New ED Tech--

[Pose]

hello everyone,

i'm currently attending college (freshman) studying economics, and pre-medicine. i eventually plan on becoming an emergency physician, and working in the realm of international medicine. i've recently gotten certified as an emt-basic in hopes of gaining some experience, during which i stumbled upon an ed tech position at an emergency department/trauma center. this is great news, and they were (reluctantly, due to the learning curve) willing to give me a part-time position. i truly want this job for the learning experience, and the pay is quite good as well.

anyway, during my interview (which was hell--conference room surrounded by 8 interviewers), i was told that i will be trained in phlebotomy, ekg, hazmat, and a few others, and be required to insert foleys, cast, splint, and participate in trauma. this sounds like the hands-on opportunity of a lifetime, but it is quite frightening! my emt "skills" have left me feeling woefully inadequate, and i doubt any of it will transfer into the ed. to be honest, i've never even seen a foley catheter, and i haven't the first clue about an ekg.

so, i was hoping for some honest responses, tips, and any other type of comment. i have searched--and read--many threads about ed techs on this website, and it has been helpful, but i'd like to hear a little more about this learning curve, and how difficult to learn the material is going to be.

am i really going to struggle with learning these skills, having no prior medical experience?

thank you for any advice, and patience :imbar ,

pose.

[Katnip, RN]

Foley's once you've done a few are fairly simple to do. Just keep sterile and you'll get it. Sometimes, especially in females they can be tough because the meatus tends to be hard to find, but you'll learn.

EKGs are very easy to do. As a tech you won't be expected to do much interpretation. You will quickly be able to recognize lethal arrhythmias though.

Phlebotomy is practice, practice, practice.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I took a job as an ER tech my last year of nursing school. I walked around w/my jaw on the floor for the first couple of weeks, but it totally sold me on emergency medicine.

You have an excellent opportunity here - make the most of it. I would think that EKGs would have been covered in your training as an EMT-B, but if not ... as another poster already stated, you won't be asked to interpret them, just to recognize lethal rhythms. Other hands-on skills will come with time.

Be prepared to work hard - this will be a great experience!

[ERNurse752, RN]

It'll be hard at first because there is so much to learn. You're going to spend a lot of time feeling like an incompetent orifice. But you will learn it eventually and it will get better. Sounds like a great opportunity - everyone starts out with no experience at some point. Good luck! :)

[amy]

As a nursing student, one of my clinical instructors assisted me in obtaining a nursing assistant job in the float pool of a large community hospital. Singularly the best experience I had ever had. Again, same kind of feelings... woefully inadequate at the job skills required, however, I learned alot, and learned quickly as I was excited about not only the opportunity, but the raise in pay, and it worked out well. My biggest tip? Go in there, and just be a sponge. Don't be afraid to jump in and help, if you see instruments on a table, don't touch them unless specifically directed, and expect your learning curve to be long and extensive. Sometimes just an extra set of hands or someone to talk to the patients is a HUGE help!!! Oh yeah, and don't feed/water ANYONE until the nurse or Doc says ok (in case they are going to the OR!) Good luck and please, keep us posted!!!

Amy

[AuntieRN]

I agree you are being offered a wonderful opportunity and if it were me I would jump on it. It will be scarey at first, but just like any other job the more you do and see the easier it will be. My girlfriend just finished her first semester of nursing school. Has no other medical training other than a basic EMT class a few years ago (never worked at it though). She was dropped in the ER as a tech. She absolutely loves it now. She was scared at first. But she learned to ask lots of questions. My biggest suggestion is...if you do not know how to do something or are unsure...ask....ask lots of questions anyways..it has been my personal experience that ER nurses and docs love to show off their knowledge. They love to answer questions. Good luck to ya. I an jealous..I love the ER.:roll

[whiskeygirl, LPN]

Another ER nurse here. You really did learn a lot of useful stuff while training to be an EMT. Splinting, HAZMAT and dealing with traumas are things you went over.

You CAN do this if you are willing to learn. You have already shown that you are by reading everything you can find and by going to school. No one will expect you to be a wiz the first day. Get your feet wet, this is an excellent opportunity to experience what the ER is really like. I wish I had spent more time working in the ER as an EMT before nursing school.

I think you will love it.

[ED RN 911]

You will be able to do it, after about two weeks you will have it down. In the ER I work in we have Nurses and Medics that have identical jobs and a few techs and to tell you the truth to be a tech or even a Nurse it isnt rocket science and sometimes I think a well trained monkey could do the job. LOL You will do fine!

[Pose]

Thank you all very much for the support and advice!

I should be hearing back from them on Monday with the specifics of my employment, and the rest of the process. I'm pretty excited to start, so long as they hurry up!

-Pose

[Pose]

I got the job! I start March 27th. I'll be working Monday, Wednesday, and weekends for orientation.

I'm very excited!

[erjulie]

I got the job! I start March 27th. I'll be working Monday, Wednesday, and weekends for orientation.

I'm very excited!

congratulations! laugh at yourself, learn a lot and try to have fun...then kick butt in medical school, and never forget your colleagues: ER workers.

[noc_owl]

Congrats! You'll love it! And don't forget to come back here to post about your successes!