Just got my First Responder cert.

[Aprz]

Yeap, just passed my First Responder class today. Signed up for an EMT class at San Jose Community College, but I am trying to get into the one at Chabot in Hayward (the requirement for that class is First Responder), but the class is full . That'll start in January. I guess until then I'll just practice my patient assessment and review what I have learned so far.

Just felt like sharing that. ^_^

 

[PhilipM3]

Congrats!

I highly recommend that you use your time waiting for the next class to study the hell out of Anatomy and Medical Terminology. Truuuust me, you'll be glad you did.

 

[JonTullos]

Congrats on the first step! I echo what Phillip said: Study A&P and prepare yourself for the next step in your EMS life. Good luck!

Jonathan

 

[mcdonl]

Congrats!

I highly recommend that you use your time waiting for the next class to study the hell out of Anatomy and Medical Terminology. Truuuust me, you'll be glad you did.

Good advice. I really struggled with the anatomy and terminology when THAT was the topic in the earlier sections of the book. BUT... I noticed when I got to the meat of the medical and trauma conditions it all came together. I had to read the anatomy section two times before I really started understanding it.

As it were, I read the entire book AAOS cover to cover and it was the wrong one, but like Philip was saying... study the hell out of it!! And congrats.

Was it a bridge program? They are offering that at the FD I am associated with... starts with FR then goes onto EMT... just curious if you did the same.

 

[Aprz]

Heh, yeh, I was told by students ahead of me to do that so I started doing that while I was taking my First Responder class. After I memorized all the major bones, I started going into detail such as what bones make up the skull, spine, and the hand, the names of the bumps on the bone, etc.. I decided that it wasn't too useful for me to know the individual bones though unless I learn what are their function in the body (how it allows you to move) so I am looking for good tutorials/books on that. Found a couple of great sites http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu/home_pages/crimando/Tutorial_Big.htm and http://www.getbodysmart.com/ on some of that stuff. Tried learning the names of individual muscles and parts of the vascular system, but that's a lot harder in my opinion so I haven't gone far with that. For medical terminology, I got The QuickStudy for Medical Terminology (http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7287/9781423202608.jpg) and Dictionary of Medical Terms 5th Edition (http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/9338/barron.jpg) and I've learned a lot of root words (mainly), prefixs, and suffixs. Bah, I carry notes with me all the time and I had pictures online before (was showing it to friends I talk with online), but I cannot find those pictures at all now. Oh well, the point is I've been preparing. ^_^

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

study patient assessment and life span development. when you examine a patient know what you are looking for and what the findings tell you about your patients condition. know the different vital signs to be expected in different age groups and how trauma/illness effects them.

my suggestion is instead of memorizing condyles, process's and fossae(it doesn't really help that much), is look into buying a handbook of patient signs and symptoms.
if you are going to study anatomy, instead of bones, you may find knowing how the blood circulates through the body, and anatomy of the abdomen to be more beneficial

 

[Aprz]

Ah, thanks for the advice Lifeguards For Life. I'll check Borders book store tomorrow to see if there is any sign and symptoms book I can find. I bet I could even start searching online.