Kinda been in EMS awhile and need advice

[WelshMedic]

Maybe this guy is the best thing that ever happened to you. He's pushing you to broaden your practice and know more about your patient. That can never be a bad thing, despite his own motivation. Just remember that knowledge is definitely a good thing in our work. I push my students as well; I'm not nasty or vindictive but I do expect a certain level of commitment and theoretical knowledge if you want to get through your rotation with me. The ones that end up crying on me usually don't last very long.....those who stay are, for the most part, very grateful.

You don't get that badge with a packet of cereal.....you earn it.

WM

[Rescue0ne]

The reason people have trouble with these assessments is because EMT school TRAINS you to memorise and recite mnemonics instead of EDUCATING you to actually understand the reasons and goals of your assessment, as well as the human body itself. Consequently, it doesn't really matter if they ask all the right questions because they are basically just going through the motions to hear themselves speak anyhow. They don't know what to do with the info they get from the questions. My advice is to concentrate on understanding the disease processes, understanding WHY you want to know the answers to your questions, and what you are going to do with that information. Understanding is the key to memorisation.

Point & Match.

When I took the EMT class back in...1991, I think? Yeah, back then, they actually taught you understand WHY something was happening, and why it was important to do this, then this, etc. Two years later, the curriculum changed. Example: EMT's were no longer required to know WHY the sucking chest wound is a bad thing, they were only trained HOW to treat it.

Ok, that's a bad example, but you see my point. It went from "2nd year collegiate level" down to "10th grade high school level". That was how it was described to us in an in-service one day, when we were told what to expect from the new batch of EMT's. It was a really accurate analogy, too.