Questions about fto training

C

chickj0434

Forum Lieutenant
Messages
130
Reaction score
7
Points
18
So recently passed my nremt. Applied got a few job offerings. Eventually took one with a large 911 company. Will be starting a week long orientation in a few weeks. Followed by fto training.

Am nervous about the fto training. Never had any emt experience with this being my 1st job. If i struggle can they just release me? Any advice on what i could be studying up until then would be greatly beneficial.
 
Skills and mapping.


And yes. If you struggle they may just let you go.
 
Aight just nervous since its my first emt job so dont really have any idea of what ti do besides what iv learned in school and studying
 
#1 priority is know the "textbook" cold. Have your local protocols memorized and be able to rattle them off without hesitation. People will have more patience with you if it seems like you're putting in an effort, are not an idiot, and are nice to everyone. If you don't know your protocols, come off as an idiot and are mean to patients/nurses/coworkers, you're gonna have a bad time.

The easiest way to make yourself look like an idiot is to give a crappy radio patch or handoff report. Schools often don't focus on this, but it's pretty important. Come up with a system for how you want to do it, and practice.

If you've got a few weeks, a fantastic exercise would be to walk through every scenario on this website: http://emsbasics.com/welcome-to-scenarioville/scenarios/
Read slowly, and pause at each step along the way to think about what you would do in that situation: as you pull up on scene, what equipment will you bring in? What will you say to the patient/family when you walk in? How will you do your assessment? What interventions will you do? At what point and how will you extricate the patient to the truck? Do you need to call for ALS? Transport decision? What will you say in your radio patch? How will you give report to the RN/MD at the hospital?
 
Great info thank you. Are they just gonna throw me into day 1 or walk through it slow at first

Gurby said:
#1 priority is know the "textbook" cold. Have your local protocols memorized and be able to rattle them off without hesitation. People will have more patience with you if it seems like you're putting in an effort, are not an idiot, and are nice to everyone. If you don't know your protocols, come off as an idiot and are mean to patients/nurses/coworkers, you're gonna have a bad time.

The easiest way to make yourself look like an idiot is to give a crappy radio patch or handoff report. Schools often don't focus on this, but it's pretty important. Come up with a system for how you want to do it, and practice.

If you've got a few weeks, a fantastic exercise would be to walk through every scenario on this website: http://emsbasics.com/welcome-to-scenarioville/scenarios/
Read slowly, and pause at each step along the way to think about what you would do in that situation: as you pull up on scene, what equipment will you bring in? What will you say to the patient/family when you walk in? How will you do your assessment? What interventions will you do? At what point and how will you extricate the patient to the truck? Do you need to call for ALS? Transport decision? What will you say in your radio patch? How will you give report to the RN/MD at the hospital?
Click to expand...
 
You won't be the first new hire who this is their first ambulance job, nor will you be the last. While I have heard horror stories floating around, by and large, most FTO's will know that, and won't expect you to hit the ground running at the start of Day 1. Remember they are field TRAINING officers, their job is to train you up in how to specifically do your job in the field. Just let your FTO know that you're new. In many ways that may actually be a good thing since you wont have any old/bad habits from previous companies you'll have to unlearn....instead you are a blank slate they can mold into how your service wants things done.
 
Bigbadwolf25 said:
Great info thank you. Are they just gonna throw me into day 1 or walk through it slow at first
Click to expand...

Depends a lot on the FTO. Some people love to teach and are very patient with newbies, some people not so much.
 
Gurby said:
Depends a lot on the FTO. Some people love to teach and are very patient with newbies, some people not so much.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Just feel like i would have no idea what to do if they just through me out there. But talking to a lot of people its a common feeling. Once u get out there and see a few calls in action ill be good iv been told
 
*Disclaimer* The following is ideal, but not universal. Some FTO processes are terrible and function nothing like this.

It's an FTO's job to take somebody new, and bring them up to speed and capable of functioning in a new system. New can mean either new only to the system, or new to the field. Which one you fit into shouldn't change the FTO's goal. They're likely (hopefully) well-versed in training up people with zero experience. Everybody has to start from scratch at some point.

Yes, they typically can release you if they don't feel like you're making progress. However that's typically after given ample time and opportunity to succeed. With a good FTO, that should be a rare occurrence.

As to preparing and being successful, one of the biggest things is to be open and responsive to criticism. Don't immediately get defensive when you're critiqued- the critique not a shot at you personally, just information to hopefully help you get better or tweak something minor. Learn your protocols and procedures. Your treatments may be slightly different than what you have learned in your textbook. Make an effort to learn how to navigate your area. Ask questions if you're unsure of something- it's to be expected. What's not expected is to have to ask the same question over and over again.

Going through an FTO process can be stressful even for experienced medics. It's nerve-racking having somebody looking over your shoulder evaluating your every move. Just know that it's part of the process, and they aren't generally looking for reasons to fire you.

Good luck!



This was written hours ago... Apparently I forgot to press submit... Lol
 
Thanks a ton. Lot of good info here. Is there anyway i can look up the protocals and they different for each company or do i just look up my states protocols

STXmedic said:
*Disclaimer* The following is ideal, but not universal. Some FTO processes are terrible and function nothing like this.

It's an FTO's job to take somebody new, and bring them up to speed and capable of functioning in a new system. New can mean either new only to the system, or new to the field. Which one you fit into shouldn't change the FTO's goal. They're likely (hopefully) well-versed in training up people with zero experience. Everybody has to start from scratch at some point.

Yes, they typically can release you if they don't feel like you're making progress. However that's typically after given ample time and opportunity to succeed. With a good FTO, that should be a rare occurrence.

As to preparing and being successful, one of the biggest things is to be open and responsive to criticism. Don't immediately get defensive when you're critiqued- the critique not a shot at you personally, just information to hopefully help you get better or tweak something minor. Learn your protocols and procedures. Your treatments may be slightly different than what you have learned in your textbook. Make an effort to learn how to navigate your area. Ask questions if you're unsure of something- it's to be expected. What's not expected is to have to ask the same question over and over again.

Going through an FTO process can be stressful even for experienced medics. It's nerve-racking having somebody looking over your shoulder evaluating your every move. Just know that it's part of the process, and they aren't generally looking for reasons to fire you.

Good luck!



This was written hours ago... Apparently I forgot to press submit... Lol
Click to expand...
 
Thanks. I have looked these pver a few times already. Def gonna download and keep looking at it throught. Thanks for tbe help man

Gurby said:
Here is a link to Mass OEMS website: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/provider/...t/public-health-oems-treatment-protocols.html

Direct link to the statewide treatment protocols: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/emergency-services/treatment-protocols-2015-1.pdf

Study those protocols and know them backwards and forwards.
Recommend downloading that PDF and keeping it handy on your smartphone.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top