Advice to the new EMT

stethoscope

stethoscope

Forum Probie
Messages
21
Reaction score
3
Points
1
Hey guys. I'm new to this forum and I wanted to introduce myself. I'm soon to be in school for my EMT-B certification. My classes start March 3rd, and I'll be certified (my college administers all required national testing and schedules clinicals -- awesome right?) as of July. I decided to be an EMT after much consideration over the course of months.

I had an experience with EMT's / paramedics in July of last year, and the two wonderful ladies who helped me really left a big impact on me. I guess I can't really describe how much better they made me feel through the whole situation, but they did. I realized later that I wanted to help others in my situation just as they had helped me. After a long time thinking about it, I realized that this is for me. I have to help.

So I do have a few questions ranging from basic, to more personal.

1) How often do you experience deaths, and how did your first death impact you?

2) Have you ever been in an immediately dangerous situation? (someone pulls a weapon, etc)

3) What was your first week of work like? What do you generally do?

4) Do you have any advice for a new upcoming EMT? What do you wish you would have known going in?

Thanks in advanced! :)
 
1) How often do you experience deaths, and how did your first death impact you?
Very rare. I briefly felt bad for the patient and their family, but that's about it. I think most of us know what we were kinda getting into when we got into this field and it is somewhat expected to happen occasionally.

2) Have you ever been in an immediately dangerous situation? (someone pulls a weapon, etc)
Um, kinda. We responded to a scene that was suppose to be secured, but it turned out it wasn't. We immediately left the scene with the patient. Nobody pulled out a weapon or anything like that. They just didn't know where the perpetrator was at.

3) What was your first week of work like? What do you generally do?
It was all non emergency interfacility transports. I was very stressed because I worried about passing or failing my field training time. I also had to quickly learn the roads, hospitals, and company's operations.

Non emergency interfacility transports are like transporting from a convalescent home to dialysis appointment and back, transporting from one hospital to another due to insurance reasons, monitoring that isn't available at the sending facility, or a procedure that isn't available at the sending facility. Transporting from hospital to MRI and back. Transport from convalescent or hospital to radiation and back. Discharges from the ER to home, a convalescent home, or psychiatric facility for patients on a psychiatric hold.

After I passed my field training, it was pretty chill for the next three years, lol.

4) Do you have any advice for a new upcoming EMT? What do you wish you would have known going in?
  • Low pay near minimum wage. First company I worked for paid me $9.50/hour.
  • Difficult to get a job. It took me 13 months to get my first EMT job after getting certified.
  • You'll most likely start off and get stuck doing non emergency interfacility transfers only, which gets old quickly because of the nature of the calls (no complaints to minor complaints being transported for insurance reason or for a routine procedure). Most ambulances in my area do not respond to 911 calls.
  • 911 is very exclusive in my area. It felt like it was impossible to get on. It took me over three years to start doing 911.
  • 911 patients are very rarely critical in my area.
 
Last edited:
1) How often do you experience deaths, and how did your first death impact you?
About 1-2 times a week (two 24 hour shifts). No, I am pretty good at seperating work from personal stuff so far. Only thing that sucks is when family is around.

2) Have you ever been in an immediately dangerous situation? (someone pulls a weapon, etc)
One time so far, scene was supposed to be clear, pt was on ground dead with shotgun wound to chest. Shooter came around with corner with gun as if it was an ambush. Call came in as a fall. Police ended up shooting and killing him.

3) What was your first week of work like? What do you generally do?
My first job was IFT with very little 911. It was terrible and mind numbing being a taxi driver. Took vitals and that was pretty much it. New job is strickly 911 and I have seen and done a lot in my short time here.

4) Do you have any advice for a new upcoming EMT? What do you wish you would have known going in?
If you end up doing IFT first (pretty much a right of passage) try not to let it get to you. It's not fun and you wont be doing anything class taught you. Use the time to work on people skills and taking vital signs in the back of the truck while driving. Pay attention to SOP's. Not trying to discourage you, we've all been there.
 
Aprz said:
It took me 13 months to get my first EMT job after getting certified.
Click to expand...

Was it difficult to start working having been away from training for so long? I graduated over 2 years ago and I just applied to a part-time volunteer organization. My certs are still current, but I'm concerned I have forgotten too much. What was your experience like?
 
1) How often do you experience deaths, and how did your first death impact you?

Its really hit or miss but I had two "cardiac arrests" the other day that were both DOA's, one was relatively fresh <30 minutes and then last night I had a cardiac arrest save(fingers crossed hes doing well in the ICU). I think that it can be hard but then again I was an infantryman in Iraq and I did get somewhat numb to traumatic experiences and death. I think if you remember that A) everyone dies B) there can still be diginity in death and C) someone probably loved that person.....then you can summon the strength to be a professional and soldier on. That said.....kids still get to me, from the little guy with lysol in his eye to the broken arm to the really sick ones. Just the way Im built....I hope it never changes ;)

2) Have you ever been in an immediately dangerous situation? (someone pulls a weapon, etc)

Oh man.....yeah this is a good one. Let me put this blunty.....you are entering a very dangerous profession. I have been spit on, cursed at, had punches thrown at me, a knife pulled on me once or twice and been in more "royal rumbles" with the drunk/crazy/drug patient than I can count. That being said....always stage, always wait for PD/LE if at all possibly and watch your partners back. If done right, there is really no reason you should be in serious danger very often if at all. Make the cops do their jobs, when possible, because they have the tools to do it better than you.

3) What was your first week of work like? What do you generally do?

Well first week can be overwhelming but in this job so can the first YEAR. Take your time, ENJOY the learning experience, and ENJOY being the new guy. Weird right? Well when your a 5 year medic you dont have the luxury of being like "welp...i dunno what the hell do to" when there is 5 EMT's and firefighters staring blankly at you on the crazy or weird call. Observe the experienced guys, watch how the act, what they do, how they speak/stand/assess etc. Be humble, be respectful, make coffee ;)

4) Do you have any advice for a new upcoming EMT? What do you wish you would have known going in?

Read #3 but in a nutshell....enjoy the ride. You are joining one of the best, most fun, most underpaid, and under appreciated jobs there is in this world. You will love it or hate it. I love going to work, love it. Dunno how that even makes sense but it does. Good luck.
 
Trek7553 said:
Was it difficult to start working having been away from training for so long? I graduated over 2 years ago and I just applied to a part-time volunteer organization. My certs are still current, but I'm concerned I have forgotten too much. What was your experience like?
Click to expand...
I recall the difficult stuff for me was getting around and talking over the radio. BLS in this area is extremely limited and I was doing interfacility transfers only.
 
I like answering questions. I like it even more when someone tries to come up with the answer on their own and then we have a discussion about what we like.

I also disagree that this is a dangerous profession. It has more risk than most, but I rarely, rarely don't feel at safe. Take steps to mitigate risks whenever possible. If you're thinking "will this make me safer" odds are it will, and you should do that. Where your traffic vest. Park defensively on scene. Have an egress route may it be in a house or on a highway. Stage for PD. Leave if you feel unsafe. Make PD search patients for weapons. I could go on...

But more importantly, think things through and learn to talk to people. With those two you'll be fine.
 
The reason you feel safe is because you take precaution. The reason you take those precautions is because the job is dangerous. Most people in their jobs don't encounter near the amount of risks we do on a daily basis including altered mentation patients, oncoming traffic, driving emergent(ESP as the medic in the back unrestrained), communicable diseases, etc. Your experience and caution is what helps make you feel safe, not a lack of hazards or danger. In my opinion knowing our job is dangerous is one of the best ways to stay safe. Complacency kills.
 
My number one piece of advice to a new EMT is to make friends. Honestly, not that you have to be rainbows and unicorns to everyone but do your job and then do some extra. Help out your partner or some other crews to help them get their stuff together if you have any extra time. It always pays off to have friends down the road, when you can call them up for that favor that they owe you or some job opportunity opens up somewhere. Be amicable to the ED staff, trust me, we know and notice.

To answer #2, make friends. If they like you, they will be less inclined to try to hurt you. In my case, I made friends with hospital security. I work as an ED tech so I get to see some of the same personnel day in and out, and its a much better feeling for me personally, knowing that the security/officers who moonlight at the ED would have my back if something went down.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top