The count down begins...

[EMTCop86]

Well I am finally registered for my EMT class that will start on January 16th 2009. I am glad I finally got in but now I am starting to get an excited nervous feeling. We have an orientation meeting on January 10th and that is when I will get all my books and my uniform. I can't wait. It will probably be the longest 4 months in my life but it will be well worth it. Especially since my school just got a bunch of cool new tools and patient simulators that we get to train with.

 

[Sapphyre]

Enjoy, learn lots.

 

[Airwaygoddess]

Remember, no question is ever stupid, in this job you will always keep learning, and congrats on your class!

 

[Sasha]

Congrats!! You must be soooo excited!

dont forget, everyone started somewhere, dont be intimidated by anyone, not even your instructor. There is no such thing as a stupid question, and studystudystudy! Practice practice practice! Practice your skills on EVERYTHING. The family pet makes a GREAT squirmy child to asses.

[Woohoo! 300 posts!]

 

[Blacke00]

As a current student that's watching 2/3 of my class fail the first semester miserably/impressively (like 4-5 out of 21 are passing, couple are close), I'll pass on this...

Pay attention, take everything seriously, ask if you don't know/understand something, and have fun. =)

The family pet makes a GREAT squirmy child to asses.

When I was memorizing the skill checkoff sheet for trauma assessment, I was reciting and acting it out on my dogs (dog laying on her back while I "Inspects and palpates the neck. Assesses for JVD. Assesses for Tracheal Deviation. etc) =)

Kevin

 

[EMTCop86]

Hey guys thanks for all the great tips. I plan on taking the class very seriously and plan on trying to learn as much as I can from it. Luckily I have a job right now were I will be able to study my material pretty much all night long so I think this will be a big advantage for me (I guess the graveyard shift doesn't completely suck now, lol). Anyways I was lying in bed this morning and came to the sudden realization that someones life may actually be in my hands. I was a certified first responder when I was a volunteer fire fighter but we basically took vitals on patients and c spine them or whatever needed to be done then passed them off to the medics. Now I will be the one the patient is being passed off too. Mind you I will only be a basic but the agency I plan on working for has one paramedic and one EMT per ambulance. I know the paramedic will be there to help but still makes things more real when the patient is in your hands...Can't wait to start class wish I didn't have to wait another 2 months.

Oh BTW the dog as a patient is a great idea, I have a rat terrier and he is never still!

 

[marineman]

If you're still volunteering as a FF keep going on those calls as a first responder. 95% of your basic class will be the same information and skills that you learn and use as a first responder it will simply have a different approach. EMT is taught based on the idea that you're actually working out of an ambulance where first responder is taught to be working out of a small jump bag. Take any patient contact you can get and at the very least practice getting a good history and a set of vitals as everything we do is based on those first.

 

[EMTCop86]

If you're still volunteering as a FF keep going on those calls as a first responder. 95% of your basic class will be the same information and skills that you learn and use as a first responder it will simply have a different approach. EMT is taught based on the idea that you're actually working out of an ambulance where first responder is taught to be working out of a small jump bag. Take any patient contact you can get and at the very least practice getting a good history and a set of vitals as everything we do is based on those first.

Thank you for the tips but unfortunately I am no longer volunteering. I have been out of the fire dept for about 3 years now. I am hoping that what I learned in my first responders class will help me out a bit but I plan on starting to learn from the bottom and making my way up. While I was with the fire department I did get a lot of experience with patient contact and taking vitals and dealing with traumas and such. I never had a problem with any of that and I already know that I can handle gruesome accident scenes and such.

 

[WIGOH]

Congrats to you.
I'm in the same boat. I start on Jan 6, and I am really excited too. Already have the textbook, and I'm trying to get through the book at least once before the class even starts.

 

[Sasha]

Hey guys thanks for all the great tips. I plan on taking the class very seriously and plan on trying to learn as much as I can from it. Luckily I have a job right now were I will be able to study my material pretty much all night long so I think this will be a big advantage for me (I guess the graveyard shift doesn't completely suck now, lol). Anyways I was lying in bed this morning and came to the sudden realization that someones life may actually be in my hands. I was a certified first responder when I was a volunteer fire fighter but we basically took vitals on patients and c spine them or whatever needed to be done then passed them off to the medics. Now I will be the one the patient is being passed off too. Mind you I will only be a basic but the agency I plan on working for has one paramedic and one EMT per ambulance. I know the paramedic will be there to help but still makes things more real when the patient is in your hands...Can't wait to start class wish I didn't have to wait another 2 months.

Oh BTW the dog as a patient is a great idea, I have a rat terrier and he is never still!

Isnt that an exicting, ominous, and cool feeling? I got it a little late in the game, I was bagging a stroke patient at the hospital on clinicals. My clinical instructor walked over and was like That patients life is in your hands now. If you stop bagging, she dies.

 

[EMTCop86]

Isnt that an exicting, ominous, and cool feeling? I got it a little late in the game, I was bagging a stroke patient at the hospital on clinicals. My clinical instructor walked over and was like That patients life is in your hands now. If you stop bagging, she dies.

Wow what did you think when they said that to you?

 

[tydek07]

Hello, CONGRATS!!

It will be some of the best months of your life! I remember when I was in my EMT class... but have to admitt, paramedic class was 10x better haha

As long as you read your books and participate in class, you will good.