First day jitters

BenthaEMT

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I've only ever done volunteer work since I got licensed. First responder stuff.
I'm an EMT- B and I just got my first full time job in EMS.
I'm very nervous for my first day.

Does anyone have any advice to get over first day jitters?
 

Gurby

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Will you be IFT, 911, or a mix?

Hopefully you should have a good partner who you can lean on. An experienced partner will be able to pretty much run the show by themselves if they have to, and they shouldn't let you screw anything up too badly. Just be up front about it being your first shift as an EMT so they know what to expect. Don't drop the stretcher or let it tip over, and everything else will be fine!
 

Jim37F

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If you just got hired, your first day should actually just be classroom orientation to the company/agency you're working for (i.e. their policies/procedures, how they expect you to operate in the field, etc) Probably your first few days, possibly a full week or two depending on the specific company. All you really have to do is show up at the right place, at the right time, and in the right uniform, have a notebook and pen and pay attention. When you finish orientation, and go to the field, you won't just be thrown to the wolves, instead you'll have a Field Training Officer and you'll actually be the third person on the ambulance. That way while you're busy trying to figure out how to actually apply classroom to the real world, your FTO will help guide you, keep you from getting lost, and is there to jump in and take over if you just completely blank. Ideally by the end of your FTO period you'll be running the call with their partner as if the FTO wasn't there, they're just standing back and watching, so that way you can clear and start to work normal shifts as a full fledged EMT.
 
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BenthaEMT

Forum Probie
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I'll be 911, and I'm not sure how long the orientation period is, but thanks guys! That's helps a little!
 

johnrsemt

Forum Deputy Chief
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Your first days on the truck: show up early; do full truck check, (even if you are the only one doing full check), learn your truck, the equipment carried, and where it is. Talk to the crew, find out what they usually take into scene with them.

Check out map books, or GPS system for finding addresses. What ever your department uses: look at the back up system. if it is GPS, go online with the manufacture and see what limitations it has. Some do not show dirt roads, some don't show that dirt roads are dirt roads (lousy here, when 75 % of our response area is dirt roads.

Every run you hear dispatched (even if not for your truck) look up the address (how to get from your station to the scene) and figure out a couple of routes to the scene, and a couple of routes to the hospital (what if there is construction, or an accident or the normal route). learn your area.
After a run you were on, look up the addresses, and again figure out a different way to get to the scene (what if you aren't at station when the run was dispatched {Gas station, grocery store, HQ}). And figure a couple different routes to the hospital/s.
Off time (if you live in the area) drive your area, get addresses to Nursing homes in your area, and drive to them. Take your wife, kids, etc., have fun doing it. Make a game out of it, find a new place to take your Significant other out to eat, or get Frozen Yogurt while you are doing it.

Find out what areas you respond into for mutual aid, and do the same thing, listen to their radio traffic if you can, figure out how to get to their runs (some day you will be going into other areas when they are busy, just like they back you up.
 

mgr22

Forum Deputy Chief
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Nervousness is normal. You're probably nervous because you care about doing well. A little nervousness isn't be a bad thing. Use it to help you focus on the job. That's pretty much why it's there.
 

johnrsemt

Forum Deputy Chief
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Find out what shift duties are for your station, and do them. Do your early (unless it is cleaning kitchen after dinner). Do them well. If fire crew goes out on a fire and your ambulance crew is on station, do their shift duties. Nothing worse than knowing after a 6 hour fire, you have to do shift duties when you come back to station.

Find out eating arrangements (does crew/s cook and eat together) find out who is cooking and ask if you can help in any way.

Sign up for a shift of cooking if they do that. Get a couple simple, easy recipes that can be multiplied and learn to cook it well (and make twice as much as you think you will need, if it says it is good for 8 people and that is how many you have per shift, make it for 16 people). Having left overs is much better than not having enough.
 

Tony Ippolito

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911 isn't hard though...
If 911 isn't hard for you, you aren't doing it right. I strongly believe that there is a difference between an EMT and a provider. Anyone can pull vitals and transport someone, but a provider can assess, make better, sooth, and change the outlook of someone's life upon calling 911.

Gets off soap box.... Lol
 

Chewy20

Forum Deputy Chief
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If 911 isn't hard for you, you aren't doing it right. I strongly believe that there is a difference between an EMT and a provider. Anyone can pull vitals and transport someone, but a provider can assess, make better, sooth, and change the outlook of someone's life upon calling 911.

Gets off soap box.... Lol

So you mean do your job? Again, not rocket science bud.

Curious, what makes it difficult for you?
 

Tony Ippolito

Forum Probie
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So you mean do your job? Again, not rocket science bud.

Curious, what makes it difficult for you?
You strike me as the type who has stopped learning. Maybe a little narcissist.
If you believe you know it all, I'm happy for you but no need to demean the level of difficulty the job requires.
 

Tony Ippolito

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Lol enjoy your coffee sir.
 
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