con-ed more interesting
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DrankTheKoolaid
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The first thing that's needed is a full understanding of the difference between continuing education and just review of what a provider should already know.
For the kenetic learners in your "squad" scenerio / skills sessions are great. Get a mix of lecture and immediete chance to do the hands on to really make it a learning experience for them
Side question
Why do people use the terms squad/capt/ and other military terms in some EMS outfits?
Having served I would have a serious issue addresing anyone in that way without laughing in their face.
The first thing that's needed is a full understanding of the difference between continuing education and just review of what a provider should already know.
For the kenetic learners in your "squad" scenerio / skills sessions are great. Get a mix of lecture and immediete chance to do the hands on to really make it a learning experience for them
Side question
Why do people use the terms squad/capt/ and other military terms in some EMS outfits?
Having served I would have a serious issue addresing anyone in that way without laughing in their face.
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JPINFV
Gadfly
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...because the military is the only place where the term "squad" or "officer" or "captain" is used? So, what do you call the person in charge of a ship or airplane? The world doesn't revolve around the military.
AlphaButch
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CE isn't supposed to be boring? :unsure:
Add more hands-on, games, competitions.
Depending on your applicable regulations, change the environment (I've done CE regarding behavioral emergencies at a psych facility, Immobilization courses at a skate park, etc).
To Corky, re; military rank/structure terms. You'll get used to it.
Add more hands-on, games, competitions.
Depending on your applicable regulations, change the environment (I've done CE regarding behavioral emergencies at a psych facility, Immobilization courses at a skate park, etc).
To Corky, re; military rank/structure terms. You'll get used to it.
fast65
Doogie Howser FP-C
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+1
The military isn't the only place that those terms are used, they're pretty common, and just because someone has the title "captain" or "officer" and hasn't served in the military, doesn't mean you need to laugh in their face because you feel superior in some way.
That being said, I've always found a more "conversation-like" way of learning to be helpful. Instead of just reading off of a PP, allow them to get involved and make it more of a discussion. Add in some skills stations and scenarios, and you should be good to go.
thanks for all the suggestions, and to answer your question about the whole military terms corky, fire fighting and ems is para military, i also currently serve and to say you would laugh in some of your "officers" or "squad" members can show some disrespect to them...think about it, not everybody joins the military, not everybody becomes a chief in the rescue squad or fire department, its rank structured, its how we keep control within the squad. What if everybody was just a memeber and no leadership was established I can promise you your "squad" would fall apart without a "officer" its the titles laid out before us and has been established before we were part of it,and to be honest with you alot of member within the military laugh in the faces of their higher ups 
it happens lol...but still have to show respect, we're trained to do it.....
it happens lol...but still have to show respect, we're trained to do it.....
DrankTheKoolaid
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Tony that is my whole point right there. Respect is earned not a given, in the military you salute the rank not the person. As a civilian I guess we have a choice. And not all EMS is paramilitary. But after doing some more reading I guess the paramilitary model is heavily used on the east coast in particular.
Tony that is my whole point right there. Respect is earned not a given, in the military you salute the rank not the person. As a civilian I guess we have a choice. And not all EMS is paramilitary. But after doing some more reading I guess the paramilitary model is heavily used on the east coast in particular.
JPINFV
Gadfly
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There's a difference from using specific terms and requiring military courtesy. I'm not going to salute or stand at attention because someone of a higher "rank" walks into a room, nor would I expect something similar if I was a higher rank.
I think certain subdivisions are just silly, such as when there's a half a dozen operational ranks (one college EMS system that I was looking at had 5 different levels from "attendant" (2 levels, none with state certifications) to driver, and essentially required 2 people at either the "driver" level or "technician" level to take the call. Oh, and the "driver" level could over rule the "technician" level on anything). However, whether the terms used are 'military' in nature or something else is relatively irrelevant to the fact that they exist.
I think certain subdivisions are just silly, such as when there's a half a dozen operational ranks (one college EMS system that I was looking at had 5 different levels from "attendant" (2 levels, none with state certifications) to driver, and essentially required 2 people at either the "driver" level or "technician" level to take the call. Oh, and the "driver" level could over rule the "technician" level on anything). However, whether the terms used are 'military' in nature or something else is relatively irrelevant to the fact that they exist.
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Paramilitary structure has no business in EMS in my opinion.
As to using terms such as Officer and squad I don't see the problem. Corky, thanks for your service but don't be a douche. Being ex-military doesn't give you that right. Are you saying Police Departments shouldn't use ranks?
As to using terms such as Officer and squad I don't see the problem. Corky, thanks for your service but don't be a douche. Being ex-military doesn't give you that right. Are you saying Police Departments shouldn't use ranks?
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DrankTheKoolaid
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No, I just don't feel it has a place in EMS. Probably a reason it's not used anywhere else in medicine. Law and Fire sure....... Ill be doing Tac medic in january in Palm Springs and onced I return the LEO's ill be responding with use it so I don't have a problem with it as a rule.
So riddle me this, medics. If your so called capt or lt, tries to tell you how to do patient care on scene and you don't agree with him/her and its your patient what do you do. They out rank you........ and according to doctrine you are insubordinate if you don't follow directions.
No, I just don't feel it has a place in EMS. Probably a reason it's not used anywhere else in medicine. Law and Fire sure....... Ill be doing Tac medic in january in Palm Springs and onced I return the LEO's ill be responding with use it so I don't have a problem with it as a rule.
So riddle me this, medics. If your so called capt or lt, tries to tell you how to do patient care on scene and you don't agree with him/her and its your patient what do you do. They out rank you........ and according to doctrine you are insubordinate if you don't follow directions.
just like in the military, if you are given a order that is life threatening you can over rule it, just like on base, i had a commander telling me what to do, but it wasn't the righto ne, and he out ranks me alot but i didn't get in trouble, as long as its reasonable and practical can you do it. I personally don't know if paramilitary belongs in the EMS field or not, should we have rank structure to help with the running of operations sure, should it be as strict as military, probably not, but guess what just like other things in the world that we don't agree with, we can't fix it
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We don't use the whole officer setup here but if its my patient that I'm attending what I say goes. If they want to provide care then they can write the chart and take the liability if they are a paramedic.
lawndartcatcher
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Now to hijack this thread and re-direct it back to its original question...
Con-ed should be just that - "continuing". Most topics fall under one of three areas:
You should remember that with the first point, everyone should be able to contribute to this discussion. Make one person lead a discussion but make everyone contribute. You'll have to make sure this doesn't become "story time" but you'll be able to draw from everyone in the room's experience.
With the second point you'll have to be a little more hands-on as far as leading the class. When was the last time you broke out the splints and had a paramedic splint an extremity? That's where having a diverse group is helpful - there are probably 20 ways to splint an elbow correctly; ask the question "that works - does anyone have a different way of doing it?". There may be someone who's extremely good at a particular skill - have them lead that section or make them a second station ("this is how I was trained to do it, now go over and see Bob who has a completely different way of doing the same thing").
With the third point, see if you can get a rep out there. If you can't, see if you can get some training material from them. I like having a rep there, especially the ones who will let you actually try to break their stuff (we had a video laryngoscope sales rep who boasted that his product was unbreakable but was surprisingly hesitant to let us drop his demo unit from a height of 6 feet).
With any training, making it applicable is key. If you're doing extrication, get the jaws out and sit people in the car as patients and responders (see if you can find some good actors to scream and / or freak out as patients). For patient assessment, sit 'em on a couch in the day room and make them act out the part of a cranky old man (insert fire chief joke here). I agree - if they've seen the slides they probably don't need to see them all again.
Con-ed should be just that - "continuing". Most topics fall under one of three areas:
- Stuff that everyone already knows (but may have different perspectives on based on personal experience)
- Stuff that no one has any experience with (or limited experience) that folks need "refreshing" on
- New stuff that's just come down the line (this is the fun stuff - inservice training for new toys, etc.)
You should remember that with the first point, everyone should be able to contribute to this discussion. Make one person lead a discussion but make everyone contribute. You'll have to make sure this doesn't become "story time" but you'll be able to draw from everyone in the room's experience.
With the second point you'll have to be a little more hands-on as far as leading the class. When was the last time you broke out the splints and had a paramedic splint an extremity? That's where having a diverse group is helpful - there are probably 20 ways to splint an elbow correctly; ask the question "that works - does anyone have a different way of doing it?". There may be someone who's extremely good at a particular skill - have them lead that section or make them a second station ("this is how I was trained to do it, now go over and see Bob who has a completely different way of doing the same thing").
With the third point, see if you can get a rep out there. If you can't, see if you can get some training material from them. I like having a rep there, especially the ones who will let you actually try to break their stuff (we had a video laryngoscope sales rep who boasted that his product was unbreakable but was surprisingly hesitant to let us drop his demo unit from a height of 6 feet).
With any training, making it applicable is key. If you're doing extrication, get the jaws out and sit people in the car as patients and responders (see if you can find some good actors to scream and / or freak out as patients). For patient assessment, sit 'em on a couch in the day room and make them act out the part of a cranky old man (insert fire chief joke here). I agree - if they've seen the slides they probably don't need to see them all again.
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My favorite CEU class I ever attended was paramedic assistant. It was an 8 hour class that was really hands on. I got some experience with some of the medics equipment such as IV, cardiac monitor, endotracheal intubation, etc. I think understanding what the medics have to do makes it easier in order to help them no matter how little your assistance may seem.