New Medic in the City

[pskmedic]

Hi all,

I'm a relatively new medic coming from a primarily transport based private ambulance to an Urban 911 municipality. I learned alot in medic class but never practiced any of it while working private. It was pretty much transport and very basic medic skills. I am a bit nervous of what to expect as far as traumas, mva's and full arrests. Im not too worried about my knowledge, just how to react in these situations. Any advice for new medics?

Thanks all for your replies!

[Arctickat]

if your new company is worth working for, you'll be put with a training officer who will observe and critique your work. Expect to be doing the majority of the patient care. It'll pretty much be just like being back on practicum. Make sure you research the policies and procedures as well as the protocols.

If they don't put you with a TO then go back to that private service.

Edited October 5, 2012 by Arctickat

[emtdennis]

Welcome pskmedic.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Hi all,

I'm a relatively new medic coming from a primarily transport based private ambulance to an Urban 911 municipality. I learned alot in medic class but never practiced any of it while working private. It was pretty much transport and very basic medic skills. I am a bit nervous of what to expect as far as traumas, mva's and full arrests. Im not too worried about my knowledge, just how to react in these situations. Any advice for new medics?

Thanks all for your replies!

See this is the problem with new medics working for strictly transport services. You have all this knowledge and skills and as a new medic you don't get to use those skills.

This is not a bash of transport services, as they serve a purpose but putting a new minted medic in a strictly transport service is doing that medic a significant disservice.

Skills left unused, knowledge left unused will decay at a pretty quick pace.

I know the argument that you can get a lot of good assessment skills trained while doing transfers but that's really a load of hogwash.

I have trained/evaluated many medics/emt's who came from a transfer service and their skills and knowledge were less than let's say par. Not to say that there weren't good medics/emt's out of those services but most of those crew members needed much more time to acclimate to 911 calls than those who had been in a service that did both. This was not unexpected.

So I'm not a advocate of someone if they don't have to work for a transfer service if they don't have to. If you can get on with a service that runs 911 calls go that route.

I think that doing transfers all day every day, makes you a worse provider rather than a better provider when it comes to keeping your knowledge and skills up. Others may disagree.

PSK, just keep your head on straight, take two deep breaths, remember this isn't your emergency, rely on your preceptor until you get comfortable running the call. Don't be afraid to come here to run one of your calls through. We really don't bite hard.

Suggest that you review your medic book again, at least the parts that you feel you need to review. Where do you think that you are weak in, and review those parts. Don't hesitate to step back and regroup, the patient might do better in the end with a regroup or as I like to call it - A Reboot.

Never feel bad with using your field guide. Use a calculator if you need to, especially if its a pediatric drug dosage that you are NOT comfortable with.

Look both ways, If the scene doesn't look safe or feel safe, it probably isnt'. Never stand where the door opens, Stand to the side of the door. and one more thing.

NEVER NEVER NEVER let the patient get between you and the only way out. Always have a 2nd way out.

and one more thing. The little ankle biter of a dog that is growling under the chair behind you, Will, not maybe, but WILL bite you. remove him from the room or have your nitro spray ready for any other size dog.

[pskmedic]

Thanks, Capt, you pretty much hit it on the head. I've been with the private ambulance for about 1 year and my patient "assessments" were spectacular after 1 week but then it became same old same old for my remainder there. My skills and knowledge I spent a year on were gettings rusty or going to waste. I know now that I'd tell some one coming out of Medic school to go to a transport service that does 50/50 transport/911. Like I said, I don't doubt my knowledge but I'll definitely be picking up an EKG handbook to review that and go over my med lists.

All of the other input and advice is definitely greatly appreciated! I'll be coming back here to give you guys some reviews with my preceptor out in the streets.

Thanks again everyone for tips/advice.