Ran into some trouble on MCI training

[GooMan]

I find myself with mixed emotions after today's MCI training. So much so that I had to find an EMS forum to seek advice.

I'm about a week away from finishing my EMT class. I feel confident in my skills and knowledge base and feel ready to move on. But today's MCI got me all mixed up.

Basically, amidst the chaos of about 20 patients, I was assigned to package said patients and move them to the staging area. While this was going on, I found myself very confused and unable to focus on simple tasks such as spinal immobilization. I had my team leader yelling at me, to which I snapped back in frustration. I gained my composure and successfully moved several patients after that brief slip. Positives: I was very proactive, helping where help was needed. Always keeping track of what was happening and making myself useful. I didn't stand around.

A bit of background about me: I'm a bit of a space cadet. Being unable to initially focus and comprehend, especially while being rushed, has been something I've struggled with for as long as I can remember. It fades a bit as I become proficient and practiced.

What I'm asking for is advice. How can I get better? How can I improve this weakness? If you want to tell me to quit, that's okay. But I truly feel that EMS is something that I want to do, and I have personality traits that are favorable to EMS as well. Anything will help.

 

[teedubbyaw]

There are going to be a whole lot of situations in this field that require critical thinking, on the spot, in a matter of seconds. Being able to do this comes with experience and confidence in your abilities.

If you ever find yourself in those situations, take a step back, take a deep breath, and recollect. Mass casualty scenarios are always chaotic in school, I've made simple mistakes in a haste to get things done quickly. And, that may be what you have to do in a true MCI to do the greatest good for the greatest number of patients.

 

[DesertMedic66]

You are brand new so it's going to happen. Heck we had a 5 patient MCI the other day at work and it went to complete :censored::censored::censored::censored: with people who have 20+ years of experience.

The only way to get better is practice and read up more on ICS. It's something that just comes along.

 

[GooMan]

Cool. Thank you for the hasty replies

I wasn't the only one who had trouble, but I find this trait of being unable to focus burdensome at times. Maybe that's what draws me to this field? It's a challenge?

Most of the time I've found that I do things well. I can move through a medical assessment very well. I can run a cardiac arrest like clockwork. It's just sometimes, I find myself unable to comprehend and focus on what's going on (especially if I'm not feeling confident or I'm anxious).

I recognize this as a weakness and I will improve.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Cool. Thank you for the hasty replies

I wasn't the only one who had trouble, but I find this trait of being unable to focus burdensome at times. Maybe that's what draws me to this field? It's a challenge?

Most of the time I've found that I do things well. I can move through a medical assessment very well. I can run a cardiac arrest like clockwork. It's just sometimes, I find myself unable to comprehend and focus on what's going on (especially if I'm not feeling confident or I'm anxious).

I recognize this as a weakness and I will improve.

Just wait until you get into the field. Classroom scenarios are one thing but the field can be completely different.

If you are not assigned to a spot on the IC (transport manager, treatment unit leader) the easiest thing to do is focus on one patient and then move to the next.

 

[Bullets]

MCIs suck, they always will, organization at the top is key, but for those on the pointy end, more than any other time in your EMS career it requires complete detachment. Effective triage is ruthless and plays the numbers. Focus on the injuries and move on, 30 seconds per patient.

When you are hanging around the station, do tabletop exercises. Pick a place in your response area and discuss how you would handle an incident there. Malls, stadium, auditoriums, large churches, how would you handle fires, explosions? Where would you stage? Where is triage treatment and transport areas? When it does happen, youll have an idea of what to do as soon as you turn the wheel

 

[Handsome Robb]

The biggest thing about MCIs is don't freelance. Do your assigned tasks. Communication goes horizontally as well as vertically but ultimately assignments come from the too down whether that be from medical group command or from your group leader.

Keep your head up. You can't expect to be perfect overnight although that's a personality flaw common in many in EMS.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

The biggest thing about MCIs is don't freelance. Do your assigned tasks. Communication goes horizontally as well as vertically but ultimately assignments come from the too down whether that be from medical group command or from your group leader.

Keep your head up. You can't expect to be perfect overnight although that's a personality flaw common in many in EMS.

Successful MCIs run smooth because everyone knows their role. ICS is weird and takes some getting used to, so get used to it. Its a flexable and scalable system so you need to understand each role, even if you don't expect to serve that role. At least know the gist of it. More than likely as an EMT you will be assigned triage, packaging, or transport. You should be comfortable with START Triage (30-2-can do).

Most important in MCIs is if you don't know what to do ask your immediate supervisor or ICS Officer. DON'T FREELANCE or WANDER AWAY. ICS command system is expecting you to be where you were doing what you were told to do. If you think you are not being used effectively, or don't know what you are supposed to be doing, talk to your supervisor/officer.

Each MCI or drill you experience will be easier than than the last one. MCIs are almost always a $*** $*** but once you get comfortable working with ICS they tend to run a little smoother. That's why ICS Command is the most experienced person, not necessarily the highest paid/whitest shirt.

 

[mycrofft]

Two items:

1. Old army aphorism. When the tank is coming and you have to dig a foxhole so it goes over you safely, you worry about YOUR foxhole, the tank will take care of itself. Know what to do, then do what you know.

2. There's always going to be someone yelling, especially at exercises. Discard the emotion, do the job. If they are in charge but are screwing things up, look at them, give it a beat, then ask "DO you want me to do this or that?" and include details if they ask. Then do it. If it is a peer and they don't actually have an emergency trumping your job, say "Yeah, thanks", heads down, do your job. Or give them a hand. But don't buy into the shouting and excitement.

Rarely does it actually help to have an argument.

 

[billydunwood]

I find myself with mixed emotions after today's MCI training. So much so that I had to find an EMS forum to seek advice.

I'm about a week away from finishing my EMT class. I feel confident in my skills and knowledge base and feel ready to move on. But today's MCI got me all mixed up.

Basically, amidst the chaos of about 20 patients, I was assigned to package said patients and move them to the staging area. While this was going on, I found myself very confused and unable to focus on simple tasks such as spinal immobilization. I had my team leader yelling at me, to which I snapped back in frustration. I gained my composure and successfully moved several patients after that brief slip. Positives: I was very proactive, helping where help was needed. Always keeping track of what was happening and making myself useful. I didn't stand around.

A bit of background about me: I'm a bit of a space cadet. Being unable to initially focus and comprehend, especially while being rushed, has been something I've struggled with for as long as I can remember. It fades a bit as I become proficient and practiced.

What I'm asking for is advice. How can I get better? How can I improve this weakness? If you want to tell me to quit, that's okay. But I truly feel that EMS is something that I want to do, and I have personality traits that are favorable to EMS as well. Anything will help.

Think about joining your local city or county's CERT(Community Emergency Response Team). It is usually free, looks good on the resume but more importantly for you, it will help you work in a major incident with a lot of patients.
Where I live, when I was doing CERT, we had to mock find, rescue and treat 8 patients. We worked as a team, and the Fire Department also teaches us and helps us when they think we need it. You learn to work as a team in many situations, and 1 of them is a MCI where you could be working the medical station.

 

[mycrofft]

Think about joining your local city or county's CERT(Community Emergency Response Team). It is usually free, looks good on the resume but more importantly for you, it will help you work in a major incident with a lot of patients.
Where I live, when I was doing CERT, we had to mock find, rescue and treat 8 patients. We worked as a team, and the Fire Department also teaches us and helps us when they think we need it. You learn to work as a team in many situations, and 1 of them is a MCI where you could be working the medical station.

Be aware that they teach disaster first aid a'la FEMA until ,you go to the highest level.

 

[billydunwood]

Be aware that they teach disaster first aid a'la FEMA until ,you go to the highest level.

I am aware, but it is much better than nothing and it will help the OP with his MCI skills. Anyways, EMT-B is just glorified first aid.

 

[GooMan]

Wow! A wealth of information here. I appreciate the replies.

I feel it all went pretty well overall. After I gained my composure and was able to focus enough to do the job, I stayed close to my supervisor and helped with additional patients that my group was assigned to.

As far as my tendency to have trouble focusing, I'm going to keep working on it. I feel EMS will force me to work on it.

 

[mycrofft]

Not to be a pain, but I have a different slant.

I am aware, but it is much better than nothing and it will help the OP with his MCI skills. Anyways, EMT-B is just glorified first aid.

Speaking from 7 years with CERT and being the chapter's EMS chair, the disaster first aid is about 30% incompatible with civilian first aid. Also, EMT training is certainly more than the first aid I teach for ARC or MEDIC/ASHI or LifeAssist.

Agreed, CERT is not only better than nothing, it is a specialized paradigm to use in situations where your resources are overwhelmed and no help in sight for days. A careful EMT etc will know when to stop working in disaster mode (I hope! ).

And also agreed, it is the easiest, cheapest (and rewarding besides) way to hopefully get in on more MCI/disaster drills. With shriveling federal money, those will become more and more rare.