Cold feet...the expression not condition.

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kelmor84

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Well I successfully completed EMT school in December, got my license and recently started working as an EMT at a zoo. It was part time and very flexible which was a perfect fit for me to continue my education as a Paramedic. Not a whole lot of action to see yet though. With the hot weather will come the EMT related stuff to do.
Anyhow...I am now in enrolled in the Paramedic program and I am beginning to freak out a little. I don't know if it is the stress from trying to balance work, full time school and a family, and trying to figure out how to work in all the clinical hours in between. I will need to have near 240 hours in the last semester alone!
I love school, I love the idea of becoming a Paramedic, I love helping people, and I do really well in school. I make great grades, and I seem to catch on quickly when learning new skills....but there is this tiny part of me that worries whether or not I will be any good at this in the real field. Sure I excel in school...but I know many people who can ace a test and then not know a thing about what they tested over in the real world.
Since my new job doesn't exactly have much to experience at the moment, I haven't even figured out if I am any good as a real deal EMT.
I read a story recently about a guy that had an emergency and totally forgot he was an EMT, and instead of helping the person, he went and called for an ambulance. I am scared this will happen to me.
Did anyone else have a caution light go up, or fear they wouldn't do well while in school? Is this a normal worry, or is this a warning sign? Any suggestions?
 
kelmor84 said:
Well I successfully completed EMT school in December, got my license and recently started working as an EMT at a zoo. It was part time and very flexible which was a perfect fit for me to continue my education as a Paramedic. Not a whole lot of action to see yet though. With the hot weather will come the EMT related stuff to do.
Anyhow...I am now in enrolled in the Paramedic program and I am beginning to freak out a little. I don't know if it is the stress from trying to balance work, full time school and a family, and trying to figure out how to work in all the clinical hours in between. I will need to have near 240 hours in the last semester alone!
I love school, I love the idea of becoming a Paramedic, I love helping people, and I do really well in school. I make great grades, and I seem to catch on quickly when learning new skills....but there is this tiny part of me that worries whether or not I will be any good at this in the real field. Sure I excel in school...but I know many people who can ace a test and then not know a thing about what they tested over in the real world.
Since my new job doesn't exactly have much to experience at the moment, I haven't even figured out if I am any good as a real deal EMT.
I read a story recently about a guy that had an emergency and totally forgot he was an EMT, and instead of helping the person, he went and called for an ambulance. I am scared this will happen to me.
Did anyone else have a caution light go up, or fear they wouldn't do well while in school? Is this a normal worry, or is this a warning sign? Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

this is something most new providers go through. The transition from school to the "real" world can be difficult as few programs truly prepare students.
It is normal to be nervous and anxious....especially if you aren't getting pt contacts.
what are you taking in school full time? EMS? some other degree? Any past college or university courses?

have you done your pre reqs for medic yet? if not this can be a good time to knock some of them out. A&P with lab, chemistry, Microbiology, etc.

having these before you start medic school can make things a lot easier on you.

time management is also very important.
best of luck to you.
 
I get cold feet too. I'm fine while I'm at work, but any time I have more than one day off between shifts the self-doubt kicks in, and I get an average of 6 runs per shift so plenty of patient contact. I think it's like Medic Tim said, there's definitely a transition period.
 
That tiny worrying part is called "professionalism". It keeps you honest, following protocols, taking refreshers. Worrying about worrying is a positive feedback loop, stop it or it will drown out your competencies.

PS: Your zoo have medical control and protocols from a MD for you?
 
kelmor84 said:
but there is this tiny part of me that worries whether or not I will be any good at this in the real field. Sure I excel in school...but I know many people who can ace a test and then not know a thing about what they tested over in the real world.
Click to expand...

When I started my 'medic clinicals (Which I did all of after all of the didactic was completed), I very much had that feeling, "What the hell am I doing? I'm not a 'medic, I'm just some kid who took a few too many classes, I've got no idea what I'm doing.". And then I started running the calls, and I was okay. I knew exactly what to do for each of the calls we ran, including the pt who I thought needed to be darted, but my preceptor wouldn't do it or let me do it. We wound up handing him off to a copter, and later that day ran into the flight crew...they darted him. I never had a good field preceptor, but what I did learn from the ambulance clinicals was that I really could handle this.

I read a story recently about a guy that had an emergency and totally forgot he was an EMT, and instead of helping the person, he went and called for an ambulance. I am scared this will happen to me.
Click to expand...

Having no idea what story you're referring to, I can't say this for certain, but it's entirely possible that he didn't forget he was an EMT, he just made the call because that's the best thing he could do.

Without our toys, often the biggest difference we can make is giving a reliable report to the PSAP so they can roll the appropriate response.
 
Wow thanks for all the feedback guys.
MedicTim, I am enrolled full time for the paramedic program. I am taking A&P2 and Psychology as my last remaining gen ed courses alongside PC1. After that it is strictly EMS related courses such as ECG, Pharmacology, etc.
I have previously gotten my MA before, and then my EMT, and now am seeking Paramedic. I think the cold feet started because the realization that this career is taking loads more responsibility onto myself than that of a simple MA. I have had the fortune (or maybe misfortune) of not having had any extreme calls during my clinicals for EMT. I was kind of a "white cloud", and I feel like that is part of my panic, because I have yet to really experience a true emergency, so I have no idea how well I am going to do. Here I am soon to be going on into Paramedic clinicals, and the worst thing I have seen is a gashed open head.

I do really appreciate the statement about a little worry can be considered professionalism, and worrying about worrying is the real set back. I like that a lot. It makes a lot of sense.

And yes in regards to the zoo, we do have a medical director and our own protocols, and if in the event we have something BIG we call an actual ambulance. And it is so awesome. I love that job. It is amazing.

And yes that is the same story! If it is a parody than that is good....at least that lessens the chance that I might follow in those footsteps!
 
Fear is survival technique as you should know. You imagine what could go wrong because you want to avoid it.

I'll give you some advice you should remember on my first stabbing (through the heart to be exact): Slow the F*** Down

Seconds count, but rushing causes more mistakes because you will make mistakes and that's ok. You are apart of a team that will help you.

One night I was a bit tipsy and came upon an auto-ped while driving home. Stupid, I know, but by instinct I stopped and helped, even having to be the one to talk to dispatch.

You have the knowledge and the training. It's ok to worry about doing something wrong but when you are on scene, trust yourself.
 
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