Returning to the field after a prolonged absence

[Just Plain Ruff]

So I have the opportunity to interview for 2 different PRN paramedic jobs.  I've been out of the field for about 5 years with the exception of working PRN very sporadically off and on up to about 3 1/2 years ago and since then, not a single patient contact.    

 

So I'm feeling a bit nervous about getting back into the field.  

 

I have not lost confidence in my ability to take care of patients but what i have kind of lost confidence in are the following:

1.  Airway management - been a long time since I intubated anyone. 

2.  RSI 0f course

3.  I need to bone up on my ACLS/PALS

4.  Still pretty good on Cardiology but would like to know more about 15 lead ecg's, capnography and whatever else correlates between the two.  

So what I come here to ask is this, what does the peanut gallery suggest that I do, if I get either one of or both the prn positions?  What books are out there that I can get to read up?  What websites are good and which ones to stay away from?  

I guess this is a start.  My interviews are next week.  Tuesday and Thursday.  

 

Ruff

 

[paramedicmike]

You still in Baltimore area?  Where are you interviewing?

[Just Plain Ruff]

nope, I'm back in Missouri, we moved back in march of 15

[paramedicmike]

Woah.  Wow.  If you said anything I totally missed it.  Good luck on your interviews.

[scubanurse]

Maybe as part of your interview ask the companies what kind of continuing education they provide?  It might be possible that they can include some cont. ed hours in the OR for intubations as part of your orientation.  Also there's the CAP lab coming up in December usually, maybe jump on board with that, they do ACLS mega codes and the airway gauntlet.  

 

Best of luck my friend!

[Off Label]

As a new member on this forum, I'm pretty reticent to give advice of this magnitude to someone I don't know. But from what I've read of your posts, you seem to be a pretty experienced dude that has some respectable chops. And a stand up dude to boot. So take this with a grain of salt and an open mind.

5 years is a really long time. It's only my opinion, Ruff, but were I you I'd seek a precepted couple of months with a busy service before going back. I say this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it's a PRN spot where your exposure to bona fide emergencies is limited. They don't know you and credibility is a big deal. Nothing you don't already know, I get that.

Second, as you kind of implied, stuff changes so quickly in medicine. What might be second nature to you now has been old news for a while in some services. Lastly, when folks in my business leave for that long and come back,  they are welcomed with open arms as they do a precepted stretch on the job. These are people that have intubated thousands and thousands of time in the operating room under ideal conditions, let alone on a rainy highway in the dark. If I take two weeks off, I'm all thumbs when I get back.

It's just a safe way to go and make a good impression. It would make for a really smooth transition back, IMHO.

Best of luck.

[Just Plain Ruff]

19 hours ago, Off Label said:

As a new member on this forum, I'm pretty reticent to give advice of this magnitude to someone I don't know. But from what I've read of your posts, you seem to be a pretty experienced dude that has some respectable chops. And a stand up dude to boot. So take this with a grain of salt and an open mind.

5 years is a really long time. It's only my opinion, Ruff, but were I you I'd seek a precepted couple of months with a busy service before going back. I say this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it's a PRN spot where your exposure to bona fide emergencies is limited. They don't know you and credibility is a big deal. Nothing you don't already know, I get that.

Second, as you kind of implied, stuff changes so quickly in medicine. What might be second nature to you now has been old news for a while in some services. Lastly, when folks in my business leave for that long and come back,  they are welcomed with open arms as they do a precepted stretch on the job. These are people that have intubated thousands and thousands of time in the operating room under ideal conditions, let alone on a rainy highway in the dark. If I take two weeks off, I'm all thumbs when I get back.

It's just a safe way to go and make a good impression. It would make for a really smooth transition back, IMHO.

Best of luck.

I appreciate the kind words my friend.  

One of the interviews is with a service I used to work for when I worked as a medic when I left EMS full time to go PRN in 2008 and the two people interviewing me are are still friends.    

I was also told that there is opportunities for the OR rotation for Intubation practice.  

My understanding is also that there is about a 2-3 week period of working as a 3 person crew before getting out there, which I think would be approximately a 2 month period for PRN staff.  But not sure.  I'll know more about this all after my interview.  

[rock_shoes]

On 9/18/2016 at 1:21 PM, Ruffmeister Paramedic said:

I appreciate the kind words my friend.  

One of the interviews is with a service I used to work for when I worked as a medic when I left EMS full time to go PRN in 2008 and the two people interviewing me are are still friends.    

I was also told that there is opportunities for the OR rotation for Intubation practice.  

My understanding is also that there is about a 2-3 week period of working as a 3 person crew before getting out there, which I think would be approximately a 2 month period for PRN staff.  But not sure.  I'll know more about this all after my interview.  

It sounds like the service's orientation plan should be sufficient to get you started again. To be honest ground based paramedicine doesn't change as quickly as we would like to believe. It's still treat with the procedures and medications your medical direction has chosen based on medical programs chosen indications/contraindications. It won't be anything mind blowing for an experienced provider like yourself. It'll be little things like a service going with lorazepam instead of diazepam for seizure management or using amiodarone instead of lidocaine.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Well, my attempt at returning to the field, was a dud,  the service never called or wrote me back even after personal emails and facebook messages to the hiring manager who I used to work with and am friends with on facebook.  She told me that HR deleted the position and she was trying to get it back but I'm not buying it.  

 

so eventually I'll try again at a different service but I'm not in a rush, but I'm thinking that maybe a different road may be better.  

 

The wife and I are looking at 40-60 acres to begin a lifelong dream of ours.  Christmas tree farm and horse farm where we can provide horse riding lessons to kids and board horses.  There's a real need in our area.  Long long term goal for the christmas tree farm.  

[medicgirl05]

I'm sorry to hear about the job.

The Christmas tree farm sounds awesome. I help with a kids horse camp during the summers. Animals are my therapy. Good luck to you.