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Lately I have discovered that one of my great skills in life is showing compassion to others, as well as showing mercy and understanding. I like helping people, and I believe these are great qualities to have when thinking about pursuing the Emergency Medical Technician Program, or EMT.
My fiance supports my decision to pursue it, as do my parents. I currently have a pending phone call on someone who lives in the area (who graduated with my oldest sister) who is currently a firefighter/paramedic and I'm going to try and gather information and advice from him when the time comes.
After some research I've been able to gather the steps toward paramedic school. I could be wrong on some of them (correct me if I am), but this is what I was able to find:
1) Obtain CPR Certification
2) Register for EMT-B (basic) Courses at local community college
(possibly take Physiology and Anatomy with it)
3) At the end, become EMT-B Certified through the National Registry (NREMT) Exam
4) Get employed by local or state government, or private businesses (ambulance service, hospital, etc).
5) With at least one (1) year of EMT-B experience under my belt, I will have the option of taking EMT-Intermediate, enhanced, or go straight to paramedic school which appear to be 1,600 tiresome hours.
I understand the risks involved:
- Quitting my evening job at UPS (5pm-10pm). EMT Classes are 8am-5pm M-F, Friday Part-time, or Sat-Sun which I obviously can't do. Quitting UPS would involve ridding myself of my life insurance, which means I better damn well do good in school and not get sick or hurt in the meantime. (Work MIGHT accommodate though, since it is part-time).
- I'm planning on getting married in summer of 2014. While EMT-B classes won't conflict too much, the paramedic school might for 5+ months. However my fiance is my cheerleader, so I don't think this will be too big an issue (other than her saying she misses me like crazy). She has always told me, "it will suck if you're gone for 3-6 months, but if it means coming back with a career and supporting/starting a family someday, I'm all for it!"
- I grew up knowing that I would have nightmares if I saw someone's body explode in a movie, or watching exaggerated gore on shows like Bones. One of the first things that anyone tells you about an EMT job is they try to scare you with bloody situations, the need for counseling, etc. This is a shell I've been slowly learning to come out of. That's just the reality of our world. Someone has to man up and plug that artery. I feel I am capable. I'm well aware that there will be little to no blood in some, or most, situations (heart attacks, cardiac arrest, drugs, etc), while others may pose a mentally traumatic experience (fatal car crash, gunshot wounds, severed body parts, etc).
Any help?
Is anyone else out there an EMT or paramedic? Or do you know someone personally who is? I would like to know any tips you may have, or advice you may want to extend to someone who is interested in pursuing this path of life in 2014. A note worth mentioning, I am hearing impaired. I can't hear out of my right ear. I wear 1-2 hearing aides as needed. Research tells me that hearing impaired candidates do qualify for EMT/P opportunities, so I know i'm okay in that part.
What can I expect in school?
Are EMT-B classes hard?
What is paramedic school like? (home on evenings/weekends? Live at academy?)
What is life on the job really like? What can I expect?
What are the most common emergency calls?
What are the hours like?
Any other advice?
 
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Hey man. I am from belgium, so what you define as a paramedic might be slightly different here. Before i took my classes as paramedic i already did alot of courses through the red cross, that helped alot to pass those exams. So from my experience the red cross is a great way to get some basic knowledge. Here in belgium the exams are not that hard, just study very hard and when you get simulation training, dont be afraid to do them. Dont just watch your classmates do them, because simulations are very important here in belgium and unfortunatly enough during the course you dont get enough of them.
But yea, i cant be of much help here, because im pretty sure your EMT-course is a world apart from what it is here in belgium.
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On November 16 2013 06:10 SupplyBlockedTV wrote:
Hey man. I am from belgium, so what you define as a paramedic might be slightly different here. Before i took my classes as paramedic i already did alot of courses through the red cross, that helped alot to pass those exams. So from my experience the red cross is a great way to get some basic knowledge. Here in belgium the exams are not that hard, just study very hard and when you get simulation training, dont be afraid to do them. Dont just watch your classmates do them, because simulations are very important here in belgium and unfortunatly enough during the course you dont get enough of them.
But yea, i cant be of much help here, because im pretty sure your EMT-course is a world apart from what it is here in belgium.
Yes, I've read that the Red Cross is a good starting point for obtaining the CPR Certification and just some basic life saving procedures. They could probably point me in the right direction about which places have a higher demand for EMT-B/P's as well. Aside from certain procedures, I don't think an EMT in Belgium (or europe in general) is that much different than in the U.S.They're both there for a purpose: to save lives and care for the injured and ill.
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On November 16 2013 06:19 IronManSC wrote:Show nested quote +On November 16 2013 06:10 SupplyBlockedTV wrote:
Hey man. I am from belgium, so what you define as a paramedic might be slightly different here. Before i took my classes as paramedic i already did alot of courses through the red cross, that helped alot to pass those exams. So from my experience the red cross is a great way to get some basic knowledge. Here in belgium the exams are not that hard, just study very hard and when you get simulation training, dont be afraid to do them. Dont just watch your classmates do them, because simulations are very important here in belgium and unfortunatly enough during the course you dont get enough of them.
But yea, i cant be of much help here, because im pretty sure your EMT-course is a world apart from what it is here in belgium. Yes, I've read that the Red Cross is a good starting point for obtaining the CPR Certification and just some basic life saving procedures. They could probably point me in the right direction about which places have a higher demand for EMT-B/P's as well. Aside from certain procedures, I don't think an EMT in Belgium (or europe in general) is that much different than in the U.S.They're both there for a purpose: to save lives and care for the injured and ill.
Yes true  . But here in belgium for example we are not allowed to give medication at all. We may also prepare an infusion, but we cannot connect it to the patient (Yea, sorry, i'm not sure what all the terminology is in english). It comes down to this most of the time: We arrive at the scene, we asses the injury/illness, then decide if we bring him to the hospital or call a doctor to stabilize the patient first. Ofcourse we get to do stuff like taking parameters (blood pressure, saturation, etc), giving them oxygen, treatment of injuries etc... but we cannot give them adrenaline during a reanimation for example, or when doing aspiration, we can only go until a certain depth, or for intubation we may only prepare the material, but a doctor has to insert it into the patient. I know for one that in the netherlands paramedics can do alot of stuff we cant, but then again, their education takes around 3 years, while we currently only do 1 year of evening courses. Im just going to assume that in the USA, being a paramedic probably means you can do alot more stuff then us .
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On November 16 2013 06:50 SupplyBlockedTV wrote:Show nested quote +On November 16 2013 06:19 IronManSC wrote:On November 16 2013 06:10 SupplyBlockedTV wrote:
Hey man. I am from belgium, so what you define as a paramedic might be slightly different here. Before i took my classes as paramedic i already did alot of courses through the red cross, that helped alot to pass those exams. So from my experience the red cross is a great way to get some basic knowledge. Here in belgium the exams are not that hard, just study very hard and when you get simulation training, dont be afraid to do them. Dont just watch your classmates do them, because simulations are very important here in belgium and unfortunatly enough during the course you dont get enough of them.
But yea, i cant be of much help here, because im pretty sure your EMT-course is a world apart from what it is here in belgium. Yes, I've read that the Red Cross is a good starting point for obtaining the CPR Certification and just some basic life saving procedures. They could probably point me in the right direction about which places have a higher demand for EMT-B/P's as well. Aside from certain procedures, I don't think an EMT in Belgium (or europe in general) is that much different than in the U.S.They're both there for a purpose: to save lives and care for the injured and ill. Yes true . But here in belgium for example we are not allowed to give medication at all. We may also prepare an infusion, but we cannot connect it to the patient (Yea, sorry, i'm not sure what all the terminology is in english). It comes down to this most of the time: We arrive at the scene, we asses the injury/illness, then decide if we bring him to the hospital or call a doctor to stabilize the patient first. Ofcourse we get to do stuff like taking parameters (blood pressure, saturation, etc), giving them oxygen, treatment of injuries etc... but we cannot give them adrenaline during a reanimation for example, or when doing aspiration, we can only go until a certain depth, or for intubation we may only prepare the material, but a doctor has to insert it into the patient. I know for one that in the netherlands paramedics can do alot of stuff we cant, but then again, their education takes around 3 years, while we currently only do 1 year of evening courses. Im just going to assume that in the USA, being a paramedic probably means you can do alot more stuff then us .
EMTs cannot do anything medicine-related or breaking of the skin (needles). They can perform basic lifesaving procedures, assess the situation, care for the wounded, and assist in other operations. Their training is 120-150 hours, including a 24-hour clinical internship and ride-along. That's EMT-1's (or basics, EMT-B). EMT-2's (or intermediates, EMT-I) are essentially the same, from my understanding with a few more practical things to apply. Paramedics, who require 1200-1600 hours of schooling and at least 6-months of EMT work experience, are advanced in physiology, anatomy, IVs, and medicines (as well as administering them), all while performing the role of an EMT. Both however, are first to arrive on the scene. If the EMT is there first, he can do what he is trained to do, but once a paramedic arrives, he can only assist. The primary difference between the two is purely educational, and the tasks each one can do is role/education-based.
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Oh nice. So in your country paramedics take the role of doctors or nurses with a 4 year education (3 years + 1 specialization year). Yes EMT sound alot like what we have in belgium. We get around the same amount of hours training and a 48 hour internship. Alright then, if there is any advice i can give you, participate actively in any practical exercises, in only 120 hours you will need to see alot (including alot of theory), and you wont have the time to practice all your material/treatments more then once or twice (it might be different in the usa  ). For theory you can always open up your book the weeks before your exam, but for all the other things you need to pay good attention if it is anything like the course i did. Also if you are connected to the red cross or a similar organisation you can always ask for help to practice certain things using the material they have at hand leading up to your exam. And for the internship, be active, dont be afraid to ask questions, if you ask questions that will signal them that you want to learn, dont stand idle, take parameters, do administrative work, ask if you can prepare an infusion/medication, etc. Thats like a breaking point for many students in my country, they dont participate enough during their internship. Anyway, best of luck, its a job you get alot of satisfaction from, although you often have to do long shifts and irregular hours (thats why i just do it as a hobby myself, and it all started with being a simple volunteer in the red cross with no knowledge of anything). Im not sure how it is in the USA, here in belgium you have either EMTs working for a hospital, for a private organisation or for the firecorps, if you join a firecorps as EMT in belgium you can have a job where seniority counts and rise in rank, something that is very often absent in private organisations.
It took around 2 years to get the highest possible degree as EMT (lets call it EMT ), without spending 4 years or more in college. Its nice that in the USA you can go even beyond that. Wish i could do that! Im sure that as paramedic you can get a decent pay and stuff, something which is not true for belgium with the degree i got (again that mainly depends by whom you are employed)..but even so, you must like the job or it will become an endless drag, but you seem really motivated and passionate about this, so im sure it will fit you well.
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Are you just out of highschool and your girl still in highschool?
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I'm a ED doctor in the UK, so again, assume USA is different.
We have paramedic crews and tech crews where the former can do a lot more, since they have a lot more training. Not sure where EMT slots in that spectrum.
Paramedics can intubate, cannulate, administer a few drugs (BLS drugs / IV morphine / status)
What is life on the job really like? What can I expect?
Pretty much anything. From worried well middle class people to polytrauma. Pretty rare to get shitloads of blood since a transected major artery will bleed out super quick (and stop when the person is dead, and if you're on scene it should get good pressure and spurt everywhere less). A lot of polytrauma injuries are internal, but you will run into open fractures of long bones or dislocations with can be gross. I guess in the US you get more gunshot injuries.
You will need some clinical knowhow in the sense of asking the right questions, because sometimes you get bystander accounts that help managment later that hospital docs do not get.
I would assume that emergency calls to 911 get triaged to a degree so a polytrauma should get you a field doc, but a abdo pain is ok without.
What are the most common emergency calls?
Probably in order from most to least common: Chest pain, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, ?stroke, falls / broken limbs / loss of consciousness, unwell children (usually short of breath), trauma / other. Again with US healthcare being less open to abuse, you may get a different subset of things.
What are the hours like?
Probably shitty. Since they need pretty much the same staffing levels 24h/365
Basic life support (i.e. CPR) should be a quick and easy one to get. Just be ready to crack some ribs when doing it in real life (if done on old people).
Where ever you end up training, just get involved. Ask questions at opportune moments. Ask nurses or other crew to teach you things or let you watch. As long as you don't get in the way, people tend to be happy to help. And if you are in the way, they'll tend to just get on with stuff and ignore you (so don't take it personally).
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On November 16 2013 08:44 SupplyBlockedTV wrote:Oh nice. So in your country paramedics take the role of doctors or nurses with a 4 year education (3 years + 1 specialization year). Yes EMT sound alot like what we have in belgium. We get around the same amount of hours training and a 48 hour internship. Alright then, if there is any advice i can give you, participate actively in any practical exercises, in only 120 hours you will need to see alot (including alot of theory), and you wont have the time to practice all your material/treatments more then once or twice (it might be different in the usa ). For theory you can always open up your book the weeks before your exam, but for all the other things you need to pay good attention if it is anything like the course i did. Also if you are connected to the red cross or a similar organisation you can always ask for help to practice certain things using the material they have at hand leading up to your exam. And for the internship, be active, dont be afraid to ask questions, if you ask questions that will signal them that you want to learn, dont stand idle, take parameters, do administrative work, ask if you can prepare an infusion/medication, etc. Thats like a breaking point for many students in my country, they dont participate enough during their internship. Anyway, best of luck, its a job you get alot of satisfaction from, although you often have to do long shifts and irregular hours (thats why i just do it as a hobby myself, and it all started with being a simple volunteer in the red cross with no knowledge of anything). Im not sure how it is in the USA, here in belgium you have either EMTs working for a hospital, for a private organisation or for the firecorps, if you join a firecorps as EMT in belgium you can have a job where seniority counts and rise in rank, something that is very often absent in private organisations. It took around 2 years to get the highest possible degree as EMT (lets call it EMT ), without spending 4 years or more in college. Its nice that in the USA you can go even beyond that. Wish i could do that! Im sure that as paramedic you can get a decent pay and stuff, something which is not true for belgium with the degree i got (again that mainly depends by whom you are employed)..but even so, you must like the job or it will become an endless drag, but you seem really motivated and passionate about this, so im sure it will fit you well.
Yes I am told by people (and research as well) that it is important to get as much hands-on experience and learning as possible, and to not be a spectator. I have a kind heart for people and I love helping others. Growing up I would play a lot of war games and the one thing I just loved doing was running around as a medic and "healing" people. It says a lot about my trait and express the kind of person that I am. Money is decent (between $25-54+ depending on education), but it's not all that important when you simply love what you do, and I believe i'll love being a medic. I am curious though if I should take EMT Intermediate. Basically I can take EMT-Basic and then with at least 6 months job experience, I can go to paramedic school. I just want to know what's the better path.
On November 16 2013 10:45 CatNzHat wrote:
Are you just out of highschool and your girl still in highschool?
I'm 24, working part-time at UPS.
She's 25, works full time as an R&D Manager.
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On November 16 2013 11:26 MoonfireSpam wrote:
I would assume that emergency calls to 911 get triaged to a degree so a polytrauma should get you a field doc, but a abdo pain is ok without.
What are the most common emergency calls?
Probably in order from most to least common: Chest pain, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, ?stroke, falls / broken limbs / loss of consciousness, unwell children (usually short of breath), trauma / other. Again with US healthcare being less open to abuse, you may get a different subset of things.
What are the hours like?
Probably shitty. Since they need pretty much the same staffing levels 24h/365
Hours for paid staff are usually 12 hour shifts, with 4 days on/4 days off. So it's inconsistent, and a lot of the time your free time will not match with everyone else's - but 4 days weekends are cool.
I would say SoB is the biggest call. Followed by "nothing is actually wrong" Followed by "I fell out of bed" followed by altered mental - either drugs, diabetes, or mental history - then chest pain, traumas, abdominal pain. Most people with abdominal pain are going to get a buddy/significant other to drive them to the hospital. Most people with chest pain are going to freak out and call an ambulance.
calls don't get triaged. Call goes in to the dispatch center, they send the closest available. When the closest gets there and can't handle whatever is going on, they call for more help and do what they can while it drives out to them.
I've only ever even HEARD one single case of a doctor going to the field. It just doesn't happen.
A basics job is going to be (primarily) driving, grabbing bags when the ALS provider needs them, pushing the stretcher, etc. - there are exceptions to this, depending on the area you're in and the type of call, but for the most part you a cross between a chauffeur and a mule.
I'm currently enrolled in a paramedic program. It's four semesters of college (two years with the summer off.) Like I said - basic class is a joke. You can likely pass the state exam in your sleep. AEMT (intermediate in some places) is another story. You start doing things with needles, you start intubating, and people start expecting you to know what the hell is going on with a patient. This ramps up extremely quickly, and a CC (the next level) is considered full ALS and is typically the top of the ladder in patient care at volunteer agencies as well as some paid agencies. You give 95% of the drugs a paramedic does, you do 90% of the procedures a paramedic does (exceptions being rapid sequence intubation, needle cricothyrotomy, and one or two others), and you really need to be comfortable in the environment and everything. Obviously beyond that there's paramedic, but you seem to know how that goes.
Biggest advice I can give is do ride time. Do it until you're absolutely sick of it, and then take another 8 hour shift during basic class. Basic class is a joke, but there are things that you need to learn. The bigger thing though, is getting the right mindset when you're going out on calls, and picking up on how more experienced EMTs conduct themselves in any given situation. How they talk to the patient, what they're asking, and what they're looking for in the questions that they do ask.
During CC or paramedic class, replace that with clinical time. Listen to the doctors. Learn their thought process. That's important - what is MUCH more important is to just see patients. Tons and tons and tons of them. Books are a poor substitute for the actual problem right in front of you. You're building a catalog here that you will be able to compare future patients to (to an extent) to help you figure out what's wrong. If you finish your two years of classes and you don't know every single employee in your local ER as well as their spouse and kids, you did class wrong.
Other tips? Get REAL comfortable with blood/vomit/urine. It will get on you. It will be all over the place at some scenes. Deal with it. I consider it more disgusting to shake hands without gloves on, than I do to have a patient vomit on my shoes. Hope you tolerate smells well also, because if a patient shits themselves while you're 40 minutes from the hospital, not only do you get to sit there and smell it the whole ride- when you get there, you get to clean the stretcher.
There's more, sure, but this post is too long already! feel free to ask a question or to PM me.
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Make sure you read this amazing TL blog, by Umbraaeternus:
http://www.teamliquid.net/blog/umbra
Lots of great stories and very insightful, although conditions in rural Chile are most likely different.
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I've been a Paramedic for 5 years now, a Paramedic Supervisor for 1 and a Paramedic Facilitator at the Academy for 1. My names Joshua, I'm 27 years old, married and have two children, my wife is also a Paramedic. It's a great and rewarding career but it's a lot of work. As was said a few different times, there is going to be a difference from country to country in terms of scope of practice. The EMT role itself would be a great way to get your feet wet and see if you wanted to go further with the education required to become a Paramedic. It will introduce you to the lifestyle.
Shift work isn't for everyone, it can be difficult and it will feel like at times you have been away from your family what seems like forever. I work a rotation of 2 days, 2 nights and 4 off (4-on 4-off) rotation. I would imagine that when you first start out you would be casual or part-time. This means your schedule is all over the place, you could be doing a string of nights, days, or work all out for a week and then have a week before you work again. I disliked being part time because I had to live by my phone. Depending on shortages I guess it's possible you could get a full time position with a fixed schedule as well, which I found to be great. Shifts can be 8 hours, 12 hours or 24 hours around here, again it all depends on where you're applying and how they run.
You're going to have to learn to stomach a lot and not let it get the best of you on a scene. People are calling because they need help, they are expecting you to help the situation and not make it worse by panicking and freaking out. A mother who has just found her dead baby in the morning does not need someone else running around screaming, it just escalates the situation. It's important to maintain a calm composure. I've pulled up on scene and had to park our rig across the two lane highway to block bystanders views, the events of a small compact car hitting a transport head on were devastating. We had one transected, decapitated body whom was the driver of the small car and their were mounds, big and small, of flesh and bone down the highway for eighty ft. This isn't something that happens all the time, but it does happen and it's something you will see. I know a few medics who have had calls they couldn't handle and it ended their careers and for some, their lives.
When you go to school and train to become a Paramedic you have to be willing to give up your life for the duration of that course, they own you. This is where you make or break your future. The amount of material you will be covering and the amount of time you have to cover it will make you feel like drowning. School is probably the hardest thing I've ever done and when I finished, it was the best feeling in the world. You will learn about ethical. vs moral decisions, the various forms of consent and from the light stuff you will move on to anatomy and physiology, cardiology, pharmacology, toxicology, pulmonology and many many more. That's not to mention the skills you will be learning like intubation, IV access, medication administration, airway manoeuvres, spinal immobilization and so much more. Then you will most likely have to do clinical which can be a combination of training in the hospital and on the ambulance.
The most common calls around here are shortness of breath, chest pain, falls and sick persons... which can be anything. A lot of it depends on where you live, is it an ageing community, a lot of industry? It all factors in. A lot of inter facility transfers as well. You'll find out the most common calls in your area when you get out in the field.
I think I covered a lot of what you had asked, if not send me a PM and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
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I appreciate all the feedback and advice. I'm still really excited to begin hopefully in Spring 2014 or in the Fall of 2014. I do have a couple more questions though that I've thought up the last few days:
1) I hear that you ought to get your EMT-Responder Cert before taking EMT-B, but many sources disregard the responder certification and say to just start with the basic course. Does it matter which one I do, or should I just go with EMT-B? I read another source too that in 2014 the EMT Program will just make it Basic, Intermediate, and Paramedic, so I think I answered my own question.
2) I will fully admit that there are some things about blood, fatalities, and other "gross" things that can make me feel slightly nauseous (Just the feeling like i need to breathe alone for a moment). I'm not used to seeing things that paramedics and EMTs see, and I know that even before the basics class, we have to qualify for immunization. Can anyone elaborate on what that test is? Do they show you pictures of gruesome scenes and see how you react or something? Also, is it normal for EMTs and paramedics to feel the same way I do at first at some scenes (a little light-headed, nauseous, need to breath for a moment, etc), and that I just have to let myself get used to it? Take the show 'Bones' for example. At first, that stuff was nasty and gave me some nightmares. After a while though I got more immune to it, probably because I was expecting a dramatic death.
3) Medical Terminology. I am planning on taking this before EMT-B. It's not a prerequisite (at some schools it is, not the one i'm going to attend though). Would you say this is necessary to take beforehand even if it's not required to take EMT-B? Does it really help as much as some people say it does? I read in some blogs that previous paramedics were grateful for taking MT because it helped with Anatomy and Physiology in paramedic school. What do you guys think?
4) I hear that you can simply go from EMT-Basic straight to paramedic school after a minimum of 6 months work experience as an EMT, but many people recommend being an EMT for at least a year or two before enrolling in paramedic school just because what you learn is actually in the field, not in the classroom. Would it be recommended that I take the intermediate class before going to paramedic school? At least, in my perspective, it wouldn't make paramedic school as difficult since as one poster said you'd already know around 85-95% of it.
5) I heard pharmacology is a BIG thing to study on, especially for the internships and ride-alongs. I also hear you can pick up the paramedic drug book (whatever its called) and actually study up on it before even enrolling. Is that recommended?
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On November 19 2013 08:08 IronManSC wrote:
I appreciate all the feedback and advice. I'm still really excited to begin hopefully in Spring 2014 or in the Fall of 2014. I do have a couple more questions though that I've thought up the last few days:
1) I hear that you ought to get your EMT-Responder Cert before taking EMT-B, but many sources disregard the responder certification and say to just start with the basic course. Does it matter which one I do, or should I just go with EMT-B? I read another source too that in 2014 the EMT Program will just make it Basic, Intermediate, and Paramedic, so I think I answered my own question.
Do you have a current CPR for the professional rescuer card? If not, get one (it's a single day, 4 hour class that's probably offered at all your local volunteer squads, hospitals, and anywhere that trains lifeguards). Once you have that, go get your basic already.
On November 19 2013 08:08 IronManSC wrote:
2) I will fully admit that there are some things about blood, fatalities, and other "gross" things that can make me feel slightly nauseous (Just the feeling like i need to breathe alone for a moment). I'm not used to seeing things that paramedics and EMTs see, and I know that even before the basics class, we have to qualify for immunization. Can anyone elaborate on what that test is? Do they show you pictures of gruesome scenes and see how you react or something? Also, is it normal for EMTs and paramedics to feel the same way I do at first at some scenes (a little light-headed, nauseous, need to breath for a moment, etc), and that I just have to let myself get used to it? Take the show 'Bones' for example. At first, that stuff was nasty and gave me some nightmares. After a while though I got more immune to it, probably because I was expecting a dramatic death.
Immunization means having your vaccines and everything up to date, not being desensitized to gore.
Especially for new EMTs, it's fine to be a little out of it when you get to a particularly bad scene. You need to learn to be able to push those feelings to the side though. Take a deep breath, find the part of yourself that's screaming "NOPE, CAN'T DO THIS, BYE" and gag it, then go get your job done. The worse the scene is, the more the patient there needs your attention. There are healthy ways to deal with nightmares/stress/etc. after the incident is over.
On November 19 2013 08:08 IronManSC wrote:
3) Medical Terminology. I am planning on taking this before EMT-B. It's not a prerequisite (at some schools it is, not the one i'm going to attend though). Would you say this is necessary to take beforehand even if it's not required to take EMT-B? Does it really help as much as some people say it does? I read in some blogs that previous paramedics were grateful for taking MT because it helped with Anatomy and Physiology in paramedic school. What do you guys think?
If you're wanting to be a professional EMT, it's very important to understand medical terminology. It conveys a professional image to your patient, your co-workers, the doctors and nurses you run into, etc. On your ride-alongs, you'll notice the difference in the MD's reaction when he gets a report in layman's terms, or in medical terminology. It makes things clearer and more efficient when communicating with a hospital via radio, and that results in better care for your patient. That said, I know excellent care providers who haven't had a scrap of formal education outside of their -basic, -i, -cc and -p courses. Never took a stand alone A&P. Never took an MT. Would they be better with it? I'm sure, but they've managed to become excellent in spite of that handicap.
So is it necessary? Probably not. Is it a damn good idea to give yourself every advantage you can going into this? Sure thing. Many Paramedics go on to get nursing, or physician assistant degrees. You can be DAMN sure that you need to be fluent in MT for those.
On November 19 2013 08:08 IronManSC wrote:
4) I hear that you can simply go from EMT-Basic straight to paramedic school after a minimum of 6 months work experience as an EMT, but many people recommend being an EMT for at least a year or two before enrolling in paramedic school just because what you learn is actually in the field, not in the classroom. Would it be recommended that I take the intermediate class before going to paramedic school? At least, in my perspective, it wouldn't make paramedic school as difficult since as one poster said you'd already know around 85-95% of it.
That's bull. Sure you "learn how things are done" in the field while taking your time as a basic, but you're not going to be learning how to act as an EMT-I, -CC or -P when you haven't been taught the skills. IMO the sooner you get started on the higher levels of education, the sooner you become a more effective care provider. Just don't neglect your BLS skills once you start getting ALS skills. If your instructors are any good, they'll help you remember that.
I'm a bit biased on that one - I got my basic in may, and began my paramedic course in august. I'm in class with 10 and 20 year basic veterans, and I'm doing as well as or better than most of them. Basics don't get to be in charge - basics are a "do this, do that" extra set of hands and a driver for their paramedic. You dont get to take a lead in patient care, and you don't evolve the critical thinking and problem solving capacities. If you're aware of this shortcoming, you can always be picking your paramedics brain, and learning why he did things the way he did.... but you can just as easily do that as a paramedic student.
On November 19 2013 08:08 IronManSC wrote:
5) I heard pharmacology is a BIG thing to study on, especially for the internships and ride-alongs. I also hear you can pick up the paramedic drug book (whatever its called) and actually study up on it before even enrolling. Is that recommended?
Pharmacology is big. Drugs are always changing, and there's just a ton of things to know. They're the kind of things that you're not going to pick up any other way than sitting down with the book (or a SET OF FLASHCARDS) and staying there until you can't do it anymore. Is it absolutely necessary that you start now, while still in your basic class? No. Will it make you a better care provider? You better believe it. It's never to early to start.
One thing to note in the case of drugs - don't just operate on protocols. Understand why things are the way that they are. Don't just know "Contraindications for albuterol are rapid heart rate, history of CHF or cardiac arrythmia" - know that albuterol is a beta2 agonist, that will cause smooth muscle relaxation leading to drop in BP, and stimulate the heart, causing tachycardia. Don't just know that you have to be careful with it in dialysis patients, know that it screws with potassium levels, so you can ask a dialysis patient (most of them will know) if they usually run high/low on their potassium, or are taking absorption blockers or supplements for potassium. (also understand that many of them won't have any idea, but you should be able to ask them about potassium or "their 'K'" at least.)
You seem really passionate about the field, I wish you the best of luck! PM me if there's anything else!
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Great response Phyre and good luck IronManSC.
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Hey guys, I wanted to give an update on my interest and how things are panning out so far.
As it stands right now, I have not enrolled in EMT school yet. Currently I'm working two jobs (hours are 7am - 10pm M-F), and I'm getting married on August 30, 2014. I am planning on quitting UPS, my evening job, in September. At that time I can hop on my wife's benefits and work full-time for my day job until Spring 2015. When that season comes around, I will enroll in EMT-B and work part-time (or not work at all, seeing how the hours and studying can conflict).
More and more I keep thinking about the role of EMT. I envision myself being a pretty good EMT and eventually an ambulance driver. Paramedic is down the road a ways so it's not something I want to think so much about, I just want to think about one thing at a time.
I read all the responses again, and I'm currently talking to a firefighter paramedic that I know and getting questions from him as well. I've also recently talked to a army medic who's also a paramedic, and he said the worst thing in school that was a "bitch to learn" was pharmacology. I've also heard interesting stories, like peeling a brain off the steering wheel.
I've never really been a fan of terminology, medicines, biology, and all the fancy words of the body, muscles, bones, brain, etc. I hated science classes in high school and barely got by. I only say that because there's so much of it that I am petrified i'll never remember everything. One thing I've learned through life though is in order to do what you want or love, you sometimes have to go through the fire. I just don't really know how i can overcome my fear and dislike of these types of courses and try to keep the big picture in mind.
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EPT
