Preparing for critical care paramedic training. Tips?

[RoadRat]

I've chosen to attend a 4-day critical care training course and then test for CCP. I'm doing this early in my EMS career because I'm still young, single, with no kids. I want to take advantage of my time while I still can.

I've been a medic in a moderate-volume 911 area for one year. Before that, I rode as an AEMT for an IFT company running renal roundup. I have a good baseline of experience, but I still have a crap-ton to learn.

I'm a smart person and I don't doubt my ability to learn this advanced knowledge - I graduated top of my class - but it's a daunting task. In four days? Geez. That's a lot of info to shove into the brain during a few grueling late nights in a hotel room.

The school is Dec 1-4. It's now September. It's time for me to put my nose to the ground and find the best path to this, especially considering I'm a very young medic.

Any CCPs out there with some tips?

Thank you in advance.

Note - I won't wait until later in my career. Nothing guarantees life won't get in the way two or three years down the road.

 

[DesertMedic66]

A 4 day course sounds more like a FP-C/CCP-C review class instead of an actual CCP course which are usually a lot longer with some requiring clinical hours.

I did a 4 day review course for the FP-C exam and passed the test without issue however this in no way prepared me to be a CCP. Instead it gave me enough information to pass the test and only start to grasp the amount of information that was not covered in medic school.

I had about 4-5 different CCT books that I used to reference from and still use them and study daily. Since My company does not have CCPs I have to keep studying since I do not get to use any of the new information that I gained.

 

[PassionMedic]

I had about 4-5 different CCT books that I used to reference from and still use them and study daily.

Any chance you're willing to share some titles?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DesertMedic66]

Any chance you're willing to share some titles?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sure.

Flight Paramedic Certification A Comprehensive Study Guide by Kyle Faudree (this was the main book my review course used). Back to Basics by Orchard Lee Lopez. Critical Care Transport by AAOS. FP-C & CFRN by FlightBridgeED. I’m also thinking about getting Patient Transport Principles and Practice but can’t justify the cost as of right now.

 

[Carlos Danger]

So now critical care training is down to a four day course?

 

[RoadRat]

A 4 day course sounds more like a FP-C/CCP-C review class instead of an actual CCP course which are usually a lot longer with some requiring clinical hours.

I did a 4 day review course for the FP-C exam and passed the test without issue however this in no way prepared me to be a CCP.

That concerns me. I re-read the description of the course and it does not mention the class being for review or recertification. It can be used for recert, but it is not the purpose of it. Evidently this training prepares students for the CCP test. No mention of clinical hours, only lecture.

And, this course is recognized by the IBCS and BCCTPC as a valid training company. The company is Immediate Action Medicine.

 

[VFlutter]

Not to sound too condescending but while getting extra education is great don't think that taking a 4 day course and passing CCP after a year of being a medic makes you a critical care provider. Absorb as much as you can and then continue to study after. But without frequent experience with critical care patients it's really just a resume builder. I may help you get your foot in the door.

 

[RoadRat]

Not to sound too condescending but while getting extra education is great don't think that taking a 4 day course and passing CCP after a year of being a medic makes you a critical care provider. Absorb as much as you can and then continue to study after. But without frequent experience with critical care patients it's really just a resume builder. I may help you get your foot in the door.

The whole point is for it to be a resume builder. Sort of a "get the letters, learn later" path. In the event I get hired at a critical care transport company, I'm firm on well-informing the employer of my rapid progression through the certs and the need for more than only several third-rider shifts. Or, better yet, perhaps hospitals would hire CCPs for their ICU wings. That way I could learn the bells and whistles under the supervision of an RN, and have an MD nearby to learn from.

 

[DesertMedic66]

That concerns me. I re-read the description of the course and it does not mention the class being for review or recertification. It can be used for recert, but it is not the purpose of it. Evidently this training prepares students for the CCP test. No mention of clinical hours, only lecture.

And, this course is recognized by the IBCS and BCCTPC as a valid training company. The company is Immediate Action Medicine.

That is the exact course that I took. It is a review course that is designed to help you pass primarily the FP-C test (since the book they use has flight information in it) but can also be used for the CCP exam.

By no means is it a critical care course. They even list it as a prep course for the FP-C/CFRN exam.

 

[DesertMedic66]

The whole point is for it to be a resume builder. Sort of a "get the letters, learn later" path. In the event I get hired at a critical care transport company, I'm firm on well-informing the employer of my rapid progression through the certs and the need for more than only several third-rider shifts. Or, better yet, perhaps hospitals would hire CCPs for their ICU wings. That way I could learn the bells and whistles under the supervision of an RN, and have an MD nearby to learn from.

Why would a hospital ICU team hire a CCP with a limited scope and lack of education when they can hire an BSN with a much more solid educational background who is able to do much more than a CCP can?

 

[RoadRat]

Why would a hospital ICU team hire a CCP with a limited scope and lack of education when they can hire an BSN with a much more solid educational background who is able to do much more than a CCP can?

It was just a passing thought, following the same path that ERs take by hiring medics to assist the RNs.

 

[RoadRat]

That is the exact course that I took. It is a review course that is designed to help you pass primarily the FP-C test (since the book they use has flight information in it) but can also be used for the CCP exam.

By no means is it a critical care course. They even list it as a prep course for the FP-C/CFRN exam.

So I've obviously found the wrong course... where the heck are the real courses? Even the Pittman Course is a 2-dayer.

There's something I'm not understanding here...

 

[VentMonkey]

OP, search "Creighton" up at the top and see what comes up.

 

[RoadRat]

OP, search "Creighton" up at the top and see what comes up.

Bingo. Excellent.

So, apparently the typical route is to take the college-based course, then the exam prep course, then test - is that right?

 

[StCEMT]

Not to sound too condescending but while getting extra education is great don't think that taking a 4 day course and passing CCP after a year of being a medic makes you a critical care provider. Absorb as much as you can and then continue to study after. But without frequent experience with critical care patients it's really just a resume builder. I may help you get your foot in the door.

Admittedly, I plan on taking it just to have a better knowledge base for the 911 side even though I'd rather be doing true critical care work later on. Not really for a resume as much as I just want to.

 

[VFlutter]

Admittedly, I plan on taking it just to have a better knowledge base for the 911 side even though I'd rather be doing true critical care work later on. Not really for a resume as much as I just want to.

Absolutely nothing wrong with that. More education is always good and Critical Care knowledge is useful for 911. I do however have a problem with people who argue that minimally experienced medics with a CC certification is equal to a critical care provider. But that's another topic I suppose. I think any critical care certification that does not require critical care experience is of nominal value.

 

[StCEMT]

Absolutely nothing wrong with that. More education is always good and Critical Care knowledge is useful for 911. I do however have a problem with people who argue that minimally experienced medics with a CC certification is equal to a critical care provider. But that's another topic I suppose. I think any critical care certification that does not require critical care experience is of nominal value.

Yea I know that I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable on a true critical care call at my level of experience. This month especially has shown I am still riding that learning curve.

 

[DesertMedic66]

You don’t have to any prep course if you don’t want to as it’s not a requirement. It is option and is supposed to help you pass the test on the first try.

 

[RoadRat]

You don’t have to any prep course if you don’t want to as it’s not a requirement. It is option and is supposed to help you pass the test on the first try.

Check. Thanks for your help! Damn, what a disappointment it would have been to take that 4-day course - utterly blind to the actual reality of which education I should have sought - and find I still didn't know ****!

 

[DesertMedic66]

Check. Thanks for your help! Damn, what a disappointment it would have been to take that 4-day course - utterly blind to the actual reality of which education I should have sought - and find I still didn't know ****!

I actually really enjoyed the course and it was also great to network inside the class. It was great having a class full of providers who were passionate about their career and not have any of the ones who are only a medic so they can be a firefighter.

One day I plan on taking the full course but that will be after I finish my AS.