Tips for future EMT-I?

[AmeriMedic21]

So i am getting ready to take my EMT-I course here in Kansas, my director has been on my *** about it, and we finally found somewhere to do it here pretty close to our service. The Course i am taking is the I/85 course, minus the intubation. We are going to be switching over to a new AEMT curriculum (4 lead EKG Interp, First line Cardiac drugs, and manual Defib) here whenever our board decided what they want to do. Anywho, I was just going to ask, for some advice from everybody. I have received some informal training on IV establishments here from co-workers using the manikin arm. Im more worried about the book portion, i have to work hard in that area, but everyone keeps telling me this 2 month course is easy.
Thanks

 

[jjesusfreak01]

So i am getting ready to take my EMT-I course here in Kansas, my director has been on my *** about it, and we finally found somewhere to do it here pretty close to our service. The Course i am taking is the I/85 course, minus the intubation. We are going to be switching over to a new AEMT curriculum (4 lead EKG Interp, First line Cardiac drugs, and manual Defib) here whenever our board decided what they want to do. Anywho, I was just going to ask, for some advice from everybody. I have received some informal training on IV establishments here from co-workers using the manikin arm. Im more worried about the book portion, i have to work hard in that area, but everyone keeps telling me this 2 month course is easy.
Thanks

I didn't think it was that hard, but that's just me. If you can, read the chapters before each class and outline the things you don't remember off the top of your head following the lessons. Study for the exams from those notes. Try to understand the applications whenever physiology is taught, that will help you remember it. Study your drugs until you know the indications and dosages (adult/pediatric) inside and out. I suggest making flashcards.

For skills, IVs won't be exactly like the IV arm. You may find them really easy, or you may need a lot of practice (one kid in my class didn't miss in his first 20 attempts). For intubations, just remember not to use it as a lever, you need to push the handle away from you. Give the stylet tip a good bend, and please, do visualize the chords. Its embarrassing when someone says they visualized the chords and then they miss the tube. If you didn't see it, you missed (not really, but think about it that way). Practice putting a CPAP setup together along with things like inline nebs and end tidal, especially if you don't have much experience with these setups.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[LifelongEMT]

Im in TN but We just swapped to AEMT course we dont have basics just EMT-IV and Paramedics and Now AEMT-IVs But ivs will be different then the arm remember to go in shallow and make sure to occlude the vien or there will be a mess and a freaked out pt.Im about to go through the advanced bridge course Hope it goes good...

 

[jjesusfreak01]

Im in TN but We just swapped to AEMT course we dont have basics just EMT-IV and Paramedics and Now AEMT-IVs But ivs will be different then the arm remember to go in shallow and make sure to occlude the vien or there will be a mess and a freaked out pt.Im about to go through the advanced bridge course Hope it goes good...

Second this. Go shallow on the IVs, stick a 2x2 under the catheter before you pull the needle, and have your flush/line ready so you don't have to occlude the vein for 5 minutes with one hand while you try to set stuff up with the other hand. Also, no patients will complain that you took the time to figure out the path of the vein before sticking them. Last thing for IVs, once you get flash, advance the needle a little further before advancing just the catheter into the vein, or you'll end up poking a hole in the vein but leaving the catheter outside.