Should nurses be required to complete ride alongs with FD

[SFLfire]

So far I've done 3 ride alongs and just completed my hospital clinical. Honestly, I thought I was going to be bored out of my mind but I was WRONG. I had just as much, if not more fun, than I've had on my ride times. I got a lot more practice in the hospital and gained more respect for nurses and how busy they really are.

As far as I know, nurses don't have to do ride times but do you think they should? Would it help them with their education or be a waste of time?

Also, did you see more action on you're ride times or at the clinicals?

 

[abckidsmom]

The trouble with people getting "a taste of how it is" clinicals is that inevitably it's a slow day.

I wish it worked.

I'm trying to convince our department's secretary to come ride with us one day. She is a great secretary but clueless about EMS so I'd love to see her be more effective in her job by understanding ours better.

 

[DesertMedic66]

A couple of our nurses at our trauma center were EMTs and medics. So they have the prehospital experience.

The only nurses that are required to do ride outs are MICNs. I believe they only have to do 1 or 2 shifts during their training and that's it.

We just got a new CE specialist who has been doing ride outs with our crews due to her never working in the county before.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

More like, should the FD be required to do ride alongs with a health care agency....

 

[VFlutter]

For ER nurses it should be encouraged but not required. It would be nice for them to get a better understanding of what EMS does and the uniquie challenges they face in the field.

Help with education? No, but it may help improve communication and transfer of care.

 

[Imacho]

I have seen nursing students and MD that are soon to start their residency in the ER do ride a longs with us. They all seem to have had an enjoyable experience during their ride time.

 

[Carlos Danger]

For ER nurses it should be encouraged but not required. It would be nice for them to get a better understanding of what EMS does and the uniquie challenges they face in the field.

Help with education? No, but it may help improve communication and transfer of care.

This.

ED nurses are the only ones who would benefit.

But since ED nurses are <1% of all nurses, it would not be beneficial overall to make EMS ride alongs a mandatory part of basic nursing education.

However, it would be a great thing for an ED to require as part of the orientation process for new ED nurses.

I have been both a street medic and an ED RN, and I know firsthand that much of the friction that exists between paramedics and ED nurses is due to lack of understanding of what each other does and needs from the other.

Paramedics think RN's are overpaid and do nothing but sitting around sipping latte's and wouldn't have a single thought in there head if it weren't put there by a doctor, and RN's think that paramedics are clumsy dunderheads who don't know the first thing about real patient care. Both are wrong and can benefit from really looking at what the other one does.

 

[EpiEMS]

This.

ED nurses are the only ones who would benefit.

But since ED nurses are <1% of all nurses, it would not be beneficial overall to make EMS ride alongs a mandatory part of basic nursing education.

However, it would be a great thing for an ED to require as part of the orientation process for new ED nurses.

I have been both a street medic and an ED RN, and I know firsthand that much of the friction that exists between paramedics and ED nurses is due to lack of understanding of what each other does and needs from the other.

Perhaps the BCEN would do well to make EMS ride-alongs required for CEN designation? Or the ENA for TNCC?

 

[Carlos Danger]

Perhaps the BCEN would do well to make EMS ride-alongs required for CEN designation? Or the ENA for TNCC?

Probably not a bad idea, but it'll never, ever happen.

 

[EpiEMS]

Probably not a bad idea, but it'll never, ever happen.

Certainly wouldn't, I agree about that

 

[VFlutter]

But since ED nurses are <1% of all nurses, it would not be beneficial overall to make EMS ride alongs a mandatory part of basic nursing education.

Judging soley on my experience as a floor nurse my view of EMS would be very cynical. Most nurses will only encounter IFT EMT/Medics regularly and in their point of view it is basically just a ride.

Ya, I agree it will never be required for CEN/TNCC. Nursing care starts when that patient rolls through the door regardless if brought in by EMS or not. You have to expect that you will be starting from nothing. If some intervnetions were initated by EMS then great you are ahead of the game. Ride alongs would not really change that thought process.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Judging soley on my experience as a floor nurse my view of EMS would be very cynical. Most nurses will only encounter IFT EMT/Medics regularly and in their point of view it is basically just a ride.

Ya, I agree it will never be required for CEN/TNCC. Nursing care starts when that patient rolls through the door regardless if brought in by EMS or not. You have to expect that you will be starting from nothing. If some intervnetions were initated by EMS then great you are ahead of the game. Ride alongs would not really change that thought process.

Lets be realistic here haha. Nursing care starts when you give a hand over to the nurse. Not always as soon as you roll through the door haha.

 

[Imacho]

Lets be realistic here haha. Nursing care starts when you give a hand over to the nurse. Not always as soon as you roll through the door haha.

^^agree.

 

[JPINFV]

Lets be realistic here haha. Nursing care starts when you give a hand over to the nurse. Not always as soon as you roll through the door haha.

No... it's when the patient gets transferred off the ambulance gurney. After all, we can't have the hospital taking care of patient sitting in the hallway.

/glares at PIH in Whittier.

 

[Medic Tim]

When I worked in the US for a hospital based service, the ER RNs had to go on at least 5 911 calls and 1 cct during their orientation. The CCRNs had to do so many EMS shifts a year.

 

[Handsome Robb]

I think nurses should have to ride with EMS...not the fire department, their job has nothing to do with water and fire and kicking doors in!

Alright I'm done poking the anthill.

 

[Handsome Robb]

More like, should the FD be required to do ride alongs with a health care agency....

Agreed 100%

Our biggest problem here is all the shiny new fire guys are :censored::censored::censored::censored:ing clueless when it comes to patient care and it causes problems and disconnects in the continuity of care.

 

[JPINFV]

So... remind me again why the circulating nurse needs to do a ride along? Should paramedic students be required to do X number of hours at a nursing home? How about on a med-surg floor? In the OR... and I don't mean pop in, do the intubation, and bail either. Like chill with the circulator, etc.


On a serious note, I could put an argument that the paramedic students should assist with a full case, from pre-op assessment to extubation, not just pop the tube and leave.

 

[reaper]

Here CCRNs are required 5 rides a year.

The med students are required to obtain thier EMT and then do 1 ride a month, for first two years of med school. This is only school in country that does it. The Med students love it and I think it will help with relations down the line.

 

[JPINFV]

Here CCRNs are required 5 rides a year.

The med students are required to obtain thier EMT and then do 1 ride a month, for first two years of med school. This is only school in country that does it. The Med students love it and I think it will help with relations down the line.

If I had to take an EMT course as a 1st year, I swear I'm going to be "that guy" and poke as many holes in the curriculum that I can.

"You can't say that, you aren't a doctor!"

"Um... not yet... and the entire point of me being in school is to be one... so why am I wrong?"

I'll also go on record now by saying that clinical exposure during preclinical years is overrated simply because it's normally not tailored into an appropriate learning experience nor do the students have the necessary foundation to make any sort of decisions. I would bet money that the lasting impact of the experience, while enjoyable, would receive a low rank if the 4th years were given a survey about the quality of the experience. Enjoying something and making it meaningful are not the same thing.