Just some advice....

1. Learn the talk to walk the walk....When telling your EMT instructor about your patient you encountered on your ride along who was sweating profusly....don't say "my patient was really sweaty!" do say "my patient was diaphoretic." Learn your terms.

2. Make flash cards for terms and diagrams and STUDY THEM!

3. Practice your skills on anyone willing to let you torture them. Take vitals, role play scenarios, learn creative ways to splint bones, and practice often.

4. Blood goes round and round, air goes in and out...anything but is not good.

5. Wear gloves on ALL patient contacts, even in class while practicing. Get used to wearing them, it should become a habit putting them on.

6. Don't feel silly role playing in class. The ones who stand around are the ones who look out of place.

7. Pretend EMT school IS your job. Show great work ethic by showing up on time, don't miss days and turn in work early/on-time. Your instructor(s) may be your future fellow employee(s) or way in to your desired agency.

8. Ask questions...even the questions that you think are totally ridiculous. They are YOUR questions that YOU NEED answered.

9. Have a positive attitude at all times and be willing to learn.

10. Audio record your lectures, if you are able, review them and take notes.

EMT-Basic, Breed of the EMS field

I'll keep this short and sweet so I don't bore you reading yet another EMS blog, I hope to be as cool as the other guys soon enough!

I'm a new EMT-Basic Nationally and Colorado State certified as of June 2011.

BLOG PURPOSE: To share my experiences involving the EMS field, calls I run on, people I have met, struggles of becoming an EMT and staying certified...I recommend not slapping looney patients!

I will abide by all HIPPA requirements...I would like to stay an EMT so I won't be breaking any laws. =)

Last but not least, enjoy this and I hope to provide advice/guidance to other EMT newbies in the future.