Ask A Medic

I call that job security man.

 

Been quit in here for a while.

Taking my NREMT practicals next week and then my written as soon after that as I can.

 

Wish you the best of luck with the tests.

 

SCENE SAFETY, BSI!!!

 

Sage advice..

Don't let nerves control you. The simplest things can be forgotten if you don't take a breath and do it methodically.

I forgot to flush an IV during my medic practicals. Had to sweat it out and retake that station a week later.

 

Hell I had a friend forget to use an alcohol wipe on the IV. Its the little things you just forget.

 

Hey look a thread I can get involved with

Advice for going into medic school?

 

Get ready to study. I've been a Medic for 21 years. Protocols change from year to year. CPR for example has changed drastically since I first started. Now it's more about continuation of compression's than O2 administration since the "newest" findings have found that stopping compression's tends to negate the benefit of moving oxygenated blood throughout the body. Our newest protocols call for O2 administration while continuing compression's until the AED is ready to shock. Who knows what will come out next year?

 

Do not take it lightly. The Paramedic program owns your life for its duration, and will strain your ability to earn income, maintain any kind of social life, and keep in touch with family.

I don't remark on this to make you afraid, but to be realistic. Medic school was one of the most difficult, yet satisfying things I've ever done!

Good fortune to you, man!

 

I'm thinking possible CPR DURING defibrillation. There are studies out there right now.

I agree but also disagree. It all depends on how you learn best. I was working full time as an EMT on a 911 system ambulance while in school. It made everything that I saw daily on scene make more sence. Personally medic school wasn't that hard for me. But I saw book crap and real life side by side. Most of my class mates did not.

 

See I work on an ALS rig right now and feel that that'd be best for me also. When I was a new EMT it was hard for me to grasp the concept of on scene reality but once I got through an internship and a few months on the job it all made sense.

One thing I feel could potentially be negative is omitting book related info in favor of real life info like saying oh in real life I wouldn't stay on scene that long or I would more likely do such and such etc.

Im looking forward to medic school I really am but maaaaan am I nervous for didactics

 

I see that coming also. Shocking as that may be (pun intended)

Yeah, I was in the same boat when I got on the FD. I looked at it much like you did and our job depended on us passing the tests. I put forth the effort but for whatever reason it came pretty easy to me. That said, out of 24 that took the tests and practicals me and one other were the only ones to pass on the first time.

One thing I will add and is not often talked about is the pressure to perform. Luckily I work for the FD and not a Ambulance service (but that doesn't make it much easier). We don't transport but we are usually the first to arrive on scene. After 21 years it will likely take a toll on you (well documented in my sig). There are some things that you will run across that you just can't comprehend. How people do the things that they do to each other, why bad things happen to good people, and how and why did this happen? Those are things they can't teach you in class. I, for the longest time, had to separate myself from the situation and (as callous as it sounds) had to treat it as if I were working on "something" not "someone". I had a compartment in my head that I kept all those runs but eventually that compartment will become full and it will overflow with devastating results. My advise (I know you didn't ask) is to find a trusted friend, wife, family, etc... that you can talk too about these things. You of course can't give names etc... but getting it out in the open to someone will dramatically help you in the long run. Some people handle it just fine throughout their career but the majority have some sort of issue. The things we are asked / have to do are sometimes overwhelming.

Here's to hoping you have a long a prosperous career. It can be rewarding at times but some of the times it will be at your expense.

 

Yeah put of 15 people in my class, 13 passed the NREMT and 5 got immediate jobs as a medic. 3 finally got one. The rest gave up.

 

Why thank you sir thankfully I have friends I've made through ems I can talk to and my gf is a tech on her way to nursing whose family also has several nurses and firemen I've always heard to not let the job effect you and I do my best to separate any emotion and feel if anything does strike a chord I have several people I can talk too.

 

Our mock practical testing was an eye opener. Made some dump mistakes, failed a few stations. Luckily it was just a mock test. They made it extra hard and were super nit picky to make sure we were ready for this Saturday. I have a few days in class this week to practice. Going to knock it out of the park on test day.

Final for our class is this Wednesday. Our medic students say that the emt final is harder than the NREMT test. If we can pass it, we will pass nationals.

Also, going to visit one of my instructor's ambo services in two weeks, if I pass the nremt, they may have a PT gig for me.

 

Passed my practicals today. Now just waiting to be put into the system so I can take my computer test.

 

Congrats brother

 

I passed my NREMT test today. Damn that thing was hard, sure I had failed it, but I passed and that is all that matters!!!!

WOOT!

 

Been tracking my BP lately (Just out of curiosity) and the systolic is usually ~130 and diastolic is usually 65-70.
Any reason in why one would be normal and one would be considered high?

 

Every person in my FD class thought they failed the NREMT, but we all passed. Just a weird test.

Congratulations on passing!