# Practical Station - Medical Assessment



## Amber_S (May 15, 2008)

Couple of quick questions: I'm taking my practical examinations next weekend and I am very nervous. I have every station memorized so far, can I have my invisible EMT-B assistant take vitals for me as long as I verbalize they are doing so? Also, during ongoing assessment, can I just verbalize repeating my initial assessment, vitals, focused exam or do I have to demonstrate this? I have received two different answers from my two instructors, both NREMT-P's. Any advise? I'm practicing like crazy. Also, any tips for passing the practical skill stations would be greatly appreciated! I keep hearing overtreat, overtreat, and you can't go wrong, verbalize everything etc. but any specific tips would be greatly appreciated.


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## Jeremy89 (May 15, 2008)

The best tip I can give is to be confident and don't EVER stop talking.  If you walk in there and just start saying everything, they barely have time to find out where you are on the sheet, and will likely pass you.  on the other hand, if you walk in and are shy and "I think I'd do this..." or "I'd probably do this..."  they may or may not pass you.

Hope that helps!


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## Amber_S (May 15, 2008)

I'm goin with it! Great advice. Thanks!


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## skippy54 (May 16, 2008)

You have ten minutes to do the station, and even if you do everything yourself in a slow-paced manner that's plenty of time.

Grabbing the vitals yourself is what our instructor recommended.  It's critical criteria to acquire vitals, and I'm not entirely sure whether or not having a fake emt grab the vitals will work.


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## jazminestar (May 16, 2008)

when i did mine, we could verbalize someone taking vitals and stuff........i scored damn near perfect on mine, i got one half point off on tramua assement for not verbalizing something, but i know i did (i just think my t.a didn't want to give me a perfect score    lol but anyhoo, best advice i can give is be confident and TAKE YOUR TIME they give you more then enough time to get the skills done. good luck!!!


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## roxychick (May 16, 2008)

I actually went on google and watched people take the test. lol I know it sounds weird but it actually helped me out. While I was watching I was naming off the stuff that they were doing step by step...did that make sense? lol Heh Goodluck tho and take ur time! ^_^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7l411ccJAo



Amber_S said:


> Couple of quick questions: I'm taking my practical examinations next weekend and I am very nervous. I have every station memorized so far, can I have my invisible EMT-B assistant take vitals for me as long as I verbalize they are doing so? Also, during ongoing assessment, can I just verbalize repeating my initial assessment, vitals, focused exam or do I have to demonstrate this? I have received two different answers from my two instructors, both NREMT-P's. Any advise? I'm practicing like crazy. Also, any tips for passing the practical skill stations would be greatly appreciated! I keep hearing overtreat, overtreat, and you can't go wrong, verbalize everything etc. but any specific tips would be greatly appreciated.


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## Ridryder911 (May 16, 2008)

Just remember... _ "It's so simple ..._

.


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## Jeremy89 (May 16, 2008)

roxychick said:


> I actually went on google and watched people take the test. lol I know it sounds weird but it actually helped me out. While I was watching I was naming off the stuff that they were doing step by step...did that make sense? lol Heh Goodluck tho and take ur time! ^_^
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7l411ccJAo




Nice vid.  This is how I spend hours on youtube...if you look at the 'related videos' there are some good ones.  Somehow I ended up on "woman in surgery has cardiac arrest"....gotta love YouTube!


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## Amber_S (May 17, 2008)

Yes, I've been watching all the vids by that user on youtube, it's been a great help. Wow, now I really hope I pass, otherwise, I'm apparently dumber than a caveman. lol. Thanks to everyone's encouraging replies


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## Ridryder911 (May 18, 2008)

Amber_S said:


> Yes, I've been watching all the vids by that user on youtube, it's been a great help. Wow, now I really hope I pass, otherwise, I'm apparently dumber than a caveman. lol. Thanks to everyone's encouraging replies



Your not dumb, the point you missed is that it is really "so simple". They now at least give you the criteria and sheet they grade from, they used not to. No one knew, exactly the criteria. Memorize, rehearse, and practice then practice some more. As others describe verbalization is the key. I always teach my students to act like they are teaching this skill to a new student, make sure to make eye contact with the evaluator as well so you know they understand and heard everything you described. 

So simple, NREMT does not officially have a Basic practical exam. They just require the school, state, region to have one stating the person is competent. 

Good luck!

R/r 911


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## MedicDoug (May 19, 2008)

This is my station when I proctor Basic skills exams... I have three pieces of advice:
1. Take a breath, Take your time
2. Take a breath, Take your time
3. Take a breath, Take your time.

And verbalize what you're looking for/at... ok, that's four...

Quite often when candidates mess up this station its because they rush...

Also, LISTEN to the answers the "patient" gives... I've had more than one student fixate on chest pain when chest pain was never mentioned in the scenario. ok... five...

Good luck...


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## phunguy (May 19, 2008)

Part of the Arizona medical practical was interventions. If it was cardiac and the patient had nitro what were the indications and contraindications of using it. Same for epi, mdi and behaviorial... So we had to know the medical sheet but also what we could do to treat..


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## roxychick (May 19, 2008)

phunguy said:


> Part of the Arizona medical practical was interventions. If it was cardiac and the patient had nitro what were the indications and contraindications of using it. Same for epi, mdi and behaviorial... So we had to know the medical sheet but also what we could do to treat..



we had to do that too...


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## MedicDoug (May 19, 2008)

Most practical exams will vary a little based on the local protocols. Some places EMT-Bs do epi, nitro, etc., some places do not.

When I proctor this station I expect the candidate to tell me if the epi-pen, for example, is in the Basic Scope of their state. I know Oregon has a whole bunch of extra skills for their Basics...

Try not to worry too much (easy for me to say!) just take your time and talk your way through it..


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## JGUSresponder (May 25, 2008)

*Oxygen!!!!!!!!*

When I went through my practicals in April, many people did a perfect assessment and forgot

HIGH FLOW (15 LPM) OXYGEN!!!!

best of luck


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## JPINFV (May 25, 2008)

I was about to make a snarky comment about using a NRB on all patients, but I checked the NREMT skill sheets to keep myself from looking too much like a butt. Such a stupid critical failure criteria.

Edit: 
Looking at it further, does anyone else think that including "administered a dangerous/*inappropriate* intervention" and "did not provide high concentration of oxygen" is a little contradictory in terms of critical failure?


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## mikeylikesit (May 25, 2008)

so, since you were so nervous at first and took some good advice here...how did it go?


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## Jon (May 26, 2008)

JPINFV said:


> I was about to make a snarky comment about using a NRB on all patients, but I checked the NREMT skill sheets to keep myself from looking too much like a butt. Such a stupid critical failure criteria.
> 
> Edit:
> Looking at it further, does anyone else think that including "administered a dangerous/*inappropriate* intervention" and "did not provide high concentration of oxygen" is a little contradictory in terms of critical failure?


Yeah.. right.

One of those things that differs between EMT school and the street.


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## AnthonyM83 (May 26, 2008)

It seems that people who actually take my advice to take their time do better. They pause every little bit to make sure they did all that was needed and often remember something they missed and go back and fix it. I still do that in the real world...pause, rethink what you're doing, continue.


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