Being Assertive - Need advice

burnsmh

burnsmh

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I am currently doing clinicals and one piece of feedback I got was not to be afraid to jump in and take vitals, ask questions to the PT, ect.

Well, I have NO problem doing such...I just feel like I am getting in the way of my proctor from doing their job to do my 'school' stuff. They are nice and aren't like, "You're in the way!" and whatever...Its just, I feel like my PCR for school isn't as important as their work so it makes me not want to jump in with the Pt.

But if it effects the reports my teacher gets it will effect me and be important. So, in my own head its a catch-22. Either get in the way of the proctor or get a bad report out. But I know when I am not on the ambulance it isn't that way, but in the heat of everything I revert to that thinking.

Can you guys help me? Anything I can do to overcome this?
 
Plan BEFORE there is something to do. Sit with your proctor at start of your time and say exactly what you just said here...communication, communication, communication.

If you repeat what you just said, the two of you can then devise a plan for the rest of your shift. Maybe even develop a harmless cue that when spoken means you either need to jump in or back out. That way other staff and the patient have no idea and it is less stressful since it was all prearranged.

Again, in any business and life in general...communication.
 
akflightmedic said:
Plan BEFORE there is something to do. Sit with your proctor at start of your time and say exactly what you just said here...communication, communication, communication.

If you repeat what you just said, the two of you can then devise a plan for the rest of your shift. Maybe even develop a harmless cue that when spoken means you either need to jump in or back out. That way other staff and the patient have no idea and it is less stressful since it was all prearranged.

Again, in any business and life in general...communication.
Click to expand...

I have another clinical tomorrow. I will for sure talk with them, great idea.
 
During my clinicals, I jumped in as much as I could.

In hindsight, I probably jumped in too much. But I got some really good feedback about *not* being a wallflower.

To get you started, begin to do vitals everytime as soon as you make patient contact. Then slip in some questions as you can.
 
During the majority of my ride time the preceptors would tell me that this was my call, I was in charge, it was up to me to run the call, they were my "assistant".
Worked out good that way.
 
Get in there and do something. Vitals are vital (pun intended) part of a call, they need to be done in addition to everything else. If you're in the way, I have no doubt that someone will let you know.
 
This was my problem when I first started medical school. I felt like I was getting in the way of workflow, me screwing up was causing other people more work, causing patients inconvenience etc. But if you don't jump in, you don't learn anything.

I've learned that the medical student is just a vital part of the system, even if it's slightly detrimental now. It's an investment, be slightly detrimental now, or extremely detrimental later (by having no one with good training). Yes, you are going to impede things and get in the way sometimes, but that's a necessary evil.

If you are actually in the way and holding up progress more than you should, someone will tell you. Don't take it personally, just move out of the way and try again next time.
 
I treated clinicals as a progressive thing. First, I tried to do the stuff that no one else wanted to do, like take vitals, carry patients, clean up after calls, restock and fill O2. That showed my preceptors I knew my place, so to speak. Next I started volunteering to do the more challenging stuff, like invasive procedures, EKGs and meds. Soon after I was given the opportunity to run calls.

Along the way, it was important to strike a balance between talking too much and not enough; basically joining in conversations when asked, maybe adding a sentence or two, then shutting up. I knew I was a visitor -- not one of the crew.

It's really not much different from being the FNG anywhere else; be flexible, be helpful, be competent.
 
mgr22 said:
I treated clinicals as a progressive thing. First, I tried to do the stuff that no one else wanted to do, like take vitals, carry patients, clean up after calls, restock and fill O2. That showed my preceptors I knew my place, so to speak. Next I started volunteering to do the more challenging stuff, like invasive procedures, EKGs and meds. Soon after I was given the opportunity to run calls.

Along the way, it was important to strike a balance between talking too much and not enough; basically joining in conversations when asked, maybe adding a sentence or two, then shutting up. I knew I was a visitor -- not one of the crew.

It's really not much different from being the FNG anywhere else; be flexible, be helpful, be competent.
Click to expand...

That's very good advice. The advice in your first paragraph, especially, is great for any new person.
 
burnsmh said:
I am currently doing clinicals and one piece of feedback I got was not to be afraid to jump in and take vitals, ask questions to the PT, ect.

Well, I have NO problem doing such...I just feel like I am getting in the way of my proctor from doing their job to do my 'school' stuff. They are nice and aren't like, "You're in the way!" and whatever...Its just, I feel like my PCR for school isn't as important as their work so it makes me not want to jump in with the Pt.

But if it effects the reports my teacher gets it will effect me and be important. So, in my own head its a catch-22. Either get in the way of the proctor or get a bad report out. But I know when I am not on the ambulance it isn't that way, but in the heat of everything I revert to that thinking.

Can you guys help me? Anything I can do to overcome this?
Click to expand...

We the simplest way to tackle it is talk to your "proctor" about it.
Where i come from supervisors or "proctors" as you call it, are only to happy to stand back and watch while you get on and treat the patient. Only in the event of a critical patient will they ask you to step aside or if they can see you are struggling and unsure.
Have this discussion with your assessor (proctor) on shift and formulate an understanding for working with the crews
 
If your questions are appropriate and on point, they will help your proctor by covering questions that he would normally have asked anyway. If they're pointless and getting in the way of his assessment, hopefully he'll just interject and let you continue later. Same goes for vitals and whatever else.
 
burnsmh said:
I am currently doing clinicals and one piece of feedback I got was not to be afraid to jump in and take vitals, ask questions to the PT, ect.

Well, I have NO problem doing such...I just feel like I am getting in the way of my proctor from doing their job to do my 'school' stuff. They are nice and aren't like, "You're in the way!" and whatever...Its just, I feel like my PCR for school isn't as important as their work so it makes me not want to jump in with the Pt....
Click to expand...

Your taking vitals, asking questions, etc. is not less important than their work - it is part of their work. By you taking (and sharing) a patient's vitals, you're freeing your proctor up to do something else. You may ask a question that the proctor didn't think to ask. You helping move the patient may save someone's back.

You get the idea.

Your internship is intended to orient you to the work you'll be doing and start you down the path of being a functional and competent team member on an EMS crew. The best way to meet those objectives is to jump in and help.
 
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