We started our practical stations today in my EMT-B class and I gotta say I got my self all worked up for basically nothing. To be honest none of us even new today was going to be a hands on practical day. Our teacher told us last week that our exam and practical would be next week but didn't say which days was which so we all expected the written test first and thats the only thing I studied for.
Anyways we all got to class and was told that we were starting practicals today and doing K.E.D vests along with moving the patient the backboard and then traction splinting of the femur. I was pretty nervous because we had not practiced with the traction splints at all and the K.E.D vests we went over in one day and that was all the practice we had them.
For the actual hands on part we were required to go up in front of the class and demonstrate how to properly apply the K.E.D while staying out of the danger zone of the airbag if it hadn't deployed and then moving the patient to a backboard and fully immobilizing them. Sounds like a normal station but it really wasnt. From everything I have seen on Youtube and practice videos everyone seems to have a list with critcal criteria on it and a check list that is checked off as you go. For ours there was absolutely nothing just a notepad that we signed our names on and he wrote some random things down. Seems like a joke to me because everyone passed and was given 2 to 3 times to do so.
As for the traction splinting part. We went out into the hall with a paramedic he showed us how to apply a hare traction splint since we had never worked with one before and then had us do it with him helping us right along side. It just seems like it should have been more challenging to me. It consisted of a simple watch how I do it, now you apply the splint with no scenario listed or anything and then sign a pad of paper saying you did it not pass or fail just sign and your done.
We go back Wednesday and have to do a medical assessment and that is it for our stations. We then go onto the written 150 question exam and then the state test if we get a 77% overall in the class. Does this all seem a bit odd to anyone else?
Anyways we all got to class and was told that we were starting practicals today and doing K.E.D vests along with moving the patient the backboard and then traction splinting of the femur. I was pretty nervous because we had not practiced with the traction splints at all and the K.E.D vests we went over in one day and that was all the practice we had them.
For the actual hands on part we were required to go up in front of the class and demonstrate how to properly apply the K.E.D while staying out of the danger zone of the airbag if it hadn't deployed and then moving the patient to a backboard and fully immobilizing them. Sounds like a normal station but it really wasnt. From everything I have seen on Youtube and practice videos everyone seems to have a list with critcal criteria on it and a check list that is checked off as you go. For ours there was absolutely nothing just a notepad that we signed our names on and he wrote some random things down. Seems like a joke to me because everyone passed and was given 2 to 3 times to do so.
As for the traction splinting part. We went out into the hall with a paramedic he showed us how to apply a hare traction splint since we had never worked with one before and then had us do it with him helping us right along side. It just seems like it should have been more challenging to me. It consisted of a simple watch how I do it, now you apply the splint with no scenario listed or anything and then sign a pad of paper saying you did it not pass or fail just sign and your done.
We go back Wednesday and have to do a medical assessment and that is it for our stations. We then go onto the written 150 question exam and then the state test if we get a 77% overall in the class. Does this all seem a bit odd to anyone else?
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