how should i prepare?

[amg1322]

I am starting Emt-b class, and am very excited about the field. its always held my interest, but i suppose i've always been nervous about it and held back. now all of a sudden its a reality, and reading some peoples thoughts on the calls they've gotten or things they've seen is starting to make me a little more nervous..

any advice you can offer to me? anything i can do to prepare for class or for working in the field? any words of wisdom?

 

[HeatStroke]

study all the time and make sure to ask a lot of questions. Start doing ride alongs now so you get comfortable taking accurate sets of vitals

 

[joegrizzly]

As stated know your knowledge and get it wire tight. Ask as many questions as you can to anyone you can. I will ask paramedics and nurses for a few minutes after calls and pick their brains on certain things that could have gone differently or new things that I have very little experience with. Try and steer away from all the "what if" questions as this can go a million different ways and doesn't usually end with a clear cut answer in my opinion. My biggest piece of advice from working as an EMT is "chill brah". In my opinion one of our main callings as an EMT-B is to treat anxiety. Yes we set up the assessment/treatment with anything and everything in our scope of practice, and also assist higher scopes of practice with their care, but helping to de-stress a patient and preparing them for treatment in a hospital is a huge perk for not only the patient, but yourself and everyone involved with the patient's care.

Arriving on scene to every call of any nature I personally try and get into the mentality that the patient just needs a band aid, no big deal. Let me explain this. I do not stroll on scene and take my time or do anything that would compromise personal safety or patient care, but I do walk on scene calm, cool, prepared, and ready to treat the patient. Walk on scene like your the 7/11 guy with a BP cuff and treat the patient like a person and not a number and you will get such an entirely different attitude from patients, medics, nurses, and doctors than you would have thought. Hope that helps some and hope you get the time to put it into practice. Take care and Good Luck!

 

[NYMedic828]

I am starting Emt-b class, and am very excited about the field. its always held my interest, but i suppose i've always been nervous about it and held back. now all of a sudden its a reality, and reading some peoples thoughts on the calls they've gotten or things they've seen is starting to make me a little more nervous..

any advice you can offer to me? anything i can do to prepare for class or for working in the field? any words of wisdom?

First thing to realize, is the calls you have people posting on this forum are usually out of the ordinary. That is why they get posted.

Worry about the routine first, the extraordinary second.


This forum and others are a fantastic resource for you. I advise you to read the chapters prior to class. Come to class prepared as you would anything and you will have no issues. The class is not difficult. Anyone (within reason) can pass.

The difference is how ambitious you are. You will get out of the class only what you want to get out of it.

 

[bigbaldguy]

Read your book before you start class. Start to finish so it's a review when you go over it in class. This will help immensely and it will give you a buffer if you get behind on your reading during the course.

 

[MadMedic]

Flashcards, Flashcards, Flashcards!!!!
read the book, and study all the time.
And when I say Flashcards, I mean write out Flashcards, I had thousands of them!

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

Read your book before you start class. Start to finish so it's a review when you go over it in class. This will help immensely and it will give you a buffer if you get behind on your reading during the course.

Don't necessarily need to read it start to finish before class IMO, but do it at least a day ahead of time so you are getting it as review in class. Same concept as what the quoted poster said.

 

[Tommerag]

When you do practical scenarios, just remember to calm down and if you have to take a step back. When I help out with EMT and Medic classes this is by far the worst place I see them perform. Everyone is extremely nervous and generally do not do well.

Also if you do a scenario after words ask the person that was grading you for any advice. I encourage the students to ask me questions on whether something was done right, or if they should have done somethings else.

Biggest Key: Just remember we were all in your shoes at one point in time.

 

[SSwain]

Know your pharmacology backwards and forwards. Trust me.

 

[amg1322]

thank you everyone for your responses, its putting me a bit at ease knowing that everyone here is so helpful and so supportive. i'm definitely going to make sure that i make an effort to do all of these things...

 

[medichopeful]

Read your book before you start class. Start to finish so it's a review when you go over it in class. This will help immensely and it will give you a buffer if you get behind on your reading during the course.

Read a college level Anatomy and Physiology book before class. That will get you WAY ahead.

 

[Ambulanceman]

Ask questions, and relax, the more nervous you are the less confident you will look. Everyone starts out somewhere; everyone goes through the newbie part. Oh and have fun!