things they didn't teach you in school

[fiznat]

lol some of these things, you guys definitely SHOULD have been taught in class!

A few of my own:

- The need for resilient patient advocacy in the face of everyone else (partner, police, supervisor, fire department, family) wanting you to take a shortcut. Don't ever get lazy or forget that your patient comes first.

- How critical the turn-over report really is. Specifically, the first 10 seconds of a turnover report. You make an impression either way, but it is up to you to capture your audience or not. They won't wait for you.

- How little we really know. Be humble. You are the brains and experience out in the field but anywhere else in medicine you are just an infant with an ego. Try to remind yourself of that on a daily basis.

- Don't fall into the trap of eating out all the time.

- That it isn't your emergency. People say this all the time in school but it doesn't really hit home till you're out there for a while. It is your job to be calm and retain the ability to look at things objectively. That means you need to stay above the hysteria by whatever means necessary.

- How important it is to look and act professionally at all time. It matters more than we realize, to both our patients and our colleagues.

- Continuing education. Do it. Not just the minimum. Find out what the outcome was with your patients and reevaluate your approach constantly.

- etc.

[Katiebug]

oh oh...just thought of another one lol pushing Narcan too fast will get you punched and puked on...been there done that thanks to my "senior" partner :/

That almost got me killed once. I wasn't going to use the narcan, but the patient's respiratory rate started to tank. I got a little too excited and pushed it pretty fast. The patient tried to kill everyone in the vicinity. We had to kerlix him to the stretcher.

Oops. Sorry. Lesson learned.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DwayneEMTP]

I was just reading the latest beatings posted to ShockDoctor and I think that he represents, as batshit crazy as he makes me sometimes, one of the most vital skills you can bring to EMS, and that's an ability to shoulder criticizm.

He's been insulted, bruised, battered, disrespected, almost all based on his belief that the perfect medic would be the lovechild of House and Chuck Norris. But he's posted to some medical threads, something we almost never see from whackers, he's had some opinions I've agreed with, and some that I haven't, but no matter what was said, he's continued to post, continued to contribute, continued to move forward...he's not run away like 90% of other folks would have.

Learning is sometimes painful, for us and for our patients, but avoiding learning should be considered the cardinal sin of EMS. He's pretty new to the City and as most of us that have been here a few weeks know, it can be intimidating to put you best ideas out front, but he continues to do so, and I think that's cool as hell.

It may appear that I've taken pity on him and have decided to defend him, but that is truly not the case. He doesn't need a chucklehead like me to look out for him. I am sometimes frustrated by him, but I have a feeling that there is a lot to him that we haven't seen yet, and I want to see it. So my defense of him is purely selfish.

Anyway, a thick skin. It's necessary, and vital, and productive. Without it you will be shut down before you even begin to learn the really important lessons. The best providers I've ever met seem to live life in that delicate, magical place between "fuck you" and "God damn it..thanks for pointing out what an idiot I can be."

Dwayne

[nypamedic43]

Dwayne, I cant tell you how hard I try to live in that magical place. Some days I achieve it and some days I dont. I guess, for me anyway, I try to learn something from every call. I reevaluate constantly. I dont second guess myself though. I think of ways I can do it better...until I cant get it wrong

[BushyFromOz]

He's been insulted, bruised, battered, disrespected, almost all based on his belief that the perfect medic would be the lovechild of House and Chuck Norris. But he's posted to some medical threads, something we almost never see from whackers, he's had some opinions I've agreed with, and some that I haven't, but no matter what was said, he's continued to post, continued to contribute, continued to move forward...he's not run away like 90% of other folks would have.

replacement for crotchity?

Maybe he is crotchity!

[NYCEMS9115]

Too much variables out there to teach in "school"... Patients are dynamic and ever-changing every second. Our "Protocols" are not, they change every several of years. If you want everything to be taught in school; most will not enter Prehospital Care. Most Programs and Instructors will demand more money... For some, EMS is a way out or a way in...

[Richard B the EMT]

Too much variables out there to teach in "school"... Patients are dynamic and ever-changing every second. Our "Protocols" are not, they change every several of years.

Protocols are most definitely dynamic, just not as fast as "ever-changing" patients, otherwise we'd get them delivered to us on stone placques, instead of paper, or electronically.

[NYCEMS9115]

Protocols interpretation vary from Providers. It can be Dynamic or an obstacle. However, NYC has re-vamped the Protocols and look like it's moving in the right direction. That being said; lazy Providers will still be lazy...

[Happiness]

This is the stupiest thing but I have had 2 newbies do blood pressures and go "I cant get it" Then I turn on their stethoscope. They should be teaching basic how to use all equipment not just the stuff that beeps.

[ERDoc]

May sure you stop the ambulance before you declare someone in VFib, especially if they are still conscious and talking when you have the defib charged and ready to go.

If something doesn't seem right or doesn't make sense, figure out why.

Kids are good at compensating, so when they crash, they crash hard and fast.

A crying baby is a breathing baby.

People are hard to kill.

Edited August 1, 2011 by ERDoc