Testing for CERT

[HWhite98]

So I took my va Pyschomotor (Pratical) test on Thursday and am awaiting the results. The way it works in VA is you take your skills evaluation at a VA Test site administered by the VDH-OEMS, which includes a medical assessment, trauma assessment, and one of the 7 random skills. If and when you pass the VA praticals, you take your cognitive via NREMT. I think/know I passed trauma, I know I passed my random skill (Longbone immobilization) but am feeling so so about the medical one.

Now I can't talk about specifics of the exam because I could lose my eligibility for cert but I can explain the situation. All I can really say is the patient was in "Insulin Shock" and one of the critical fails is "Candidate did not treat for shock if indicated". Now I put the patient on high flow O2 and covered them with a blanket, but did not verbalize that I was doing that to treat the patient for shock. Their BP did not indicate shock either. Is "insulin shock" truly shock, and do you think that mistake is enough to fail me?

I am sure I am freaking out over nothing. But other then that, I am excited to continue my journey in EMS finally as a certified and licensed provider.

 

[ViolynEMT]

We found out the results immediately. Bummer that you have to wait.

 

[HWhite98]

I know, it really sucks! They have to send them to the VDH and then they have to upload them. Quite irritating

 

[HWhite98]

I passed!

 

[chaz90]

Congrats on passing!

That said, I hate the terms "insulin shock" and "treat for shock." They're both ambiguous and ultimately meaningless. True shock means hypoperfusion of tissues. Shock has many different causes, and too many textbooks and instructors simplify anything going wrong with the body as "shock" of some kind. "Insulin shock" is really just hypoglycemia, and neither high flow oxygen, patient warming, or trendelenberg's position are at all helpful in treating it.

 

[HWhite98]

Thank you!

And in the few month I have been on the field, most of the "textbook" information rarely is 100% how things are going to play out. Also wouldn't a patient who is hypoglycemic unlikely to go into shock just from that alone. Wouldn't the more then likely be another cause?