Arrrghhh Online OTEPS

[BossyCow]

I have just been informed that as of March of this year we will have to use an online OTEP program because the state will no longer provide any other system. At $50 per volunteer, per year x 20 volunteers plus an annual subscription fee I'm not real excited about it. The alternative is to create my own otep and get it approved by the region. They have already told me they are going to be really strict on any submitted otep programs.

I need to hear positive stories on how good the online OTEPs are! I hate online training personally and the consensus in my department agrees with me. Apparently there may be an option where I can teach the online OTEP in a classroom situation. This old dog doesn't want to learn new tricks!!!:sad:

 

[ffemt8978]

Online OTEPS suck...I'm glad we still have the classroom OTEP in addition to being able to do the online ones.

Bossy, I sent you a PM about this.

 

[yowzer]

I like the system that King County EMS set up (http://www.emsonline.net), but it really should be combined with actual classroom time on the CBT subject, not just a practical test.

A routine like so would work well:

1. Self study online
2. Lecture
3. Online test
4. Practical

(Many times 2 and 3 get reversed.)

The only new bit would be how the test is taken. Your people are studying up on the topics first, right? :mellow:

 

[ffemt8978]

I like the system that King County EMS set up (http://www.emsonline.net), but it really should be combined with actual classroom time on the CBT subject, not just a practical test.

A routine like so would work well:

1. Self study online
2. Lecture
3. Online test
4. Practical

(Many times 2 and 3 get reversed.)

The only new bit would be how the test is taken. Your people are studying up on the topics first, right? :mellow:

That's the one I was referring to. You miss out on so much by sitting at home doing a computer course instead of attending a live lecture. In addition, despite what they think, King county's protocols are not the protocols for the rest of the state. Nothing like being taught to do one thing in a class and having to remember to do something else on scene because your protocols are different.

 

[yowzer]

That's the one I was referring to. You miss out on so much by sitting at home doing a computer course instead of attending a live lecture.

Hence my strong suggestion that the online portion be treated as a supplement for a lecture, not a replacement.

In addition, despite what they think, King county's protocols are not the protocols for the rest of the state. Nothing like being taught to do one thing in a class and having to remember to do something else on scene because your protocols are different.

Yeah. WA is really bad because every county has its own protocols! For example, it bugs me that when I switched to working mostly in KC instead of one county to the north, I lost the ability to do a few things like insert NPAs -- them in particular because I never needed to then but now, with a different job, could use a nasal trumpet a couple times a week on average.

Just another reason why you can't rely on just the online stuff...

 

[BossyCow]

The KingCo online otep is the one my regional council is recommending for us. I have the same concerns you mentioned which is training to a protocol designed for an I-5 corridor, urban system in my small, rural district. I don't want to waste precious class time going over how to determine which level of trauma center to send a pt when there's only one hospital here. (one example)

The other issue is our rural dial up. I often lose internet connection. Am I going to have 20 volunteers clustering around the 3 computers at the station trying to get their tests in? Because most of us are not able to get broadband or DSL at our homes.

Apparently there is an option where we sign up one or two instructors online and they present the online material in a classroom format. But that will involve quite a bit of prep time to make sure that the material is in keeping with our protocols.

I guess that's what I meant by ..."Arrrrrgggghhhh!!!"

 

[yowzer]

The other issue is our rural dial up. I often lose internet connection. Am I going to have 20 volunteers clustering around the 3 computers at the station trying to get their tests in? Because most of us are not able to get broadband or DSL at our homes.

I used to do the online stuff on a dialup connection. You can't really watch the optional videos, but everything else is low bandwidth friendly.

I don't think there's a lot of protocol-dependent content in the courses (There's some, but usually in separate modules or clearly marked as being specific to King County; for example, a module on death and dying which goes over KC rules for BLS termination or withholding of resusicitation efforts, which are more liberal than most). In general, the content is pretty standard stuff that might as well be coming from a textbook.