whenever there's trouble, we're there on the double

[topaz]

27. Get CPR certified.

I started First Responder training last week.  "CPR training" has been on my to-do list for a long time anyway.  This is a lot more intensive than that, so of course I jumped at the chance when I learned they had classes in our area.

The instructor is a gregarious and rambly local EMT and firefighter.  He's a nice guy but it remains to be seen how effective the instruction is -- several times the class has gone off on a long digression to cover another hysterical story about a greenstick fracture or meth overdose he covered once.  Which I don't mind hearing about, as long as I feel like it prepares me to take care of a terrified car wreck victim some day, which I'm not sure it will.  But hey, we'll see.

Possibly the most disturbing thing I've learned tonight is that paramedics consider rotten.com a great source of photographs for teaching aids.  (Not entirely surprising, but disturbing nonetheless.  And I'm deliberately not giving you a link there -- if you don't know what it is, then you probably don't want to see it.)

Comments

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

I know what rotten.com is, and I'm sure I don't want to see it. Which makes me think First Responder training is probably not for me.

[dajt.livejournal.com]

I will happily argue that a large part of any kind of emergency responder training is getting the students into the correct "Can we fix it? Yes we can"" state of mind, and that sharing war stories is a vital part of that. If one recent graduate finds themself dealing with a tricky emergency and says to themself "this isn't nearly as bad as it could be" or "At least I'll get a good story out of this mess", the in-class war stories are worth it.

Also, emergency response can be divided into two basic categories: skills that can be taught, and the inventiveness needed to apply them to complex and unique situations, which can't. The best they can do is give the students a bunch of examples and hope the students can generalize.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do kind of get that, and appreciate your putting that framing on it. And it's clear that sharing graphic images has a purpose too -- you need to be able to prepare yourself for really bad stuff. The tone of the sessions so far has still been a little more casual than I would have expected, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. :-)

[rwx.livejournal.com]

i was about to say this same thing, having been a first responder for a while. That being said, I will just endorse what he said.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I had totally forgotten you were a first responder! Awesome. Now I know who else to bounce my "am I totally crazy?" rants off.

[rwx.livejournal.com]

Well, i'm only current outside of WA two out of three years due to a weird local law about certifications, but yeah.

ProTip: If you're about to throw up, stop talking into the radio. everyone hates that sound.

[docstrange.livejournal.com]

That is a serious sig-quality tip!

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Agreed! I'm totally going to have to bring that back to class.

[tyauving-awa.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping that things get a bit more focused once the textbooks arrive.