Tunnel vision

[ParamedicStudent]

During labs, we always do scenarios. I'm sure most, if not all programs do this. Whenever it's my turn to run a scenario, I'll always get tunnel vision. I mean, I know our specific protocols and procedures, but whenever I'm in charge, I feel like I'm not as much in control as I'd like to be. I can literally feel my heart pounding. I tend to always sweat on every call, information will slip my mind, and I tend to ask the same questions multiple times. Vital signs are just numbers. I mean, when I'm not running the call I can be the best partner you'll ever have, but when I am however, I'm back to square one.
Now my concern is the fact that if I'm having a hard time now, I definitely will not be any better out in the field.
Anyone with similar expieriences? How/what did you do to improve yourself? I honestly tend to be book smart, but when it comes to actual calls, I suck.

 

[ERDoc]

It will come with experience. We've all been there. What you need to do is not sweat it right now. Always remember that people are hard to kill, especially at the BLS level. There is always be that pt that makes you say WTF. They are not the norm and will be the ones that will stay with you.

 

[cruiseforever]

I think tunnel vision is one of the side effects of getting to much info about a call from dispatch. I like the basic info. Adult or peds, alert or not.

 

[Meursault]

This is all part of the physiologic response to stress. A big part of the reason you're doing these scenarios now is to acclimate you to that level of stress and allow you to learn to manage it. The FOAM world's been on a bit of a cognitive performance kick recently and I'll try to dig up some resources.
I had (have?) much the same problem, and have done stress inoculation in another context, and it really is a matter of learning some of the strategies to function under stress and then just doing it until it becomes ingrained.