I'm finally in the position to start practicing what I preach, in that I'm ready to volunteer my time with emergency services hands-on....I've been on the fence about which branch to start my initial training with.....I have an itch to get my EMT-B certification, but there's just something about responding to a fire that gets my dendrites atwitter....
Then I got to second-guessing myself and thinking...I don't know if I can do EMT.....maybe I'll just stick with signing up for FF1...until I read this shortly after talking to my boss, who's also the chief of his fire department....and he said....you've got a good head on your shoulders, you don't panic, you can think on your feet and you've got common sense....sign up for whichever is available first and then cross-train...and it did my heart good to realize that everyone wonders if they can do it, whatever "it" is, the first couple of times around.....and I CAN do this. Thanks for all of your posts, it alleviated a lot of my hesitations.
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Permalink Reply by phinzup911 on
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I had to post a quote of this post by Candy. She said it all!
The job is not that hard, just keep your head on straight and things will be fine.We can't know everything and you're always learning, or should be!
By the way, you can get the TV show "Emergency" on DVD now. I grew up watching the show, it's great! You should get it and watch!
Edith
Quote
"Hey Jess, Congratulation on passing!!! I see that many are giving good advice. We all start out having to overcome some fears. Remember your ABC's they don't stress this in class for nothing. The other thing is get acquainted with your equipment. Nothing worse than getting on the scene and something be different than what you learned on, most things are the same but every company does a little something different. Knowing it will save time in the field.
I have seen lots of new medics trying to figure where to write vitals or times, use the sheet your pt is laying on or grab a spare glove, the sheet you won't lose and the gloves are always around.
Protect your back. Its a rare time that you cannot find lifting help, you only have one, and it only takes one careless move to put you out of this business. Your safety should always come first.
Know your limitations, we all have them, not everyone is GREAT at everything (although some would argue) if you need help just ask, every one of us had questions about something starting out!
Last, don't take yourself to serious, sometimes laughter is the best medicine for curing what we see doing this job we love. Have fun doing it!!! ~Candy"
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Robertucci on
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Jess, Just remember to treat your patient as you would want to be treated if you were the patient. Everything else will fall into place. Also if you can take some calls while there is a duty crew and ask them if you can ride along for some experience most would love the extra help. After you run a few months you will start to really like it. And as you said you will never stop learning ever.
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Permalink Reply by ILDisasterEMT on
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Good for you, Jess. First one is always the hardest. You earned you wings on that call. I'm proud of you.
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Permalink Reply by Matt on
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I was the same way you are. And not afraid to admit some calls i still am. My advice to you is hop every call you can. there is no better expirience than doin it and seeing it. And sooner than later ill bet that you will be sharing advice to others... new and old. Id be more than happy to take any call with a person like you anyday.
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Permalink Reply by Pablo J. de la Torre on
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Welcome aboard to the world of EMT....let me tell you about my first call as EMT.....I had been in EMS for a while before becoming an EMT....my first call was for a house fire, with seven(7) victims of smoke inhal.
upon arrival at scene we were met by fire fighter coming out of the house carrying victims and placing them in the rear of the ambulance, well at first I didn't think we could handle SEVEN patient at once and started to call for second ambulance and more help but when I saw the victims I had to STOP and think things over.....
total number of victims: SEVEN, one female cat with four little ones, two birds, and oh, yea, the last victim was pulled out of the house while we were there, One DOG......everyone doing fine., house total lost......
So, no matter what they tell to prepare you for in EMT school, be ready for the unexpected.
Pablo
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