Trama and BLS

[jakobsmommy2004]

Im kinda irratated right now because i dont know if i will get any trama experience. I work for a private ambulance doing mainly transfers, dialysis runs ect...I dont want to work on a fire dept. I read all these post about trama and emt-b. How do i get that experience as an EMT-B without being on a fire dept? Not that i wish trama on anybody lol. im am afraid my skills will wither away without any experience in doing real tramas. I dont want to go to paramedic school without that experience. I know i could practice on family members in mock senerios but it would not be the same. The best practice is on the real thing.:angry:

 

[Meursault]

Hurt your family members?

I'm in somewhat of the same situation. My college service is all EtOH and BS calls, and 911 response in my home and college areas is all ALS.

I'm wondering, though, how important trauma experience is. BLS is not complex. Insights or flames for being an ignorant n00b would be greatly appreciated.

 

[certguy]

Trauma and BLS

Unfortunately , working the routine stuff takes up the majority of most BLS unit calls in the private companies . Don't let your guard down though because sometimes a routine call can go south on you or the dispatcher didn't get enough info and you walk in on stuff like a con home pt. or an elderly pt. at home that fell and surprisingly , meets trauma criteria . OOPS !
The seemingly routine can occasionally crump on you too . MURPHY'S AN
OPTIMIST WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR . I used to have a knack for coming across MVA's . It happens sometimes . To satisfy your desire for experience , what about moonlighting for a company that does special events ? Are there any volunteer opportunities in your area ?

 

[jordanfstop]

Work or Vollie 911

 

[Katie]

Just out of curiosity why not a fire department? Working and/or volunteering there doesn't aways mean you have to be a fireman, at least in this area.

 

[jordanfstop]

Where I'm at, I personally feel that trauma and BLS in general is all too much dependent upon ALS. It's the fact that medics are dispatched on a simultaneous dispatch along with BLS buses is that BLS is too used to it in a way. I was thinking of picking up a job in Manhattan so I could keep my skills sharp; so in a way I can feel what you mean. However, we do get our fairshare of trauma calls. Like I had said earlier, try and get a vollie 911 shift once every two weeks or so.

 

[disassociative]

You will probably have to switch over to a 911 Service.

As for Emt-B's and trauma; I wouldn't really know--as we don't have EMT-B here in TN, but it seems like the thing to do; switching over to a 911 service.

 

[skyemt]

i work for a volly 911 agency as a basic... lots of trauma...

 

[skyemt]

Hurt your family members?

I'm in somewhat of the same situation. My college service is all EtOH and BS calls, and 911 response in my home and college areas is all ALS.

I'm wondering, though, how important trauma experience is. BLS is not complex. Insights or flames for being an ignorant n00b would be greatly appreciated.

you wonder because you don't see any trauma calls... if you did, i'm sure you wouldn't say something like that!

 

[jakobsmommy2004]

You will probably have to switch over to a 911 Service.

As for Emt-B's and trauma; I wouldn't really know--as we don't have EMT-B here in TN, but it seems like the thing to do; switching over to a 911 service.

seems like everything around here for any fire dept or 911 calls you have to be a medic

 

[OnceAnEagle]

"I'm in somewhat of the same situation. My college service is all EtOH and BS calls, and 911 response in my home and college areas is all ALS.

Really? My college service has much of what you say, but there's still a fair amount of low level trauma going on, even some medium-to-serious occasionally.

I don't know what was in the water this past year, but there have been an insane amount of seizures, and a remarkably low amount of EtOH. Maybe they're not getting caught, maybe those drinking awareness programs are wearing off.... or maybe they're just not getting caught... yeeaaah, that sounds right.

I've been working for a commercial agency for about four months now, a local company that has traditionally been heavy with interfaculity transfers and so forth. Remarkably, it took nearly 100 hours on the clock before I even handled a transfer or return. But, then again, I didn't get a single BLS call for those 100 hours- I'm an ALS magnet, the medics hate me for making them work so much. On the bright side, I can assist-a-tech like no other out of sheer volumetric practice.

That being said, BLS trauma is BLS trauma... I wouldn't get too excited over it. Just get the algorithm for your evaluation down and be prepared to rattle it off when it's really needed.

That being said as well, remember that just because you're the basic, probably on a BLS/ALS bus, nothing precludes you from handling the trauma. Nothing will make a medic happier to work with you than seeing you getting your BLS exam out of the way and giving that vital information to them in a timely manner. It's amazing how quickly you can get medic on your side when you can tell them the current vitals, major physical findings, and manage an airway in that first three minutes. Let the tech deal with the IV's, happy drugs, and the things to make the patient better; you just have to keep the patient alive long enough for them to get to work. BLS saves lives, whether from a medic or an EMT- the rest (ALS) is just gravy. That, from a slightly biased source

 

[princess]

B) I love your attitude, Eagle. I wish my partner would get it like you do. I'm getting a little tired of constantly telling him what to do..."How 'bout a little oxygen? Wanna splint that arm?" etc, etc. The only thing I am sure of is his perfect vital signs assessments. We need to have a talk. :angry:

 

[firetender]

"I know i could practice on family members in mock senerios but it would not be the same. The best practice is on the real thing."

You could traumatize them, of course. But, maybe you could start by volunteering in an ER. If they don't have a program in place, suggest it. ER's are always short-staffed.

Expect to spend a bunch of time doing s-work, but as they get more confidence in you, and you in yourself, you'll get to do more. The value of working an ER can't be emphasized enough. You'll get to stetch your "patience tolerance" abilities (bad pun on "patient") and view, at first, a large variety of injuries.

And, you know, it wouldn't hurt to volunteer with an organization that works with the dying. It's important for you (and inevitable, too) to be able to look death in the face.

...and then if it's that important you'll drag poor Jacob to wherever it is you can experience more trauma in your life, at the good end of the gurney, of course. Hopefully, that won't traumatize him.

 

[Ridryder911]

This is part of the dilemma we are finding in EMS. As the profession matures and the desired entry position is now becoming Paramedic level, I believe it will be more difficult for those at a basic level to find employment at emergency service levels. This is why I highly recommend direct continuation of education into the Paramedic level immediately after EMT graduation.

More & more services are now no longer even reviewing basic level experience, as well as requiring it.

Sure, if one can obtain more experience, it can be beneficial but I again would recommend furthering one education if they are seriously considering making this a career choice.

Good luck!

R/r 911

 

[Shabo]

JM,

Have you considered getting your Intermediate? With your "I" you'll be able to ride ALS in Wayne county, and get the experience that your looking for. Otherwise since your no where near a volley F.D.,and most E..R.'s wont hire a "B" as a tech your options are limited.

Shabo

 

[jakobsmommy2004]

JM,

Have you considered getting your Intermediate? With your "I" you'll be able to ride ALS in Wayne county, and get the experience that your looking for. Otherwise since your no where near a volley F.D.,and most E..R.'s wont hire a "B" as a tech your options are limited.

Shabo

Yeah I was thinking about that also. I have only been working as a basic for about a month. I m think getting atleast 6 months experience then going for it. me personally im not comfortable going up a level without the road experience.:unsure:

 

[jakobsmommy2004]

This is part of the dilemma we are finding in EMS. As the profession matures and the desired entry position is now becoming Paramedic level, I believe it will be more difficult for those at a basic level to find employment at emergency service levels. This is why I highly recommend direct continuation of education into the Paramedic level immediately after EMT graduation.

More & more services are now no longer even reviewing basic level experience, as well as requiring it.

Sure, if one can obtain more experience, it can be beneficial but I again would recommend furthering one education if they are seriously considering making this a career choice.

Good luck!

R/r 911

I know some people who are a basic going to medic school right after recieving thier basic lisceanse and dont have a clue. I depends on the individual. I know some basics who are in medic school and dont have any experience as a basic. I personally dont think that is a good idea. to be a good medic you have to be a good basic. how do you do that without the experience? Oh well sorry im not attacking anyone whos done this but personally i want the experience first

 

[Ridryder911]

One can go to school and work as well, remember while you are getting that "experience" they will enter at a higher pay, authority and will be in line for promotion, while they obtain experience and you will still be at the same level....

R/r 911

 

[Aileana]

BLS saves lives, whether from a medic or an EMT- the rest (ALS) is just gravy.

hahaha, so true...ALS skills are very important, and do help out the patient immensely sometimes, but if the BLS skills aren't in place first, there'd be no (live) patient left for the ALS crew to work on .

Trauma calls seem to come in waves (we seem to get theme-shifts or theme-weeks with our calls ), so all you can do sometimes is wait for your wave of trauma calls. I can see though how with the transfer ambulances you wouldn't get many trauma calls (if any at all), so as already suggested, maybe volunteering in the local ER would be a good learning experience. As well as that, volunteer organizations like St. John Ambulance do event coverage, and we get some good trauma calls, depending on the event. There are also event EMS companies for some larger events (not sure how they pay) where you can practice your trauma management skills.
I seem to have rambled more than intended, but good luck!

 

[Summit]

trama... trama ... trama ... tramas

Nobody is going to hire you to work traUma calls if you can't even spell the word correctly.