Going on calls without someone to hold my hand...

[4thebirds]

So I've gone on a couple of calls in the unit by myself. Usually someone else will show up shortly after but I am still freaking out going it alone.
I know I know what I'm doing because I passed the tests but good lord... I feel like a bumbling idiot. I feel like I'm rushing through everything and forgetting things..And then when the other person gets there, who is usually a higher level than I am, I feel even more stupid for not getting to the vitals fast enough or maybe not putting oxygen on a patient who is breathing fine...
Ugh, please tell me it gets better... That I won't feel like I have no clue what's going on or what to do

 

[medichopeful]

maybe not putting oxygen on a patient who is breathing fine...

Unless it's indicated, why would you be putting oxygen on someone who's breathing fine? :unsure:

That being said, you're new at this. With time you'll improve and feel more comfortable. Learn from any mistakes you make, but don't beat yourself up!

 

[BF2BC EMT]

Unless it's indicated, why would you be putting oxygen on someone who's breathing fine? :unsure:

That being said, you're new at this. With time you'll improve and feel more comfortable. Learn from any mistakes you make, but don't beat yourself up!

Haha I was wondering the same thing.

OP it takes time

 

[Nerd13]

So I've gone on a couple of calls in the unit by myself. Usually someone else will show up shortly after but I am still freaking out going it alone.
I know I know what I'm doing because I passed the tests but good lord... I feel like a bumbling idiot. I feel like I'm rushing through everything and forgetting things..And then when the other person gets there, who is usually a higher level than I am, I feel even more stupid for not getting to the vitals fast enough or maybe not putting oxygen on a patient who is breathing fine...
Ugh, please tell me it gets better... That I won't feel like I have no clue what's going on or what to do

It gets better! It's just a confidence thing. You'll gain a little more with with each call and as long as you remember your basics you'll be fine. As much as some people try to forget it we were all new once. You'll be fine!

 

[Akulahawk]

We were all new once... and sometimes we're new at it again. While it sounds like I'm kind of parroting the others, with time it all does kind of fall in to place. Getting there takes some work though. Read your protocols and ask yourself why someone is getting the care that the protocol recommends. Think back to what might be causing the patient's symptoms.

Develop a script that you can pretty much "read from" to initiate patient contact. As you're walking into the scene, is there any reason for you to turn tail and hide/run? From the moment you see the patient, start assessing the ABC's. Remember AB pretty much go hand in hand. No airway means no breathing and if there's no breathing, that's bad. Noisy breathing is never good. Quiet, can't hear it, breathing is bad too. Observe how your patient interacts with you. A patient that notices you enter their space is far better off than one that barely even registers your presence, if all, and so on. Develop a plan to exit fast, with or without the patient, as scene safety and patient condition permits.

When all else fails and you know the patient needs to get to the ED, think ABC/C-spine indicated?/Level of Consciousness and then VO(MI)T. MI is in parenthesis as Basics normally don't do those... (Vitals, Oxygen, Monitor, IV, Transport)

There are lots of little things that you'll pick up on and just do once you learn them, but it will take time and experience to get these things right.

 

[JPINFV]

Relax... breath.


Also, the patient is the one with the disease, the first thing you do at a cardiac arrest is take your own pulse, and the provision of good medical care is to do the most nothing possible.

So says the Fat Man, so say we all.



/Ok, technically the last one was Dr. Basch.

 

[Akulahawk]

Relax... breath.


Also, the patient is the one with the disease, the first thing you do at a cardiac arrest is take your own pulse, and the provision of good medical care is to do the most nothing possible.

So says the Fat Man, so say we all.



/Ok, technically the last one was Dr. Basch.

That's another big bit of advice. Do not let the patient's emergency become your emergency. And really, sometimes the hardest thing to do is nothing... but sometimes that's all that's needed.

 

[Martyn]

Er, dumb question...you sound like a fairly newly qualified EMT, why are you going to calls on your own? :unsure:

 

[Akulahawk]

Er, dumb question...you sound like a fairly newly qualified EMT, why are you going to calls on your own? :unsure:

Could be that now the FTO safety-net is gone and now has to deal with being "it" for the first time. That's a scary feeling...

 

[Veneficus]

Er, dumb question...you sound like a fairly newly qualified EMT, why are you going to calls on your own? :unsure:

Many EMS programs still do not have any or adequete field training.

The day you get your card may be the day you are on your own, as a basic or a medic.

Scary isn't it?

But it is much easier to see why some of us old folks that were put in that position get upset when people don't learn from our failures and choose to repeat them.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Er, dumb question...you sound like a fairly newly qualified EMT, why are you going to calls on your own? :unsure:

I figured he is on first responder squad...

Anyways, OP- just try to remember Vitals Vitals Vitals as you walk in the door.you can still be forming a general impression and get info while you fumble around with your scope and cuff. As others stated not everyone needs O2.


Do you have a relationship with the transporting medics? You can always give them a call an hour after the call and ask for a critique, as long as you can take critisism.

But most of all, slow down, relax, think about what is going on don't just go through the. Motions. Be confident you passed the class you have the skillz and enough knowledge to really learn this job now

 

[jjesusfreak01]

Was new, am still new, will continue to be new until a few years past the end of my residency...but then I'll still have more to learn.

 

[mycrofft]

"By yourself" does't mean no partner does it?

If so, slow down when you pull out to emergencies, she/he's probably still at the station.

 

[jjesusfreak01]

If so, slow down when you pull out to emergencies, she/he's probably still at the station.

Sounds like one of them areas where one guy gets the truck and everyone else responds POV, so he might be onscene alone for a bit.

 

[Missedcue]

yes, it get's better with every call, but never stop learning from your calls. When I cleared field training I got paired up with another FNG. We did some dumb stuff and way over reacted to some situations, but no one died and I learned a lot from my mistakes.

 

[truetiger]

I always get a good kick out of showing up with fire on scene, finding the patient on a NRB, and getting 10 blood pressures. Honestly, just show up and do a good assessment. Stroke scales, BGL's, oxygen when appropriate. Let your assessment determine your need for vitals.

 

[cynikalkat]

I'm thankful for a great preceptor and 15 days of training.

Just breathe, learn from your mistakes, try not to beat yourself up (which is the hardest).good luck

 

[Tigger]

You will make mistakes, and you will always make mistakes. As you gain experience you will make less mistakes, but more importantly you it will get easier to deal with your mistakes without comprising your patient care or beating yourself up.

If nothing else, take your time. It is a rare call where speed is of the essence. I'm not quite sure where the adage of "slow is smooth, smooth is fast" came from, but it certainly applies to EMS.