BLS Instructors

[N1ESE]

I just took my BLS class yesterday so I can begin EMT-B training this January. However, I wasn't too impressed with the lackadaisically approach the instructors took in my class. The instructors seemed more anxious for the class to be over than the students. We didn't get as much practice time in as I thought we would. The class was scheduled for 6 hours but we finished in 4 hours.

However, with this said, I feel pretty confident I know what I am doing and I passed both tests ith a 100%. I'm just concerned about a couple other people in the class who showed obvious signs of needing more practice and one who just didn't get it. She was an older woman and kept mixing up the order in which to do things and was having a real hard time doing chest compressions. However, if she passed the written, I am sure they instructors passed her anyway.

Is this a common experience with the BLS for Healthcare Provider program?

I knew right away the instructors didn't give a crap. I was the first person there so the lead instructor asked me to help setup and one of her first comments was "You're lucky, they have made this class so easy now. All I have to do as an instructor is sit back and play a DVD for you guys.". WTF?

- JT

 

[crash_cart]

Sorry to hear about your experience, that's very unfortunate. I too, had to get professional rescuer CPR training before class started. Our instructor started class an hour early before three sessions so that we could go over the material, as well as practice. She was very big on practice and I can say that I learned it inside and out due to her. The key thing is that you find another student who is gung-ho and takes it just as seriously as you. There will be sticks in the mud, they will be there no matter what class is offered, who teaches it, or what the curriculum is. Find the other serious person in class and stick with them.

 

[SC Bird]

The key thing is that you find another student who is gung-ho and takes it just as seriously as you. There will be sticks in the mud, they will be there no matter what class is offered, who teaches it, or what the curriculum is. Find the other serious person in class and stick with them.

I think that's great advice!!!

Sorry you had a bad experience with your class...

-Matt

 

[BossyCow]

I've been a BLS instructor for several years. There is a wide variety in students and teachers. There are some students so busy telling you that they already know everything that they miss what has changed. There are instructors who assume that most are recerts and don't really need teaching. They pencil whip the certs and spend little time actually teaching. The problem as I see it is the agencies that provide the certification are going more with the quantifiable data associated with powerpoint/video presentations and less with teaching instructors how to actually teach the skill.

My advice is, if you don't understand anything that you are being taught, speak up and insist that your questions and confusion are addressed and alleviated. Having a valid cert isn't going to help your patient unless its accompanied by the actual ability to do the skill.