Starting Ride Alongs soon...Pretty Nervous

[legion1202]

some advice... Remember you are a guest... Ask to help.. Ask questions and be safe. Ask what you can do before you even arrive at a call.. Talk to the PT.. Start learning what to ask and how.. Remember you will hopefully be with experienced emt's or medics. If they are good they will show you how to do things the right way but if they are bad don't argue with them and look for a new crew to ride with next time.

You are there too learn... So get as much hands on as possible.. The first few calls they might not allow you to do much because they don't know you. But if you ask questions, find out what they need and start helping they may allow you to get more involved. I`m to the point with my local fire department that they all know me.. (im in medic school)They actually give me phone calls telling me what happened on there last shift. Remember they were in your shoes once too... Have fun!!

 

[hurt88]

Ok so im sitting here on my ride alongs with nothing to do an we finally get a call..well in route to the call we were told the woman got up an left an were no longer needed..i was a little let down cuz it was my first one an i told the supervisors i was a little let down cuz i was excited for my first call. Well i don't know if he was kidding or not but he siad if i keep that attitude up then i will be out of here just as fast as i got here an that apparently i don't understand the essential function of an ems system cuz no calls are good calls an then they all laughed.

Were they just messing with me or am i in the wrong here for saying that

 

[Handsome Robb]

that could go either way. yes technically no call is a good call, seeing as if someone is calling 911 they are probably having a pretty bad day...but i think he may have been messing with you. most medics I have met tend to be pretty sarcastic.

 

[hurt88]

Ya idk it kinda got to me because now im worried if i say something wrong they are going to tell me to leave

 

[CAOX3]

Ok so im sitting here on my ride alongs with nothing to do an we finally get a call..well in route to the call we were told the woman got up an left an were no longer needed..i was a little let down cuz it was my first one an i told the supervisors i was a little let down cuz i was excited for my first call. Well i don't know if he was kidding or not but he siad if i keep that attitude up then i will be out of here just as fast as i got here an that apparently i don't understand the essential function of an ems system cuz no calls are good calls an then they all laughed.

Were they just messing with me or am i in the wrong here for saying that

There are two things you never say in EMS, I'm bored and its awful quiet.

This will result in either a proverbial beaten or you being so busy that don't have time to take a piss, you will learn to love the quiet days. I understand you want experience it will come, but careful what you wish for.

Listen if you need to know what I'm talking about, when you go to the ER, walk by the charge and say wow its quiet they love that.......Actually don't do that, ever.

It will come just you just need to be patient.

There not going to ask you to leave, buy them coffee you'll be fine.

Good luck.

 

[hurt88]

There are two things you never say in EMS, I'm bored and its awful quiet.

This will result in either a proverbial beaten or you being so busy that don't have time to take a piss, you will learn to love the quiet days. I understand you want experience it will come, but careful what you wish for.

Listen if you need to know what I'm talking about, when you go to the ER, walk by the charge and say wow its quiet they love that.......Actually don't do that, ever.

It will come just you just need to be patient.

There not going to ask you to leave, buy them coffee you'll be fine.

Good luck.

Ya i guess i can't take it to hard. I can see where they are coming from in saying that considering if i think about it then i was actually askig for someone to get hurt without realizing it. Guess that's my first lesson learned today

 

[Jackson]

haha I have a friend who is a retired EMT/FF and she said when going on ride alongs always stand behind the EMT and infront of the paramedic so that if shiz goes down the EMT will shield you, you will shield the paramedic, so that if you both get shot the paramedic can drag both of yas outta there and fix ya.

 

[Handsome Robb]

I'd rather be in front of the EMT getting my hands dirty and learning rather than hiding...but thats just me.

 

[EMT11KDL]

23 hour ride along? Odd...

I did a 24 hr ride along.. 8a to 8a.. even though it was only supposed to be like 10 hrs long tho... 8a to 6p is the what the department says the ride along period is... guess i kinda went over that time limit...

i am not sure if your department you are riding with is strictly ems or if it is fire based. if it is fire based. ICE CREAM is always good thing to bring in i know i like when our riders bring ice cream and so does my crew haha

 

[hurt88]

Well the ride along went decent. I rode with my instructor for the whopping 2 calls we had on my 12 hour shift and him and his partner let me take vitals and pull out the stretcher and load the patient onto a hospital bed we transferred her to. The second call I kinda just stayed out of the way becuase it was a call for possible seizure or stroke at a local store and I didn't want to be in the way with it being more serious but in the end it turned out just being what they belive was an anxiety attack.

So all in all not to bad. The downtime was almost unbarable jsut sitting there and watching TV for 5 straight hours between the last call and the end of my shift. I did get all my hours in one day but I didn't get much experience so I scheduled another time this coming Saturday. Hopefully I can get some more calls.

 

[Handsome Robb]

3rd riders tend to be white clouds most of the time...hopefully your next shift is better!

Look at the bright side, at least you were in a hard post sitting on a couch. We are stuck in the box for the entire shift, minus 2 hard posts that you usually only will be at for 20 minutes or so before getting toned out.