Orientation period for new Medics

[steve_emt_68]

I am looking for some insight on what other services use as an orientation period for new medic's. We operate a EMT-B/Paramedic crew and we do a combination of Paramedic intercepts and ALS interfacity transports.

In the past we have based our orientation on how the medic progresses and how comfortable we feel with the medic. As budgets get tighter, it seems like there is a need to rush medics to the street. What does your organization use as a guideline for orienting new medics?

[Timmy]

One year under a clinical officer.

[HellsBells]

6 months

[Kaisu]

Fresh out of medic school - no time as an EMT - only experience is medic school clinicals and ride time... Guess what? I am on the streets after 2 weeks under a different preceptor each time - desperate for paramedics - I am doing my best.

[sirduke]

Go with your training, keep your cool, no one gets on a truck for the first time and is Supermedic. Experience takes time.

I think your service should evaluate their policy though, you should have had at least several months with an experienced partner prior to being thrown to the wolves.

Good luck.

[katbemeEMT-B]

Our service actually has an FTO (field training operations) manual which separates the training into phases. It allows the medic to become familiar with not only how our service runs and the areas within our PSA, but it also allows the employees to become familiar with how the new medics work. The average time for an employee's training period is six months. Ultimately, it is up the FTO officer whether an new medic is ready to fly solo. We currently have a couple that are very book smart, but lack in the field. This also holds true for EMT-Bs that are hired.

[FormerEMSLT297]

NYC-EMS used to 6 months after medic school... then they decided that since medics had been working in BLS units, they decided to document 6 months,,, 960 hours or ALS unit ride time.....

I dunno if they still do this or not,,, I think its a good idea.

[iamyourgod]

There is no magic answer for every patient, but here is some guidance. JCAHO makes hospitals prove their employees are competent for the job. You can argue whether or not this method works, but what most do is have a multipaged checklist where the employee is shown how to work every piece of equipment, protocol, paperwork, etc that they have to use on their job, and then there is another column that is to be dated and checked when the employee actually does it own their own -- the process could take weeks, months, or even a year for some rare things (like a pedi arrest in EMS).

[Just Plain Ruff]

There is no magic answer for every patient, but here is some guidance. JCAHO makes hospitals prove their employees are competent for the job. You can argue whether or not this method works, but what most do is have a multipaged checklist where the employee is shown how to work every piece of equipment, protocol, paperwork, etc that they have to use on their job, and then there is another column that is to be dated and checked when the employee actually does it own their own -- the process could take weeks, months, or even a year for some rare things (like a pedi arrest in EMS).

Pedi arrest taking a year - holy cow, my first call at one of my services i worked for was a pedi arrest.

[rock_shoes]

ACP's in BC go through a 6 month minimum mentorship with an experienced ACP before they can obtain an unrestricted ACP license to practise in BC.