Learning How to Think

I was a medical first responder for several years before becoming a paramedic student, and I know that experience has, is and will continue to serve me well as I advance in this career. At the same time, I've noticed some glaring differences between the two stages, the most obvious is the ability to think.

As an MFR, we treat because ultimately, we are told that is the way to do it. Some MFRs can explain why we do things, but a large majority can't really reason their way out of a cardboard box. As my prof says, this is the difference between a technician and a clinician. MFRs are taught the skills and they are able to carry them out, but a paramedic should be able to tell you exactly why they are doing things, what effect it has on the body, and all sorts of other details. I love this distinction, because I often felt that this was lacking in my volunteer work. There were times when I would question oxygen administration, splinting and even back boarding, to be met with a stone-faced, by-the-book response. Yes, I know that the book says we should consider spinal injuries if the patient falls, but when they land on their side from a relatively short height and have NO signs or symptoms indicating any injury of any sort, do we REALLY need to backboard them??

Anyways, I love how my teachers are stressing critical thinking, thorough assessments and a rock solid knowledge base. It makes me feel that I can at last break out of the trained monkey stage and get more clinical in my thinking and treatment.

Adjusting Well

I'm well into the first month and all I can say now is that I love it! I know where everything is, what is expected, and what I need to be doing. I have made amazing friends that are just as passionate about this as I am. It is the best academic experience I've ever had, I'm challenged mentally and physically and thrive on it.

I've realized that my background has prepared me well for this program, and although it is difficult and a lot of work, I can and will succeed. I've never been so excited about school before - it's incredible.

I'm learning a lot about the field of paramedicine, and realizing that the possibilities are endless and I want to do it all. Being a tactical medic with the police would be amazing, but so would a community medic in Northern Canada. I could end up teaching these courses, be a manager or supervisor, or thrive on the everyday calls out on the truck. I love the opportunities I'm discovering, I love the friends I've made, and I love my program. My professors are inspirational, hilarious and knowledgeable, I try to soak up every word in class. The fitness teacher is lovably sadistic, as my weeping muscles will readily attest to.

Thanks to my friends and family members who offered me encouragement and support in the last few weeks during the adjustment period, as well as medic7. Thanks for the uplifting comment! I'm tackling this program with all my energy, it's an experience of a lifetime leading to an incredible career.

Slightly Overwhelmed

Paramedic school has begun, and after having course outlines, objectives and expectations thrown at me relentlessly, I'm feeling rather overwhelmed. I just don't know where to start it seems, I feel like I'm behind before we've even begun.

The more I look over what we will be learning, the more I realize what I don't know. I think I am a good, solid MFR, but that doesn't translate to a thing in this strange realm. Everything is taken to another level, a million steps further, and my comfort zone has been blown out of the water. I have spent the last few days realizing that I don't know squat.

I think I'll feel a little more confident soon, or at least I hope so. I need to get all my textbooks, my uniform, my immunizations, all my stuff organized and ready to go. I'm still excited, but that feeling of excitement tends to get snuffed out in waves of panic and the fear of failure.

Learning to say no

A few months ago, John warned me that I needed to slow down and relax before starting the paramedic program in the fall. As I usually do when people tell me to slow down, I ignored him. I was finishing university, working a lot at my two jobs, volunteering even more and generally running around everywhere doing everything. Who had time to slow down, relax, see friends or even talk to family? Certainly not me!

My hectic lifestyle caught up with me in the form of bronchitis, swine flu, mono, or some combination of the three. After spending 2 months sick, I have decided I should indeed slow down. I need to learn how to say no, how to allow myself time for me. I need to reconnect with family and friends that have been pushed to the wayside in favour of work, school or volunteering. I need to start making time for church and church activities. I need to get back on my bike and rekindle my love of cycling. I need to take time to go for a hike with Ryan and just enjoy his wonderful company.

To start, I'm going camping in the absolute middle of the wilderness for 7 days with Ryan. It's going to be an amazing trip, and I'll come back so utterly refreshed! No technology, no noise, no crowds, no cars - I can't wait! I'm looking forward to life slowing down a bit...I just need to keep saying no to things I don't really need or want to do.

Starting in 7 weeks...

I am getting very excited to begin the paramedic program, now less than two months away. I have secured my little apartment near the college, have started to pack and am starting to get all the orientation information. It sounds like a busy first semester, I have 8 courses! In university, the max I ever had was 5, so that worries me a bit. Here is an overview of my courses and my thoughts on them, since I've been fighting bronchitis for the last 2 months and haven't done anything remotely exciting in the field.

Writing Skills
Not too worried about this one, I think I know how to read and write very well. I've read hundreds of journal articles and written reviews of them, done presentations in front of scads of people and have written massively long reports and essays. I think I should be ok in this course.

Phys. Ed
This concerns me the most of any course, actually. I've been sick for 2 months and hve done very little physical activity, my lung capacity is next to nothing and my muscles have all but atrophied. It will take some hard work, but I know I can build my strength and cardio back up and become a red-headed powerhouse again. ....I hope.

Assessment and Treatment Skills
I am looking forward to this, I love patient assessment, I love learning about the body and everything that can go wrong. I think my enthusiasm for this course should serve me well and it won't be too difficult.

Patient Care Lab
Hopefully my volunteer experiences in patient care will give me an edge here, but I know I have a lot to learn to enhance my skill set. There is a 190 lb lifting portion to this course that I will have to work on, but I can do it.

Medical Legal
This course studies all the regulations governing ambulances and paramedics in the province, especially concerning patient care and privacy. I wonder where this blog fits into that....?

Intro Psychology
I've taken several university psych courses, but I'm interested to see the slant towards paramedicine that will happen in this course. Shouldn't be difficult, given my background, but it will be fascinating.

Clinical
AWESOME!!! I can't wait for this, I want to be out in those trucks right now! Haha, I'm not eager at all...

Anatomy and Physiology
Cells, tissues, organs, microbiology and diseases, bring it ON! My favourite course in university was an amazing A&P course in 2nd year, the prof was amazing and I learned a lot. This course should be great, I'm looking forward to it as well.

Well, there is an overview of everything I'm doing in 7 weeks...not that I'm counting, or anything. ;) Basically, I'm a little worried about the physical portion, not too worried about the academic portion and awesomely excited about it all. Now I just need to spend 800 bucks on textbooks and hope my 8-year old computer doesn't fry. Gotta love school though!

Fresh Eyes

My feet are sore, my muscles are aching and I'm exhausted....but I wouldn't trade it for the world. The festival today was a lot of fun, I had great partners, great calls and great food, not to mention very cute cops. I've really moved into a teaching role lately, mentoring the new members like John did for me is very rewarding, although sometimes very hard work.

One new recruit is my particular favourite, a spirited and lively girl that we shall call Katie. She is all excited over benign calls, she loves to jump on the radio first - just so she can use it, and she is incredibly eager to learn, taking instruction and criticism very well. She reminds me of how I was a few years ago, she's a lot of fun. One of my favourite new members, although a seasoned responder, is Carlos. He is excellent with patient care, one of the best in the division, and always kind and sweet with a ready smile and quick joke. Working with the two of them is a dream.

After sending two patients out with ems, one super drunk/altered LOC and one drunk/seizure and were wandering around the beer area. Carlos, Frank and Katie went to check out Joe, who was drinking but saying he shouldn't be because of his heart meds. I was watching them work, flirting with talking to the cops, when I heard Carlos raise his voice, "Joe! Joe! Joe, open your eyes!" I glance over and see the man slump in his chair, his body beginning to jerk and convulse. Carlos grabs his top, Frank grabs his bottom and I remove the chair as we lower him to the ground.

I stand back and watch as they treat, hooking up oxygen, grabbing the suction, writing down vitals, all the necessary but extra stuff, and let my responders work. Carlos is excellent, Frank and Katie are learning fast and are very eager, Joe is in good hands. My new cop friends call ems for us and in no time at all, we bundle him off to the hospital to get checked out, told the same thing as last time, and booted back onto the street to get stupid drunk again.

Katie is so excited she can't stand still. She goes over the details of the call, what we did, how we did it, picking apart everything. She is ecstatic at how many "awesome" patients she had tonight (count: 3 - all in various stages of drunkenness), and how she is totally in love with this job. I watch her excitement and grin, feeling my own love for this coming back. It's easy to forget how much I loved it when I first began, sometimes it takes a fresh-eyed, eager young member to remind me.

Drowning in Paperwork

In 3 months I start the paramedic program, and I'm starting to get quite excited. There are a lot of very big, very fast changes going on right now, and I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get it all done. In the span of a few months, I'm graduating university, buying a car, getting my own apartment, moving to a different city and starting the paramedic program.

As well, before I start the program I need to track down all my immunization records, possibly getting a few to get them up-to-date, get a police check, a TB test, a mask fit and collect proof of all my current certifications. Sometimes it seems like I'm drowning in paperwork to try to get everything done!

I am looking forward to September though, it's going to be a wonderful switch from university - which has been almost entirely theory based. I'm excited to start clinical placements and actually apply what I've learned. It's going to be hard work, but I can't wait to start it.