CatrionaEMT
Forum Ride Along
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Hi Guys!
I was on here a month ago getting ready to start my FTO'S and wondering what it took to be a good partner. I asked you all what you like to see in your partner and how I can be a good EMT.
A little background, I'm fresh out of EMT school in May, and this is my first field job.
The company does 10 FTO days and then let you out on your own...
All week, my FTO was telling me that he didn't see any problems and expected me to complete 10 and move on without a hitch. When it came to Day 9, we had our last call of the day and it was probably my second most critical (and she wasn't super critical, so it's been a slow 9 days). He had been telling me over the course of the 10 days that I had been kind of timid around the firefighters and pt, and I needed to interject more, so I went in, asked if anyone needed a hand, and helped our medic set up a start kit. Once we got her in to the ambulance, I hooked her up to everything, got her a blanket, etc...
Since it was day 9, I was doing everything without direction.
At the beginning of the call, the medic told me to start hooking her up to the lifepak. I saw Fire already was doing so (almost done) so I asked the medic "Do you want me to just set this on the back of the gurney, since fire's got it?" - he said yes, and we moved on with the call.
At the end of the night, my EMT FTO basically told me that he thought the last call went horribly. That I fumbled too much when I asked about the monitor, and that I wasn't focused. He was going to extend me a few days past 10. I asked him why he felt this way, as I genuinely thought it had been my best call of the 10 day training so far... he went on to explain that the whole reason was based on my slight pause asking about the lifepak set up. I'm going to be honest, I almost cried. I had been trying so hard over the last few weeks to really do things right, and it bugged me that the reason I'm extended was over a 1 second question.
Now, I'm by no means a sensitive person. I take constructive criticism very well... but this just seemed really odd to me. If I had been driving a little bad, or screwing up my skills, or not navigating properly / learning my area.... then I could understand the extension... but this?
They also were frustrated with me that I couldn't lift people into the ambulance on my own. Now, I passed the physical, I can lift 75-100 lbs with some ease... but the power gurney with the lifepak on it is around 60 lbs on it's own. I'm trying to work out and gain muscle as best I can, but I'm a 5'2 115 lb girl... (NOT using that as an excuse, but my frame is pretty small) - anyone under 100 lbs I have no issue with lifting to my best ability, but if she/he is over 150 - I don't see why it's wrong to ask the medic to get on one side? Eventually I hope to be able to do this on my own... but I see other people doing a two man lift all the time??? Another small issue was they were mad at me for brushing a pt's hair when she asked me to in the hospital bay. We were standing there with nothing to do, she was embarrassed by her hair and her hands were shaking, she asked if I could fix her hair, so I got a disposable comb and brushed it for her. She thanked me and that was that... but they told me "That's not our job"... a much similar thing they told me when I expressed concern over a pt who kept defecating on herself while we were on bed delay and no one would alert a doctor or nurse so they could clean her. She ended up sitting in her own mess for 2 hours... surely we could've told someone or helped in some way??
Basically just looking for answers... and maybe some suggestions. I go back tomorrow for two more training days, and I'm at a loss for what they want from me.
I was on here a month ago getting ready to start my FTO'S and wondering what it took to be a good partner. I asked you all what you like to see in your partner and how I can be a good EMT.
A little background, I'm fresh out of EMT school in May, and this is my first field job.
The company does 10 FTO days and then let you out on your own...
All week, my FTO was telling me that he didn't see any problems and expected me to complete 10 and move on without a hitch. When it came to Day 9, we had our last call of the day and it was probably my second most critical (and she wasn't super critical, so it's been a slow 9 days). He had been telling me over the course of the 10 days that I had been kind of timid around the firefighters and pt, and I needed to interject more, so I went in, asked if anyone needed a hand, and helped our medic set up a start kit. Once we got her in to the ambulance, I hooked her up to everything, got her a blanket, etc...
Since it was day 9, I was doing everything without direction.
At the beginning of the call, the medic told me to start hooking her up to the lifepak. I saw Fire already was doing so (almost done) so I asked the medic "Do you want me to just set this on the back of the gurney, since fire's got it?" - he said yes, and we moved on with the call.
At the end of the night, my EMT FTO basically told me that he thought the last call went horribly. That I fumbled too much when I asked about the monitor, and that I wasn't focused. He was going to extend me a few days past 10. I asked him why he felt this way, as I genuinely thought it had been my best call of the 10 day training so far... he went on to explain that the whole reason was based on my slight pause asking about the lifepak set up. I'm going to be honest, I almost cried. I had been trying so hard over the last few weeks to really do things right, and it bugged me that the reason I'm extended was over a 1 second question.
Now, I'm by no means a sensitive person. I take constructive criticism very well... but this just seemed really odd to me. If I had been driving a little bad, or screwing up my skills, or not navigating properly / learning my area.... then I could understand the extension... but this?
They also were frustrated with me that I couldn't lift people into the ambulance on my own. Now, I passed the physical, I can lift 75-100 lbs with some ease... but the power gurney with the lifepak on it is around 60 lbs on it's own. I'm trying to work out and gain muscle as best I can, but I'm a 5'2 115 lb girl... (NOT using that as an excuse, but my frame is pretty small) - anyone under 100 lbs I have no issue with lifting to my best ability, but if she/he is over 150 - I don't see why it's wrong to ask the medic to get on one side? Eventually I hope to be able to do this on my own... but I see other people doing a two man lift all the time??? Another small issue was they were mad at me for brushing a pt's hair when she asked me to in the hospital bay. We were standing there with nothing to do, she was embarrassed by her hair and her hands were shaking, she asked if I could fix her hair, so I got a disposable comb and brushed it for her. She thanked me and that was that... but they told me "That's not our job"... a much similar thing they told me when I expressed concern over a pt who kept defecating on herself while we were on bed delay and no one would alert a doctor or nurse so they could clean her. She ended up sitting in her own mess for 2 hours... surely we could've told someone or helped in some way??
Basically just looking for answers... and maybe some suggestions. I go back tomorrow for two more training days, and I'm at a loss for what they want from me.