Advice From All You Medics

[jh504]

Well I just passed my written part of my EMT-Intermediate test yesterday...what a load off my sholders! Passed the practical part a few weeks back...wasn't worried about that, I don't mind the hands on, but I don't do well on written / computer based tests at all, but I knocked it out on the first try.

Our program here through the fire department was a year long with class two days a week starting last January and then starting in April we had several hundred hours of clinicals and ride along time we had to have finished by November. It all sucked, but I'm not an EMS guy, grew up on the fire side of things, but they are making us do it now. The whole process just cut into my golf, snowboarding, and all my other outdoor activites way too much, glad it's over!

Congrats on the intermediate. Most of my fire buddys around here feel the same way you do about medical. When I tell them Im doing paramedic, they are like,"dude dont be one of those guys, you need to be fighting fire!" I laugh it off, because I like both. I dont think I would stay interested for long if I didnt have the medical aspect.

 

[OneTime]

You think you get teased. You should hear my cop buddies when they find out I'm going to medic school. Tease me about being a nurse, hose dragger etc....

 

[firemansxterra]

hey guys, now don't get me wrong i'm not complaining (sorry if it sounded like it) about doing the EMS...I know it's providing job security for us...fires are few and far between, well at least the big ones...but i just have a problem with them making guys get into the ALS stuff that don't want to be...

the way we have our academy set up out here is the first 5 weeks or so is all EMT-B stuff and and then the last couple of months is all the fire stuff...and I agree with the teaching of the Basic stuff that way everyone at least has a basic understanding of medical emergencies...my problem is making guys do the ALS stuff that don't want to for the simple reason that if i screw up on an ALS call when i'm the AIC in the back of the box...they can pull my license and then they would fire me so that legally they could say in a court of law that they got rid of the problem or the employee that had the incompetencies...

i mean i knew i would always have to do this because my captain from day one said that i have "strong patient repore" and he wanted me to become ALS...i just know there are plenty of people we can hire that want to do the ALS stuff and some of the guys, at least around here, that they make do ALS have no place doing it, at least i wouldn't want some of them they force to, to be taking care of my family member!

sorry this post was all over the place please don't think i'm complaining, i'm just stating my point of view!

 

[jh504]

hey guys, now don't get me wrong i'm not complaining (sorry if it sounded like it) about doing the EMS...I know it's providing job security for us...fires are few and far between, well at least the big ones...but i just have a problem with them making guys get into the ALS stuff that don't want to be...

the way we have our academy set up out here is the first 5 weeks or so is all EMT-B stuff and and then the last couple of months is all the fire stuff...and I agree with the teaching of the Basic stuff that way everyone at least has a basic understanding of medical emergencies...my problem is making guys do the ALS stuff that don't want to for the simple reason that if i screw up on an ALS call when i'm the AIC in the back of the box...they can pull my license and then they would fire me so that legally they could say in a court of law that they got rid of the problem or the employee that had the incompetencies...

i mean i knew i would always have to do this because my captain from day one said that i have "strong patient repore" and he wanted me to become ALS...i just know there are plenty of people we can hire that want to do the ALS stuff and some of the guys, at least around here, that they make do ALS have no place doing it, at least i wouldn't want some of them they force to, to be taking care of my family member!

sorry this post was all over the place please don't think i'm complaining, i'm just stating my point of view!

I agree with you about the ALS issues. The guys who have no interest in medicine shouldnt go beyond BLS, in my opinion. Because that is getting into really serious stuff and if they dont have a love for it they have no business doing it. I like fire based EMS (as my avatar might show), but I dont think ALS should be mandatory. But this is coming from someone with a little over 2 years experience so what do I know.

 

[jh504]

So you go once and week then also have sepperate classes to take?

Thats correct. Once a week for 8 hours. We have a seperate A&P class that is online. We are also required to run over 500 clinical hours during this timeframe.

 

[OneTime]

Firemanexterra....Point well made. No one should be made to run ALS.

How do you do A&P online with no lecture? I have never taken an online course but, I couldnt imagine not having it explained to me in person or hands on. I am almost done reading our A&P book, 500 plus pages. I only understand about 50% from reading. We have a lab as part or our A&P. I think we will be using pigs to disect. We also atend an autopsy I can look at pictures all day long in a book but till an intsructor explains things in simple terms I don't get it. There is no way I'd be able to learn from an online course. But thats just me.

 

[jh504]

Firemanexterra....Point well made. No one should be made to run ALS.

How do you do A&P online with no lecture? I have never taken an online course but, I couldnt imagine not having it explained to me in person or hands on. I am almost done reading our A&P book, 500 plus pages. I only understand about 50% from reading. We have a lab as part or our A&P. I think we will be using pigs to disect. We also atend an autopsy I can look at pictures all day long in a book but till an intsructor explains things in simple terms I don't get it. There is no way I'd be able to learn from an online course. But thats just me.

Im not sure how it works to be honest with you. I have never taken an online course. It could be that everything is online except for the labs. We have also been informed that it will be an abreviated course designed specifically for the paramedic curriculum. I will find out in about a month, so I will post up on how it works.

 

[OneTime]

Good luck bro. I just finished my AP book and I got tell you it seems 75% is overkill. Nice to know, but cant see how all of it is necessary for pre-hospital. I have bben reading the my Brady Paramedic book that has a 150 page chapter of AP just for medics. I read the chapter of the AP book. Try to digest it all, then go back and read the corresponding part of the Brady book to see what I need to know medic wise. Example....If a PT has a sprain or strain. As long as I know what RX to provide, does it mater or not if I know the name of the muscle or joint that is injured? Maybe thats not the correct attitude, but I figure there is so much to learn I need to concentrate on whats necessary.

 

[OneTime]

How do you cut and paste other people's post, so you and reply to them?

 

[jh504]

How do you cut and paste other people's post, so you and reply to them?

One way is by hitting the "QUOTE" button in the lower right hand side of someone elses post. Thats what I just did with this one. Another way is to make the quote yourself like this [.QUOTE=jh504] use that for the start and then this for the end [./QUOTE] except take the periods out so it will work, and insert whoever's name where my name is.

 

[OneTime]

One way is by hitting the "QUOTE" button in the lower right hand side of someone elses post. Thats what I just did with this one. Another way is to make the quote yourself like this [.QUOTE=jh504] use that for the start and then this for the end [./QUOTE] except take the periods out so it will work, and insert whoever's name where my name is.

Like this? Cool thanks!

 

[OneTime]

DAY ONE TODAY. Holly Cow this is going to be tuff! Too tired to post anything else. I got four chapters to get through before Friday.

 

[jh504]

DAY ONE TODAY. Holly Cow this is going to be tuff! Too tired to post anything else. I got four chapters to get through before Friday.

Yeah I know what you mean. Our first test covering 6 chapters was scheduled for the third day of class! It got pushed back though due to snow, so I am using my time wisely.

 

[OneTime]

I had my first real day of real lecture today. 4 A&P chapters. Intro, Chem, Cells/Tissues and Skin. I was a little dissapointed. Our instructor is a ER doc. He breezed threw the chapter saying "You need to know this and need to know that. Dont worry about that." Very little actually teaching. More review. I guess my bad for not knowing the subject before hand. Most of the other students have taken prior A&P classes. Im a little behind the 8 ball.

No snow here. I few showers and temps in the 70's!

 

[OneTime]

WOW!!! It's been too weeks and the pace is crazy!!! Sad thing is I dont think it will let up for the next 6 months. Hopefully I'l get past my AP test next Monday. Things are "clinking" and I am "getting it". The hard part will be all the memorization for test purposes. I'm averaging three hours of studing a day.