FuMan, I just left my service after working the last 7 months on a CCT unit staffed with two EMT's and a CCT-RN. In my experience, this was the best kind of IFT unit to be on. I routinely saw critical patients and was able to use my brain rather than load and go with a dialysis patient or take a home S/P knee replacement. While I was never in charge of these patients per se, I happened to be lucky enough to work with the same two RN's for the entire 7 months and with time comes trust. If you can prove yourself to be a competent EMT you can expect to have a good working relationship. Here are some of the things I did as a basic on a regular basis.
-Almost all the CCT patients we transported, stable or not, are gonna be cardiac monitored at the least. You will get very familiar with your CCT monitor. Each run I was expected to apply ECG leads, limb leads or twelve lead depending on the call. Apply O2 saturation monitor and NIBP auto cuff. I don't know if you've ever used these monitors but they are all different and have a million different things they do and you will get very familiar with them. I have found them to be generally user friendly. Ask questions.
-O2 administration. Simple enough. Get good at applying a nasal cannula.
-Know which equipment you will need for different calls. Our nurses were also expected to be proficient using a ventilator and we routinely had vent calls. This will require special equipment. Obviously this is something you learn over time but like I said if you take the initiative and ask questions you have the opportunity to learn a lot.
-At our service we were required to complete a full run sheet to accompany the RN's PCR. This was helpful because we kept our paperwork skills fresh.
-Lastly, if you've been a basic already then you are probably already good at driving but the cargo you are hauling can be a bit more likely to need to be expeditiously transported. Not saying that every call is a code 3 emergency but I found that I needed to be more aware of possible diversion hospitals and being a little more mindful that there can be very complex things happening in the back, especially if you have a doctor on board. Talk about back seat drivers...
Anyway, being on a CCT unit was fun and definitely the best learning experience I've ever had. It opened my eyes to some medical conditions that I would probably never run into in the field as a 911 provider and helped me understand the pathophysiology behind it.
Good luck and have fun!
