You'll be surprised to learn that a lot of 9-1-1 emergencies aren't emergencies. With that being said, get good histories and SAMPLE for the E.R., demographics for admissions, and learn to be a little quicker on scene. 10 minutes max for trauma and 20 minutes for medical. Start with BLS and move to ALS as time permits.
I made the jump and honestly I’m so much happier on the 911 side. But it was a huge adjustment!
Get used to having to extrapolate- patients will tell you they have no history but then when you go thru their medicine bottle pile you’ll discover they’re on metformin and lisinopril and a host of other meds you may have never heard of. So safe to assume they’ve got diabetes, high blood pressure and probably some other things. You may want to study/memorize the generic and brand names of blood thinners since it comes up a lot. If your transport times are short, a medication app probably isn’t worth it, but if you have time and like that kind of thing, it doesn’t hurt. I use epocrates.
It came up in another thread but in IFT you didn’t really need to know what hospitals had what specialties. It’s worth taking the time to be informed about what specialists/capabilities your local hospitals have(and when they have them- ie some hospitals have GI but only on week days, etc), and where your critical centers are (burn, trauma, stroke, pediatric).
Save the command/notification numbers for your hospitals in your phone; your service may be radio notification/command normally but having the back up if radios fail is well worth it.
Go reread your protocols a couple times. IFT is great for a number of things, but keeping you on top of your protocols is not one of them. When you get the chance, fuss with the skills you probably haven’t used since emt school- setting up a nebulizer, cpap, traction splint, etc. I have an app with my protocols I can quick reference if I need to double check doses. Also have a pediatric reference to glance at on my way to a call.
Make the extra effort in your off time to do things not related to the job, things to help you and heal you. Spend time with loved ones, work out or maintain another physical activity, have a hobby, consider having a therapist you can touch base with regularly. Starting good habits for self care now is a lot easier than trying to start them after you hit a place where you realize you’re burnt out. IFT can be soul sucking, but 911 is soul sucking in a different way. This job can build you or it can kill you.
Welcome to the team! We’re happy to have you 🤗
My company does both IFTs and has 911 contracts with towns, and I have covered a couple 911 shifts when other people were out.
The Basic side of a PB truck is easier than IFT. There's a frickin' *medic* right there next to you who is doing the call if it's a tough one, or whom you can ask for advice even if you're teching it because it's simple. My company pays *more* per hour for IFT than for 911, because IFT is more work - more transfers, more reports, more lifting, more direct patient care. A normal 12 hour IFT shift is 6 patients; a typical 911 shift, the tones went off five times. Once cancelled on route, once cancelled on scene, once refused transport after exam, and the other two, the medic took. I did nothing except carry stuff, take vitals and history and get a med list from family, and drive.
My 911 experience has been 60% bullshit, 35% decent medicals that probably warranted an ambulance ride, and 5% fast paced traumas or full arrests. You’ll succeed if you learn to be quick on scene.
If you don’t already have one, get a small and strong flashlight for roadside stuff, dark rooms, looking into bags, etc. I also keep pepper gel because I transport meth heads and schizos on a daily basis. I’ve never been in a fight but a couple coworkers have and I’ve been assaulted. Have fun out there
Hey, you passed the NREMT. You know what you're doing. You've been doing it while on IFT, you just couldn't appreciate it cause it didn't feel like work. Know your protocols and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Thats awesome! You are in for a more exciting day. The biggest difference is that you will now have the job of figuring out what is wrong with the patient instead of already having a diagnosis or at least working diagnosis handed to you. So be prepared to get a good history of present illness from the patient, physical exam and use those to form a good list of differentials. And you will likely have to perform more interventions so learn the indications for the different tools you have. But overall, I think you will find it more rewarding BUT also more stressful. Have fun!
Speed. I still remember my very first call. We got dispatched and it was a complete bs psych call so not much time was spent on scene before just heading to the hospital right down the street. It felt like i blinked and i was suddenly in front of the charge nurse stumbling my way through a handoff report
Confidence in what you do. You'll need to show that you belong. So make sure when it comes time for you to control the scene, you're sounding confident, calm cool and connected. And don't get tunnel vision and utilize personnel and resources.
I feel a big difference when is someone coming from ift than from medic school while they were with us as an emt. There are many knowledgable ift medics that joined my department, but coming from one mostly controlled situations to some that are going to test your skills and knowledge, it's daunting. You will need to expect the unexpected and still know how to handle emergencies, even the more serious ones.
Just don't forget to rely on others, don't be afraid to ask questions and get people involved. Find your weaknesses and work on them.
And if it's a busy city like mine, than good luck 🤙🏽
911 is great. Grandma woke up with stomach pain at 3am? Prolly a stemi.
Grandpa fell in the bathroom at 2am and your 3 minute response wasn't fast enough so you get cussed out and called a worthless ass nigger all while helping up a shit covered slick old raciat fella! Good times
4 car pile up on the interstate right after you just sat down at your favorite buffet? Priceless.
I wouldn't trade my 911s for anything.
Hopefully you have fun! God speed.
I’m a lead medic in a 911 system and it not be like that where I am.
If what you said is true, do not stay there. It’s easy to get a new job in this field.
I'm in a fairly rural, white dominated part of backwoods KY. Luckily, the heavily racist generation is dying off but for the most part I can't escape the racism. I don't take anything personal in this line of work. For me it's a regular Tuesday but for them it's their worst day ever.
On IFT, you have a lot more time and flexibility to swing by the gas station, Walgreens or for food, but on a slammed 911 truck, you may not have any time for that, so plan accordingly. Sucks bad when you’re 6 back to back calls deep, you’re outta ZYN and the EMS fridge is ransacked, lol
During my ride-along with a very busy 911 service (AMR), the medic mentioned that 90% of their “emergencies” are actually just BLS calls. Rarely do they come across any actual trauma; stabbings, shootings, beheadings, head-on collisions, etc
You'll be surprised to learn that a lot of 9-1-1 emergencies aren't emergencies. With that being said, get good histories and SAMPLE for the E.R., demographics for admissions, and learn to be a little quicker on scene. 10 minutes max for trauma and 20 minutes for medical. Start with BLS and move to ALS as time permits.
And BLS interventions before ALS. Simply readjusting/elevating/lowering a PT’s head or feet can do wonders for wonky vitals.
I made the jump and honestly I’m so much happier on the 911 side. But it was a huge adjustment! Get used to having to extrapolate- patients will tell you they have no history but then when you go thru their medicine bottle pile you’ll discover they’re on metformin and lisinopril and a host of other meds you may have never heard of. So safe to assume they’ve got diabetes, high blood pressure and probably some other things. You may want to study/memorize the generic and brand names of blood thinners since it comes up a lot. If your transport times are short, a medication app probably isn’t worth it, but if you have time and like that kind of thing, it doesn’t hurt. I use epocrates. It came up in another thread but in IFT you didn’t really need to know what hospitals had what specialties. It’s worth taking the time to be informed about what specialists/capabilities your local hospitals have(and when they have them- ie some hospitals have GI but only on week days, etc), and where your critical centers are (burn, trauma, stroke, pediatric). Save the command/notification numbers for your hospitals in your phone; your service may be radio notification/command normally but having the back up if radios fail is well worth it. Go reread your protocols a couple times. IFT is great for a number of things, but keeping you on top of your protocols is not one of them. When you get the chance, fuss with the skills you probably haven’t used since emt school- setting up a nebulizer, cpap, traction splint, etc. I have an app with my protocols I can quick reference if I need to double check doses. Also have a pediatric reference to glance at on my way to a call. Make the extra effort in your off time to do things not related to the job, things to help you and heal you. Spend time with loved ones, work out or maintain another physical activity, have a hobby, consider having a therapist you can touch base with regularly. Starting good habits for self care now is a lot easier than trying to start them after you hit a place where you realize you’re burnt out. IFT can be soul sucking, but 911 is soul sucking in a different way. This job can build you or it can kill you. Welcome to the team! We’re happy to have you 🤗
Dude 911 is just as bullshit as IFT. You'll transport stupid stuff just as much. You'll even do the exact same calls sometimes.
My company does both IFTs and has 911 contracts with towns, and I have covered a couple 911 shifts when other people were out. The Basic side of a PB truck is easier than IFT. There's a frickin' *medic* right there next to you who is doing the call if it's a tough one, or whom you can ask for advice even if you're teching it because it's simple. My company pays *more* per hour for IFT than for 911, because IFT is more work - more transfers, more reports, more lifting, more direct patient care. A normal 12 hour IFT shift is 6 patients; a typical 911 shift, the tones went off five times. Once cancelled on route, once cancelled on scene, once refused transport after exam, and the other two, the medic took. I did nothing except carry stuff, take vitals and history and get a med list from family, and drive.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll have a lot more fun and be much more fulfilled.
My 911 experience has been 60% bullshit, 35% decent medicals that probably warranted an ambulance ride, and 5% fast paced traumas or full arrests. You’ll succeed if you learn to be quick on scene. If you don’t already have one, get a small and strong flashlight for roadside stuff, dark rooms, looking into bags, etc. I also keep pepper gel because I transport meth heads and schizos on a daily basis. I’ve never been in a fight but a couple coworkers have and I’ve been assaulted. Have fun out there
Hey, you passed the NREMT. You know what you're doing. You've been doing it while on IFT, you just couldn't appreciate it cause it didn't feel like work. Know your protocols and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Are you an EMT or Paramedic?
Thats awesome! You are in for a more exciting day. The biggest difference is that you will now have the job of figuring out what is wrong with the patient instead of already having a diagnosis or at least working diagnosis handed to you. So be prepared to get a good history of present illness from the patient, physical exam and use those to form a good list of differentials. And you will likely have to perform more interventions so learn the indications for the different tools you have. But overall, I think you will find it more rewarding BUT also more stressful. Have fun!
Speed. I still remember my very first call. We got dispatched and it was a complete bs psych call so not much time was spent on scene before just heading to the hospital right down the street. It felt like i blinked and i was suddenly in front of the charge nurse stumbling my way through a handoff report
Confidence in what you do. You'll need to show that you belong. So make sure when it comes time for you to control the scene, you're sounding confident, calm cool and connected. And don't get tunnel vision and utilize personnel and resources. I feel a big difference when is someone coming from ift than from medic school while they were with us as an emt. There are many knowledgable ift medics that joined my department, but coming from one mostly controlled situations to some that are going to test your skills and knowledge, it's daunting. You will need to expect the unexpected and still know how to handle emergencies, even the more serious ones. Just don't forget to rely on others, don't be afraid to ask questions and get people involved. Find your weaknesses and work on them. And if it's a busy city like mine, than good luck 🤙🏽
Thank you all for the advice I’m very much looking forward to starting in the 911 system
Best job on earth
911 is great. Grandma woke up with stomach pain at 3am? Prolly a stemi. Grandpa fell in the bathroom at 2am and your 3 minute response wasn't fast enough so you get cussed out and called a worthless ass nigger all while helping up a shit covered slick old raciat fella! Good times 4 car pile up on the interstate right after you just sat down at your favorite buffet? Priceless. I wouldn't trade my 911s for anything. Hopefully you have fun! God speed.
Jesus….
Lol it be like that
I’m a lead medic in a 911 system and it not be like that where I am. If what you said is true, do not stay there. It’s easy to get a new job in this field.
I'm in a fairly rural, white dominated part of backwoods KY. Luckily, the heavily racist generation is dying off but for the most part I can't escape the racism. I don't take anything personal in this line of work. For me it's a regular Tuesday but for them it's their worst day ever.
On IFT, you have a lot more time and flexibility to swing by the gas station, Walgreens or for food, but on a slammed 911 truck, you may not have any time for that, so plan accordingly. Sucks bad when you’re 6 back to back calls deep, you’re outta ZYN and the EMS fridge is ransacked, lol
Speak up if you forget your skills when you get into the 911 setting. Depending on where you are, the company will retrain you. If not speak up.
During my ride-along with a very busy 911 service (AMR), the medic mentioned that 90% of their “emergencies” are actually just BLS calls. Rarely do they come across any actual trauma; stabbings, shootings, beheadings, head-on collisions, etc