Too Nice?

[hammerpcp]

Don't worry too much about burn out.

Burn out is characterized by cynicism, and it is contagious. Your preceptor for example. Spending too much time with him is far more likely to affect you negatively then being kind to a patient.

One does not become burnt out by showing compassion and a positive attitude. In fact that may be the best way to fend it off.

[Dustdevil]

One does not become burnt out by showing compassion and a positive attitude. In fact that may be the best way to fend it off.

Word. You're pretty smart for an old broad. :wink:

[N.S. ACP]

radaret, you should have a little chat with your school about your preceptor and maby or hopefully you will get a new preceptor

[radaret]

radaret, you should have a little chat with your school about your preceptor and maby or hopefully you will get a new preceptor

Fortunately preceptors are assigned on a rotating basis. Basically you get assigned to whatever preceptor that is on duty. I have one more with this service and two with another which is worse. The second service that we are doing ride outs with is actually worse. A lot of the students who have done ride alongs with them have complained about the preceptor not even acknowledging their presence or letting them do any patient care. Hopefully my two shifts in the ER will make up for it. Our medical director is awesome he kicked out a bunch of nurses so a group of students from my class could put screws in a halo. Anyways thanks everyone for advice.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

As part of the constructive criticism I received during my first ever ride along on an ambulance I was told that I was too nice. I understand the reasoning behind it, caring too much can lead to getting to attach which over time can lead to burnout. However, I am confused as to where to draw the line between caring and caring too much. Any advice I could get from those more experienced than I would be most appreciated.

99% of EMS is inter-patient relations

1% is patient care

It didnt used to be this way, but the scope of EMS has changed drastically. Patients arent deathly ill when they call 911 anymore. We arent just there for "emergencies" anymore. EMS exists not simply to treat medical problems, we exist to "fix problems", whatever they may be.

Considering this, your approach of being nice will do nothing but help you in the future.

Continue this approach, and you will be a shining reflection on EMS as a whole. Your doing well grasshoppa...

...in the mean time, PM me the email addy for this preceptor you have. Hes stupid, and someone needs to tell him....

[Dsmittty911]

Listening to all of these comments about preceptors leads me to believe that we have a pretty good system in place here. After each ride out or ER rotation the preceptor (even if worked with before) fills out a survey on our performance. ( Skills, attitude towards pt's, Basically everything we do.) We also fill out pt report for each pt and document EVERYTHING we did(except personal identification info so as not to violate HIPPA) At the end of the shift and without showing the preceptor we do a critique of how they did teaching us.(answers questions, attitude towards student, etc etc.) I had a lot of great preceptors and was actually told if i had time left and come ride with them some more. They stated that they liked the way I dealt with my pt's. I told them my name and that I am a student but I would be provided the main treatment and /or monitoring while they were in our care and then I introduced the medic/basic who was riding on transport with me.(unless it was trauma call) The patient is only in your care for a very short time and that extra little bit of kindness is definately remembered by the pt. It also makes you feel good for making a difference. You can tell in reactions from pt. I only had one preceptor that I had problem with, she was charge nurse in ED. We had been on shift since 2400hrs and were scheduled til 1200. Anything and everything that could be done (linens, cleaning transports upstairs, equipment checked and she sent word to us that "Students don't need to be standing around!" We sent word back to her that EVERYTHING was done. When she told us again I decided to call it a nite because it was dead that morning. My partner (fellow student) had to get his paperwork and time sheet signed off. She looked at his reports and said "You haven't done all of this this morning." He said very observant but if you'll look at the times actually we did. Most of the times were between 2400 and about 0500. She signed off on them and the next day got a call from her boss because he got a copy of report I wrote to EMS Dept head at my school. She got suspended 3 days because it wasn't the first time she had attitude prob with students. She tried to use them as slave labor instead of teaching them.. Anyway good luck on getting all of this straightened out.

[Nate]

You must be from Houston. :wink:

[xselerate]

I can be having the very worst day of my life but as soon as I make contact with my patient I forget everything. I am for them... I smile if they need me too, I become sad to empathize with them if they need that, when I say "how are you feeling dear" i make damn sure that 90 year old women knows she is the center of my world. And for a half hour she is... and by the end of my tour I don't even remember them. That might sound cold but I don't burn out and every single patient I have feels like the most important in the world. And when I have random people come up to me and thank me for being so wonderfull to them I smile like I have some clue who they are. It dosn't matter if you remember them afterward or not... just make sure that for those few minutes you are there very best friend. If that makes you burn out in two years then get a new job... at least you made every single patient know that you cared.

[Dustdevil]

Word. That is the secret to both good care and mental health. :thumbleft:

[medik8]

I can be having the very worst day of my life but as soon as I make contact with my patient I forget everything. I am for them... I smile if they need me too, I become sad to empathize with them if they need that, when I say "how are you feeling dear" i make damn sure that 90 year old women knows she is the center of my world. And for a half hour she is... and by the end of my tour I don't even remember them. That might sound cold but I don't burn out and every single patient I have feels like the most important in the world. And when I have random people come up to me and thank me for being so wonderfull to them I smile like I have some clue who they are. It dosn't matter if you remember them afterward or not... just make sure that for those few minutes you are there very best friend. If that makes you burn out in two years then get a new job... at least you made every single patient know that you cared.

I couldn't have said it any better myself. This is me, to a T. And the thank you cards keep pouring in....It doesn't take much. Just a set of ears, some sort of heart, and the genuine desire to do your job to the best of your ability. EMS is a great love in my life. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Those little moments with my patients, those sleepy 3 am calls at their most vulnerable moments, and knowing I can help in some way... are priceless to me. Yeah, sometimes you get the BS...but what job doesn't. :roll:

Good job xselerate! Great attitude!

:wink:

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