105 | Sick vs not sick | Should we trust our gestalt | Bias affecting care | Advice for the newbie RN, EMT, paramedic, PA | Running 3 gunshot wounds in one night

We need to remember that paramedic and EMT’s are solely focused on emergency medicine vs RN’s or even PA’s who are trained in general medicine then learn how to do EM later on

Learning sick vs not sick is a skill that develops with time, it’s not always easy

Gestalt can be an important factor in your assessment but don’t trust it all the time, it can lead you astray

A negative work-up does not always mean there isn’t something dangerous going on

Recognizing your biases will help protect you from making a mistake or overlooking something

Advice for the newbies:

Have humility when you are new, be willing to be taught

Never stop learning

Be proud when you do perform well

Don’t trust your gestalt when you are new. Take every patient seriously

Keep a journal

Be honest, do what you document and document what you do, admit your mistakes quickly

Taking ownership over mistakes helps you learn and gives you more respect than passing the buck

The call you are going to is the call you are supposed to go to. That is where you are meant to go. No patient is a waste of time. That patient deserves your undivided attention

 Too many people hear the other exciting calls dropping nearby and they become distracted from what they are currently doing

People are put in your path for a reason

Alex talks about a night he ran 3 GSW’s and had to use good coping skills to recover

Sometimes the lower acuity patients can rejuvenate you

Running only high acuity will burn you out too, take some joy in the less stressful calls

Appreciate the highs and lows

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Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn’t represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.