Advice to a "Newbie"

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emschic30

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I know there are a lot of threads about advice for us just starting out...

My question is simple...If you could go back and talk to yourself when you first started your EMT training, what would you tell yourself?

In other words, what is the one thing you wish you had known?

Thanks, everyone!
 
Don't kneel in front of the old lady with the upset tummy, keep dry socks in my work bag and don't ever become jaded.


Sent from my iPhone.
 
It's a job, nothing more, nothing less.
 
Do not lean down to say hello to the old lady before finding out if she's combative or not. :-)
 
Sasha said:
Do not lean down to say hello to the old lady before finding out if she's combative or not. :-)
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Likewise for the guys out of there....never turn away from a demented patient while your junk is within grabbing distance.
 
The one thing i wish i had known?

How important it is to treat your patients with respect on every call (unless they are assaulting you or something). The second you start talking down to them or judging them, they pick up on it. Leads to an unhealthy environment.
 
Great question!

If I could go back in time and speak to myself on the day of my graduation from paramedic school I'd have to tell him the truth:

For the next thirty-five years of your life -- at least!-- you will be trying to sort through and articulate your experience as a medic. Your creative life will be dominated by examining the interior life of the experience and shaping it into forms others would understand and some might find useful.

You will spend nine years on a movie; fifteen years on a book. Your life will be one long string of rejections, recovery and re-writes, re-writes, re-writes! The strokes you'll have to settle for will largely come from yourself for having nailed the idea or actually been able to express your impression of the truth adequately, or, through your experience make it a little easier for some unsuspecting FNG.

All in all, your reward to punishment ratio will look something like Irene compared to Katrina. In the end, however, something real will come out of it and then, it will either become be a springboard for a new level of usefullness in your life or your Tombstone.
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I think what the kid would respond would be something like:

Whatever. So long as I don't miss the next call!
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"Remeber, you got into this because you like people....."

You are certainly exposed to a whole culture that for the most part the average person with avergage intelect can avoid in their everyday lives.
 
My first thought was "go to medical school".

My second thought was I would tell myself to realize that it is emergency MEDICAL services, and no matter how cool the FD and public safety may seem, medicine is the core of what we do. It would have saved me several years of unhappiness and made a better provider for my patients early in my career.
 
"Calm the F down and relax, just a few shifts and you'll be ok" lol
 
HAHAHA ok I'm a n00b to this forum, as well as the EMT life in general. Thanks for sharing all of these brilliant first hand experiences. Friggin hilarious!
 
mct601 said:
"Calm the F down and relax, just a few shifts and you'll be ok" lol
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I'm brand new, but one of the best things someone has told me was that "it's not your emergency, it's the patients." I'm not the person hurt. If I'm not somewhat relaxed and able to concentrate, I might not be able to do my job correctly.
 
Ricky. said:
I'm brand new, but one of the best things someone has told me was that "it's not your emergency, it's the patients." I'm not the person hurt. If I'm not somewhat relaxed and able to concentrate, I might not be able to do my job correctly.
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haha... it took quite a few IV's before I realized it does not hurt ME and that I do not need to wince :P
 
1. Remember BSI less you want a mouth full of amniotic fluid.
2. If the cops are waiting at the ambulance there's a reason for it so don't forget the Noxzema under your nose.
3. CPR is to prevent a lawsuit so don't get upset when they don't make it, 9/10 they won't. It's one hell of a workout though.
4. The best skill is to improvise... nothing ever goes according to text book.
5. Adrenalin effects your memory so everything you thought you knew flies out of your head once the pager goes off.

And best of all there is the Textbook way and then there is the right way, learn the difference.

It's a very rewarding job if you let it be, good luck and enjoy the ones you help and learn from the ones you can't.
 
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