beginning an EMTBasic Course in September

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rockyfortune

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I'm preparing by taking a CPR course for healtcare pro's and a first air course also..what else should I be brushing up on? I will preface my question by saying I am going into this inexperienced as I am a previously laid off IT professional...My goal is to be an EMT then a Paramedic with the fire dept or local hospital...
 
When I did basic, it really helped me to go through all of the basic definitions and acronyms. I got a book (possibly from Kaplan?) that had all of that info like: ALS = Advanced Life Support, CSF= Cerebral Spinal Fluid, etc. anatomy, physiology and medical terminology will always help.
 
any suggestions on the best book to be prepared? It starts in september but I am really motivated to do well and want a head start.

thanks for all your input.
 
The book your class is using might be a good start. Call the instructor and ask if you can purchase a textbook early.
 
DEmedic said:
The book your class is using might be a good start. Call the instructor and ask if you can purchase a textbook early.
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I agree. I would get the book ahead. Start chapters.

Don't get into the als stuff. That's beyond what you need to know as a basic.

I would recommend really hitting respiratory and ventilation and cardiac. People have the hardest time here.

Also, poisoning and drugs, which drugs cause certain symptoms. Miosis etc.
That hit a few students hard.
Brush up on terminology .
 
If you're from IT you'll have an easier time with assessment algorithms =) speaking from the standpoint of a programmer who just did this. But I had a background in bio and pre med so I emphasize any advice to work on vocabulary and acronyms as being your biggest ROI here.
 
if you don't mind me asking..are you moving into being an EMT full time and leaving the programming world or is this a part time gig for you?
 
Another really important note: you will either find the friends who want to go out for beers after class or the friends who want to study after class. Try to find the latter.
 
rockyfortune said:
if you don't mind me asking..are you moving into being an EMT full time and leaving the programming world or is this a part time gig for you?
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For me it's a potential sideline. I always had a deep interest in biomed but never could indulge, when I turned 50 I decided to :) I'm not actively employed as an EMT right now, but I'm keeping up to date with activities like next month I'm a casualty in a disaster exercise with some of my class and the the hospital I did my clinical at. Which reminds me, if anyone is working the flip side of that say hi to the tall, old guy bleeding on the quad.
 
You don't really need to take a first aid class, BLS for HP is enough, and you'll learn all that again anyways so theres no need to waste money. I would recommend looking online, they have free medical terminology classes. I need a few more posts to give links, but they should be pretty easy to find with a quick google search. A&P will definitly help, the mini-crash-course they give you isn't really enough. They might have online A&P classes too.
 
forgive my ignorance...What is A&P? agreed..decided to skip the cpr and stuff right now--and wait for my class..thanks for the response.
 
rockyfortune said:
forgive my ignorance...What is A&P? agreed..decided to skip the cpr and stuff right now--and wait for my class..thanks for the response.
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Anatomy and physiology, and you need your AHA BLS for Healthcare Providers card to get in the class, I was referring more to the first aid and all that. Pathophysiology classes couldn't hurt either. They aren't pre-reqs or anything but they really don't hurt.
 
lanceavil said:
Anatomy and physiology, and you need your AHA BLS for Healthcare Providers card to get in the class, I was referring more to the first aid and all that. Pathophysiology classes couldn't hurt either. They aren't pre-reqs or anything but they really don't hurt.
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Some EMT programs have the hcp CPR course as part of the class.
 
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