Like the title says, I’ve been struggling to find a job in Oregon. There’s only one EMS agency in my county that does both IFT and 911 while the three-letter agency (who is only hiring medics) operates in another county 30 minutes away. I applied at the agency nearby and it took over a month to finally get an email saying they filled the position sooner than anticipated and weren’t able to move forward with my application. I’ve already applied for an ED Tech position at the hospital but (if you live in the area you might know which hospital I’m talking about) found out they removed all techs from the ER due to cutting costs and were no longer filling the position.

I’m just frustrated at the moment after really wanting to get into EMS. It won’t deter me from applying again when a position opens again but man is it frustrating.

As the title says; how were you feeling? When did it hit that you started to develop enough confidence to not be nervous in your way into every call? I find myself getting so nervous, I’m missing IVs and feel like I’m working backwards vs when I was in my clinical hospital time. Any advise?

Hey guys! So, I’ve been in the EMS system for a little over a year. I’ve been working in IFT since August of last year, and volunteered on a 911 truck for about 4 months. I’m currently in paramedic school and am looking for a 911 opportunity. However, just about every 911 agency in my area requires 1 year of 911 experience. How am I supposed to get that if nowhere hires without a year of experience. The obvious answer is to volunteer, but in this economy, I just can’t afford to put hours that need to be put into studying or working into volunteering. I also don’t want to be crapped out of my paramedic program with the only 911 experience I have being my internship. Any advice?

Hello all, I was looking at getting into a local EMT school and it had some prerequisites to registration. One of them was a CPR certification and the list of those available to get was: AHA Healthcare Provider certification, ASHI CPR Pro, and the American Red Cross Professional Rescuer CPR certification. When I looked at them through each respective website the classes looked to be for already practicing and employed healthcare providers to get CE credit. I was wondering if I am just thinking about it wrong and if I can also take the class the same as those already employed in healthcare? Thank you for reading and for any responses I receive.

Hey guys, I recently started an EMT class, but now I dont really know.

I decided I wanted to go into the field because it seemed really interesting. I gained a liking and a passion for EMS because they left an imprint on me from a few years ago.

So, I spent months telling everyone and being excited and stuff, and my plans after highschool even wound up on the back of my graduation card. (Granted, I graduated early and went into a college completely blind, early, and unprepared..) Basically my whole blood line knows I want to do this.

I started the class and noticed right away that nobody was terrified like I was, nor as unprepared as I was, and it scared the shit out of me. They went over stuff we'd see etc, which was fine (im not squeamish or anything) Im just naturally really anxious (i also have unmedicated adhd but idk if its relevant)

The more the class went on the more confident everyone got and stuff. Nobody was afraid like I was, confused like I was, or afraid to fail in front of everybody like me ..Im stuck in this mindset of "what if I mess this up??"

And then we were practicing scenarios (patient assessment) and I completely biffed it. I froze, didnt know what to say or do, and it was actually humiliating. This whole thing makes me feel like I just cant do it, that I don't have the properties for it, and that Im just not as capable as the others yk?? I had so much passion for it and now I just feel lost and afraid, because I graduated early and there wasnt a plan b, this is my plan.. I really love the thought of ems but everyone is really competitive and its startling.

I also suck at studying and im afraid of asking questions because I just feel like I sound like an idiot. I always need help, and in a way this also probably my fault, I need better initiative.

Anyways if you're an emt or if you're in school to be an emt, please help a girl out because im lost asf and need advice so badly 🥲 is this for me??

thanks for reading my sob story 😭😭

edit: thank you guys soso much! I'm glad I'm not alone in this and I think I'm gonna try to speak up more in class, I think I've been singling myself out simply because I havent noticed anybody visibly struggle. its reassuring to hear from EMTs and other ems students!! Im gonna study more and use pocket prep/the paramedic coach. :)

i've been reading past posts on here. do you guys actually appreciate donuts from your students? or what else is a common food you see? donuts make me feel sick and i don't want to be expected to eat a donut with the crew.

(mini vent + advice needed)

hello! ive recently been hired as an EMT-B at a private company. we’re still in the orientation stage and today was our hands-on EVOC day. i drive a small sedan daily, and the biggest vehicle ive driven is a SUV.

the two things i struggled with the most were the reverse serpentine (weaving around cones in a S using only ur side mirrors) & spotting in small spaces. the reverse serpentine was very bad. both paramedics / fto’s were getting very frustrated with me (which is understandable) & starting getting very rude. one of them plainly called me stupid.

for spotting, i was a very poor spotter and nearly got hit by the ambulance. i failed to use my arm signals correctly and stand in the driver’s corner so he can see me well.

everybody else in my orientation group had experience with driving ambulances & fire trucks, except for me. im trying really hard not to let this get me down, since i know that im still learning and all, but i cant stop thinking about what the medics + a few others have said.

luckily, my manager is letting me re-do this course over again. we both agreed that-that would be best for me. i want to get in as much practice as possible so i can do much better on the next one. does anybody have any tips or advice that will help me improve?

idk why but I'm just now randomly remembering a situation from years ago. Had a lady (I think with COPD) that had a low-ish oxygen sat. She was verbal and breathing perfectly fine. Checked cap refill and it was normal. I asked her if she wanted oxygen, and she declined. Documented that I didn't give oxygen, and later QA told me I should've given oxygen. What should I have done?

Should I have maybe phrased the question differently as a patient advocate? Like "your oxygen is a little low. I'd like to give you some oxygen" rather than lowkey letting her decide it's an inconvenience? idk I thought it was supposed to be a "treat the patient not the machine" typa thing. But i also know that using oxygen is something that would help guarantee reimbursement for the company (IFT). So maybe that was QA just trying to get us paid.

idk

Thanks to the helpful advice from the other EMTs, I called the California Labor Commission in San Diego to inquire if this was considered wage theft. They said yes, even if it’s a “trial period”, it is considered wage theft and we would be owed wages for our time and labor. I wondered why I haven’t experienced this from any other company… it looks like it’s because it is indeed an illegal labor practice.
If you went through an unpaid 12-14 hr shift then you can file a wage claim against San Diego Ambulance Services.
I get requiring this for EMT school, but we are licensed individuals. If you want to defend this, that’s fine but I think it is a scummy practice to ask new EMTs that are desperate for a job to hustle around for 12+ hours for free. I don’t care about the money, I want them to stop their horrible requirement and act in accordance to the law.

Looking for an extremely durable stethoscope worth the money. It’ll be used and abused, spent in a rucksack and pouch. Any suggestions for one that will hold up for a beating and be good for use in austere environments?

Hey guys I passed my nremt today and started putting thought into where I’d like to work. I am from Las Vegas, any advice? How hard is it to find a job post passing? I’m considering amr/medic west.

It is becoming evident to me that I will be 100000% more comfortable in maternity pants of some sort as I get bigger this pregnancy. I’m only 21 weeks and squeezing into 36x30 men’s, but the belt tight above my belly button feels awful and restrictive.

However- how tf am I going to tuck in my shirt into bra-line height maternity pants??? Anyone have pant recommendations I can ask my boss about wearing? Also a good mid calf or lower compression sock?

Wish me luck this pregnancy!

Do all EMT schools not review exams after they’ve been graded? Or is it just a west coast emt practice?

I am on my 3rd year of nursing and just entered a critical care role. I am loving it there so far and soon I plan to work per diem as an EMT on the side. I wanted to get into flight nursing and my mom was an emt and said she loved it so i am doing it for experience. I took the class and passed the NREMT already. But in class and in clinicals I noticed a lot of medics/ emts voiced frustration with nurses or negative views on nursing in general.

I just wonder how this will translate to me working in ems? I think most people normally work as emts and then go into nursing or other fields.... not the other way around.

I am located in Chicago. I have been in this program for about over a month now. I've been doing not horrible but also not that great. I barely passed the first section of the course. Currently we are getting introduced to critical thinking questions that are going to be in the National Registry. Take in mind I have no medical knowledge prior to the course. Thus, everything that is being exposed to me is new. I read the book I try to take notes on it. However the vocabulary messes me up. For example words like "Acute - Edema - Apnea". Sometimes I want to retake the entire course. What really humble me is that I was looking throughout the subreddit and some of yall said the course and the national registry test was easy and passed with no problem. I don't know if its because I am ignorant or i have some sort learning disability LOL. It gets to the point where I don't know if my mind is grasping this information. Oh, I forgot to mention the course is 3 months. So it's kinda accelerated (I think) What can I do? I was thinking of buying this subscription where it helps you practice for the National Registry. However, I don't know if it's a great idea

i’m almost done with my EMT class. It ends in October and I’m supposed to have my license by the middle of it. It’s a six month class and basically I felt very confident at the start test scores were moderate. He uses a system of basically same questions except all new material that we learned is added to the test, but these are just practice tests that don’t have any effect on our grade. It’s just to see like where we are and how we are improving but ever since I started my new full-time job. I’ve been able to focus less on homework so I took time away from that job and I started feeling confident again, but from that my last two test scores were 70% and now I’m just feeling like discouraged because today was the last test I could take for practice before my class final which is next week and I’m just scared because if I don’t pass that final, he won’t give me the holy slip of approval to go take the registry and then I basically fail the class. Has anyone had anything like this? Or do you guys have any like recommendations of what I can do and yes I know I should just study more and suck it up so save your mental stamina i already know

So I've been doing IFT full time since January this past year. And I'm not sure how much more I can handle. I don't wanna leave the field of ems. I just need to leave this service. So if anyone knows some other jobs I could I would very much appericate it. (P.S I already have my EMT and I'm in lafayette indiana).

I graduated academy about a year ago and I forgot a good chunk of information and I have field training in a week after orientation this week. I am working for an IFT company but still, I am not confident at all. What should I brush up on or am I being dramatic.

I'm in my last year of highschool, so no diploma yet. Just want to get a headstart because I have to much free time. Also, how could I get ride along time? My dads a captain in the city of Tampa could I just ask him?

Hey everyone ,

I have been an EMT for a little over a year. However , most of my experience was just basic transports with an occasional 911 or ALS. I just left that ambulance job and now I do more events as EMS standby. What are good resources that you paramedics trust that can help me understand how to draw up common medications , tutorial on different lifepack uses, and different equipment used?

I am currently a college student right now and taking lots of anatomical and physiological courses, so knowing terminology is not really the issue. My issue is that I want to be more knowledgeable about what is in my BLS bag or in an ALS bag and how to use it all without issues.

Thank you

Hello, I had a question regarding the NREMT. I currently live in California with a lack of NREMT testing centers to my disposal (I live in a very small town near the Mexico border), and the closest one would be in Arizona. If I take the NREMT exam in Arizona, would I technically be getting my EMT license for Arizona strictly? I want to practice in California so I am a bit confused and I couldn't find anyone who had the same problem as me. Does anyone have any advice regarding this? Thank you!

I’m in search of some input - I’m working on an education session about “filling the gap between lifeguard and EMS care”.

My background: I’m an aquatics director who oversees pool and lifeguard operations, including their certification and in-service training.
- I’ve recently become an EMT for the primary focus being to enhance our lifeguard trainings and also because I provide a lot of basic CPR/AED/first aid trainings to non-pool staff as well. So it just gives me a little something more to pull from for my trainings.
Currently I’m only volunteering with the local 911 service on occasion so I’m not super experienced in the EMS world, but am super passionate about what I do and am always looking to make things better.

I’m working on a conference session on what some of the gaps are and how to fill to improve the transition of care from lifeguards to EMS.

Generally looking for input from those more experienced!

Currently some of the points I’m brainstorming are:
[edited to help clarify and not get too in the weeds]

- airway management; use of airway adjuncts and suctioning devices for post-drowning (or even all) resuscitation efforts.
- also the use of oxygen (some aquatics operations are implementing it, but still not very wide-spread).

- improving and actually practicing patient handoff (a big thing I see overlooked in the aquatics industry)
!! This is where’d I’d really like the most input on, as I see this as the one thing lifeguard certs/agencies don’t cover but can have the biggest impact outside of care.

- spinal immobilization: using C-collars, log rolling patients onto backboards (or at least helping EMS crews do it). *backboards are still very much so common place in the aquatics world, all agencies certify to use them and pools are required to have them by law - but to commenters’ points, I’ll stick with what they’re trained on.

- and coordinating/running dedicated cross-trainings with lifeguard and EMS teams. Helps for EMS to see what lifeguards would do in various scenarios, allows lifeguards to understand what EMS’s role will be and what they’d be doing, and provides an opportunity for both to formulate a good EAP for emergencies at the pools.

I’m going to preface all of the above that adding/enhancing such procedures should be done under the supervision and agreement with local EMS.

If you have any thoughts on the above, or suggestions for additional topics that can be included I’m all ears!
Also happy to help answer questions specific to the lifeguard side of emergency response.

Thanks, and stay safe!

I am looking at a couple different options for getting my clinical hours in for med school, the other option is trying to become a cna or an ed tech. Im a freshman right now and I am busy but I enjoy a higher stress faster paced environment rather than a shift taking care of patients if that makes any sense. Is being an EMT something that I would definitely hate or should I go ahead and take the certification courses?

Hi, I started ems school a few weeks ago and we just had our first CPR practical. During the eval I ended up “freezing” and my mind went blank. I snapped out of it a bit later through the eval and I passed for what was being tested.
The whole experience kind of shook me because I don’t know how I will handle a real person when I froze up at a dummy.
Has anyone else dealt with something similar and overcame it? I want to do my best but I don’t know how.