Clinicals - DFW

[earlyriser]

So Next week i start my clinical's:

2 - ER shifts
1 - L & D
1 - Respiratory
2 - Ambulance/Firestation

Can you please give me any tips/advice, what to do/not to do, what to expect, and any other info that may be helpful. Thanks in advance!!

 

[Shishkabob]

What school are you at? I'd be better able to tell you the niches of each hospital if I knew which ones you got sent to

 

[earlyriser]

Methodist in Downtown Dallas and a Grand Prairie Fire station.

 

[Fox800]

Show up about 30 minutes early for your EMS shifts. Have a clean, pressed uniform, a professional appearance. Offer to help out with things like cleaning the station/truck (this is a big one). Ask questions, try to learn as much as possible. Do your paperwork throughout the shift, don't wait until 30 minutes before shift change and throw it at your preceptor, causing them to go home late. Bring your own stethoscope, if you have one.

 

[Trayos]

Show up about 30 minutes early for your EMS shifts. Have a clean, pressed uniform, a professional appearance. Offer to help out with things like cleaning the station/truck (this is a big one). Ask questions, try to learn as much as possible. Do your paperwork throughout the shift, don't wait until 30 minutes before shift change and throw it at your preceptor, causing them to go home late. Bring your own stethoscope, if you have one.

Would you recommend all of the above for volunteer training/work as well? I don't know if bringing my own stethoscope would seem over the top for a new EMT, and be met with derision.

 

[Martyn]

Would you recommend all of the above for volunteer training/work as well? I don't know if bringing my own stethoscope would seem over the top for a new EMT, and be met with derision.

Depends on whether you like other peoples earwax or not :glare:

 

[Trayos]

Depends on whether you like other peoples earwax or not :glare:

Well, frankly speaking, its my parent's, and isn't that what isopropyl alcohol and elbow grease is for?^_^

 

[Fox800]

Would you recommend all of the above for volunteer training/work as well? I don't know if bringing my own stethoscope would seem over the top for a new EMT, and be met with derision.

If you have your own stethoscope, bring it. Anyone who gives you crap for it is a tool, plain and simple.

 

[hatsuo]

Did you do your basic at methodist?

 

[bigbaldguy]

My ER rotations were so much fun I did an extra 12hour shift. The hardest part will probably be staying out of the way. Be willing to do stuff other people aren't you might get lucky. I ended up having to hold a urinal for guy with a gunshot wound to the foot but because everyone else disappeared when he said he had to pee. 2 minutes later a doctor walked in and asked me to help with a bad burn patient in the next bed. I got hands on training in applying burn dressings, burn assessment,suction, moving an intubated patient plus the same doctor saw me a few other times and she let me help out with a few other things as well. She even asked me to talk with an MVA patients parents and explain what had happened to him. I didn't get to do my OB shift though because the woman didn't feel comfortable having us (I was with another male emt student) in the room.
Most hospitals have warm blankets. Find out where those are and when your doing nothing else walk around and offer them to people. It gives you an easy way to talk to patients and you can use the opportunities to practice your patient assessments. Also take a small notebook so u can take a few notes on your patients. If your anything like me after the first 3 or 4 patients of the day they start to blur together and you will need the info to do your "mock" reports.
Definitely take your own scope. If nothing else it's kind of fun walking around with it hung over your neck. Try to use it though. I listened to every patient but I'll be honest I wasn't experienced enough to really know what I was listening to at the time.
Try and shadow one of the paramedic students if they will let you. I got lucky and a medic student took me under his wing and let me do all the stuff he didn't really want to do like put o2 masks on, take temps apply leads Ect..
Above all try to have fun and be proactive in searching out learning opportunities. I wasted half my first day because I was too nervous to jump in and do stuff. Remember you're there to learn.