Back at it again

[Fire219man]

It seems like just yesterday that I was telling you all that I was preparing to take my EMT-B Registry test, and then I took it, and then reported back to everyone on how it went. And subsequently I passed and was deciding if I wanted to go further.

With the busy lifes we lead, I kinda forgot to report back to everyone on some stuff.

I decided to go further. Being that my career is in the software design industry, it is hard for me to take such a pay-cut at the moment to commit fully to this field, though I do love EMS.

I decided to go into the EMT-I realm of things. Not fully commiting to the Medic program, but definatley giving me alot more stuff that I can do during a call.

I took the entrance test at a hospital that is 25 miles from where I live, and I passed the entrance.

Since then, tonight will be my first real night of class. Chapters 1,2, and 3 in the book.

I look forward to continuing my education in this facinating field of EMS. Maybe one day I can take the leap of faith, the pay-cut, and go do EMS fulltime.

-fire219

 

[Glorified]

Awesome. I hope you can get some Basic experience. I am struggling to at the moment, but maybe I am just impatient. that reminds me...."Always be 'patient' with your psych patients." - my emt teacher.

Good luck with the class. Hope it goes well. Two very different fields.

 

[Rattletrap]

Awesome. I hope you can get some Basic experience. I am struggling to at the moment, but maybe I am just impatient. that reminds me...."Always be 'patient' with your psych patients." - my emt teacher.

Good luck with the class. Hope it goes well. Two very different fields.

I found the best thing when dealing with psych patients is to make them think you are crazier than they are. You really are if you are doing this job, so it should not be that hard to do.

 

[Tincanfireman]

Two very different fields.

Hear, Hear. Don't buy into the opinion that -I is just another round of Basic with IV's thrown in. I found it to be very challenging, much more so than I had anticipated. Acid/Base will rock your world (though I was more of the Physics kid in High School, now I wish I'd taken Chemistry...lol). Anyway, help is never more than a keyboard away, so don't forget us if you get into a jam. Best of luck!!

 

[Ridryder911]

Good luck in school.. I am glad to see you are progressing more into the profession.

R/r 911

 

[slacks]

Good luck in your class. It is tough to have a different day job and jump into something so totally different an demanding at night.

I am curious if there are others who have pondered making a career change from a higher-paying field to the EMS world, and what their experiences have been - regrets, no regrets?

 

[Fire219man]

Class started off slow like expected.

Night one was introductions and paperwork.

Night 2 was role of an EMT-I and scene safety...blablabla....you got that pounded into you early on.

Now that we are at night 3, it is now moving along.

Ok no problem with the majority of it, UNTIL....

Fluids, Electrolytes, Acid-Base Balace OH MY DEAR LORD HELP ME NOW...

And this is a voluntary thing I am doing....haha..

I never took Chemistry in school....

It sure is a bit to take in. And I am sure that you truly need to learn all this base stuff, because when it comes into IV therapy, even I can guess that we will be building on the stuff that we are going over in these first few weeks.

 

[Fire219man]

I do think one thing is odd about this EMT-I class. It is taught via a Powerpoint Presentation. You don't need your book or workbook, as per the instructor.

 

[BossyCow]

So, if something comes up you don't understand or you want to clarify in your own mind, what then?

 

[Ridryder911]

I do think one thing is odd about this EMT-I class. It is taught via a Powerpoint Presentation. You don't need your book or workbook, as per the instructor.

Sorry, but I can already tell you that you have a SORRY INSTRUCTOR!

If he/she would like to discuss, I will greatly chat with them in detail. Anyone, that can read off powerpoint and attempts to solely teach off them is not educating their students fully. Many people do not learn off visual aids, as well, one needs to study and re-enforce that application by review per workbook.

Powerpoint should be used as an aid and then very, very limited form to get give some visual to get the point across.

That is part of the problem in EMS. We do not have educated instructors. Amazing, we require those that teach kindergarten to have the minimum of a B.S/B.A. but do not require such to teach on how to intubate, crich, or defib someone... something is wrong.

Good luck.. I hope this class turns out better than I expect...
R/r 911

 

[Fire219man]

Regardless of a Powerpoint or not, my tactic for this class as others I have taken in college has been.

1. Skim the chapter to be covered prior to the day of class.
2. Attend class and either do the Powerpoint or book review
3. Ask any further questions that I may have
4. At home the next day, I make notes based upon the powerpoint presentation.
5. Review the notes
6. Skim the next chapter

Rinse and repeat.

You are correct though, if anyone is just to watch the slide show, and know just what you need to pass the tests, your gonna be hosed in the field.

It does concern me though that 90% of the class to me seems like they think they know it all. Kinda that cocky attitude. Must be the type A personality comming out of them.

I forgot to mention, the instructor does give the students a printed copy of the each powerpoint presentation.

 

[Ridryder911]

I have always found teaching Intermediate level classes usually have those type of attitudes, especially after being taught advanced airway & IV therapy. Many feel, that they have learned enough and especially all of the fun stuff, they are = to or greater than a medic.

I believe you will have the attitude to do great. Truly understanding fluids & electrolytes will greatly help you later on.

Good luck!
R/r 911

 

[BossyCow]

I use Power Point a lot in classes but only to keep myself on track. It is an abbreviated series of slides with talking points, not a substitute for either the instructor or the student using their brains.

 

[Ridryder911]

There has been numerous studies on the use of powerpoint/slides in adult teaching. I personally like them, but use them only for lectures or speaking engagements. Then only as reference points or for clarity.

it has been demonstrated that repeated use of ppt presentations usually leads to disinterest and lack of participation, more of a "speaker/ audience" and not teaching, with poor eye contact, and over use of graphics. In fact recent reviews per NEMSEA revealed that more and more hand on skills and time should be used over lectures.

It has been suggested to enforce homework reading assignments, then the student should be prepared before the lecture and only to clarify and re-enforce objectives.

Again, we need to educate instructors to become teachers...
R/r 911

 

[Fire219man]

Night 4 of class.

We finished off with Acid/Base stuff including the alkosis and acidosis stuff. I thought I had it down at the end of class. The weekend came, and I think I forgot some of it. So I reviewed the book again for about an hour or so and bingo it came back.

Tonight will be Night 5 of class, and we will begin the Basic Principles of Pharmacology.

If you haven't noticed, this is more like a blogging thread for me to kind of put my thoughts down for everyone to see during my EMT-I class.

 

[Fire219man]

Class 6 was more Powerpoint on Pharmacology

Class 7 was introduction to Venous Access

Tonight is Class 8. We will have our first lab session since I started the class about a month ago.

SQ injections tonight. Class 9 is lab and will be venous access.

Now onto my personal feeling of this class.

#1 This class feels like ligntning speed pace.
#2 The book hasn't been referred too 1 time in class, and still all powerpoint

I just looked at my course outline. Appears we spend 2 nights on cardiac dysrhythmias/strip identification.....Um, I don't know if thats long enough is it?

I am not one that thinks I know it all, nor will I ever....This program that I am in is kind of making me worry that the skills that are discussed and gone over so quickly, aren't really re-inforced very well, and I am suprised I haven't heard in the news in my area that an Intermediate hasn't yet killed someone that would have taken this program.

I am spending more time out of class trying to work this stuff out on my own than I spend in class watching dumb *** powerpoints.

 

[Fire219man]

Before it slips my mind....Just a story..

Medical Math was covered in 60 minutes. When the teacher had to explain how to break down fractions 2/4ths is like 1/2 , I knew that some people in this class probably should take a basic math refresher.

There was more time spent on explaining how to do math, more than time spent on discussing the formulas themselves.

Covered was

1. How to convert pounds to kilograms
2. How to determin Drip Rate of an IV
3. How to determine Volume of drugs to give based upon the dosage told to you by the doctor.

So 1 hour of Medical Math was it...we are now moving on I guess.....Glad I spent 5 more hours outside of class looking at the book, going online for further practice questions, etc...

How do I tell my instructor I don't feel confortable with any of her students practicing on me for IV's....

Intro to IV's was 1 hour.....we stick each other like cattle in a few days.

 

[Fire219man]

Maybe my expectations are too high. I took my emt-b class at a university. They had a top notched wing of a facility dedicated to EMS, all the bells and whistles for toys to play with, the class room was well lighted, air conditioned, top notched overhead projectors, etc..

Powerpoint presentations were a suplement rather than the main curriculum, and even when we went of Anatomy class, the instructor broke out the cool full size skeleton, as well as full size manikins with the organs, etc... to refer too, in an attempt to help the literature sink in a bit better by seeing it rather than reading it.

This class I am in now isn't at a university it is at a outlying hospital, the class has 16 people in it. The class room is at full capacity, no room to move, not much room on your desk, etc...

I have to go thru with this program as this is the only location in my area that offers the Intermediate program, and I can't make the Medic commitment yet.

 

[BossyCow]

Sounds to me that this class will allow you to walk out with a certification, not an education.

 

[Fire219man]

Class 8 was lab. SubQ, IO, IM, breathing treatments were covered as well. We gave each other SubQ injections for practice.

Class 9 is IV therapy. Will report how this goes after Tuesday....should be very interesting. Lots of needle phobias in the class room.