First Clinical Rotation Advice Needed

JohnRG

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Hi i am scheduled to have my first EMT 12hr shift Clinical Rotation on an Ambulance in a few week. Is there any advice anyone can share such as things to take in consideration or focus on while on my ride-along. I honestly don't know what to expect. This will take place in Queens, NY.
 
Show up on time, or even better show up early.

Ask what their expectations are. Ask if you can take vitals or whatever.

Bring food because you might not be able to order out.

Pee when you can, don't wait.

Ask questions but not during the actual call.

Ask them to show you some equipment and how it worka like suction, airways, moniter, and stuff.
 
Great suggestions by Ewok. I'd just add, show a willingness to do scutwork like checking supplies, changing O2, cleaning body fluids, carrying stuff, etc., and do much more listening than talking.
 
Very good suggestions by both but I'll add just one more. Do a rig "checkout" before you get going. Do this so you know where everything is in that ambulance and if your preceptor asks you to get something you're not spending 5 minutes fumbling around looking for something.
 
Hopefully you can do your clinicals with an ALS truck. I got to do both ALS and BLS in my EMT third rides and looking back BLS was a total waste of time, taking grandma to Dialysis with the occasional BS 911 call, with a couple of 20 year old know nothing know it all johnny rescue EMT Bs giving me bad advice and teaching me how to do things wrong, spazzing out because I didn't make the cot up how they learned its sposed to be done. Yeah great learning experience. So do ALS if at all possible, you will learn so much more, even as an EMT student.
 
Good recommendations by Ewok Jerky and CALEMT.

They are probably tired of being asked "What's the coolest call you've responded to?" or an equivalent to that. They probably won't notice if you don't ask, but they'll probably mentally roll their eyes if you do ask.

Be willing to learn things beyond your training including: anatomy & physiology, medications, and ECGs. It baffles me when people limit themselves to learning "Oh, I am only an EMT so I don't need to know that."

I was pretty stressed during my ride along. Don't beat yourself up if you aren't able to answer questions that you would normally know or are unable to do something trivial like take a blood pressure.
 
Good recommendations by Ewok Jerky and CALEMT.

They are probably tired of being asked "What's the coolest call you've responded to?" or an equivalent to that.

Damn, you a mind reader or something?
 
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