First day question.

[burnsmh]

I signed up for my clinicals and my first time ever stepping foot on an ambulance is going to be July 5th at 0530 to 1730. Being that it is the morning after the holiday...Should I expect a rough first day?

Just off the top of my head I can think of drunk drivers getting home after a party, kids blowing up fireworks once their parents are asleep or the day after, drunks with airway issues, people with bad attitudes being drunk or mad from the holiday, ect.

I'm nervous, what do you guys think it will be like?

 

[STXmedic]

You really can't predict it. On days that you think should be filled with horrific traumas, you won't turn a wheel. Then on a random Tuesday you'll make shooting, stabbings, and ejections back to back.

If I had to guess, though, I'd bet you won't get much. It does seem to usually be fairly quiet after holidays. People recovering from the previous night's festivities and such.

 

[BASICallyEMT]

Holidays seem to be the slowest shifts for me.. just don't get complacent beceause you never know.. I assume your first day will mostly consist of familiarizing yourself with the patient compartment.

 

[EMT11KDL]

They are hit and miss for me also.

 

[OnceAnEMT]

I spent my first few weeks in the ED trying to figure out a "formula" per se, to identify when a shift will be busy or not. As mentioned above, it just can't be done. You would think holidays, especially those that see heavier alcohol consumption, would result in more patients. If anything at all, it seems to be the opposite. Weekends are no different than weekdays, sometimes seemingly more busy only because we are running a skeleton crew. One Monday at noon we could be triaging patients in the hallways, and the next day we may never open certain overflow areas. Then the next week its the opposite. There is just no telling what you will see and when.

Are there stations that are busier than others? For sure. But that's a different question.

 

[Chewy20]

I signed up for my clinicals and my first time ever stepping foot on an ambulance is going to be July 5th at 0530 to 1730. Being that it is the morning after the holiday...Should I expect a rough first day?

Just off the top of my head I can think of drunk drivers getting home after a party, kids blowing up fireworks once their parents are asleep or the day after, drunks with airway issues, people with bad attitudes being drunk or mad from the holiday, ect.

I'm nervous, what do you guys think it will be like?

Does the company you are riding with even take 911? That could answer your question haha. I have found holidays to be abnormally slow. Went into last years 4th weekend thinking it would be busy with some cool stuff. Did not do a darn thing besides a call of an unconscious who was then conscious when we got there.h34r:

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Every shift I bring a book/magazine, fully charged phone with charger, and snacks. That way I prepared whether its busy or slow because you NEVER know. Also, pee whenever you have the thought of peeing.

 

[Tunamate]

Every shift I bring a book/magazine, fully charged phone with charger, and snacks. That way I prepared whether its busy or slow because you NEVER know. Also, pee whenever you have the thought of peeing.

Haha ya peeing is top of the list! But whatever you do don't take work with you to do. Anything that resembles something you actually have to get done will most likely result in you running your *** off and you'll still have the work to do later after shift....

 

[avdrummerboy]

To the OP: How was the ride??

Also, as has been said, you never ever know, it can go up and down in the blink of an eye. As the saying goes, EMS is long hours of boredom interrupted by a few minutes of insanity!! It really sucks when I have to stop killing zombies in Black Ops for a code 3 toe pain call!!!

 

[burnsmh]

To the OP: How was the ride??

Also, as has been said, you never ever know, it can go up and down in the blink of an eye. As the saying goes, EMS is long hours of boredom interrupted by a few minutes of insanity!! It really sucks when I have to stop killing zombies in Black Ops for a code 3 toe pain call!!!

It went really, really good. My proctor didn't push me to do anything too fast, he just let me warm up to the situation being my first time ever on an ambulance. He helped me and let me ask all the questions I needed too, I did some actual work and I tried my best to help them when I felt I could. He helped me write a PCR correctly, explained when I did something wrong. It was a VERY good experience and I can't wait for Friday when I get to do it again. I feel as though if I was working in this field it would be the first time in YEARS that I actually want to wake up to go to work.

Thanks for asking how it went by the way.

 

[jrm818]

Forget holidays...its the Monday after you have to watch out for....who the heck would want to go to the hospital on a long weekend when you could miss work instead?