Ride along with Paramedics Plus- Alameda Co.

[FuManChu]

Hey everyone,
I just signed up for my ride alongs today for my EMT class, and I am doing two 12hour shifts with P+ in Alameda County, out of the San Leandro hub.
I was wondering if anyone had any input to what it I can expect with P+? Do the crews usually take to ride alongs as a bad thing, or are they pretty open and friendly?

I read other posts about experiences on ride alongs in general, and people talked about crews letting them take vitals and participate in some ways. However when I was filling out my ride along forms for P+, it said observers will not be allowed to take part in patient care in anyway or form.
So will I not get any opportunity to take vitals or anything like that?

Just wondering, If anyone knows about P+ any advice or input would be great! If not then I guess I'll just see what it's like in a few days anyway!

Thanks everyone!

 

[DrankTheKoolaid]

Each individual medic is going to be different. Some are born teachers and will spend the time with you and some are simply...... Not.

 

[FuManChu]

Thanks for the input Corky.

 

[MarkusEMS]

What school are you attending? ... I did my ride-along with P+ last December as part of my EMT schooling.

I had two great mentors that took me along when we covered southern Alameda county.
Even though ambulances primarily use the "lifepack" for BP, pulse etc. my EMT and paramedic encouraged me to independently take the vitals and then we compared our numbers.
We also had a pt. with altered mental state and I was in charge of checking her state according to the Cincinatti prehospital stroke scale.
I also was glad that they involved me after receiving dispatch instructions and the paramedic quizzed me, asked my opinion on what the causes for a "unconcious adolescent female" may be and what's there to do first when arriving on scene.

It is correct that they won't let you do things like assisting pt. with med administration, but I'm sure they still support you if you show interest and let you do the one or the other thing other then just stay on the sidelines and watch.

As a matter of fact, due to me showing interest, shared my thoughts on cases we had seen I even "lost my CPR virginity". While witnessing resuscitation efforts in an ER one mentor asked me about rates, depth I would do and if I had a real patient yet not only a classroom dummy. To which I replied no - in return he then arranged that I was able to line up behind hospital staff and take over chest compressions, too.

So that's my experiences - and like others said, you'll never know what to expect from calls you be on, nor will you know in advance how much your team is supportive towards your learning.

Have fun!
- Markus

 

[FuManChu]

What school are you attending? ... I did my ride-along with P+ last December as part of my EMT schooling.

I had two great mentors that took me along when we covered southern Alameda county.
Even though ambulances primarily use the "lifepack" for BP, pulse etc. my EMT and paramedic encouraged me to independently take the vitals and then we compared our numbers.
We also had a pt. with altered mental state and I was in charge of checking her state according to the Cincinatti prehospital stroke scale.
I also was glad that they involved me after receiving dispatch instructions and the paramedic quizzed me, asked my opinion on what the causes for a "unconcious adolescent female" may be and what's there to do first when arriving on scene.

It is correct that they won't let you do things like assisting pt. with med administration, but I'm sure they still support you if you show interest and let you do the one or the other thing other then just stay on the sidelines and watch.

As a matter of fact, due to me showing interest, shared my thoughts on cases we had seen I even "lost my CPR virginity". While witnessing resuscitation efforts in an ER one mentor asked me about rates, depth I would do and if I had a real patient yet not only a classroom dummy. To which I replied no - in return he then arranged that I was able to line up behind hospital staff and take over chest compressions, too.

So that's my experiences - and like others said, you'll never know what to expect from calls you be on, nor will you know in advance how much your team is supportive towards your learning.

Have fun!
- Markus

I am attending American Health Education in Dublin, Ca.
Thanks for the info! I am really looking forward to it. My first ride along is this friday. Out of which hub did you do your ride along? Newark?
Any other advice for riding with P+?
Which school did you attend?

Thanks
-Anthony

 

[MarkusEMS]

Hey Anthony,

I have to admit I had to google the school you are attending...myself I attended a semester at Chabot College in Hayward to get my training and certificate of completion in order to be admitted to the NREMT and obtain the state license.

The entire class did get to do the clinicals out of P+'s San Leandro hub. I did my shift from 0700-1900. Though after our last call staging in Union City we got called "home" around 1830 already.

I went in there with no expectations as no day, call or patient is the same.
Of course the first time we got dispatched to a call for an unconcious female, lights and sirens on, it sure was exciting to see this from the inside.
The very first patient we saw I felt somewhat like on a reality TV Show, standing on the sidelines with a real person sitting in their hospital bed in the living room with daughter being emotionally distressed about her but my ambulance crew as well as firefighter paramedic from Fremont FD calm and performing what we read about and have lectures on.

It's also interesting to see it first hand how signs of medical patients do present that you know from textbook photos and medical charts. Cyanosis, pedal edema sure are more "vibrant" when you actually, sometimes literally "get in touch" with.

Hope you'll have a nice crew that shows you the ropes of EMS, bring your stethoscope, a pen light (we had to also bring along our fittested mask re: TB and other airborn pathogen pts)

If you happen to ride along with Brian McG. or Scottie J. tell them Markus says whatsup - I'm still in touch with them and they in the meantime unforunately got separated and both operating out of the Newark hub.

Feel free to msg me with any questions you may have and keep me posted on how it went

- Markus

 

[FuManChu]

Thanks Markus!
I don't think I will run into the guys you rode with since I am going out of the San Leandro hub, but by any chance I do I will for sure let them know!
My first shift is this friday starting at 0500. Then I have one on the 27th at 18:00. I will definitely bring my stethoscope, and some notecards , I also have to fill out 10 PCR's for my 10 pt contacts throughout the two ride alongs.

Anyways, thanks for the info man, I really appreciate it, and I will definitely let you know how my ride along goes!

Thanks
-Anthony

 

[FuManChu]

So did my first ride along yesterday!
Was supposed to go out with a crew for the 0500 shift, ended up being put on a crew starting at 0530, which I think was for the best. I got on with a really cool crew, Kevin and Travis. They were really helpful and informative. While we were not on calls they let me ask questions and ran me through scenarios and gave me advice.

For the duration of our shift we only got 4 calls. They let me take vitals on two patients, and I got to help the medic redress a head laceration, and check CSM on the patient as well. Also throughout the calls the medic always verbalized and explained to me what he was doing.

Overall it was a great experience, No serious code 3 calls or anything but still was good being with a good crew. I am really looking forward to my next ride along next monday. Hopefully I get another cool crew.

 

[MarkusEMS]

My ridealong was delayed too because the sign-out of rigs double booked a bus and so we had to go back to the counter and get a different assignment....

Good to hear you had a great crew sharing their work with you, explaining etc. - that's what it should be anyway, part of training.
Hope the other one went eventful and well, too

 

[FuManChu]

Just finished my third ride along today. I had to an extra ride along because I needed two more patient contacts for my class. The last two were great. I had really great crews who were helpful and open to helping me learn.

Alameda Co. seems like a a great county to work in, and all the medics I talked to said they enjoy the county.

Didn't do much on my ride alongs, I took blood pressures, gave oxygen, helped with assessments, and thats about it. Other than that, just observed, asked questions, and tried to soak in as much info as I could.

 

[Handsome Robb]

Glad you enjoyed it.

I don't work for P+ only talked to a crew when we were on an LDT and they both seemed happy. Cool cats.

Had the obligatory **** measuring contest since we both had brand new units haha. They've definitely got nice equipment.

Now finish class, go out there and get a job so you can pass on the good experience you had to another student somewhere down the road.