Meds / PMH 'beyond your scope'

[hesher]

Hey all,

Been checking out emtlife for a while now, first time poster.

I work as an EMT in Boston MA for a private company, 1 year experience as of last month. I've been back and forth in regards to getting my medic license and was hoping to get a few different perspectives on my train of thought.

My hesitations are as follows.. I find that when I'm doing a routine discharge and when looking through a patients chart, there are tons of medications and conditions in someone's PMH that I haven't heard of. its a weird disconnect I feel in the clinical setting and I want to know all about medications, what class of drug, what they treat, how it's administered etc. and with PMH I end up googling lots of things throughout the day. It's knowledge that isn't exactly necessary, as an EMT my focus is on emergency interventions and meds, however I'm hesitant to get certified to the highest level of prehospital care when I'm overwhelmed with how much I don't know associated with everyday medicines and terminology. And on a final note, in that year we've never had to do CPR or breakout the AED among other things etc. and I'd prefer to have a few years experience before taking on a lot more responsibility.

That being said, can any medics or medic hopefuls relate?

 

[Tigger]

If you're doing mostly transfers (like me), you could go forever without a code. The odds are just in your favor.

I do the same thing as you do in regards to looking up meds and conditions, and yea it does highlight the lack of education I possess. But you do not need any of that to go to medic school. There's a reason it's called school, they will teach you these things. Medic programs are designed for people that have an EMT card and a high school diploma and that's about it. If you want to be a medic, don't wait to go to school, you don't need any experience and you already have a year.

 

[NomadicMedic]

I don't specifically quite know what you're asking.

Are you asking if you should have experience before going to medic school? Most people say no. You'll learn most of what you'll need in the paramedic program and won't learn any "this is how we do it in the streets" bad habits. However, working as an EMT gives you a taste of what the job is and you can decide if it’s for you before you throw a whole bunch of time and money at it.

If you're wondering if the feeling of being overwhelmed by medications and history over your heard is normal, rest assured, it is. The only way you'll learn this stuff is to read, study and ask questions. Before you know it, you'll be able to ask focused medical history questions based on a patient's medication list.

I’m sure some of the other members will chime in, as well.

 

[NYMedic828]

I believe what the OP is asking is how to become more comfortable/confident as far as meds and whatnot.


Honestly, it just comes with repetition.


Me personally, as an EMT, I didn't really care. I remembered things here and there but it was whatever to me. (I'm just being honest)

When I switched to medic I gained a much greater respect along the way for medicine as a whole and it just sticks a lot better now and I continue to look up everything I can.

Not even doctors remember every last med. They look stuff up too...

 

[triemal04]

Nice, you actually made me laugh on a good day for it. Cheers.

So let me get this straight...you're realizing how little about medicine (ALL medicine) you actually know...but are hesitant to take a class that would help improve that knowledge...because you don't know alot about medicine? :rofl: Nicely done.

Don't let that be what stops you from taking a paramedic class. The point of taking it is to improve what you know; if you allready knew it beforehand it would be a moot point. If you want to brush up on A&P, biology, psychology, medical terminology, sociology, and pharmacology and those aren't covered in-depth in a paramedic class (and often aren't) then please do so; it'll be very helpful during the class and your career.

But keep in mind that most paramedic classes are designed so someone can take an EMT course (where you will learn very very little) and then go almost directly into the paramedic class (where you will learn a little more), with or without any experience. Don't make it out to be something it isn't.

Couple other points. I'd take a much deeper look at what it is that a paramedic does and learns before you go forward; you might be surprised. And while the fact that you are able to recognize how much there is that you don't know is an extremely good mark in your favor, don't expect that to change if you become a paramedic.

It'll get worse.

 

[JPINFV]

Shh... don't tell anyone this, but even physicians often use things like Epocrates to look up medications that they aren't familiar with or to confirm doses for medications that they don't often use.


By the way, if you want a good resource for looking up medications and you have a smart phone, pick up the free version of Epocrates.

 

[EMSrush]

To the OP-

You will absorb a lot of information over time... and your comfort level will increase. I think it's great that you are taking the initiative to look up terminology and medications that you are not familiar with. I do the same thing: if I see a weird med while looking through a chart, I write it down and look it up. Nothing wrong with quenching your proverbial thirst for knowledge. It's a good thing.

 

[Sublime]

Hey all,

Been checking out emtlife for a while now, first time poster.

I work as an EMT in Boston MA for a private company, 1 year experience as of last month. I've been back and forth in regards to getting my medic license and was hoping to get a few different perspectives on my train of thought.

My hesitations are as follows.. I find that when I'm doing a routine discharge and when looking through a patients chart, there are tons of medications and conditions in someone's PMH that I haven't heard of. its a weird disconnect I feel in the clinical setting and I want to know all about medications, what class of drug, what they treat, how it's administered etc. and with PMH I end up googling lots of things throughout the day. It's knowledge that isn't exactly necessary, as an EMT my focus is on emergency interventions and meds, however I'm hesitant to get certified to the highest level of prehospital care when I'm overwhelmed with how much I don't know associated with everyday medicines and terminology. And on a final note, in that year we've never had to do CPR or breakout the AED among other things etc. and I'd prefer to have a few years experience before taking on a lot more responsibility.

That being said, can any medics or medic hopefuls relate?

I'm pretty sure everyone can relate. There is so many conditions and medications out there.. it's impossible for one person to know it all. Just do your best to look up everything you can. You won't be able to memorize everything, but you'll get a good grip on the most common ones.

I google meds / conditions im not familiar with all the time. If I have time ill look it up on the tough book during the transfer or after a 911 call.

 

[medichopeful]

By the way, if you want a good resource for looking up medications and you have a smart phone, pick up the free version of Epocrates.

^Seconded

 

[VFlutter]

 

[FLdoc2011]

Another decent smartphone resource is the "Medscape" app. Similar to epocrates in that it has a drug database, but also has disease info that's not part of the free epocrates version.

 

[mycrofft]

Re the chart above

Yes if the doctor doesn't use brand names instead. Then the chart is a danger, especially if the doc is throwing in some OTC's, such as in a nursing facility or assisted living setting...

 

[Sublime]

Another decent smartphone resource is the "Medscape" app. Similar to epocrates in that it has a drug database, but also has disease info that's not part of the free epocrates version.

I use this one. Pretty handy.

Nice chart... Saved it.

 

[Aidey]

There is at least one error on that chart. The -ciclovir drugs are listed on the next line down, under the -curium drugs.