I am new here

[sunnymedic87]

Hello everyone my name is Jonathon and i am preparing to take the EMT B course this spring at my local community college. Currently i am a Nurse Assistant but i work as a home health aide right now. I live in Palm Springs, California. Any tips and stories would be much appreciated. Have a nice day!!!

[fakingpatience]

Welcome to EMTcity! When you say you are getting ready to take the EMT class, do you mean you are taking prerecs now, or just personally preparing for the class? One thing that you could do now, if you deal at all w/ your clients' medications, is to start learning them. They will not be medication you are able to give as an EMT, but so often we have pts who can hand us a medication list, but don't know what any of the medicine they take are for. Also, study the diseases your clients have, they will be ones you will run into in the field, and more knowledge can never hurt!

As far as stories, have you read any of the EMS blogs out there? There are many that are great in terms of stories and thought provoking posts. Let me know if you want any links to some of them.

[speedygodzilla]

Welcome to emtcity. One of the best tips I can give you is don't be shy here in the city. Get involved in the conversations and ask any questions you have. It never hurts to do a search first to see if it has already been discussed. None the less be sure to do your own research and use this site and the other resources to get a head start. If you don't already know your basics in A & P and medical terminology that would be a good place to start. Common meds are also important like stated above. "I have no idea why I take that."

Edited October 3, 2010 by speedygodzilla

[sunnymedic87]

Thank you both for the replies and the kindness showed towards me. I also want to thank you for the info that you both took the time to write here, i really do appreciate it. I do not think there are pre reqs at my school for the emt course though i maybe wrong. i start the class this spring is all i know.

[uglyEMT]

A few things.

First Welcome to EMTCity!! Hope we can help. If you havent looked around yet and read some threads just want to give you a heads up. We dont sugar coat things here, we let you know how it really is.

Next on to the topic at hand.

I would get my CPR certification while you wait to start class. Around my area the classes want you to have it before class starts so I would check with the class and find out.

Next I would as others posted start learnign your patients meds, what they are for and also patient history and how it relates. As an EMT-B you will be a tool in aiding your patients. Your knowledge will help with the differentials. As an example.... a patient calls you for feeling ill (thats it nothing else) you get there and start on the history and get really nowhere except upset stomach, tired, generally crappy feeling. You ask about meds and the patient hands you a bag filled with bottles. If you know what the pills are for you can get a better handle on why this person might be feeling ill.

Just remeber as an EMT you do not diagnose you treat the symptoms and help the patient until definitive care is reached.

You will learn alot more when class teaches you about this stuff and what it all means but I would say being your already in an environment where this knowledge can be used daily I would soak it up.

[uglyeye]

TES! YES! Yes!

Learn the meds, and patient conditions. Anyone can learn the mechanics of the job, but not everyone understands what is happening with the patients, Know the 'normal' A&P and you will pick the abnormal a lot easier.I suggest you always take manual pulses, so once you have counted 100 'normal and regular' pulses you will quickly pick the very fast, very slow and irregular pulses. Also listen to as many 'normal' chests as you can. so you will easily pick the abnormal sounds. You may not know for a while what the abnormal sound is, but knowing it is not 'normal' is the first thing to know.

Learn the 'normals',make all your baselines manual recordings, and you will learn to treat the patient not the machine.

Happy studys

[HERBIE1]

Welcome to the City. As was noted, I would use your current job to start thinking as an EMS provider. (Obviously AFTER your current responsibilities are taken care of).

As you obtain more knowledge about the body and diseases, look at your patients through the eyes of an EMT AND a CNA. What would you do if your diabetic patients seemed lethargic? What would you do if your cardiac or renal patient developed difficulty breathing? What kinds of complications would your expect to see develop in a bedridden patient, and how would you address them as an EMT?

Good luck, and study hard. The more you know, the better off your patients will be when you arrive.

[sunnymedic87]

Thank you again peeps I really do appreciate you all for taking the time out of your busy day to drop a note, a helpful note it is. I know you all say how it is and i respect that and i am not like those typical rookies you come across all the time. I am willing to learn, and i do not overstep my boundaries. I also been in the medical field since i was 18 so. Once again i thank you you all have no idea how appreciative i feel..

[spenac]

Welcome to the city. Start your Paramedic program as soon as possible to completing your basic course. This helps you and your patients because you will have more education.

[sunnymedic87]

Thanks bro, but i don't have a choice in the matter.. I have to wait till spring semester to start.