First Shift tomorrow

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Pittma

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Well, it took a lot of work (and I'm still trying, haha) to get work and I found it in a little town in Massachusetts. I have my first orientation ride tomorrow, but from what I hear for the most part, you get right down and dirty and they don't third ride you too long- which is good, I think I'll learn better that way. Anyway, I'm really excited but also anxious. I've never been out in the field before, only done tons and tons of scenarios. What should I know before hand so that everything goes smoothly? Any tips/tricks you guys can give to a noob?
 
You most likely won't kill anyone.



Always good advice.
 
If you're unsure about anything, ask. You won't fool anyone for too long faking it and may get in over your head.
 
Pittma said:
Well, it took a lot of work (and I'm still trying, haha) to get work and I found it in a little town in Massachusetts. I have my first orientation ride tomorrow, but from what I hear for the most part, you get right down and dirty and they don't third ride you too long- which is good, I think I'll learn better that way. Anyway, I'm really excited but also anxious. I've never been out in the field before, only done tons and tons of scenarios. What should I know before hand so that everything goes smoothly? Any tips/tricks you guys can give to a noob?
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You never had to do ride-alongs with your EMT Class?!
 
ask questions. at an appropriate time of course, always be prepared and show up prepared, the way you present yourself is always key. Good luck!
 
OP who are you working for and where? PM if you dont want to say publicly?
 
Upton Fire Department. Small town in South Central MA, just had my first call. It took 24 hours lol. I thought I would be prepared but then I got to the call and sort of froze. I was riding third, so I didn't get much of a chance to actually do a lot. I tried to keep on top of things, and ask my partner(s) what they needed,what I could do, etc. However, I guess you could say I felt pretty useless.
 
sorry to hear you only got 1 in 24 hrs. i got 3 in 12 hrs im just under an emt cert , and the emt i was working with let me do almost everything
 
You'll get more calls than you care to run soon enough. My first call was with my Vol. Fire Dept. I was even issued a pager yet. The same day my cert card came in the mail I hear the siern go off. I get to the station first not knowing what the call was for. Our asst. chief comes flying up and he tells me to jump in the Med truck with him. I ask him what we got and he says "car vs. tree 3 pt. (1 preg.) unk condition". He asked me if I got my cert card yet and I said yea today. He was like great you are med command until EMS shows up. Scariest 15 mins of my life.
 
Combat_Medic said:
You'll get more calls than you care to run soon enough. My first call was with my Vol. Fire Dept. I was even issued a pager yet. The same day my cert card came in the mail I hear the siern go off. I get to the station first not knowing what the call was for. Our asst. chief comes flying up and he tells me to jump in the Med truck with him. I ask him what we got and he says "car vs. tree 3 pt. (1 preg.) unk condition". He asked me if I got my cert card yet and I said yea today. He was like great you are med command until EMS shows up. Scariest 15 mins of my life.
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I'd probably pee myself, but I'd rather get it out of my system early :P. I just hope I get more calls- I don't like feeling like a noob-padawan of EMS. NOTHING they taught me in school prepared me for calls, I learned today. And it wasn't like it was a serious call, either. Does that make me a weenie? Haha
 
Pittma said:
Upton Fire Department. Small town in South Central MA, just had my first call. It took 24 hours lol. I thought I would be prepared but then I got to the call and sort of froze. I was riding third, so I didn't get much of a chance to actually do a lot. I tried to keep on top of things, and ask my partner(s) what they needed,what I could do, etc. However, I guess you could say I felt pretty useless.
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To be honest, not knowing what your partner wants when you first start with them is not too big of a deal.


Being a Paramedic that usually works with EMTs, I'm used to running the show doing things my way. Put me with another medic and it's their call to run, and I get lost as everyone runs their calls differently.... especially when both medics have different styles.


Just go with the flow.
 
just go with the flow as linus said. You will also learn to anticpate what your medic wants at certain times. For me, when i know my medic is going start an IV with NS on a macro drip set, i get the saline lock ready and spike the bag (im allowed to do that as a basic for the company i work for). But also if you know you will have to bring the pt down steps, bring the stair chair up or ask if you should get the stair chair. Give it time, you will learn to adjust and be more prepared.

In the mean time get very familiar with the truck even if it means getting to your shift early that will help you be more prepared too.
 
Linuss said:
To be honest, not knowing what your partner wants when you first start with them is not too big of a deal.

Just go with the flow.
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Basically all I could do, especially since I literally hopped out of bed and raced to the station to hop on the ambulance (small, rural town), on my first call, with no prior training or orientation. I pretty much applied for the job, they gave me a beeper and told me to catch the ambulance.
 
You'll get the hang of it soon enough.
On a side note (and for those of you at work, who may or may not believe in superstitions, don't read this lol) if you want more calls, wait till everyone gets ready to eat next shift you work and say the following: "Man, it sure has been quiet today." Make sure the food is already on the table.....:ph34r::beerchug:
 
frostbiteEMT said:
You'll get the hang of it soon enough.
On a side note (and for those of you at work, who may or may not believe in superstitions, don't read this lol) if you want more calls, wait till everyone gets ready to eat next shift you work and say the following: "Man, it sure has been quiet today." Make sure the food is already on the table.....:ph34r::beerchug:
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And run like hell cause your coworkers will be fully justified in murdering you :)
 
Haha, that actually happened! I was at my girlfriend's family gathering late sunday afternoon (same day as my first call), and we were sitting down for cake, and me and my girlfriend's cousin (who got me the job) pagers go off...diabetic seizure. Pt was in bad shape, but I was more comfortable with this other emt I rode with and tried to stay a step ahead of her and nailed it.
 
Meh, debatable.
 
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