Ride alongs.

[mikeylikesit]

First off i searched and came up with nothing so here goes...:cough:KEV:cough:
what do you guys and gals think about ride along and third riders? Are they more trouble than help? Do you have certain people that you like and other that you don't?

i also thought that this may be a great place to post for reference what is acceptable on a ride along: dress, what to bring, what to do etc.

personally i like having ride along around because i like to teach. i have no problem with too many questions as long as they are timed appropriately.(not when I'm auscultating). my advice for riders when they get on my rig so that they know where to go is "when we're on scene, or in the rig, look in my eyes when i move so that we don't dance." And yes, this has raised the following question "what if I'm behind you?" to which the answer is "then watch me and what I'm doing, but only ask appropriate questions when working on a patient."

 

[CFRBryan347768]

I think this was pretty much covered in Crew Members Under 18 post. Wait did I beat Kev to it LOL?

 

[ffemt8978]

Take a look at the very bottom of the page in this thread....you'll find some interesting links there.

 

[mikeylikesit]

damn.......sorry.

 

[ffemt8978]

damn.......sorry.

No worries...it's something that doesn't appear right away when the thread is created.

 

[KEVD18]

hhhmmmm.....

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

First off i searched and came up with nothing so here goes...:cough:KEV:cough:
what do you guys and gals think about ride along and third riders? Are they more trouble than help? Do you have certain people that you like and other that you don't?

i also thought that this may be a great place to post for reference what is acceptable on a ride along: dress, what to bring, what to do etc.

personally i like having ride along around because i like to teach. i have no problem with too many questions as long as they are timed appropriately.(not when I'm auscultating). my advice for riders when they get on my rig so that they know where to go is "when we're on scene, or in the rig, look in my eyes when i move so that we don't dance." And yes, this has raised the following question "what if I'm behind you?" to which the answer is "then watch me and what I'm doing, but only ask appropriate questions when working on a patient."

I think these tips given to me in class was what granted me the respect of the crew I was with:

1.) It doesn't matter what you learned in class, you know nothing out in the field. Go in with your eyes open and mouth shut.
2.) Help with daily housekeeping chores.
3.) Show a willingness to learn, ask questions after the runs, in the down time if they are relaxing, study your text and ask them questions.

 

[Ridryder911]

First we need to define what the term "ride along" is. I would define a "ride along" as an observer (that being not in EMS or medical profession). In which, I am totally against. There is no reason for any patient to be exposed to a non-provider hearing or seeing a private matter.

In regards to clinical students, that is another story. They must be associated with an approved institution with malpractice insurance, clinical contracts and approved clinical objectives.

Anything or anyone else is nothing more than voyeurism. In which patients should take legal action and potential litigation against the EMS, for privacy violations.

R/r 911

 

[mikeylikesit]

oh yes i did mean ride along as in, in class training clinical. yeah, imagine if we did ride alongs like police did with anyone off the street who can pas a background check. that would make our patient's feel good.

 

[Jon]

Where I volunteer, we have members who are NOT EMT's... they can run as Attendants, per the state, as long as they have CPR and First Aid. They get a little exposure and usually end up in EMT school in the next class or two (paid for by the company through Fireman's Relief funds). Then we have EMT Students, both in our program and the County's. Students in our companies' EMT course need to run 2 shifts and have paperwork filled out for class. They get to do whatever they feel comfortable doing (within scope of practice), under the supervision of an EMT.

Then we have "secondary" EMTs - they have passed the state cert, but are precepting and, by our company's policy, they can't run as a crew chief yet. They get to assist the crew chief in providing patient care. Their "precepting" calls must be with an approved EMT Preceptor (where they do everything and the Preceptor just observes, in theory) but they can ride on any crew.

Also... for the most part, you don't start driver training until you are a primary EMT... so our drivers tend to be senior EMT's.


We also have a waiver form for a ride-along. A ride-along isn't really allowed to participate in patient care - they just observe. We have vests they are supposed to wear that say "observer"... so that the medics don't expect them to know anything.

Sometimes these ride-alongs are friends/family members who are riding to understand what we do. Sometimes they are friends who work EMS somewhere else and are "hanging out" with us in station... and might go on a call if one happens to come in. (had one of those the other night... someone I worked security with, who was actually friends with my driver from HER work... given that both of us knew him, had seen him work, and trusted him... I was fine with him being on the rig.)


I've got no problem with 3rd riders on my rig... We have to get our start somewhere.