How long did it take you ..

nick Joseph

Forum Crew Member
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how long did it take you to gain the confidence to become smooth when taking lead with patients ?


And also, how long did it take you to get your first EMS job? And what was it ?

:D just curious
 

planetmike

Forum Lieutenant
200
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28
It depends on how often you run, how busy your shifts are. My volunteer agency has shifts every six days, some shifts get no calls at all, other shifts are 7-10 calls. I’m becoming more confident, but haven’t yet been certified to run by myself without a preceptor. I earned my EMT-B in late June 2014.
 
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nick Joseph

Forum Crew Member
66
15
8
It depends on how often you run, how busy your shifts are. My volunteer agency has shifts every six days, some shifts get no calls at all, other shifts are 7-10 calls. I’m becoming more confident, but haven’t yet been certified to run by myself without a preceptor. I earned my EMT-B in late June 2014.
Oh okay , so I'm not alone haha. I got out EMT class thinking it was the exact thing as in class .. Boy I was wrong lol
 

Chewy20

Forum Deputy Chief
1,300
686
113
how long did it take you to gain the confidence to become smooth when taking lead with patients ?


And also, how long did it take you to get your first EMS job? And what was it ?

:D just curious

Can take a long time, you need pretty good call volume with a wide range of cases and pt types. I'm comfortable in my system now and have had a guess of around 200 patients since November with a huge range of what I described above.
 

ZootownMedic

Forum Lieutenant
163
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Haha I remember the day I think it was my first month still that somebody said to me not to do SAMPLE then OPQRST but do S then OPQRST and AMPLE if needed. It sounds stupid now but it really helped me transition from robot to clinician. Now I usually walk in and say "whats up" to the patient and if I ask what they ate its probably because I am looking for lunch or dinner ideas. Remember this.....if they are awake, alert, talking.....talk to them like you would talk to someone at the gas station. Still strangers, but laid back and casual. You dont have to be a robot and your questions will get better with experience and your questions will start leading you into new questions instead of being a routine or "algorithm" so to speak.

First EMS job was as a wheelchair van driver, than I worked as an EMT-B for IFT, then 911, then as a volunteer paramedic, then as a paramedic for IFT, then as a paramedic for 911 and recently I was hired by a progressive 911 ALS transporting Fire department. This in about 5 years. Some take longer, some take less but its all about you and your journey. Keep with it, work hard, be patient and try to have fun.
 
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nick Joseph

Forum Crew Member
66
15
8
Haha I remember the day I think it was my first month still that somebody said to me not to do SAMPLE then OPQRST but do S then OPQRST and AMPLE if needed. It sounds stupid now but it really helped me transition from robot to clinician. Now I usually walk in and say "whats up" to the patient and if I ask what they ate its probably because I am looking for lunch or dinner ideas. Remember this.....if they are awake, alert, talking.....talk to them like you would talk to someone at the gas station. Still strangers, but laid back and casual. You dont have to be a robot and your questions will get better with experience and your questions will start leading you into new questions instead of being a routine or "algorithm" so to speak.

First EMS job was as a wheelchair van driver, than I worked as an EMT-B for IFT, then 911, then as a volunteer paramedic, then as a paramedic for IFT, then as a paramedic for 911 and recently I was hired by a progressive 911 ALS transporting Fire department. This in about 5 years. Some take longer, some take less but its all about you and your journey. Keep with it, work hard, be patient and try to have fun.
Wow really good information, thanks a lot
 

JosephDurham

Forum Crew Member
65
14
8
I've never really had a difficult
Time speaking to people. My wife constantly tells me that I have never known a stranger. When I did my clinical time I spoke with the pts more than the nurses did usually. I was going over there med history, et cetera. Was always very comfortable with them.

Joseph
 

Tk11

Forum Captain
254
21
18
Haha I remember the day I think it was my first month still that somebody said to me not to do SAMPLE then OPQRST but do S then OPQRST and AMPLE if needed. It sounds stupid now but it really helped me transition from robot to clinician. Now I usually walk in and say "whats up" to the patient and if I ask what they ate its probably because I am looking for lunch or dinner ideas. Remember this.....if they are awake, alert, talking.....talk to them like you would talk to someone at the gas station. Still strangers, but laid back and casual. You dont have to be a robot and your questions will get better with experience and your questions will start leading you into new questions instead of being a routine or "algorithm" so to speak.

First EMS job was as a wheelchair van driver, than I worked as an EMT-B for IFT, then 911, then as a volunteer paramedic, then as a paramedic for IFT, then as a paramedic for 911 and recently I was hired by a progressive 911 ALS transporting Fire department. This in about 5 years. Some take longer, some take less but its all about you and your journey. Keep with it, work hard, be patient and try to have fun.
Why havent my instructors told me this yet.. Haha. I'm still going through emt class, they're really on us about SAMPLE and OPQRST.
 
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nick Joseph

Forum Crew Member
66
15
8
Why havent my instructors told me this yet.. Haha. I'm still going through emt class, they're really on us about SAMPLE and OPQRST.
Yah the instructors hammered that on us too , they don't want you to pick up any "bad habits " so they teach u everything by the book and not how they do it. Everyone does things differently and if everyone tried to show you their way an another person shower you different youd be confused .
 

JosephDurham

Forum Crew Member
65
14
8
When you get to DCAPBTLS-C then it will really stick in your mind. I found myself saying it all day long. Hahahhaha

Joseph
 
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