First Paramedic Student

[Bieber]

So, my partner and I are getting a paramedic student tomorrow and will be serving as his preceptors throughout his internship (~3-4 months). It's crazy to think that I will be teaching a paramedic student, and even crazier to think that I was a student myself not so long ago back in 2010.

So, any advice? Tips? Recommendations? Lessons you've learned along the way?

Edited August 15, 2012 by Bieber

[island emt]

Breathe Deep young Jedi Knight, for the power is strong within you.

Think back to what you got when precepted and try to improve on that experience.

[DwayneEMTP]

Remember that precepting is about creating a strong spirit, and you can't do that with fear.

Make him/her get ALL of his/her own second/third IVs on every non time critical patient, right from the beginning. It will help them to plan their first stick better as well as teach that despite it sucking ass that you have to poke your patient a second or third time that they still need to keep moving forward, especially when things suck ass.

Don't give too much information all at once. If they're uncomfortable with IV sticks, don't have them answer questions about the appropriate drug dosage, or drip rates while they're doing it. Let them get comfortable with one thing, then add pressure to that, then add content without pressure to it, then pressure to the skill plus the new content. Always try and teach/proof newer skills under conditions that allow for the highest predictability for success, then push.

Make sure that s/he understands that you can't do EMS without making mistakes and that honest mistakes have amazing power and value, but any dishonesty, on anything, is a 'no warnings' trip off of your truck.

And, I believe the most important, is that you can't teach without laughter.

Other than that, make him/her just like you and all should be well.

[Just Plain Ruff]

I had an amazing preceptor. I learned the most from this guy.

What I learned from him was that what I did had consequences and to think through those consequences prior to doing what I was going to do. Forward thinking outside the box thinking made me a stronger medic.

What this preceptor also did was during our down time we did nightly review of classwork that we were working on as well as various stuff that you normally would not learn about in class but you would see out in the field.

Consider dystonic reaction. I learned about it one night and amazingly our next shift we had a full fledged dystonic reaction on a 24 year old male patient. Learning about this condition and my being able to ask for orders from the physician at the ER and turning the guy around really impressed the doc on duty and then having a clinical at that hospital with the same doctor really opened doors for me with that doctor. I got to be involved on a number of things that I would normally not have been able to be in on had I not have impressed him with the dystonic reaction patient from that one night.

Do not put undue pressure on your student and by all means get to know that student and be able to read their triggers. Be able to see what their point of no return is. What I mean is you have to be able to guage and recognize with the student where you need to be able to jump in and take over the care of the patient. I trust that you can do that but you really need to cultivate that relationship with the student that you don't truly alienate them when you push them out the way because they are getting ready to intubate the esophagus or they are getting ready to do something really really stupid which of course you won't let them get that far. But you never know.

Just remember back to where you were on your first couple of rides and help them understand that they are not the first ones to be nervous but if they are cocky and a know it all it is your job to let them know that you won't take that crap either. Their job is to listen to you, check the attitude at the door and come to work with the attitude that they want to learn every single shift and that they need to be prepared and ready to do just that.

You need to set ground rules. You should probably call them and have them come in 30 minutes early so you can have a sit down and list your ground rules and expectations. My number one expectation is that they listen to me.

I had a medic student wander off on a suicidal patient call and we had no idea where he went. WE didn't know where the patient was, so we were searching for the patient with Law enforcement and the student went off to the basement and found our patient and was all alone with the patient. The patient woke up and the fight was on. We heard screams and with the police and us we ran downstairs and separated the two, transported the patient, put the student in the front seat and had the instructor come get the student at the hospital.

Needless to say the student never rode with our service again. He was given the ground rule to stay with me but he broke that rule.

Plus if the student is HOT and female, well you know the professionalism stuff as well my friend.