Emr

[thefloormat]

well first class of Nait EMR program was tonight, i knew I was going to have to dedicate a bunch of my time to studying an learning the material, looks like I will have to dedicate a lot of my time to studying.

I dont think so far that they will overwhelm us with information, but I can see from what needs to be read and memorized for next week, that I need to dedicate at least a few hours a night between now and next class on monday.

Any emrs or higher out there with tips or tricks to memorizing the material? What to know solid, what to keep on top of?

[TheClash]

Know your procedures solid...it is a step by step process (at least in the class)...try to get to the point where you can do your surveys etc. without having to look at the sheet. All the acronyms etc. that you use will help you a long. If you aren't really familiar with anatomy...get familiar...and RELAX....nerves get the best of us. Use common sense and take the time to evaluate the situation and usually the problem and solution will be quite easy to uncover. One thing I did was I would have my wife quiz me on stuff 9she is a nurse so that helped) as we took drives together. was a bit more relaxing than studying all by myself. But I would take every day situations and evaluate them as if they were a scene..also when watching any of the csi, ncis etc. shows.....I was always running through my procedures etc. when they would come upon a scene.
But again my biggest tip would be to have your step by steps down pat so that you can concentrate on the clues you are getting...not on what comes next

good luck.

[plinker]

TheClash gave you some great advice. Always use your A,B,C's faithfully. Practice, practice, practice!! Find some people in your class who are as dedicated as you and meet several times a week to practice. Ask for ride alongs with City of Edmonton, outside services, and First Nations ambulance services. Get out there and get known as a friendly, willing, and capable individual. Listen, don't talk on your ride alongs. Ask questions, not about the gory stuff, or "neat stuff" but things like tips from the crew on how they got to where they are in their careers, what blocks they came up against, how they dealt with them. Also what methods do they use to keep their cool when things are going FUBAR on a call. When at the hall never just sit around unless told to. Volunteer to help clean the unit, restock it, wash the floors, do the dishes. Watch any videos (medical) they may have at the station. Learn the equipment being used in EMS. Hands on as much as possible. Practice your medical terminology, listen on ride alongs when the medic does the patch to the hospital (using the radio always seemed to intimidate my students the most of all things) I loved the job and still miss it. I especially enjoyed training students who I could tell wanted to be in the job to help others, not there because the lights and sirens and uniform were cool. I can't think of a better feeling than when your shift is over and your driving home knowing you made a difference in someones life by helping them. My best advice: you did not make your patients sick or injured. However you are there to help them to the best of your trained abilities. Sometimes the only thing you can do medically is hold the patients hand when they are dying. Talk to them or let them talk to you. Compassion is a key element to becoming a succesful medic.

[TheClash]

plinker nailed it!!

[Dacotensis]

One of the first things I was remined of when I was doing my Welding at NAIT was RTFQ.
I can't tell you how dumb I felt when I realized I did not Read The F... Question.
Damn I had a good time those 6 years

[simmered]

Yep great advice plinker. While I was doing my course I found the surveys to be the hardest for me to grasp. One day it hit me, it is in the order it is for a reason. Very common sense approach and it is what would you do naturally to see if someone is okay. Abc's then look for other injuries.
One other thing. Know your critical skills and practice them until you can do them with your eyes closed.
One more thing. Deep breath and RELAX!!!!!! everything will be fine

[Jeff_]

I would echo everything else others have said, but one thing I would recommend is making sure you are on top of doing the online quizzes if they are still including them in the course. I found quite a few people in my class left the quizzes to the last minute and ended up forgetting to do them (which led to a whole bunch of problems trying to get the quiz re-opened for them). Get tons of practice especially in class where the instructors can help you. Lastly, make sure you clarify anything you don't understand, the instructors are there to help you and if you don't understand something in a scenario it never hurts to ask twice or even ask for recap of what has happened. It really helps the nerves when you can get a recap of what you have and haven't done so far.

[berjerkin]

LOC - C - ABC - DCAP - BLS - TIC

over, and over, and over...

just remember the proper order for when you arrive on scene, and keep practicing.

good luck!

[TheClash]

^ are you on with the magrath team? I have considered it, not sure where to start...and I am sure my certs are out of date.

[Lone_Wolf]

LOC - C - ABC - DCAP - BLS - TIC

over, and over, and over...

just remember the proper order for when you arrive on scene, and keep practicing.

good luck!

I am also taking the EMR course right away and did not see all those in my book. What do they mean berjerkin?

I learned:

ABC- Airway, breathing, circulation
DOTS- Deformities, open injuries, trauma, swelling
SAMPLE- Symptoms, allergies, medication, past medical history, last oral intake, events.

The book I have seems to really drive those ones home, but I am interested what LOC - C - ABC - DCAP - BLS - TIC means.

[blacknorthernjk]

It's all well and good to memorize the algorithms and order of events so as to pass your class...but if you really want to be succesful in a career with EMS then you really need to know the inside and out of what you are doing and the patho of the presenting ailment.
I've been avoiding commenting on anything to do with EMS until now, don't want to dissuade anyone from the path they're walking.
You can't do ride alongs as an observer with any AHS run service now (ie Edmonton Metro.) Perhaps if you can find a smaller, still private contracted company they may allow you to ride along as an observer.

EMS as an organization is in a state of perpetual change in this province. You may want to look into the history of the industry especially of late before devoting yourself. Be aware that the provincial government is absorbing the industry within their Health Services. It is just my personal opinion, but we were far better off regionalized (and some services are still contracted to AHS but remain somewhat regionalized for now, ie Strathcona, St Albert)
The government is pushing their agenda upon us, and it's just my personal opinion, but it's far too socialist for my taste. I imagine this is a far bitter pill for some services to swallow than others.

Anyways, just some food for thought.
Good luck with all your future endevours.

[blacknorthernjk]

I am also taking the EMR course right away and did not see all those in my book. What do they mean berjerkin?

I learned:

ABC- Airway, breathing, circulation
DOTS- Deformities, open injuries, trauma, swelling
SAMPLE- Symptoms, allergies, medication, past medical history, last oral intake, events.

The book I have seems to really drive those ones home, but I am interested what LOC - C - ABC - DCAP - BLS - TIC means.

LOC...loss of consciousness
C...c-spine
DCAP...deformities, contusions, abrasions, penetraions (anything bad that you'll see) it's just a handy way to remember to look for signs of injuries just like BLS...burns, lacerations, swelling....all things you look for. TIC...tenderness instability and crepitus, signs of injury you will feel

[berjerkin]

LOC...loss of consciousness
C...c-spine
DCAP...deformities, contusions, abrasions, penetraions (anything bad that you'll see) it's just a handy way to remember to look for signs of injuries just like BLS...burns, lacerations, swelling....all things you look for. TIC...tenderness instability and crepitus, signs of injury you will feel

LOC = level of conciousness. you were close! the rest you were bang on.

hey clash, i am with magrath fire/ems. send me a pm if you are interested, and your past credentials, even if they are out of date.

[blacknorthernjk]

right right, yes...I said one thing aloud and typed another. AVPU is the other for alert to verbal, painful or unresponsive

[thefloormat]

thanks for the tips guys, i had figured i had better try my hardest to memorize the surveys before modays class, and will more or less glance and try to learn as much as possble about anatomy and pharmacalogy before next class.

Our home work was to study the surveys, learn a bunch of medical abbreviations, as well as check over anatomy and pharmacology. SO this weekend will have a huge chunk of it dedicated purely to the surveysIf i read the list, then write down in order what i remember, read again, repeat, i will learn it all. Thats how I learn the best. Ill put that all into memorization and know it in order, since thats how you do it, in order anyways.

unlike the human body, it wouldnt make sense to know that in order top to boittom since its not feasible to name al the part from the top down until you get to the one you need to know on the patient, so I will have to just know that like the back of my hand, which will take a little longer. Although I can learn it in sections, so that will help out a bit in memorizing it.

[berjerkin]

try practicing on a real person as well, if you have a willing "victim". real hands on teaches you differently than just words in a book does.

good luck!

[Nester]

Practice...practice and more practice....with different scenarios.


http://www.lessstress.com/simulator/sim.htm

http://moodle.emsalberta.com/course/category.php?id=10




chapters 13-43 are for all emergencies chapter by chapter and have a good amount of scenario questions.

just click the chapter and click multiple choice on the side panel and take a test on the specific emergency.

http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_mistovich_prehospital_8/63/16331/4180752.cw/index.html

[thefloormat]

cool thanks for the tests, will look at em later.

I was told my a friend last night about the testing on a real person, he said the same thing that it was different on a body vs reading in the book. Our first lab day is wednesday, I will run through it on a friend if i get a chance before then, or ill lay out some pillows tonight and test it out on that as if its a body.

[TheClash]

when I was doing mine my wife helped me out by faking injuries or accidents without me knowing when or where she would do it. She is a nurse so knows what sign/symptoms would go along with injuries etc...but there were times when I would be just out of the shower and finishing getting dressed and she would collapse, or I would come into the kitchen and she would be passed out on the floor, or holding her side etc.

now we had some ground rules...we didn't ever practice in public..no need to scare strangers or get the real ems called....and we had a safe word that she would say when I arrived on scene so I knew it wasn't real.

It is odd how your heart and mind still start to race even though you know it isn't real. But the unexpectedness of the situation really helps for when you start into scenarios.

One thing I will mention that a lot of the guys I went through got dinged on...make sure the scene is safe....that is crucial.

I was in college in the states doing my advanced wilderness first aid. We were in class when someone burst through the door saying her and her hiking companions had just been mauled by a grizzly bear. Now this was in the state of Maryland...and no one I was in class with had ever seen a grizz let alone been in grizz country. They all rushed right out and to the patients. I was the only on that clapped my hands, yelled, made noise did my hey bear calls until the instructor (from Montana btw) gave me the all clear sign. Everyone else failed due to being attacked themselves. Clear the scene before you rush in!!

Not sharing that story to say how good I am etc. Just an example of how common sense and experience can help in a situation if you are relaxed and ready.

[slandals]

If any one of the people who have previously posted on this Forum are ACP-registered EMRs or EMTs now, please contact me. I work for an Industrial Paramedic company who is currently actively recruiting for some very exciting positions available immediately in the emergency medical field.

Please respond to this post or email me at slandals@hotmail.com if you have any further questions.

Regards,

Slandals

[Calamity]

My favourite acronym is the one most often used by patients. "FINE"...as in "I'm fine".

F - Freaked out
I - Insecure
N - Neurotic
E - Emotional


:innocent: