EMT-B Ride alongs not going well

SSwain

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I now have 36 hours of ride time, and only 2 contacts to show. The guys at the station have nick-named me "White Cloud". Apparently some other ride alongs are like "black clouds" and the fit hits the shan when they are there.

Not me...no, I am the opposite.

To prove my point, I was on for 4 hrs last night with no calls, but, as I was walking out to my truck after my time on, the tones sounded. It was past deptartment policy time to allow me to ride along, so I couldn't run back in and hop on. Had the tones gone off 2 minutes earlier, I would have been on the rig. (If I am on a call that takes me past policy time, that's accepted)

I need three more contacts, so I will need to schedule more time to ride, but working a full time job (50+ hrs) and a hectic family/home schedule allows for only 4 hrs each on Wednesday and Friday nights.
I had two days between Christmas and New Years, 12 hrs each with no contacts.

On the lighter side, I am making friends with the guys on all the shifts.
 

WhiskeySix5

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I can go 24 hours and all we will do is post a couple of times, and not even drop a tone. Other days, we can run all day and night... it is cyclical, all you need is more time under your belt. No matter what, it will never be what you want it to be. If your hoping for a slow day because your tired, you will be slammed, if you are bored out of your mind, you cant catch a call.

B shift hates me because almost without fail, as I walk out the door the tones drop.... thye usually give me a 1 finger wave as they drive off :rofl:

Don't worry about it, you just need more shift time.
 

Bob67

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My first shift (overnight) was nothing. My last two shifts had a few calls.

It is weird being the third but the oldest (by far) of the crew. The family automatically starts talking with me. I left out the fact that it was my first call. :cool:
 

emt6207

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I had a similar problem with the first 2x12 hr shifts I did I had maybe 2 contacts, I did about 3 more shifts and I got the variety, first 12hr of those 3 I had all transports, 2nd shift was all diabetic emergencies, 3rd was all psych pt's. Maybe 14 contacts total between the 3, just gotta watch the news and weather and pick the best days people are more likely to be...lacking of common sense...
 
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SSwain

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Today would have been great...after a relatively mild winter so far, we are supposed to get about 6" of snow. People seem to forget how to drive in it every year.
But tonight is filled with the kid's activities...Scouts, Gymnastics, swimming and basketball. We need both parents to run around :wacko:

Last semester, hey had a Basic who had all 5 contacts filled within 7 hrs.
 

mycrofft

Still crazy but elsewhere
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Get more time. Use the opportunity to ask questions like "What can ride-alongs do better as a rule?", and "You want cream and sugar in this?".
 
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SSwain

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Policy mandates that students study when not on calls....I am pretty set for the pharmacology test that is coming in Feb.;)

Plus reading ahead in the book is prepping me for what's to come.
 

EMS123

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Get more time. Use the opportunity to ask questions like "What can ride-alongs do better as a rule?", and "You want cream and sugar in this?".

Catch more flies with honey then you do with vinegar.
 
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mycrofft

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Then you throw the vinegar on 'em.
My EMT ride along consisted of passenging in the mobile ICU transporting linens from the old St Mary's to the new St MAry's in Omaha, then seeing two cases in the ER; an anteriorly dislocated ankle (!!) and a really big "J" lac in a cheek, both ambulatory (with assist).

Nursing ambulance ride-along: surprised them by helping lift litter into ambulance, taking vitals, starting O2, for the open call in eight hrs. (I'd been an active EMT for five years by then).
 

Sasha

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Get more time. Use the opportunity to ask questions like "What can ride-alongs do better as a rule?", and "You want cream and sugar in this?".

Catch more flies with honey then you do with vinegar.

Catch even more with poop.

Sucking up to the station crew isn't going to get you calls. Sucks but you're just gonna have to wait it out. I didn't get many good calls in school.

One time I arrived 15 minutes early and was passed by the ambulance on the way out. Found out from the engine crew that if I had been 17 minutes early instead of 15 minutes early I would have gotten to ride in on a Ped vs Truck.

Once I was passed by the crew on my way home after clinical. If I had meandered around getting my stuff and leaving I would have gotten to ride out on a shooting.

And the final eff you moment of my clinicals... They assigned myself and another student from another school to the same station by accident. One of us had to go to a different station, which was supposedly busier than the current station I was assigned to so I volunteered. Got there, the crew was on their only call of the day.

The crew I left got to work a fall, a chest pain and a code that day.

It's really just the luck of the draw.
 
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Sasha

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Policy mandates that students study when not on calls....I am pretty set for the pharmacology test that is coming in Feb.;)

Plus reading ahead in the book is prepping me for what's to come.

I hate that. You can only study so much before it is counter productive.

I never make my students study when I precept unless they don't seem like they know what they're talking about. Tell them they might as well nap because that's what I will be doing when we hold.

During my clinicals I studied on the couch with my book open on my lap while watching TV with the crew. Or with my "fun book" on top of my text book. (i still had the highest over all grade in my class :D )

No one had a problem with it as long as I could look like I was studying if the chief wanders in that day.
 
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SSwain

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^^^I couldnt agree more.

"Policy mandates that students study..."

Seems a bit much for a college level course.

I suppose it keeps the students from loafing around in the station. I have no problems studying. I have gone back to some earlier chapters to refresh...
Plus I am #2 in class right now, so it has been paying off.
I have also been able to sit in on some meetings with the Paramedic crews. Good face time with the other 2 station's personnel. Mundane things, but if they invite me to, I will not say "No".

Next week I will be at the station that handles 75% of the transfers from assisted living houses. Each occurance could count as a contact. Unless my preceptor doesn't feel it should be counted.
I had a transfer last week that was all of 1 minute drive time. The nursing home is on the same block as the Hospital. I had barely got the BP cuff on her when we were pulling into the ED bay. That one didn't count.
 

Sasha

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I suppose it keeps the students from loafing around in the station. I have no problems studying. I have gone back to some earlier chapters to refresh...
Plus I am #2 in class right now, so it has been paying off.
I have also been able to sit in on some meetings with the Paramedic crews. Good face time with the other 2 station's personnel. Mundane things, but if they invite me to, I will not say "No".

Next week I will be at the station that handles 75% of the transfers from assisted living houses. Each occurance could count as a contact. Unless my preceptor doesn't feel it should be counted.
I had a transfer last week that was all of 1 minute drive time. The nursing home is on the same block as the Hospital. I had barely got the BP cuff on her when we were pulling into the ED bay. That one didn't count.

It leaves the student mentally exhausted and unable to focus on the call at hand in my opinion.
 

rob85635

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I documented 58 hours ride time and was short contacts. White cloud was my nickname and "Hey, come ride anytime." was usually what they said after every shift. Another guy in my class got 9 contacts in one day when one station was covering EMS for another station that was training. That combined with a busy day and he had 9. Crazy, you never know.
 
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SSwain

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45 hours logged now...still only 2 contacts.
I started at 3:00 yesterday afternoon...All three stations were running calls all day long...MVA, chest pains, slips & falls, one guy got de-gloved by a garage door opener spring....
As soon as I showed up...nothing.
I was on until 9:00 last night ( I went with the crew to Station One for a meeting, and that took me past my scheduled 8:00 pm time)

Captain White Cloud rides again.:censored:
 

Bob67

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I have 23 hours with 6 calls so far in January. We average 10 / day. On my overnights, I had 1 call and 3 the second overnight.
 

LifelongEMT

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My first 8 on clinical we caught 7 calls the second 1 and the 3rd none after that we hit about 3 a shift. We were suppose to study but when we went in the medics asked a ton of questions if you got it right they just let you relax if not you better be studying...plus i did my clincals off the camous of a college we got some good calls;)
 

DPM

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When I did my ride alongs I did one 12hr shift and got 7 calls. Next day got 3 more in 5 hours and I was all done.

It's luck of the draw. A class mate of mine was sh*t out of luck with the same guys.
 

DrParasite

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On the lighter side, I am making friends with the guys on all the shifts.
which if you ever wanted a job, will make you more likely to get hired. much better to be well like by everyone than a super medic, networking is an awesome thing that most EMS people don't do enough of.
Catch even more with poop.
I have never tried to catch flies with poop. how did you find that out? like the first person who said that, pooped on a plate, left it out overnight, and the next morning said "look Ma, there are flies on it!!!"
45 hours logged now...still only 2 contacts.
Captain White Cloud rides again.:censored:
try an over night shift, or a weekend day shift. the calls will happens, there is no way to predict when you will get calls.

One day at work, the 2 day crews ran 17 calls. we didn't turn the wheel once for the 12 hours following. it happens, don't stress it
 
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