Student Third Rides

[kyle308]

To become a preceptor or FTO at the service I work for is an individual choice that providers can make. No one is forced to take students, preceptors are paid extra while precepting and it is actually a several week class, with multiple letters of recomendation you have to get to be considered for the position. I think it works well and makes sure that when students are here to ride. They get some one that really wants to teach them and is going to be good at it.

[entity]

Just started my rideouts/preceptorship over a month ago and was VERY nervous going into my first day. Thankfully, I got a preceptor that likes to push me to get a better foundational knowledge and build upon it. In the time I spent so far, I've unfortunately not gotten any chest pain, SOB, trauma etc calls that many of my peers have gotten, but I am still content with my rideouts because the time spent on offload delay or just in base waiting for a call meant some quizzing from my preceptor. And luckily I got a ACP/PCP crew of two smart people who are always happy to teach me, regardless of how tired/sleepy they may be. In my region, I don't believe they pay extra to precept a student -- it is strictly voluntary afaik. I only wish that we spent more time in rideouts.

[Just Plain Ruff]

The only two skills I didn't let medic students perform were RSI and Cric's. Unless they showed me their intubation checklists and they had all their required intubations done with the majority as 3's which were excellent tubes.

Luckily I didn't need to do any cric's when I was precepting but I did RSI a few patients.

To me the risk was too great to put a completely paralyzed patient at the mercy of a student who didn't have the experience of the intubations.

Otherwise students could do whatever they felt comfortable doing.

IN all my preceptorships we always had a short lunch and learn session where we went over certain conditions that you would not normally see in a day to day call volume but that you would eventually see. Consider dystonic reaction.

Ruff

[rock_shoes]

I've had excellent preceptors thus far in my career who have always allowed me work to my full scope while precepting. It's such a give and take relationship. The student is resposible for having a desire to learn while the preceptor is responsible for enabling that students learning throughout the process.

Because of this, the best preceptors I've ever met have consistently been people who volunteered to precept as opposed to being voluntold.

Personally I very much looking forward to precepting students. My own strategy when precepting is a bit of a progressive one. The first shift they're an observer. The most they are allowed to do is take a set of vitals or fetch equipment. I feel this gives a student the chance to familiarise themselves with how I work before they're expected to run/direct calls with me as a partner. Second shift the student can run the calls but I'll be quicker to offer re-direction than later on in the practicum. By the last few practicum shifts I expect students to function as a registered provider at their respective level with me acting as their partner. I'm always willing to discuss scenarios, interesting case rounds etc. with students as I feel this is a very important part of the learning process. As long as a student is willing to put in the work I'll do everything I can to ensure they pass as a competent provider. If I routinely have to re-direct calls at the end of a practicum and that student has been unwilling to put in the work required I will also be quite happy to give them a failing grade.

[Zablackw]

First day of clinical as a EMT went about like this

Me-"Hey, my name is Zack. I am a EMT student and here for a third ride. How can I help?"

Preceptor-"Hey my name is Lisa (I can't remember her actually name so we will call her Lisa.) Go get me a coffee at the gas station.

Me-"yes ma'am"

Needless to say I never went back to that service and did another third ride with them. I signed up to ride with another service and found an awesome preceptor that went above and beyond to teach. Now 2 years later in paramedic school I run into him and he is my preceptor again! It is a blessing to have people that want to see you learn and succeed in a career and see you grow in a field. Sadly their seems to be only a handful of preceptors that are that willing to go above and beyond to help new students learn all that they can.

To all students (like myself doing third rides) be it EMT or Medics, Find a mentor that will pick your brain and teach you values, good manners and hospitality. It will take you a loooooonnnnnggggg way!

[Just Plain Ruff]

Zack, you got a idiot of a preceptor on your first ride. Some are like that. one of my preceptors told me that "I was to be seen and not heard, visible but not near the patient and should just act stupid" or a quote very similar to that. I asked if I'd be able to do any IV's or skills and he said "F)(*#)( no"

I asked to leave and he let me. Called my clinical supervisor who set me up with the ride shift and she said to go back and ride with this other person. His name was Michael as well, one of the most incredible medics I've ever worked with and studied under. I ended up spending every shift at that service riding with him. This was before pre-hospital 12 leads and he was doing 4 and 6 leads on a lifepak10. he taught me much of what I know and pushed me to be a better person, medic and man. He actually came to my wedding. I have since lost touch with him.