AnthonyM83 Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 I was wondering what other schools did for their ride-alongs portion of the class? They they simply sign up for a ride-along with the local ambulance company and get randomly assigned to a crew? They take an evaluation or skills check-off sheet with them? What's on that sheet? Are they assigned to specific preceptors or FTO's or people who volunteered to take riders? Do you go by hours or patient contacts? How many? Do any of schools have the teachers also precept the students in the field? What would be an ideal system for you? Is it realistic? What resources or program modifications would it take? Be specific.
akroeze Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 For the Ontario perspective, my PCP program we did ride shifts throughout our 2nd (6-8 shifts) and 3rd (8-12 shifts) semesters and the consolidation period was 400 hours minimum. We had daily/weekly log sheets where we kept track of the skills we had performed. For my ACP program I am doing 400 hours of consolidation right now (almost done). I have a Palm PDA with some special software on it that I enter my competencies into and when it syncs the college gets update as to what I have been up to
dougd Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 We had a list of departments in the area, with dates and times, that we could sign up for to ride along. We were required to do 10 hours with FD, 10 hours in the ER and to have a minimum of 10 patient contacts for which we filled out sample run reports and returned to our preceptor. Those were the bare minimums.
tskstorm Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 MY emtb class required one 8 hour ride along no paperwork random crew.. medic class ... one word ... fisdap ... www.fisdap.net for more information ...
spenac Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 MY emtb class required one 8 hour ride along no paperwork random crew.. medic class ... one word ... fisdap ... www.fisdap.net for more information ... I hate fisdap. In my EMT-I and now my Paramedic we use it. We still do a paper report on all patients then after we complete that days rotation we have to stay up and enter all info into fisdap. I see the research benefits but when tired it sucks.
JakeEMTP Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 When I did field clinical hours for EMT-B it was 24 hours on a ambulance, 12 hours in the ED. No set number of skill requirements or pt. contacts. I believe it was more to familarise one with the ambulance. For Paramedic it was 600 hrs of clinical time minimum due to the fact one had to complete a certain number of skills. I really didn't like this idea. I was lucky and completed my skill requirements in the allotted time frame. Others in my class took longer to complete theirs. Sort of being in the right place at the right time. I mean, you'd have to be on a "code" in order to defibrillate. I got some of mine on the floors in CICU during hospital clinicals. We weren't assigned a preceptor. We could ride with any paramedic, or work with any nurse that had taken the preceptor class and had been approved by the medical director to function as a preceptor. We had a check off sheet that we carried with us which the preceptor signs and makes comments, good or bad as necessary. Once I have completed my minimum 2 years and managed to keep me nose clean for that time, I would love to precept. That'll be my way of giving back to the community. :roll:
BEorP Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 For my ACP program I am doing 400 hours of consolidation right now (almost done). I have a Palm PDA with some special software on it that I enter my competencies into and when it syncs the college gets update as to what I have been up to Off topic: Sorry about your luck since it sounds like you're using Comp Tracker. I hope you have a Palm and not a Windows Mobile device or you may end up losing all of those competencies. On topic: For PCP we did a clinical placement in Semester 2 that was around 8ish weeks (don't remember) of one day a week at the hospital. Then during Semester 3 and 4 we did our field placement where we were assigned to a paramedic who we went on shift with pretty much whenever we weren't in class and they were working. The total time for the field placement was approximately 450-500 hours. I think that this probably is the ideal system. I know that it may seem long in comparison to the two shift requirements of some EMT-B programs, but it really does allow you to begin working on your own with some level of confidence. Of course there is still a little bit of stress from not having your safety net (preceptor) with you anymore, but if your preceptor was good they would have been pretty much letting you do things how you wanted by the end of your placement anyway. There is often discussion about whether it is better at the PCP level to have one preceptor (as most in my class did) or shift between more than one (as a few people did for various reasons). Although I think the opposite may be true for ACP precepting, for PCP I think that one preceptor is the way to go. The first thing that it does is allows you to build rapport with this paramedic, which makes asking questions and learning from them easier. They also better learn your strengths and weaknesses and will best know how to push you without going too far. The downside of course is that you see one medic's way of doing things and will most likely become like them with many of your habits (this is why I think different preceptors are good for ACP). For PCP though I think it may just become a bit overwhelming if you're doing your calls one way based on your first preceptor then need to change and try to adapt to someone else's way. Consistency is good when you're trying to adapt what you've learned in the classroom and lab to real life.
tskstorm Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 I hate fisdap. In my EMT-I and now my Paramedic we use it. We still do a paper report on all patients then after we complete that days rotation we have to stay up and enter all info into fisdap. I see the research benefits but when tired it sucks. yes same here paper form and fisdap ... but my instructor is all about research ...
akroeze Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 Off topic: Sorry about your luck since it sounds like you're using Comp Tracker. I hope you have a Palm and not a Windows Mobile device or you may end up losing all of those competencies. I accept your condolences.... we are indeed using Comp Tracker which is not in any way shape or form user friendly or even set up for an ACP.
Mateo_1387 Posted July 25, 2008 Posted July 25, 2008 They they simply sign up for a ride-along with the local ambulance company and get randomly assigned to a crew? Mine was coordinated through the college. Our program had a clinical coordinator, whose sole job was to coordinate clinical sites, and student schedules, as well as the clinical packets. They take an evaluation or skills check-off sheet with them? What's on that sheet? No student evaluations were done to my knowledge. We did take Skills Check-off sheets. We had to do so many of each kinds of assessments (adult, ped, geriatric, trauma, resp., cardiac, general assessment.) Radio call in's, team leaders, EJ's, Chest Decompressions, Defibrillation, Cardioverts, IO's, Med Pushes, IM med admins, SQ med admins, inhalations med admins, 12 lead application/interpretation, lead II application/interpretation, intubations(oral and nasal), LMA's, Blind Insertion Airways, Ventilation with BVM, IV's, PO med admins, Sublingual med admins, NG tubes, Surgical Crics, I think that is the full list, but more than likely I missed something. Are they assigned to specific preceptors or FTO's or people who volunteered to take riders? The college set up contracts with companies to allow riders. We would be assigned in advanced with a rider. They did not discriminate against FTO's, trained preceptors, and just regular paramedics. Anyone could potentially be a preceptor. Do you go by hours or patient contacts? How many? We did both. We had a set number of hours to complete and a set number of skills to complete. Do any of schools have the teachers also precept the students in the field? Some of the instructors still ride in the field, but I was never lucky enough to ride with one. Because we had alternate clinical days, I had a chance to ride with some of my classmates who were working in the field. What would be an ideal system for you? Is it realistic? What resources or program modifications would it take? Be specific. My idea of an ideal system would be to have set preceptors who are dedicated to education and helping advance the paramedic to be the best possible. I believe it is realistic, but it will take a while to do. We have to have everyone in EMS on the same page for it to happen. The education standards need to raise to accomplish this. As far as resources, I wish I could spend more time in an ICU where contact with sick patients is constant. There is so much to see and learn in an ICU. I think more time at certain clinical sites for a set number of weeks with the same preceptor would be good. That way a preceptor may work with you for four - eight days and have a bit of an assessment of the student. They can then work on ways to improve the student and the student's skills. Going to different preceptors every week gets to be a hassle. Everyone has to get comfortable with each other, and by the time that happens, its time to go to a new preceptor next week.
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