Students and other EMT`s on Ride Alongs?

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Zalan

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I have a question on the topic of ride alongs. What does the service you work for allow EMT-B students to do? Or what do they let ride along EMT-B`s do (not currently employeed with your service)? Do you mind if they ask patients questions? Vitals? Assessment?
 
If they are students, they can do what ever they feel comfortable with, within their SOP. If it is an EMT just riding along, then they sit and watch. They are only a civilian observer. They would not be covered by liability insurance for pt care.
 
We used to have an Explorer Post that rode with us; even though they were technically a civilian, we would let them do VS, and even had a couple bag patients, and do chest compressions: all while be observed by EMS providors that were FTO type. It is a good way for them to learn; especially to learn if they actually liked EMS.

With VS I would do the first set, and about every 3-5 set, and if the Explorer was getting close to what I was getting; great. If not, I would work with them to find out why. couple of times it wasn't them, it was ME.

If the patient was C&A, I would always tell them that the Explorer was an Explorer and that they were learning.

Most of them did a great job, had some that were better at VS than some basics I worked with, and a few medics.
 
I started as a EMT at 16 and rode as a third untill i was 18. I did everything an EMT could do. I bagged/other oxygen, took all vitals, did CPR, set up 12-leads.
 
The ride along is the responsibility of the AIC on a call. Ride-alongs are often just going to grab vital, grab SAMPLE and act as basically a 3rd w/o a EMT card. This all depends on where you are, however. Some companies will allow ride-alongs more PT care. If I'm on the truck I let a ride-along do any thing noninvasive. Im not going to let a guy/girl get glucose for me or shock a PT. Most companies I've see around this area, D.C, follow a SOP similar to this. Pirmairly a ride along is a red hat learning the ropes of what to do, how to load a PT properly, using a cot, using a KED, setting up a line, and getting vitals. This being said some might just want to focus on the simple things which is totally fine. Ultimately a ride along should be going at his or her own pace, and it is our job to help get them ready for state test/ NR test.
 
How to "properly load a cot" should be one of the least things a student does during their ride outs.


Ride outs are meant for patient care and getting used to interacting with patients, not doing the crews lifting.
 
Linuss said:
How to "properly load a cot" should be one of the least things a student does during their ride outs.


Ride outs are meant for patient care and getting used to interacting with patients, not doing the crews lifting.
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That is a major part of it. They are not there just to do Pt care. They are there to learn how to do the job properly. All parts of the job!:rolleyes:
 
Part of it, yes... but not a very big part of it.


Especially considering many places wont let students handle the cots when a patient is on it.
 
Linuss said:
How to "properly load a cot" should be one of the least things a student does during their ride outs.


Ride outs are meant for patient care and getting used to interacting with patients, not doing the crews lifting.
Click to expand...

That was the first thing i was taught since that is part of pt care. And how to lift properly. While some places do not allow students to lift the cot with a pt on it for liability purposes, the place i work now has many 3rd riders that do not know how to lift the cot and personally, i see it as that is the first thing the 3rd rider/student should do at every call, it shows that they are willing to help out and get involved on the call instead of sitting back.
 
The only thing i never did was carry pts down stairs on backboard or stair chair.
 
Linuss said:
How to "properly load a cot" should be one of the least things a student does during their ride outs.


Ride outs are meant for patient care and getting used to interacting with patients, not doing the crews lifting.
Click to expand...

I've always treated my ride alongs as an EMT on the first day of field training.

Quick question, how long does it honestly take to learn how to load a cot?
 
JPINFV said:
I've always treated my ride alongs as an EMT on the first day of field training.

Quick question, how long does it honestly take to learn how to load a cot?
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I think this really depends on if it's field training or a .civ.

When I was doing my rides with one of the local 911 services they had one man loading cots, and I learned how to use those, though never with a Pt on it.

When I got to the company I currently work for, the cots are completely different, and if there was a person on it the first time I tried to load it they probably would have been dropped :ph34r:


That being said, to the OP, the only 3rds I've ever had on my rig were newbies in their field training time, they did basically everything except drive. Me and my partner were there to drive, answer questions, and make sure they didn't hurt anyone.
 
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JPINFV said:
Quick question, how long does it honestly take to learn how to load a cot?
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Apparently way too long.

I understand if you're switching from a Stryker to a Ferno as they have slightly different ways... but if that's one of the only things you're (generic) allowing students to learn, then they need a different preceptor.


lampnyter said:
The only thing i never did was carry pts down stairs on backboard or stair chair.
Click to expand...

I still don't, that's what first responders are for :P
 
Linuss said:
Apparently way too long.

I understand if you're switching from a Stryker to a Ferno as they have slightly different ways... but if that's one of the only things you're (generic) allowing students to learn, then they need a different preceptor.
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Using the manual stretchers (I've never used the electric ones) Stryker to Ferno should take less than a minute to learn as they are laid out functionally the same. Both have a side handle on the right side. Both have a top and bottom handle at the feet. The biggest difference I can think of is Ferno gurney arm rails go laterally when put down while Strikers collapse straight down.

Learning to manipulate a gurney is purely psychomotor. It should honestly take less than 10 minutes to learn to load and remove a stretcher from an ambulance. Expert? No. Functional? Yes.
 
adamjh3 said:
I think this really depends on if it's field training or a .civ.
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I guess I should clarify that I'm talking about EMT students. Sorry about that.
 
Meh, I had trouble the first time I tried raising the legs of a Ferno since all I used up to that point was a Stryker.


However, we have the Stryker power cots at my new agency, so I'm just lazy now. I can lift 400lb people with one finger! Score!
 
EMS Slacking..

So when EMT's and Paramedics leave thier equipment in the ambulance and always ask first responders to get thier equipment when they need it...isnt that considered slacking and not doing your job...?:excl:
 
Depends on the piece of the equipment.
 
To my knowledge, we no longer do ridealongs after a civilian came to do a ridealong on the engine and had his buddies call in a fake fire so they could see him ride up on the BRT (and then greeted him vociferously).

That said, when we have students that need to get calls in for class, they are essentially third providers, up to the discretion of whomever is in the seat. Some EMTs/Ps would let a student do everything and anything with a stable pt, including writing up the MIR/PCR (not that you heard it from me). Some prefer students to just do basic assessments and VS.

As for cots, I was definitely confounded when I started riding. I took my class in another jurisdiction, which used nice Stryker stretchers, and got accustomed to using them. The layout for our Ferno stretchers is very similar, but to raise/lower the wheels, for example, you don't pull the handle up, you pull it to the left. In addition, unlocking it to remove it from the bus, you push in, rather than moving the arm to the left like I did with the Strykers. It's these little things that can ruin a student's entire day when they think they know how to do something and then sit there fighting with the stretcher.
 
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