EMR course progress

fortsmithman

fortsmithman

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Tonight I have to study and learn not to have tunnel vision when it comes to trauma. I had 2 scenarios today and I pooched them both due to tunnel vision and not verbalizing to the instructor what I am doing. I am better at medical. Tomorrow is the written exam in the morning I am confident I can pass. In the afternoon I have the practicals and if I pooch those my time at Fort Smith Volunteer Emergency Medical Service will come to an end. if that happens I will bring all my equipment back to the base and at changover I will shake the hand of those who I have served with these past four years and wish them well. So I hope that I don't pooch the practical scenario tomorrow. Wish me luck. If I do pooch them then I'll probably go into the Volly FD. Before the practicals I thought I'd be better at trauma than medical. Turns out I am better at medical. who'd of thought.
 
I past my written EMR exam part 1 I got 48 out of 50 for a score of 96% part 2 of the written exam I got 81%. While I passed the written I failed the practical which was a trauma. I asked my EMS Chief as to what my status in the department is. He said he'd talk to the town SAO too make that determination. Tonight I will wash my uniforms and turn them into the dept. I'm going to make it easy and voluntarily step down. Four years has been a good run. I'm going to miss it. After I get my class 5 I am, considering applying to the Fire Department. Maybe I might be a better firefighter than medic. Who knows.
 
fortsmithman said:
I past my written EMR exam part 1 I got 48 out of 50 for a score of 96% part 2 of the written exam I got 81%. While I passed the written I failed the practical which was a trauma. I asked my EMS Chief as to what my status in the department is. He said he'd talk to the town SAO too make that determination. Tonight I will wash my uniforms and turn them into the dept. I'm going to make it easy and voluntarily step down. Four years has been a good run. I'm going to miss it. After I get my class 5 I am, considering applying to the Fire Department. Maybe I might be a better firefighter than medic. Who knows.
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They aren't going to "fire" you because you failed a test. They will be happy to let you resign or to "let you go" if it comes to that. Don't make any decisions until you have looked at any possible options with your chief. Some people have test anxiety, and most of the people in my EMT and EMT-I classes looked like manic depressive chickens during their scenarios. I don't know the exact specifics of what you are testing for (class final or state cert), but if you have the opportunity to retest, do it. It keeps your options open.

In what capacity have you been working during your time there? If you have been actively working as a FF for 4 years, you probably know everything you need to pass those scenarios. If you have the opportunity to retest, get some friends together to practice scenarios with, and have them critique you on what you are/are not doing well. They should berate you for anything you do that you do not verbalize, but remember, you know what you're doing, you just have to show the examiners that.

Good luck!
 
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Sorry to hear about the trouble. Trauma scenarios should be fairly straightforward. Do you care to share some details with us and maybe we can offer suggestions?
 
My instructor said I had the best Emergency Scene Management out of my entire class. I have the problem of tunnel vision, I missed the fact that my Pt was going into shock. Prior to this I had 3 practice scenarios 2 were trauma and 1 medical I did OK on the medical but the two other trauma scenarios I pooched. If I do go back and redo the course, after I do that then my place will be doing IFTs where it's pretty much medical.
 
fortsmithman said:
My instructor said I had the best Emergency Scene Management out of my entire class. I have the problem of tunnel vision, I missed the fact that my Pt was going into shock. Prior to this I had 3 practice scenarios 2 were trauma and 1 medical I did OK on the medical but the two other trauma scenarios I pooched. If I do go back and redo the course, after I do that then my place will be doing IFTs where it's pretty much medical.
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What do you mean by saying that you missed that the patient was going into shock?

At the EMR level, the treatment of trauma should be fairly standard (likely backboard and rapid transport along maybe with some bleed management and probably supplemental O2). Was it just that there were abnormal vital signs and you were not able to explain why? I don't see how the idea that the patient is going into shock is going to change your treatment.
 
fortsmithman said:
I past my written EMR exam part 1 I got 48 out of 50 for a score of 96% part 2 of the written exam I got 81%. While I passed the written I failed the practical which was a trauma. I asked my EMS Chief as to what my status in the department is. He said he'd talk to the town SAO too make that determination. Tonight I will wash my uniforms and turn them into the dept. I'm going to make it easy and voluntarily step down. Four years has been a good run. I'm going to miss it. After I get my class 5 I am, considering applying to the Fire Department. Maybe I might be a better firefighter than medic. Who knows.
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This seems like a pretty drastic reaction to failing a highly artificial simulated patient scenario.

If you're going to miss doing EMS, have you thought about maybe studying some more, and trying again?

I'm not trying to be rude, but it's hard to understand where you're coming from here. People fail tests. Sometimes good people fail tests. Sometimes bad people pass.
 
I talked with my deputy chief and said for me to try again and remain with the service so I will. For the past four years I have been assisting the EMRs and our 2 EMTs as well as providing scene security until the RCMP arrives on scene. My service is mainly an EMR service as is most of the services h=in the NWT.
 
Don't let one failed test stop you in your tracks. If you want it, study up and try again. You don't get one re-take on the practical?

Just remember, trauma is fairly straightforward even at the ALS level. Be systematic in your approach to it and you'll do just fine.

Don't let this one test make you become a hose-monkey rather than a medic :P Sorry couldn't resist, I'm joking.
 
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