New EMTs freezing up

[trfowler13]

I have a question,

Is it normal for new emts to freeze up when arriving on scene to a traumatic MVA? This caused alot of problems and I am wondering as the Director how to fix this problem. Is this something I should just let it take its course?

[msemt]

Just follow commands of your senior partner and after a few you will get over it

[Eydawn]

Turf the ones who are consistently freezing to a 3 person team. Make sure they're getting some focused attention and coaxing through difficult concepts, and make sure the team they're with is running "dry" scenarios when they're not on a call. Then when they show improvement, put them back in a 2 man team... and if they continue to freeze, consider that they may not be suited for this field, and hence, no longer worth employing...

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[msemt]

Sorry misread and thought you were asking about yourself

[JPINFV]

I have a question,

Is it normal for new emts to freeze up when arriving on scene to a traumatic MVA? This caused alot of problems and I am wondering as the Director how to fix this problem. Is this something I should just let it take its course?

Yes, it's normal. Stressful situations tend to decrease a person's ability to recall information during an event (treatment options, assessment points, etc), whereas it increases their memory of the event ("flash bulb effect"). As situations, like MVAs, become more familiar to a provider, the incidents of freezing should decrease.

Until that happens (albeit there will always be situations that send even the most seasoned provider for a loop), the provider should be paired up with an experienced partner. It doesn't necessarily have to be an FTO, but someone who will be able to take charge of a scene if need be.

[DwayneEMTP]

And you might make sure that they knew their duties to begin with...

On my first significant MVA as a student I was accused to freezing up. We showed up on scene and there were four cars involved, I climbed out of the back and what was going through my head was, "Man, the traffic is close! Is someone on top of that? The medic is going to speak to the fire captain, the basic is going to car #1, there is fire talking to the other cars..." When I heard, "You gotta move!" To where? And do what? What is more important for me to do at this time than figure out what's going on?

I've come to believe that a lot of what many consider freezing is simply those in the back playing catch up with the scene. The crew in front has had information on the scene, through their windows and radios, for sometimes as much as a couple of minutes before I step out of the back and see it all for the first time.

Of course this supposes a third rider. If they are up front and freezing up then you have a training problem in the vast majority of cases.

When you don't have time to think you fall back on your training. If they are doing neither, then I'm guessing training is the problem.

Good luck.

Dwayne

[backinboston]

doin the old stare of life.... it will go away with continued experience... but like stated eairlyer... if it continues to happen after a few interventive efforts... maybe its time for the im not sure if this is right for you talk.

[paramedicmike]

Just trying to understand the original post...

...You're the director of the service and you've never encountered anything like this before? How long have you been in EMS?

-be safe

[Richard B the EMT]

When overlooking the scene for the first time, on arrival, those who allegedly freeze might simply be doing a "Scene Safety Survey", combined with an "Oh, Shoot!" moment.

[ccmedoc]

...You're the director of the service and you've never encountered anything like this before? How long have you been in EMS?

This is an honest question..Others may be are you volunteer or professional, and how busy is our service? If you do not stay busy, new EMTs may not get the field training they need. This begs another question with this statement:

And you might make sure that they knew their duties to begin with...

This is quite possibly the root of the problem. If your FTO program is crap..your new EMTs will, in the end, function like crap.

I think it comes down to field training, if they are fresh out of EMT training, they have very little knowledge, and less practical training. To expect them to act quickly and instinctively is ludicrous.

If these are established EMTs that freeze, or cannot commit to treatment of patients, then they work with FTO, get remediated, seek life elsewhere..probably in that order.

Its hard to know what the problem is without knowing educational/practical backgrounds and existing, or potential, training protocols.

/opinion