# Pop quiz hotshot: What is the best skill an EMT (B/I/P) can have?



## Hockey (Apr 19, 2009)

What is the best skill an EMT (B/I/P) can have?


Just would like to see what people say


I'll give my .02 answer if someone gets it


----------



## JPINFV (Apr 19, 2009)

educational background.


----------



## EMTinNEPA (Apr 19, 2009)

Define "skill"?

Without a concrete definition of skill, I'm going to go with JP or say "patient assessment".


----------



## Hockey (Apr 19, 2009)

EMTinNEPA said:


> Define "skill"?
> 
> Without a concrete definition of skill, I'm going to go with JP or say "patient assessment".





Its a pretty concrete definition if you ask me 


A skill (also called talent) is the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills. For example, in the domain of work, some general skills would include time management, teamwork and leadership, self motivation and others, whereas domain-specific skills would be useful only for a certain job. Skill usually requires a certain environmental stimuli and situation to assess the level of skill being shown and used.


----------



## EMTinNEPA (Apr 19, 2009)

Fine.  Patient assessment.


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 19, 2009)

People skills and the ability to put a few words together in a coherent manner are essential. Too many in this profession are more the grunt and groan types.


----------



## reaper (Apr 19, 2009)

That's easy!



A Pulse??????????????


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 19, 2009)

I'll agree on Pt. Assessment.  IF you can't do it right, then everything else is useless.  You can backboard, give meds, aed, etc... but if you can't quickly identify the need for these procedures then what's the point?

However, I get the feeling that a joke is coming, so.... The greatest skill  learned was how to drive code with one hand on the siren, one hand on my burger, and the combination of my elbow and knee driving the rig.  Obviouslty there is great need to get the rest of the burger down before we go on scene!  ^_^  just kidding, before anyone starts ranting about safe driving.


----------



## NomadicMedic (Apr 19, 2009)

Compassion.


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 19, 2009)

n7lxi said:


> Compassion.



Good one, but I disagree.  That is secondary to a really good assessment.  A stupid EMT that wants to heal me is dangerous.  I'd rather have EMT's that don;t give a damn but know there stuff inside and out and will _heal_ me.  Of course, I'd prefer one with both skills.  IMHO.  Compassion over my car accident does little for me if you put can't recognize my deformed cervical spine and turn me into a paralyize me!

Not that _I_ have the bed-side manners of Gregory House...  but I'd take him and his lack of compassion over anyone else... if he were real.


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 19, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> I'll agree on Pt. Assessment. IF you can't do it right, then everything else is useless.


 
But, you still need people skills to perform that assessment.  If you can not make your patient feel comfortable to offer information or you can not speak well enough to get your message across, your assessment may suffer.


----------



## BossyCow (Apr 19, 2009)

I'd rather have a competent assessment from a jerk than compassion from an incompetent. Both for me and my loved ones. Skills first, personality second.


----------



## Shishkabob (Apr 19, 2009)

Cognitive ability.


----------



## amberdt03 (Apr 19, 2009)

common sense


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 19, 2009)

Great malpractce insurance!

At least if we go with ecompassion first, assessment skills second theory.


----------



## Flight-LP (Apr 19, 2009)

Map reading skills. If you can't get there in the first place, nothing else really matters!


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 19, 2009)

Flight-LP said:


> Map reading skills. If you can't get there in the first place, nothing else really matters!


 
Who has maps any more?  At least not the paper kind...


----------



## BossyCow (Apr 19, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> Who has maps any more?  At least not the paper kind...



We still carry paper maps, and the old fashioned compasses into the backcountry. Tree canopy can make it impossible to triangulate a signal for a GPS. We still teach the old fashioned orienteering. For when the batteries die.


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 19, 2009)

BossyCow said:


> We still carry paper maps, and the old fashioned compasses into the backcountry. Tree canopy can make it impossible to triangulate a signal for a GPS. We still teach the old fashioned orienteering. For when the batteries die.



Anyone who trusts their lives (or response times) to a piece of machinery deserves what they get.

Next guess:  My ability to eat a breakfast burrito as the coroner takes pictures of the desicrated body at the botom of a 300 foot gorge and just before we help scoop it up and "carry" it back up the cliff!  SO, OUR IRON STOMACHs that can handle sights like that and still he power to surivive the crap we put in them on every shift!


----------



## Sapphyre (Apr 19, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> Who has maps any more?  At least not the paper kind...



We do.  Only people who have GPS provide them themselves, and, well, they tend to get laughed at.


----------



## Hockey (Apr 20, 2009)

Sapphyre said:


> We do.  Only people who have GPS provide them themselves, and, well, they tend to get laughed at.



We have GPS units in every truck (Top of the line Garmin).  Also have Delorean or whatever its called on the laptop.  Also have the 4 books of the paper maps.  All of it is a tool.  Shouldn't ever rely on anything.


People who "laugh" at the GPS users don't understand it obviously.  It takes the same time to punch it into the GPS as it does looking it up in the mapbook.  Again, you can't rely on it.


As for the answer, Vent was pretty much the closest person to getting it right.  Listening is what it is.

And yes, listening is a SKILL


----------



## HotelCo (Apr 20, 2009)

Assessment skills


----------



## Shishkabob (Apr 20, 2009)

Sapphyre said:


> We do.  Only people who have GPS provide them themselves, and, well, they tend to get laughed at.



I have yet to ride with a partner who hasn't had a GPS, even though we're provided a MAPSCO.  Dallas is a very confusing place, especially when you live an hour away!


----------



## mycrofft (Apr 20, 2009)

*Intelligent unflappability.*

However, that can be considered an effect of many other points listed above.

A "day job" might be another....


----------



## Sapphyre (Apr 20, 2009)

Hockey9019 said:


> People who "laugh" at the GPS users don't understand it obviously.  It takes the same time to punch it into the GPS as it does looking it up in the mapbook.  Again, you can't rely on it.



Gotta know what city it's in to get it punched in quickly, and, it's not necessarily in the city we're sitting in.  I used GPS a couple of shifts, it was easier, and faster, to use the mapbook (ours are Thomas Guide), and actually KNOW where I am going.


----------



## JPINFV (Apr 20, 2009)

I think that comes down to regional differences. Southern California is comprised of many densly built suburban cities that forms one continous and massive urban landscape. In a lot of other areas you would see several cities (say, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, and Garden Grove) combined into one large city. 


It also comes down to what you're use to using. There comes to a point where you can almost open a map book up to the proper page based just off of the location. Similarly, you can look at the map guide in the front and know exactly what part of the city you're looking for.

That said, the top of the line GPA units will automatically fill in your fields as you fill them out similar to putting a search into Google. You might only have to put in "diam" for it to know that you're looking for "Diamond Bar."


----------



## Scriptor (Apr 20, 2009)

Best skill we have is creating anything at all out of cravats.  Cravats and duct tape will save humanity.


----------



## Outbac1 (Apr 20, 2009)

The ability to actually think a situation through. Not relying on cookbook medicine. I see this therefore I'll do this.


----------



## TransportJockey (Apr 20, 2009)

I'd say education


----------



## silver (Apr 20, 2009)

proper communicative and social skills, which leads to good assessments.


----------



## BuddingEMT (Apr 21, 2009)

I'd have to say the ability to retain information. Many people are saying "education" but unless you actually know your stuff and use it to make patient assessments, a good education won't help you much.

Retaining information is also good in that you learn from experience, meaning you won't make the same mistakes over and over.


----------



## daedalus (Apr 21, 2009)

andronein said:


> I'd have to say the ability to retain information. Many people are saying "education" but unless you actually know your stuff and use it to make patient assessments, a good education won't help you much.
> 
> Retaining information is also good in that you learn from experience, meaning you won't make the same mistakes over and over.



No, not really. Having a solid foundation of the workings of the body will allow you to think critically about what you are assessing and possible treatment.


----------



## daedalus (Apr 21, 2009)

Sapphyre said:


> We do.  Only people who have GPS provide them themselves, and, well, they tend to get laughed at.



Yup. In LA, we have the Thomas Bothers Guide. The use of anything else, like a GPS, will mark you as a newbie.


----------



## VFFforpeople (Apr 21, 2009)

In my area, we would be laughed at using GPS, we get calls out to the mountains of in valleys, there aint no signal. As for the best skills commen sense. (goes for any level)


----------



## JPINFV (Apr 21, 2009)

daedalus said:


> Yup. In LA, we have the Thomas Bothers Guide. The use of anything else, like a GPS, will mark you as a newbie.



Thomas Brothers Guide is the best thing since sliced bread.


----------



## akflightmedic (Apr 21, 2009)

VFFforpeople said:


> In my area, we would be laughed at using GPS, we get calls out to the mountains of in valleys, there aint no signal. As for the best skills commen sense. (goes for any level)



Serious question: How is there no signal? It is a satellite positioning device, triangulated by three different satellites above...


----------



## JPINFV (Apr 21, 2009)

^
Well, to be fair, I've seen the GPS units at my current job take a good 3-4 minutes to actually get the signal and decide where the hell it is before it can map with no hills or valleys near by. If I'm going to wait 3 minutes to get a GPA route I might as well map my self. At least with routing by map I can see what else is near by.


----------



## dodgemt (Apr 21, 2009)

I would probably have to say CPR and patient assessment.


----------



## Hockey (Apr 21, 2009)

dodgemt said:


> I would probably have to say CPR and patient assessment.



New EMT aren't you?


----------



## guardian528 (Apr 21, 2009)

amberdt03 said:


> common sense



+1. I've seen too many idiots in my class learn the material forwards backwards and upside down, but lack the common sense to adapt to situations and apply it


----------



## imurphy (Apr 21, 2009)

Money Management skill. Definately. With what we get paid, ya gotta know how to use your money!!

As for GPS's, the new garmins use up to 12 satalites to get best accuracy!


----------



## dodgemt (Apr 21, 2009)

Hockey9019 said:


> New EMT aren't you?



in november, it will be two years.


----------



## BossyCow (Apr 21, 2009)

Scriptor said:


> Best skill we have is creating anything at all out of cravats.  Cravats and duct tape will save humanity.



You know, you can make a cravat out of duct tape!


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 21, 2009)

akflightmedic said:


> Serious question: How is there no signal? It is a satellite positioning device, triangulated by three different satellites above...



A minimum fo three sats are required for a positive lock, four is perferable for and accurate lock.  But, AK, you haven't worked in the mountains have you?  Hills, mountains, trees, canyons, etc... back it hard.  I could walk outside now and fire up my GPS and would have to roam the property to get a lock...  I'm at 4,000 feet in the Sierra Nevadas.  My house is surrounded by 100+ year old oaks and pines.  That is the norm for most of my county.  So , unless you are in a clearing, on a highway clear of trees, or on a mountain... good luck.


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 21, 2009)

dodgemt said:


> in november, it will be two years.



So (if my math is correct): 1 1/2 years.  Rounding up to make it seem like you've been doing it longer is not allowed.

And CPR is not the most important skill.  The survival rates for patients that get CPR only aren't very good.  You could at least have said defibrilation... although it's not even an important skill for us... hell any moron in an airport can use one now.


----------



## amberdt03 (Apr 21, 2009)

Linuss said:


> I have yet to ride with a partner who hasn't had a GPS, even though we're provided a MAPSCO.  Dallas is a very confusing place, especially when you live an hour away!



watch out using a GPS with an old school person. you'll get a mapsco thrown at you and might have your GPS broken. (just kidding about the breaking part)


----------



## Company25Probie (Apr 22, 2009)

A good emt-b/i/p needs to have composure.


----------



## BuddingEMT (Apr 22, 2009)

daedalus said:


> No, not really. Having a solid foundation of the workings of the body will allow you to think critically about what you are assessing and possible treatment.



Right. But if you can't remember any of what you were taught (meaning you can't retain information) then how are you supposed to use your solid foundation to think critically about what you are assessing?

I stand by my original statement. The ability to retain information is vital.


----------



## frdude1000 (Apr 22, 2009)

scene safety?


----------



## medic417 (Apr 22, 2009)

Ability to entertain self.  At least thats my conclusion after extensive research of this topic.  :wacko:


----------



## Shishkabob (Apr 22, 2009)

amberdt03 said:


> watch out using a GPS with an old school person. you'll get a mapsco thrown at you and might have your GPS broken. (just kidding about the breaking part)



James was getting a little irked by the GPS' voice when him and I worked together last week!  

"Dude, I swear, it says turn right here!"


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 22, 2009)

Okay, folks it was answered 20+ posts ago.

It was suppossed to be the ability to LISTEN.  I disagree.  If you have an unconscious patient the ability to listen is useless.  *Patinet Assessment* skills are the backbone of emergency medicine, without the ability to perform one well you should just get out of medicine!


----------



## Shishkabob (Apr 22, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> Okay, folks it was answered 20+ posts ago.
> 
> It was suppossed to be the ability to LISTEN.  I disagree.  If you have an unconscious patient the ability to listen is useless.  *Patinet Assessment* skills are the backbone of emergency medicine, without the ability to perform one well you should just get out of medicine!



False.


It's cognitive ability.  PA skills are useless if you can't think!


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 23, 2009)

Linuss said:


> False.  It's cognitive ability.  PA skills are useless if you can't think!



By that logic our greatest skill is the ability to breath.  After all, without that "skill" we couldn't think at all!


----------



## CAOX3 (Apr 23, 2009)

medic417 said:


> Ability to entertain self.  At least thats my conclusion after extensive research of this topic.  :wacko:



Yeah and you partner.


----------



## Sapphyre (Apr 23, 2009)

CAOX3 said:


> Yeah and you partner.



Why am I responsible for entertaining my partner?????  I've learned, that some partners would really much rather be left alone....


----------



## TransportJockey (Apr 23, 2009)

Sapphyre said:


> Why am I responsible for entertaining my partner?????  I've learned, that some partners would really much rather be left alone....



+1, or you just don't wanna talk to them anyways


----------



## CAOX3 (Apr 23, 2009)

Sapphyre said:


> Why am I responsible for entertaining my partner?????  I've learned, that some partners would really much rather be left alone....



When I am left to entertain myself, is usually when the trouble starts. 

WOW.....everything so literal around here,  it was a joke.


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 23, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> It was suppossed to be the ability to LISTEN. I disagree. If you have an unconscious patient the ability to listen is useless. *Patinet Assessment* skills are the backbone of emergency medicine, without the ability to perform one well you should just get out of medicine!


 
You are looking at this purely as a technician and not as a professional which involves the ability to communicate and that includes listening. This goes way beyond just the "technical skills" of assessment. Even before you get to the scene you must start listening for the correct information to get you to the correct address and to recognize clues that might make your arrival unsafe. You must communicate with bystanders, family and other loved ones. If you already have an attitude about a call or the neighborhood, others may read you like a large print book. Communication (with listening) is not just about words but body language also. Some "loudly" communicate with their body that they don't care about a thing anyone, including family, witnesses, other EMS personnel or healthcare professionals, has to say at a scene. Your communication skills or lack of can make a scene go very bad very quickly or very well if you are an effective communicator. 

You may have to gain information about an unconscious patient to determine the whys and hows. The initial assessment will consist of the ABCs but if you want to do good patient care, you may have to verbally ask other for clues and listen to their replies without prejudice or stand in judgment. That means communicating with all who might know something in a professional manner that doesn't intimidate or excite. 

Then, you may need to communicate with med control to relay information clearly and again, you may have to listen to the information to ensure accuracy. Communication with the receiving hospital and the ED staff is often where some really display their lack of communication skills for both verbal and listening. Any comments made by the ED staff will "sound" offensive to some "EMT(P)s" and they stop listening to what could be useful information.


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 23, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> You are looking at this purely as a technician and not as a professional which involves the ability to communicate and that includes listening. This goes way beyond just the "technical skills" of assessment. Even before you get to the scene you must start listening for the correct information to get you to the correct address and to recognize clues that might make your arrival unsafe. You must communicate with bystanders, family and other loved ones. If you already have an attitude about a call or the neighborhood, others may read you like a large print book. Communication (with listening) is not just about words but body language also. Some "loudly" communicate with their body that they don't care about a thing anyone, including family, witnesses, other EMS personnel or healthcare professionals, has to say at a scene. Your communication skills or lack of can make a scene go very bad very quickly or very well if you are an effective communicator.
> 
> You may have to gain information about an unconscious patient to determine the whys and hows. The initial assessment will consist of the ABCs but if you want to do good patient care, you may have to verbally ask other for clues and listen to their replies without prejudice or stand in judgment. That means communicating with all who might know something in a professional manner that doesn't intimidate or excite.
> 
> Then, you may need to communicate with med control to relay information clearly and again, you may have to listen to the information to ensure accuracy. Communication with the receiving hospital and the ED staff is often where some really display their lack of communication skills for both verbal and listening. Any comments made by the ED staff will "sound" offensive to some "EMT(P)s" and they stop listening to what could be useful information.



In my opinion LISTENING and COMMUNITING is a part of complitent PATINET ASSESSMENT.  The assessment is a combination of what we see, feel, and hear.  It involves all our senses, including the ability to listen to what is being said and ask teh right questions.  To say that communication is more important that proper assessment is like saying that taking vitals is more important that proper assessment.  They are both aspects of our ability to correctly assess the patient and then provide treatment.  Communication skills are vital to a good EMSer, but I will simply draw a comparison to a TV Doctor (don;t chastize me for this reference)... House.  His communication and people skills suck, but his assessemtn skills are 2nd to none.  I know I am using a TV charecter as an example, but you can see how a great assessment can make up for lacking communication skills, not that anyone who takes EMS seriously should take a page from that book.  Communication is just another important tool that must me utilized in a proper patient assessment.  IMHO.


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 23, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> but I will simply draw a comparison to a TV Doctor (don;t chastize me for this reference)... House. His communication and people skills suck, but his assessemtn skills are 2nd to none. I know I am using a TV charecter as an example, but you can see how a great assessment can make up for lacking communication skills, not that anyone who takes EMS seriously should take a page from that book. Communication is just another important tool that must me utilized in a proper patient assessment. IMHO.


 
Okay, let's use that example. How many times has his put his hospital into a bad light? How many times has he been reprimanded? How many times did they mention patient complaints? How may times have lawsuits been mentioned? In the real world, he would have been removed from the case or fired by the patient which he has also been on the TV show. In the real world, he wouldn't be going near the patient again especially with the number of wrong diagnoses to his credit. He is also not always the one doing the hands on assessment or talking to the patient. He has the "nice" doctors to do his communication and assessment. If this guy was in private practice he would probably be broke and probably not have a medical license. It is a TV show. In reality, there are many healthcare professionals and many specialists present. Have you watched TV shows about real patients and doctors? Medical Mysteries or any of the reality based shows? There is not a lot of drama nonsense by the physicians on them.  Yet, they are still be able to diagnose and treat the patient.

While the trial and sometimes error methods are part of making a definitive diagnosis, the one thing many professionals must practice on the patient and the families is effective communication. 

In the health care profession, one observation has been made by the attorneys. People don't sue professionals who can communicate effectively and are perceived as nice with a professional bedside manner. 

If you can not speak well and listen, all you will have is a body before you. Even surgeons, who prefer the patients are sedated, must communicate before and after surgery. They must also listen, whether they want to or not, to some of the things patients have to say. 

Do an assessment without proper communication, including listening, and you could end up with an assault charge.


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 23, 2009)

Once again, communication is vital, but it is a vital part of patient assessment in our line of work.  When I perform an assessment I am constantly talking to the patient and bystanders, looking for more information and trying to keep the patient informed as to what I am do to put them at ease.  But to say that Communication is more important than a GREAT assessment is wrong IMHO.  I might agree if your argument is that they are just as important, but my patients need someone who can use good communication skills to further their assessment so that they can provide GREAT CARE!


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 23, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> but my patients *need someone who can use good communication skills* to further their assessment so that they can provide GREAT CARE!


 
You said it right there.  Good communication skills with get more information to do your assessment.  As well, if you do not communicate properly, you might not even be allowed to touch the patient.  

You have the elderly, young, confused, frightened, different cultures and languages to deal with.  This is why healthcare professions get an education in communication during their degree programs and why healthcare organizations spend millions training and retraining employees in communication.  If you don't believe me, do a literature search.


----------



## Sasha (Apr 23, 2009)

Do you guys realize that you're both saying the same exact thing with different wording??


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 23, 2009)

Sasha said:


> Do you guys realize that you're both saying the same exact thing with different wording??



I do.  I can't understand why the words "I agree" can't come out of someone elses mouth.  <_<  Hey, Vent:  Tomato / Potato.  I agree *Communication is beyond vital*... *as a part of a Solid Assessment*... but not more important than the assessment.


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 23, 2009)

Sasha said:


> Do you guys realize that you're both saying the same exact thing with different wording??


 
Not really. He wants to get right in to the actual physical assessment of the patient which may not be possible if one can not "listen" to the directions from dispatch and gain the confidence of the diverse differences in patients when it comes to cultural and language barriers. I think you have already seen this in Orlando where men of different cultural groups will not allow female healthcare workers to touch them physicially and it is equally offensive for males to touch the women of some cultural groups. Careful communication must be done to establish boundaries of respect. 

Then, if you can not effectively communicate your assessment to the med control to get orders, you may not be able to treat as believe it is warranted. As well, if you give your report to the hospital staff as part of the grunt and groan group, few will take notice of your scene observations. You might as well just loaded the patient into the taxi, ambulance or whatever you care to call.


----------



## Sasha (Apr 23, 2009)

> I think you have already seen this in Orlando where men of different cultural groups will not allow female healthcare workers to touch them physicially and it is equally offensive for males to touch the women of some cultural groups.



Actually, I haven't run into that yet, but I learned how to say "Are you in pain?" and in three different languages!

I agree communication skills are vital, as are assesment skills. They're both equally important. If you can't communicate enough to do an assesment, then anything you will find would be useless. If you can communicate extremely well, but don't know what to look for, how to look for it, and what to listen for, your communication skills are pretty useless.


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 23, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> Not really. He wants to get right in to the actual physical assessment of the patient which may not be possible if one can not "listen" to the directions from dispatch and gain the confidence of the diverse differences in patients when it comes to cultural and language barriers.



Never said that Vent.  You are reading too much into things or simply misunderstood what I said.



VentMedic said:


> Then, if you can not effectively communicate your assessment to the med control to get orders, you may not be able to treat as believe it is warranted.



Now you are getting into treatment.  Assessment come first.  You can't communicate in your treatment before you communicate in your assessment.

The question was: what is the most important skill a prehospital level provider can have?  I still say a GREAT ASSESSMENT.  That can only be achieved if you have GREAT Communication Skills, the ability to look/listen/feel, the abilty to get a set of vitals, the ability ot keep yourself safe, and oh so much more.  Being a great communicator does little if you can not assess worth a damn, just as a  proper assessment can not be completed without having GREAT communication skills.  now, why can't you just say, "I agree... with some of that"?

God love you Vent, you are entertaining, but no more dead horse beating for me.


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 23, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> Now you are getting into treatment. Assessment come first. You can't communicate in your treatment before you communicate in your assessment.


 
This you miss the word "then". Communication is important for each step starting with the activation of the EMS system and getting the EMT to where they must go.




Mountain Res-Q said:


> God love you Vent, you are entertaining, but no more dead horse beating for me.


 
Dead horse? No, not even the beginning. This is another reasaon why EMS should have it's education standards raised. Some are unaware of how to even conduct and effective patient/bystander interview to begin a good assessment. Some are even more unaware of how ineffective their communication skills are. How much time did your EMT-B class spend on effective communication? 

READ! Do a literature search and then get back to me.


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 23, 2009)

Sasha said:


> Actually, I haven't run into that yet, but I learned how to say "Are you in pain?" and in three different languages!
> 
> I agree communication skills are vital, as are assesment skills. They're both equally important. If you can't communicate enough to do an assesment, then anything you will find would be useless. If you can communicate extremely well, but don't know what to look for, *how to look for it, and what to listen for, your communication skills are pretty useless.*


 
But you may still be able to get a permission to transport and get them to the hospital. The EMS provider is not the end all access to healthcare. There may be other professionals at the hospital that can communicate more effectively and treat the patient. Besides, that is not a new comment and thank goodness for the reputation of a few services that their employees can at least communicate since their skills may not be up to par. EMT-Bs have managed to convince many patients that they "Paramedic-like" to gain more confidence from their patients or just to BS them. While deceiving it is effective communication to make up for the skills and educaton they do not have. 

Those that work in healthcare anywhere in the Orlando, Miami, Tampa or any diverse area should be aware of the diverse cultures and religions. There are also many classes that are taught on this for healthcare providers.


----------



## Melbourne MICA (Apr 23, 2009)

*ego*

Well I reckon it's knowing your limitations.

Any skill you use is limited by your own abilities. Seeing as we have but one task - to look after the patient, then knowing your own boundaries promotes conservative and prudent management - the cornerstone of all medical care  - "do no harm".  

No matter whether you are brilliant or not so, there is still one undeniable fact when you start applying your skill/s to another person - ulitmately it is the patient who suffers when mistakes are made.

MM


----------



## ErinCooley (Apr 23, 2009)

the ability to get stuff from your head to your hands... if you got that, everything else will come w/ time!


----------

