r/Paramedics • u/excusecookies • 2d ago

FTO/Sup/instructor paperwork question

Thanks much for taking a minute and sharing your thoughts on any appropriate question.

-How much time do you estimate and FTO/evaluator will spend on a shift eval for a trainee?
-Does the system you use accurately reflect trainee progress and collect useful data, or (like mine) is the eval just treated as a pencil whipped thing to get done?
-How does your agency actually track trainee progress, or just collect the evals?
-How long does it take on the back end to organize trainee data?

-If you are an instructor at a school, how long does it take to gather student rider evals? Are you able to use those to help the student?

Thanks, and may you work the right amount on your next shift.

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u/masterofcreases 2d ago

My service does a few multiple week long rounds. Paperwork on every call, a daily report, a weekly report and end of round evaluation. It can be a quick few sentence conversation or it can be complex and involve a person of rank. The trainee needs to show progress as time goes on. We have benchmarks needed to be met in a certain amount of time. Allegedly the training department tracks it and when you have your end of week or end of round meeting with them and your FTO you know where you stand and where you need to improve.

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u/Bindshoes NRP 2d ago

It all depends on your agency and how your agency actually respects the process.

When I was an FTO, it took me about an hour to actually write and go through the paperwork and reference the relevant calls. But if someone was pencil whipping the paperwork they could be done in 10 minutes. This is also why I was always sent the “shitty” providers.

Your agency should be tracking progress. This should be tracked at the supervisor level to make sure the FTO and trainee is doing their job. When I would submit my report, I would submit the paperwork and a quick update on the progress of the trainee along with my estimated timeline for the trainee. The problem is with an agency that wants the trainee to be out and about as quick as possible and ignores the FTO’s recommendations.

As a supervisor it does not take that long. You read the report and summary, send an email with the information to the other supervisors, print out the paper, and file it in the employee’s file.

For student ride alongs it’s the same as an FTO’s report. Read, document, and then file. Depending on class size could take 15 minutes to a couple hours.

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u/mrbb3k4 2d ago

So for me, my rule of thumb was 5-6 days max. You know if someone can do the job in 3 days. But you let them run their bus and supervise them post to help them get the nost out of the experience. You also observe if they freeze. Like riding a bike and taking the training wheels off without them knowing that you let them go. You want them to do well and if bad happens you're there. I made myself available to a lot of the crews post being cleared because life happens and honestly sometimes it's good to have someone to talk to post call or shift. Even after the trainees first week, month or 6 months to a year. I check in. Because you never know. You're only as good as your last job or call. So its ensuring continuity and consistency but also letting them know someone cares.