Great Stuff Cooking in EMS

In the last two years the attention to safety from field providers to policy makers has increased exponentially. The Podmedic, Jamie Davis, and Carissa O’brien provided excellent video blogging coverage of the EMS Culture of Safety Conference.

The Unwired Medic explains why ePocrates is the best app he has ever owned.

How do you protect your phone from exposure to blood and other potentially infectious material when you are using an app like ePocrates? The Droid Medic, Sean Eddy, offers up his simple solution.

Grant LifeLink posted a set of photos to Flickr from a paramedic refresher class. I have long advocated for EMS education programs to use photo sharing sites for education and program promotion so I was glad to see this effort.

Wilderness Medical Associates summarizes the key points about the utility and efficacy of traction splints in the wilderness context.

FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com both ran stories on Autism awareness tips for Firefighters and EMS professionals this month. This is a topic that has also been covered at EverydayEMSTips.com and this post of 10 tips is one of the most viewed posts month in and month out.

Finally, thanks to Steve Whitehead for featuring EverydayEMSTips.com on theEMTSpot.com. He sums up my efforts well when he describes this blog as a “potpourri bowl of EMS information.”

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In this video interview with Carissa O’Brien that took place at the EMS10 Innovators award ceremony at the EMS Today 2011 conference I talk about the purpose and origin of the EMSEduCast. The EMSEduCast, the podcast by and for EMS educators, was co-founded by Chris Montera, Rob Theriault, Buck Feris, and me. It is currently co-hosted by Rob, Bill Toon, and me. Learn more about past and future episodes at Facebook.com/EMSEduCast.

Greg Friese EMS10 Interview from Elsevier Public Safety on Vimeo.

Read more about the EMS10 recognition for the EMSEduCast.

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This is a guest post by Carissa O’Brien. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

Considering EMT school? Here are five MORE Everyday EMS Tips from recent EMT Basic course graduate Carissa Caramanis O’Brien for you to consider as you enroll and prepare for EMT training.

6. Be confident. Your instructor will tell you that confidence in a patient care situation is important, so that the patient feels safe and also gains confidence that you’ll be able to help. That confidence should start in the classroom. You might not have the skills (yet), but be confident in your interest and ability, and it will more readily translate into success. That said, be careful…there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and arrogance won’t get you very far.

7. Get hands-on. EMS is not a spectator sport. In the field, you’ll be responsible for a variety of BLS patient care that will have you knee-deep in trauma, medical calls and extrications. Get your hands dirty in training, because you’re certainly in for it once you hit the streets.

8. Start your network. Like many fields, the key to EMS success is in the people. If you have aspirations to be a leader one day, who you know and the relationships you build will play a critical role. So start now. Your instructor, teaching assistants, the local EMS in your city or town and online forums are there and available for you to reach out and introduce yourself.

9. Study hard. Why aim for anything but your best? Whether you’re a rocket scientist or a struggling student, you should count on studying for your EMT-B exams. Countless skills, anatomical terms, pharmacology lessons and medical guidelines should have you breaking out the flashcards, or whatever tool works for you.

10. Take pride. Don’t forget that you’re studying to be certified to save lives. There’s no greater calling, and if you succeed in your training and make the most of it, a rewarding career will be waiting for you.

Read the first five Top Tips for EMT-Basic Students.

Carissa Caramanis O’Brien is President of Red Box Communications, a consultancy specializing in EMS, Fire and Public Safety. You can find her on Twitter (@carissao) and at redboxcommunications.com.

Visit EMSBootCamp.com for more tips, resources, and a free webinar presentation on preparing for EMT school by Greg Friese and Jim Hoffman

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This is a guest post by Carissa O’Brien. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

Considering EMT school? Have you decided to dive in, but not sure of what’s in store? Here are five Everyday EMS Tips from recent EMT Basic course graduate Caraissa Caramanis O’Brien for you to consider as you enroll and prepare for EMT training.

1. Make sure you are ready. Whether your most recent schooling was a few months ago or ten years ago, make sure you’re ready to dive back into being a student. If committing to the course doesn’t fit your current lifestyle and balance with your other commitments, you might be setting yourself up for failure.

2. Do your research. Training is not a one-size-fits-all. Use the internet and local EMS resources to find the right program for you. Whether it’s university-based, EMS system-based or community-based, you’ll receive BLS skills training to prepare you for the EMT-B certification exam. Positioning yourself for success starts with picking the course that provides that training in a way that suits your learning style.

3. Come prepared. There are far too many available resources, whether online or directly from your training institution, to have an excuse for showing up on Day 1 with little clue of the course, its requirements, schedule and expectations. Read up and show your instructor and classmates that you take this thing seriously.

4. Commit 100%. Class has begun…dive in wholeheartedly. You may find it easy. You may be challenged. You may be tempted to skip out on 100% attendance (an absolute requirement) in favor of a beautiful day, but once you commit, stay committed, and you will be rewarded.

5. Stay engaged. Whether it’s a lecture or practical skills lab, make sure you’re getting the most out of the lesson. Listen attentively, take notes (yes, notes…you’d be surprised how helpful these will be come exam prep time), and ask questions…lots and lots of questions. Get what you need to know so that you can walk out of that class confident you could provide the care to a patient in need.

Carissa Caramanis O’Brien is President of Red Box Communications, a consultancy specializing in EMS, Fire and Public Safety. You can find her on Twitter (@carissao) and at redboxcommunications.com.

Visit EMSBootCamp.com for more tips, resources, and a free webinar presentation on preparing for EMT school by Greg Friese and Jim Hoffman

Read related posts and tips:

1. 5 More Top Tips for EMT-Basic Students This is a guest post by Carissa O’Brien. If you...
2. Back to School Tips for EMT and Paramedic Students The fliers are out, the merchandise is on the shelves,...
3. 5 Study Tips for EMT Students Just read a great post at the MedicCast on study...