I was all set to join my local vollie squad when I messed up my shoulder. Luckily, it turns out I don't need surgery and will have to physical therapy for months (not sure how long yet) but I'm itching to get started in EMS. I can't do CPR or lift anything, so would it make sense for me to join now and just do ride-alongs until my shoulder is back to normal, or wait until it's better and then join. I don't want to be in the way, but I know at the beginning I wouldn't be doing much of anything anyway so maybe it doesn't matter. I wouldn't be able to drive, just would be sitting there as an observer.
shoulder injury--EMS
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guardian528
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i dunno how ride alongs work where you're from, but around here you can potentially be asked to assist in all sorts of things, including lifting. i would wait until you're all healed up
Take some time to let your shoulder heal properly. You can take some classes at the college in the meantime to continue your education.
A shoulder injury of any degree can be serious and will haunt you for the rest of your life if not properly cared for. Even with proper treatment now you will still have to maintain good muscle condition around that shoulder area especially if you want to do any job involving lifting or repetition.
If you attempt to lift too soon or fail to maintain good phyical condition of that shoulder, in the future it could cause pain or weakness during a patient care situation which could result in serious injury to the patient and/or your partner as well as yourself.
A shoulder injury of any degree can be serious and will haunt you for the rest of your life if not properly cared for. Even with proper treatment now you will still have to maintain good muscle condition around that shoulder area especially if you want to do any job involving lifting or repetition.
If you attempt to lift too soon or fail to maintain good phyical condition of that shoulder, in the future it could cause pain or weakness during a patient care situation which could result in serious injury to the patient and/or your partner as well as yourself.
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DT4EMS
Kip Teitsort, Founder
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Not all shoulder injuries need "immediate" surgery. Take it from someone who had to deal with an injured shoulder.......... REHAB IT! Before you do much else...........
Adrenaline will have you feeling little pain when you do your ride-a-long. You might not even know you are hurting it worse and attempt to help. A movement like CPR compressions would most certainly cause you further harm.
Good luck with the rehab. They should have given you several exercises to help you with your recovery. If they didn't PM me and I will get you some good links.
Kip
Adrenaline will have you feeling little pain when you do your ride-a-long. You might not even know you are hurting it worse and attempt to help. A movement like CPR compressions would most certainly cause you further harm.
Good luck with the rehab. They should have given you several exercises to help you with your recovery. If they didn't PM me and I will get you some good links.
Kip
Hi everyone. Thanks for the good advice. I will hang back and get healed up before I do anything else. Also wanted to mention I've had on and off shoulder problems for the past 20 years so I'm not new to this. I really thought this time it would need surgery, but the MRI proved otherwise, which is a good thing. I just have a slightly torn rotator cuff (infraspinatus), not a torn labrum which is what the ortho doc originally thought I had.
I originally dislocated it back in 1988 when I threw a marshmallow at a guy at a rock concert who had thrown one at me. :wacko: I spent years playing softball in high school and college with no problems, but the marshmallow is what did me in. How crazy is that?
VentMedic: I think I will take an A&P course at the local college next semester to get myself ready. Thanks again.
DT4EMS: I'll PM you. I start physical therapy on Thursday.
I originally dislocated it back in 1988 when I threw a marshmallow at a guy at a rock concert who had thrown one at me. :wacko: I spent years playing softball in high school and college with no problems, but the marshmallow is what did me in. How crazy is that?
VentMedic: I think I will take an A&P course at the local college next semester to get myself ready. Thanks again.
DT4EMS: I'll PM you. I start physical therapy on Thursday.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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1) most squads SHOULD require you to pass a physical. with an injured shoulder, your doc shouldn't clear you
2) the squad will still be there. get the fingerprinting done (this takes the longest), do all the in house BS, interviews, orientation, etc. no lifting until your shoulder gets better.
3) stay OFF the ambulance until you are physically able to do the job. it isn't worth hurting yourself further.
4) the squad will be there after you heal..stay in touch with your contact, so they know you haven't lost interest. bu make sure you are back to 100% before you end up on the ambulance.
best of luck, and if I can be of any help (being both a squad member and NJ EMT) let me know.
2) the squad will still be there. get the fingerprinting done (this takes the longest), do all the in house BS, interviews, orientation, etc. no lifting until your shoulder gets better.
3) stay OFF the ambulance until you are physically able to do the job. it isn't worth hurting yourself further.
4) the squad will be there after you heal..stay in touch with your contact, so they know you haven't lost interest. bu make sure you are back to 100% before you end up on the ambulance.
best of luck, and if I can be of any help (being both a squad member and NJ EMT) let me know.
With a lot of vollie squads, you can go ahead and join even while injured. Administrative duty can help you get to know the group, and give you a good idea of what you're in for. Some basic/first responder classes also just require you to get CPR before graduating, so you might be able to start the classwork while your shoulder is still getting treatment.
Just don't actually get on any ambulances until you're better.
Just don't actually get on any ambulances until you're better.
trevor1189
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I would also advise waiting. Again ride alongs are different depending on where your at.
Speaking from my experience doing them before I was cleared as Primary, I had to have CPR/First AID, and I ended up doing a lot of carrying as well as lifting.
If you are on a call even as an observed, I wouldn't be surprised if you were to be asked to help with CPR, which would most likely make your shoulder worse.
Wait until it's better because you don't want to end up causing permanent problems that would make EMS impossible. Later is better than never, wait the few months.
Speaking from my experience doing them before I was cleared as Primary, I had to have CPR/First AID, and I ended up doing a lot of carrying as well as lifting.
If you are on a call even as an observed, I wouldn't be surprised if you were to be asked to help with CPR, which would most likely make your shoulder worse.
Wait until it's better because you don't want to end up causing permanent problems that would make EMS impossible. Later is better than never, wait the few months.
trevor1189
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double
mycrofft
Still crazy but elsewhere
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Take this opportunity to meet the office and dispatch crew.
And watch your computer ergonomics.
And watch your computer ergonomics.
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White Fang
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Thats a great advice from VentMedic, take this time to improve your skills and education
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I agree. Take the time to do the rehab properly. The problem is going to be that once you're "done" with your rehab, you're not actually going to ever be done. You're going to have to maintain good rotator cuff strength to maintain good shoulder stability. There's a lot of movements that involve the infraspinatus for GH joint stability, and one as a prime mover. I can see how your Doc may have thought the anterior labrum may have been damaged. If you've had a number of shoulder injuries over the years, you may have had some laxity anyway. This is but a blessing in disguise. If your shoulder ligaments and labrum are already fairly lax, this will give you an excellent chance to train your Rotator Cuff to better stabilize the GH joint.
As to education: DO IT. This is prime-time now for you to improve your knowledge. If you decide to get into a field of patient care other than EMS, you'll be further ahead in finishing the prereq's for those educational programs than you would be if you'd waited to make that decision.
For the ride-a-long stuff - chances are that you'd be "asked" to assist in pretty much every level of operations. If you can sit with the dispatchers, get to learn their end of things. It'll give you an appreciation for what they do. It'll also give you a chance to learn your future area of operation. You'll end up having a map in your head. When you hit the field, you'll only have to learn the field care part of things and you'll be that much ahead of the game.
I'll wish you Good Studies and a Good Rehab instead of Good Luck!
As to education: DO IT. This is prime-time now for you to improve your knowledge. If you decide to get into a field of patient care other than EMS, you'll be further ahead in finishing the prereq's for those educational programs than you would be if you'd waited to make that decision.
For the ride-a-long stuff - chances are that you'd be "asked" to assist in pretty much every level of operations. If you can sit with the dispatchers, get to learn their end of things. It'll give you an appreciation for what they do. It'll also give you a chance to learn your future area of operation. You'll end up having a map in your head. When you hit the field, you'll only have to learn the field care part of things and you'll be that much ahead of the game.
I'll wish you Good Studies and a Good Rehab instead of Good Luck!