Students Without Self-Confidence

[DwayneEMTP]

I got nothin.

Bullshit.

Ya know, there was a time not so long ago when almost every question asked here begged my input. No matter how many people answered the question, I always felt like I had something else of value, a forgotten pearl of wisdom to add. That day has passed...

You know why you're so challenged at times to come up with unique insight into some of the more intelligent topics? Because you've passed that wisdom on to us. There is not a single contributing person on this board that hasn't been shaped by your teaching. I was such a completely idiotic wannabe when I decided to become a medic. I wanted to 'be' something, and I believed that having a medic cert would do that for me. You convinced me that the cert means less than nothing by itself, but does give you the opportunity to become something different if you choose to.

The other night I had a resp arrest turn into a cardiac arrest enroute and decided to keep rolling and work it myself. Before I arrived at the ER my pt was intubated, I/O x 2, chest decompression, two rounds of cardiac meds on board and pulses back as we went through the doors. Doc says, "Wow, that was some seriously aggressive medicine." (Yeah, pulses lasted 24 minutes and then he was dead, but still.) That is not the medic I had planned to be, that is the medic I was taught to be and allowed to become because of the guidance and kindness of those here.

I can flap my cyber gums for the rest of my career and I'll not effect a small portion of the people you've effected so far. And I know you're far from finished. How much more can you ask from life than that?

I know some, perhaps many, have issues at times with your 'tone.' For me, it's always been a perfect fit, even if it made me bleed for a few minutes. I love you brother. Thanks for all that you've done for me and others here.

Ok, enough mushy shit. But I couldn't allow your comments to go unchallenged. It's just what we do, right? :-)

Dwayne

[AnthonyM83]

What specific circumstances does she do well in? Small group scenarios? Maybe do those so she can shine?

Answering questions quickest? Play a game of EMS bingo (think there's Powerpoint downloads out there specifically for that).

Written questions? Congratulate her in front of everyone for getting such a good score.

Maybe throw out some harder questions during class that you know she has the best chance at answering... Make her shine in front of others.

[joesph]

I got nothin.

Ya know, there was a time not so long ago when almost every question asked here begged my input. No matter how many people answered the question, I always felt like I had something else of value, a forgotten pearl of wisdom to add. That day has passed, and I honestly don't know whether I am crying out of joy or sorrow, but I am crying nonetheless.

I am just so happy and proud of the intelligent and supportive community that exists here today. Though not as robust in activity as it was at one time, the quality of this forum is unequalled, and gets better with each passing day. Unless you need a historical perspective from the 1970s, there's just not much that I can add here anymore. The question of this thread has been answered so completely and professionally that it's worth it's weight in gold. Every major point taught in any instructors course, and even in college psychology and education classes, was revealed in these two pages. I may have gone crazy with the positive points in this thread, but you guys deserve them.

Neb.EMT, you've been here about as long as I have, and somehow have managed to only post 42 times, but you have done so with quality. I am pleased that you chose this forum to ask such a great question in, and I sincerely hope that you'll share the results with us as the student progresses, as well as any pointers you have for us after the fact. Best of luck to you and your students. If you find this site helpful, then please encourage them to join us here.

EDIT: Okay, I take it back. I do have something to suggest.

This girl -- since she knows her stuff, but lacks confidence -- sounds like a great candidate for one of my favourite educational techniques: The memory dump. Although you know it, she needs a chance to show herself that she actually does know her stuff. But many students freeze up when they are 'on the spot' so to speak. You can set a more casual atmosphere for her by picking a thing or two that you know she knows well, then just call on her out of the blue to stand up and tell us all everything she knows about X. No pointed specific questions. Nothing she has to work out. No specific facts you're digging for. Just a memory dump. Tell us EVERYTHING you know about X. There's no way to blow an open ended question like that. And generally, once a student gets started, it becomes a pretty significant stream of consciousness as they dump everything they remember, in no particular order. There is no right or wrong. The only failure is to run out of the room without saying anything. Very non-threatening. But it is a legitimate test, and the student will be impressed with their knowledge of the subject, naturally increasing confidence.

I like that one thanks. On another note for a teaching tip that was given to me. Basic anatomy. Start the newbies with white t-shirts and magic markers, make them trace internal organs and palpate skeletal structure and landmarks. It's fun and teaches great anatomy skills and gets them past the touchy feally problems. Some of the shirts that we have received have been works of art. Later when asked to find specific landmarks they are more certain even with the differences of body shapes.

Edited April 25, 2010 by joesph

[emtannie]

Joe said: "I like that one thanks. On another note for a teaching tip that was given to me. Basic anatomy. Start the newbies with white t-shirts and magic markers, make them trace internal organs and palpate skeletal structure and landmarks. It's fun and teaches great anatomy skills and gets them past the touchy feally problems. Some of the shirts that we have received have been works of art. Later when asked to find specific landmarks they are more certain even with the differences of body shapes. "

I do that one with my students too - they love it.... it is quite entertaining when the more "exhibitionist" students take off their shirts to find the permanent markers have soaked through and their skin is marked too... I usually end up having a few students who wear their shirts to the cafeteria to see what other students say.

Another one I like is breaking the class into groups of 2 or 3, and giving them each a large sheet of paper (I get roll ends from the local newspaper for this). One student lays on the floor on the paper, and the other traces around them - they love the CSI theme of that part... Then they have to draw thoracic and abdominal organs on the tracing. We hang all the pictures on the wall so everyone can look at each other's. It generates a lot of laughs, and the students learn at the same time.

OK, I will quit hijacking this thread for now...

[Happiness]

As being one of the senior people in our crew I have had to take on the responsibility of thinking for 2 many times. I get the newbies after their training and sometimes it is hard to evaluate exactly what the do and do not understand. When you first go on car you are nervouse and want to your best but in the back of your mind you are think OMG what have I gotten myself into.

When they first start with me and they are in the attending seat I say to them, "Just do what you have been taught and if I see that you are struggling I will step in." As we are going to the call we will go over what they should do and what kind of questions they should ask. But the one thing that I think may help with our crew is that at the end of the call we sit down and I ask what they thought. If they have done something wrong I will tell them and because Im not perfect I will let them have the opportunity to say what I may have done wrong, or give them the time to ask why I may have done something they may not have either been taught or remembered from their training. This seems to help with us anyways and the new ones feel that are still learning and the confidence will suddenly appear. Dont know if this can be incorperated into a classroom setting.

Happy

[Hillbilly Medic]

I've lurked this site for almost two years now, with maybe 1 or 2 posts tops. Being an EMT for a whopping 7 years (and a baby medic going on 3 months now), I honestly felt I had nothing to add. I see an enormous wealth of knowledge here, and it has both humbled and educated me. That being said, I couldn't help but chime in on this topic.

I came through medic class with a 3.95 GPA, more clinical hours than almost every other student, and passed my National Registry at 73 questions. I say all that to get to this: I had absolutely NO confidence. I was constantly being fingered out in class by other students, ie "Ask *****, HE knows", or "Well, once we are out in the field, we'll just call ***** if we can't figure it out"

You know what that did to me? It added an undue amount of needless pressure. They were just as capable of spending the time necessary to study as I was.

That all changed about 2/3 of the way through clinical rotations.

I had, in my opinion, the best preceptor one could ask for. Our first meeting, he reviewed my skillset, asked questions about my grades, class, experiences, etc. Then he sat me down and told me this :

"Right now, you have the basics. Nothing more. All the books in the world aren't gonna help if all that knowledge leaks out your elbows. You have to use that knowledge, and APPLY it. This isn't a classroom, and I'm not gonna tell you you've 'done your best', or 'good try'. If I see you doing something wrong, I'm gonna call you on it (In professional fashion I should add), and you're gonna have to explain to me WHY it was wrong. YOU are the medic on this truck, and I'm the safety net. The only way you'll gain confidence is by DOING IT. So you miss an IV? Don't blame the patients rolling veins, or the lighting, or the type of catheter. You missed it because you didn't hold proper traction, or you used an incorrect angle, or whatever. I will do my best to answer, explain, instruct, and guide, but I will not coddle, baby, or make you 'feel good'."

I thought this guy was a complete a$$. It's been 6 months now, and we're best friends. My point to the story? He made me WORK to gain my confidence. He was willing to let me fall flat on my face (making sure no harm came to the patient obviously), but would take the opportunity to educate me as to WHY I fell on my face. I wasn't held by the hand like so many I've seen. I was expected to take the leadership role from the onset, not slowly lead into it. It may seem like an odd approach to most, but I for one will be forever grateful for it.

[emtannie]

Being an EMT for a whopping 7 years (and a baby medic going on 3 months now), I honestly felt I had nothing to add. I see an enormous wealth of knowledge here, and it has both humbled and educated me.

I call BS on that you have nothing to add - your post above is one of the most intelligent and educated posts I have seen lately - and I hope you continue to lurk, and post as you see fit.

They were just as capable of spending the time necessary to study as I was.

And that is part of the reason why you will always be a better medic than they will ever be. YOU put the time and effort into learning the material so that once you were in the field, it was already there, not something you would have to look up, or depend on someone else for.

I had, in my opinion, the best preceptor one could ask for. Our first meeting, he reviewed my skillset, asked questions about my grades, class, experiences, etc. Then he sat me down and told me this :

"Right now, you have the basics. Nothing more. All the books in the world aren't gonna help if all that knowledge leaks out your elbows. You have to use that knowledge, and APPLY it. This isn't a classroom, and I'm not gonna tell you you've 'done your best', or 'good try'. If I see you doing something wrong, I'm gonna call you on it (In professional fashion I should add), and you're gonna have to explain to me WHY it was wrong. YOU are the medic on this truck, and I'm the safety net. The only way you'll gain confidence is by DOING IT. So you miss an IV? Don't blame the patients rolling veins, or the lighting, or the type of catheter. You missed it because you didn't hold proper traction, or you used an incorrect angle, or whatever. I will do my best to answer, explain, instruct, and guide, but I will not coddle, baby, or make you 'feel good'."

I thought this guy was a complete a$$. It's been 6 months now, and we're best friends. My point to the story? He made me WORK to gain my confidence. He was willing to let me fall flat on my face (making sure no harm came to the patient obviously), but would take the opportunity to educate me as to WHY I fell on my face. I wasn't held by the hand like so many I've seen. I was expected to take the leadership role from the onset, not slowly lead into it. It may seem like an odd approach to most, but I for one will be forever grateful for it.

This guy is the perfect preceptor. THe point of clinicals is to test the knowledge you learned in the classroom, and apply it in the field. He allowed you to do that, and you learned from it, took constructive criticism (which many can't) and stepped up to the plate.

When I was in univ, we were in a dissection lab, and I remember my prof leaning over another student and saying "You know, always do something the wrong way first - then you will know to never do it again." That has always stuck in my head - when you make a mistake, you learn from it (or should learn from it)

Hillbilly, keep posting - I suspect you have a LOT to add to these forums.

[Hillbilly Medic]

I call BS on that you have nothing to add - your post above is one of the most intelligent and educated posts I have seen lately - and I hope you continue to lurk, and post as you see fit.

And that is part of the reason why you will always be a better medic than they will ever be. YOU put the time and effort into learning the material so that once you were in the field, it was already there, not something you would have to look up, or depend on someone else for.

This guy is the perfect preceptor. THe point of clinicals is to test the knowledge you learned in the classroom, and apply it in the field. He allowed you to do that, and you learned from it, took constructive criticism (which many can't) and stepped up to the plate.

When I was in univ, we were in a dissection lab, and I remember my prof leaning over another student and saying "You know, always do something the wrong way first - then you will know to never do it again." That has always stuck in my head - when you make a mistake, you learn from it (or should learn from it)

Hillbilly, keep posting - I suspect you have a LOT to add to these forums.

Well, thank you very much for the compliment! I feel like a 3 y/o on Jeopardy after reading some of the posts on here, but I will take your advice under consideration! thanks