Not sure where to head with this

[Hawkseye]

Hi there.. So a bit about myself before I cut into this one. I'm currently 4 and a half months into a 6 month basic class and past my 2nd 3rd-rider clinical with a local county service whose hosting the course. I'm 18, male and graduated 2 years ago with a GED diploma- I've only ever been home-schooled and I've not had much of an opportunity to excel socially, so that makes me the quieter kind of guy. In class, I do alright with an average test score of 89% and enjoying it well.

Yesterday I went out on my first clinical ride and was introduced to the interior compartment of the ambulance, its contents, there whereabouts and assisted in counting inventory. The day short, the crew I was with was great and the only real mishap I had was I had forgotten how to setup a 12 lead, though needless to say they showed me through it by finger pointing where to place the electrodes appropriately. Myself, I'm a hands on type of guy, so seeing it is great but I don't feel confident that I can maintain order or correct placement by just seeing/doing it once. After being corrected, I hesitate to ask or be shown again on the next patient we get if I just don't quite get it yet (1; I don't want to appear as if though I've not learned anything, neither to present myself as incompetent by asking repetitively the same fundamentals. 2; Publicly, I represent my instructor, his class and the service by association, so while I'm around crowds of people I find it hard to find that a convenient time to have something explained or demonstrated when our patient really needs this care and for us to do a prompt, but steady job depending on severity, extraction and scene time - again, I'm not socially enthusiastic either, so I don't talk much in front of crowds of people anyway, neither am I comfortable interrupting focused attention on the patient - I don't want to interfere with any of that, but I also need and want the experience of doing something right the first time. Being home-schooled by my parents, the environment I'm used to is one that has been forgiving and allowed me to take my time to get things right to build good habits, but again - that's time and I don't want to be in anyone's way that knows what they're doing when it counts.

They've asked me on several occasions to 'just jump in and do something', simple stuff that needs to be done on every patient anyway; Blood pressure cuff, pulse-ox and getting the lifepack going, etc. Simple and harmless enough, but it seems every time I've approached a conscious patient either standing or sitting, I feel invasive to just walk up to the patient first thing as they're asking questions and slap a bp cuff on the guy/gal. Second to that is the fact that if there are already a number of people standing in the area or it's a tighter space, they're asking the first set of questions and the life pack is already setting aside the patient, I don't feel comfortable interrupting to get a pathway while they're trying to converse. Maybe I just need to be bold and kick a firefighter out of the space if they're not doing anything essentially necessary, but again I don't feel that as my place. I'm new to emergency services, it doesn't feel or seem right, but as I write this, I guess it comes down to ultimately taking charge of what you've gotta do, doing it and getting past mistakes with practice. It just concerns me what mistakes I'm gonna make along the way to get to that point.

By nature, I'm a bit of a perfectionist so I'm actively conscious about anything I do, likewise I'm just as usually active in tampering with it until it seems as good as it's gonna get. Does it look right? Does it make sense to me or others it concerns? Am I being a hindrance? Am I doing enough? Am I sure I really just did that right? I care in every way possible and I mean to do a good job well. I just don't consciously feel like I'm allowing myself to do that. I just can't seem to put a thumb tack in it.

After tonight, my second clinical ride with another crew - My instructor and his usual Tuesday partner - I had a similar experience, so I don't really believe it's all entirely the crew to fault in terms of what they do to make my task that much more comfortable. In any case, I don't really want the situation to be molded around whats comfortable for me; This is rather about me adjusting to the situation, environment and tasks at hand under the various factors at play. I know this is just two clinicals in but I've got questions about whether or not my personality type is fit for this role. I mean I love it, I'm hooked, I just don't feel confident enough to say this is for me and that I can handle it once I'm through the nationals. We've got less than a month and a half left of the course.



Whats your insight on this?

 

[Drax]

You're going to feel that way during your clinicals, just look for things to do.

It wasn't until I started doing ride-alongs (after graduating and passing my NREMT) that I started to take a bit more initiative. Now that I am employed, it seems pretty natural and patients almost expect it. If you're shy, fumbling around, they're gonna be like, "What is this guy doing?"

Otherwise, you're the EMT, you know what you're supposed to do, and you know what you're supposed to be looking for.

Introduce yourself, be friendly, be polite, and ask the patient if you can get a set of vitals to get a better picture as to what might be going on (if it isn't blatantly obvious). After that, move with a purpose.

Best advice I can give you.

Good luck.

 

[unleashedfury]

You were home schooled? I presume it also limited your social activities. (going to meet up with people your age, Playing sports etc. etc.) This does not make you as a person and your personality, Growing up I was kinda socially isolated to an extent, I have brothers and sisters. and a few friends but I was kinda socially awkward didn't want the spotlight on me and tended to prefer to be a loner so to speak kinda shy.

It kinda turned around when I started high school, I became more outspoken and then When I went to EMT school I was first really awkward about it. You want me to touch these people where? how? like it was kind of uncomfortable. well after all these years I killed that shy person, Though some people probably wish I didn't.

the best advice I can give you is don't be afraid you have to be a little aggressive when providing medical care, If you roll up on a scene and your partner or preceptor is doing an interview and firefighters are in your way or what not, just say a simple excuse me. its not rude or impolite and you used your manners. allow for ample time for your patients responses and don't be afraid to say Excuse me one second and tell the patient your gonna take vital signs BP/P etc. place them on the monitor. whatever you may do.

Be polite to your crew, and they also realize that you are a student. so your not gonna get the 12 lead setup on your first try. hell not even your second try. I remember when they introduced 12 lead monitoring in EMS I think it took me a year to get it down solid, since as a EMT-B you won't always do it. Reality is your new your going to learn, make mistakes and learn some more. Instructors and preceptors are usually prepared for this. If you were on my truck I'd give you bonus points for actually making some effort. I've had people hop on and just sit there. do nothing, no questions asked, nothing just sat in the corner on the captains chair and looked like a bump on a log.

as far as being a perfectionist, it wears off. I had a medic who was that OCD his tape had to be torn a certain way. But trust me when things heat up. You forget about the perfection things and do what you have to do to the best of your ability.