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wxduff
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Worked 7 more hours...
No calls.
No calls.
Ride Time
- Thread starter wxduff
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Jackson
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Instead of starting a new thread about this I'll just ask my question here. lol For those of you who have had students on your ambulance or have been the students yourselves, what are good questions to ask? Questions you wish you would have asked while you had the chance?
dixie_flatline
Forum Captain
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I'm not sure resurrecting this thread was the brightest idea, but oh well...
If you are riding as a student, I'm assuming that there are regulations in place about what exactly you can do. Some organizations might require you to wear a vest or something that clearly identifies you as an OBSERVER, some might let you carry bags, maybe you're even allowed to practice (under the supervision of someone with a card) skills you've learned in class. First and foremost know the actual rules. Then, talk with the crew you're riding with. Make sure you and they understand what is expected of you. Some medics/EMTs will be more willing to 'teach' than others.
My very first ridealong call ever when I was a student was a minor MVA. I thought that I would stand nearby and watch how a 'real' EMT interviewed and assessed the patient. Instead, I was handed a stat pad and told to get the hx and vitals. I wasn't expecting to be thrust into the spotlight at all, with troopers and other FD standing by with not much to do, so I was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. (The pt didn't even have whiplash, but she had a hx of hypertension so she wanted someone to take her BP before she drove home. after i got her vitals, she refused anymore assessment, care, or transport). This was a rather extreme case of me misunderstanding what was expected of me and not communicating with the crew prior to the run. Obviously if it had been a more serious case, I would have been in the background like I expected, but it would have calmed my nerves a lot if I had known going into it that I might be "lead".
So yeah, talk with the crew. Some will be strictly by-the-books, some will not be. I had one officer tell me when riding as Observer on the fire side that if he saw me put on "that stupid Observer helmet" that I would be "thrown from the engine en route". Let them know what you've covered in class so far, and if there is down time, have them go over stuff with you that isn't covered in class. Example - our class basically taught to the national standards, but Maryland (and Howard Co) have some differences. We don't use PASGs, but we do have AutoPulses and LifePaks on every ambo in the county. We never learned anything about those devices in class, and both are used pretty regularly (especially the lifepak).
And my experience is basically that I'm a whatever-I-don't-want-to-be-that-day cloud. If I need to talk to an officer about something or train on something or get something done around the station, the tones never, ever stop. If I come up with plenty of free time and am itching for a call, the only action we see is on the Tee-Vee.
If you are riding as a student, I'm assuming that there are regulations in place about what exactly you can do. Some organizations might require you to wear a vest or something that clearly identifies you as an OBSERVER, some might let you carry bags, maybe you're even allowed to practice (under the supervision of someone with a card) skills you've learned in class. First and foremost know the actual rules. Then, talk with the crew you're riding with. Make sure you and they understand what is expected of you. Some medics/EMTs will be more willing to 'teach' than others.
My very first ridealong call ever when I was a student was a minor MVA. I thought that I would stand nearby and watch how a 'real' EMT interviewed and assessed the patient. Instead, I was handed a stat pad and told to get the hx and vitals. I wasn't expecting to be thrust into the spotlight at all, with troopers and other FD standing by with not much to do, so I was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. (The pt didn't even have whiplash, but she had a hx of hypertension so she wanted someone to take her BP before she drove home. after i got her vitals, she refused anymore assessment, care, or transport). This was a rather extreme case of me misunderstanding what was expected of me and not communicating with the crew prior to the run. Obviously if it had been a more serious case, I would have been in the background like I expected, but it would have calmed my nerves a lot if I had known going into it that I might be "lead".
So yeah, talk with the crew. Some will be strictly by-the-books, some will not be. I had one officer tell me when riding as Observer on the fire side that if he saw me put on "that stupid Observer helmet" that I would be "thrown from the engine en route". Let them know what you've covered in class so far, and if there is down time, have them go over stuff with you that isn't covered in class. Example - our class basically taught to the national standards, but Maryland (and Howard Co) have some differences. We don't use PASGs, but we do have AutoPulses and LifePaks on every ambo in the county. We never learned anything about those devices in class, and both are used pretty regularly (especially the lifepak).
And my experience is basically that I'm a whatever-I-don't-want-to-be-that-day cloud. If I need to talk to an officer about something or train on something or get something done around the station, the tones never, ever stop. If I come up with plenty of free time and am itching for a call, the only action we see is on the Tee-Vee.
Jackson
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I feel very prepared for the ride along and I'm ready to do whatever is asked of me. In my class we've covered everything up to Trauma. (We're using the new Brady text) I already know what's expected because my instructor is a supervisor for the Co. service we have to ride with. But I mean besides the common sense questions, what are the questions that no one thinks to ask? I know that I'll have a whole list of questions right before I go, but as soon as I step foot on the rig I'll forget them. lol
dixie_flatline
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I guess I'm a little confused... if there isn't something you have an actual question about, are you just trying to come up with questions that will make you look smart? Forgive me if that is the wrong assumption, but it seems like you have a grasp of what you'll be doing and what's expected of you. Looking for "questions that no one thinks to ask" sounds suspicious. If it was something you really needed to know, they would tell you. They aren't waiting for you to amaze them with your advanced grasp of EMS. (Forgive my cynical outlook).
Also, unless you are riding with your instructor, there is no guarantee that what they told you will be the case. I was told a lot of things as a student, many of which were only true part of the time. There were some medics who would expect me to be spiking the bag while they're placing the line. Others didn't want me even close to touching their pts. Make sure you know which type you're riding with at any given time.
Jackson
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Lol I'm sorry for the confusion but No i don't mean questions just to ask to look smart or anything of the sort. Less generalized question: Would it be proper etiquette to ask about the actual service? (experience, pay, procedures, protocols, comparisons, ect) Also, in your own experience, were there questions that you didnt ask at the time that you wish you would have?
firetender
Community Leader Emeritus
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Let's get something straight...
Ride-along days are meant to expose you to what really is in the ambulance world. What you experienced was what really is.
If you go there ONLY looking for calls, you're going to be sadly disappointed. The skill set you're looking to strengthen is how do you fill the space-in-between?
Are you just wasting your time and waiting; doing stuff just to kill time, or are you really seeking an understanding of the bigger picture and learning as you go?
It's your choice. And better stuff is ALWAYS going around elsewhere. Maybe if you got in to the head set that the BEST stuff going on is what is right NOW, you'll turn into a good medic.
And every time you "wish" for a call, you're wishing for someone else to have a pretty miserable time. Be aware of your thoughts, they mold you!
Cheers! and enjoy the time you've been gifted.
Ride-along days are meant to expose you to what really is in the ambulance world. What you experienced was what really is.
If you go there ONLY looking for calls, you're going to be sadly disappointed. The skill set you're looking to strengthen is how do you fill the space-in-between?
Are you just wasting your time and waiting; doing stuff just to kill time, or are you really seeking an understanding of the bigger picture and learning as you go?
It's your choice. And better stuff is ALWAYS going around elsewhere. Maybe if you got in to the head set that the BEST stuff going on is what is right NOW, you'll turn into a good medic.
And every time you "wish" for a call, you're wishing for someone else to have a pretty miserable time. Be aware of your thoughts, they mold you!
Cheers! and enjoy the time you've been gifted.