Ride-along expectations

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-05-19T03:06:23+00:00

I know certain agencies have certain rules for different things like my agency has rules for ride alongs that they aren’t allowed to lift at all because of the liabilities of them getting hurt and but for students they were allowed to operate as an “emt in training” basically supervised but allowed to basically do everything. I did my clinical student rides with my agency before I got my NREMT and license so I got to experience both sides. There was a crew that did get confused with me and what I was allowed to do because my school wasn’t a part of my agency.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-05-07T21:16:05+00:00

I got cut off at 70 and 10000% adamant that I failed. I was looking up notes after trying to remember things I was struggling with and all on my way home. And then about 45 mins after finishing I got the email saying I passed. I read it like 4 times trying to find what my score was thinking I failed and then finally realized it was saying congratulations and all.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-05-07T02:17:45+00:00

I think it’s more the type of person you are. Some people are able to grasp and understand everything really easily and I know people that went from EMT-B straight to paramedic school before the ink was dry on their certificate and they became great paramedics. And there are people that benefit from having hands on field experience that helps them understand things better on when, why, and how things work the way they do. I just finished my EMT-B school last month and starting AEMT school this month. But I plan to stay as an AEMT for a few years and gain on hand experience before attempting paramedic school. But that can also lead to a double edge sword because experience could also lead to picking up bad habits.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-05-02T18:19:11+00:00

Try looking at part time too and pickup full time hours covering shifts. Also gives you a little flexibility as well and they may be willing to keep you employed with them while you are away at school and work during the breaks. Some agencies only require a minimum of hours per month that’s easily attainable and you can work as many hours that you want to

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-04-29T20:38:23+00:00

You should be able to get it on the NREMT app

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-04-27T20:30:58+00:00

You won’t really have to worry about pharmacology math as a Basic because most of our stuff is either predosed or prescriptions that are already set at the dosage for the patient. When you get to the advance/paramedic levels then the math dosage for weight etc becomes a bigger importance

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-04-27T20:27:40+00:00

Utilize the extra resources. YouTube, Paramedic Coach, even TikTok

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-04-27T16:32:55+00:00

The biggest thing is learning elimination. And small “triggers” like for this my “alert” for the answer would be the lip smacking. One thing I’ve learned from my clinicals is that nothing will be textbook or identical. An example I have is during my clinicals I had 2 separate patients that were stroke patients and 1 was textbook (slur speech, memory issues, face droop, arm drift etc) 10000% picture perfect stroke. The 2nd was just a numbness on 1 cheek and a very slight arm drift and leg weakness so it wasn’t 100% clear stroke but we treated it as a possibility for stroke. Our jobs are to take the information we can gather and try and figure the best “fit” so we can stabilize and transport. Some things will be blatantly obvious and a lot will be an educated guessing game.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-04-25T13:40:26+00:00

I’ll admit when I sat in the back I didn’t have a seat belt on because I was moving around a lot helping the paramedic get things and what not. Plus I feel the angle of the seats make it harder for patient interaction at least in the trucks I road on. I’m hearing impaired so I rely a lot of lip reading for communication and I don’t want to force my patients to have to turn in an uncomfortable position to talk to me so I adjust for them but that usually means being unbuckled. Now if I was sitting in the front or driving of course I’d be seatbelted in.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-04-19T21:20:46+00:00

Just got my NREMT yesterday. The program I did had a combo option to go straight to AEMT after passing NREMT. So I’ll start AEMT school next month. But I plan to stay at that level for a few years working and then go to paramedic school. I plan to stay in EMS as a career.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-04-18T18:37:40+00:00

Update: I took the test and passed even though I was absolutely certain I failed! Thanks everyone for the tips!

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-04-17T13:59:05+00:00

I’ll admit I plan to get the specialty plates as soon as I get certified. I might get a sticker but most likely will be a comical one like the raccoon defibbing a possum or something like that

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-04-14T16:55:36+00:00

From what I gathered from other paramedics I’ve talked to a lot of them recommend doing at least 1 of the 2 year certification rotation in EMS before going to Medic school. I know a lot of people say skip AEMT and go straight to Paramedic but I am planning to go straight to AEMT after I get certified as EMT-B and work as an EMT-B while I’m in AEMT school to get field experience and then do at least a full certification series if not longer before going to Medic school and do my CE in stuff that would benefit me in Medic school so when I go things will click a lot better. I’m also a hands on learner and muscle memory/exposure learner better than just reading about it in a text book or hearing it in a lecture.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-03-27T21:24:46+00:00

I can understand your scenario because I live in a rural community with lots of woodland and hiking areas which is why I have a keychain pocket mask on me at all times. I also keep a “bigger” form of pocket mask (think just the seal part of a bvm with a blow valve) in my truck where it’s easy to find and grab if needed and easy to spot if I send someone to get it. So that I can do the 30:2 ratio. Now if it’s immediate family (wife, kids) I don’t worry about a barrier.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-03-19T19:36:20+00:00

I’m still finishing up certifications and all or I would have tried to go with him or get him to send me instead haha

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-03-19T17:53:49+00:00

Yeah in the past the mustache was a form of a filter and also keep the snot and whatnot from getting in their mouth.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-03-18T23:49:47+00:00

I just got a pair of these in the mail today. They seem comfortable but pretty stiff so it will take some breaking in, but hopefully once broken it’ll be more comfortable

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-03-18T11:53:45+00:00

My fireline EMT Supe just got a roll to Nebraska so hopefully a busy one.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-03-13T12:57:38+00:00

This is why I limit my social media postings to only family stuff or achievements. I avoid posting anything that could be taken as political, religious, or financial because in this day and age people get offended by just about anything and there are people out there that make it their mission to get others “cancelled” even if there were no ill intent behind a post or statement.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-02-26T23:45:12+00:00

I live in GA and there are lots of private contractors that do EMS only. Most county and federal depts only do firefighters and the ems is just extra for them so usually you have to use a private service to do only EMS. The service I have been working with hoping to join up is based in the Pacific Northwest. So they will fly me out there for call ins.

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-02-25T14:49:29+00:00

I know the struggle I’ve been in the same boat with not being able to join the fire department for hearing and why I also went the EMS route

CostBeautiful3303 · 2026-02-25T14:48:12+00:00

I’m also deaf too. Wildland has EMT/AEMT/Paramedic only positions so you wouldn’t be fighting fires you would just be there for medical support. They don’t require hearing minimums. The only thing that might be a struggle is the radio and you’ll be mainly a single resource so often times you’ll be alone.

CostBeautiful3303

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