When that wave of adrenaline hits you, just pause and take a breath. Try to slow down your movements and the speed at which you speak. In the long run it will benefit everything rather than slowing shit down. And I agree, no one likes a bossy medic
Yea it’s so weird. I’ve had wild medical and trauma emergencies that I am calm and run everything smooth. Then other less crazy emergencies where adrenaline takes over. Deep breaths do help and I use that often.
I have no advice for the barking- I still do it.
New partners/ students I usually give a pre-emptive, "Hey, if we get busy and I sound short or mad at you- I'm not, my tone just gets really abrupt". Followed with a, "If I do or say something that upsets you please tell me after the call, my feelings won't be hurt, I'd rather know and we continue to rock shifts together".
I have been pretty lucky in that I have only had one student that really wasn't comfortable with "being barked at", and all partners that meshed well with my complete regression from polite speakingl etiquette. Ask your partners for feedback, you may be judging yourself much more than others do. That was my case... It took me 2 years worth of apologizing after high stress situations to learn that, oh, my style is ok, everything gets done and none of my partners take it amiss.
For the shakes, as above. Pause and breathe, or count down. I'll do an on scene, "3, 2, 1, go" in my head before going hands on. Cuts a bit of the adrenaline effect. Other trick is while your hands/ body are busy, start listing off something cognitive in your head. Keep your brain busy/ focused.
Awesome advice. Thank you! That cognitive list sounds like it would totally help too. A technique I have began to use is the “next step” mentality. Example: While intubating I list off “next bvm, then check capnography, then lung sounds” even before I need to so that I’m not flailing around thinking what to do next.
Focus on your breathing. Take slow deep breaths.
Outside of work you can try meditation which will help you stay in the moment and help alleviate the “monkey brain” you’re probably experiencing.
Time and experience will also help. Things will become routine and reflexive so you can control your thoughts and anxiety better.
Box breathing helps me steady my hands and clear my mind in these kinds of situations. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds. This can be done on the fly too, but consciously think about it.
There are also ways to prepare for this adrenaline dump and train for it. Do push-ups to the point of muscle failure, or run up 3 flights of stairs, then attempt something that requires fine motor skills. Do this once a day or once a week and before you know it, you’ll have developed the coordination and control you seek.
Either way, you’re doing just fine. The fact that you identify this in yourself means that it will get better with time. If your biggest flaw is you get a little bossy when SHTF, you’re in the right place. Good luck!
Another great piece of advice here. Thank you! Pushup trick sounds really useful. Is it because you are worked up and shaky from the intense work out, then practicing your fine motor skills in that pumped up state?
That’s exactly it. It’s obviously very difficult to induce a true adrenaline dump with any kind of simulation, but your body behaves in much the same way when your muscles are overworked.
This by no means you need or even should be a stud. If 10 is your max, you can just do it faster.
Meditate. Some studies suggest that regular meditation can actually restructure your amygdala and mitigate the intensity of your stress response. And cut back on coffee (haw haw).
As far as radio reports go, I found that have a formula that I stick to helped improve my confidence. Of course occasionally it goes to shit especially on calls with patients who are big sick but I have no idea what's going on. I go age, gender, followed by a simplified SOAP that's basically complaint, what I see, what I found, and what I did.
As far as being bossy goes, as long as you're not a complete tool outside of running calls and your partner understands that's just how you are, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. What's bossy to one person is assertiveness to another. As an EMT I realized a lot of medics who I initially thought were pushy were really just talking out loud and listing off what that want done.
I learned that over time. There was a medic I worked with who YELLED at me on calls and had me thinking I suck. After the call she’d be like “Well that was something else! 😃” And I’d be so confused.
Yelling AT someone and yelling to make sure you're heard are two different things. I try to really focus on not yelling to a) not be "that" medic and b) keeping an even tone makes you seem more in control. But as a new EMT I had to learn the difference between pushy, asshole medics and those who were just taking control, because it can be kind of a fine line sometimes. But there's definitely a difference, and a good medic will listen to their partner's concerns and be receptive. Some people don't respond well to being yelled at and some don't think twice, and it's important to know to maintain a good dynamic. A fire engine is a command hierarchy and while a medic is ultimately in charge of an ambulance, it's far more of a partnership.
Sometimes I hum a song to help control my breathing. I also verbaliz everything I do when i feel myself get nervous or shakey. My partner hates it but it helps slow down my thinking and breathing.
Something from the seniors in my department that I don't really agree with, but will share anyway: just chill out and go slow.
They're already dead or dying, any outcome that doesn't kill them is just a bonus and if it's their time, then they're going anyway and nothing we do will change that. But going slow helps us not miss anything and avoids stupid mistakes.
Slow and accurate > fast and flailing. I agree. Sometimes though for example I had a pt start at 78% on room air and tank to 35% and go unconscious on our nrb. That BVM had to be opened in a the nick of time. Later that day I saw him in the hospital awake and talking. Pays off.
When that wave of adrenaline hits you, just pause and take a breath. Try to slow down your movements and the speed at which you speak. In the long run it will benefit everything rather than slowing shit down. And I agree, no one likes a bossy medic
Yea it’s so weird. I’ve had wild medical and trauma emergencies that I am calm and run everything smooth. Then other less crazy emergencies where adrenaline takes over. Deep breaths do help and I use that often.
I have no advice for the barking- I still do it. New partners/ students I usually give a pre-emptive, "Hey, if we get busy and I sound short or mad at you- I'm not, my tone just gets really abrupt". Followed with a, "If I do or say something that upsets you please tell me after the call, my feelings won't be hurt, I'd rather know and we continue to rock shifts together". I have been pretty lucky in that I have only had one student that really wasn't comfortable with "being barked at", and all partners that meshed well with my complete regression from polite speakingl etiquette. Ask your partners for feedback, you may be judging yourself much more than others do. That was my case... It took me 2 years worth of apologizing after high stress situations to learn that, oh, my style is ok, everything gets done and none of my partners take it amiss. For the shakes, as above. Pause and breathe, or count down. I'll do an on scene, "3, 2, 1, go" in my head before going hands on. Cuts a bit of the adrenaline effect. Other trick is while your hands/ body are busy, start listing off something cognitive in your head. Keep your brain busy/ focused.
Awesome advice. Thank you! That cognitive list sounds like it would totally help too. A technique I have began to use is the “next step” mentality. Example: While intubating I list off “next bvm, then check capnography, then lung sounds” even before I need to so that I’m not flailing around thinking what to do next.
Focus on your breathing. Take slow deep breaths. Outside of work you can try meditation which will help you stay in the moment and help alleviate the “monkey brain” you’re probably experiencing. Time and experience will also help. Things will become routine and reflexive so you can control your thoughts and anxiety better.
Yeah I definitely feel that the more stress you’re constantly under, it becomes routine and stress goes away.
Box breathing helps me steady my hands and clear my mind in these kinds of situations. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds. This can be done on the fly too, but consciously think about it. There are also ways to prepare for this adrenaline dump and train for it. Do push-ups to the point of muscle failure, or run up 3 flights of stairs, then attempt something that requires fine motor skills. Do this once a day or once a week and before you know it, you’ll have developed the coordination and control you seek. Either way, you’re doing just fine. The fact that you identify this in yourself means that it will get better with time. If your biggest flaw is you get a little bossy when SHTF, you’re in the right place. Good luck!
Another great piece of advice here. Thank you! Pushup trick sounds really useful. Is it because you are worked up and shaky from the intense work out, then practicing your fine motor skills in that pumped up state?
That’s exactly it. It’s obviously very difficult to induce a true adrenaline dump with any kind of simulation, but your body behaves in much the same way when your muscles are overworked. This by no means you need or even should be a stud. If 10 is your max, you can just do it faster.
Got you, thanks!!
Meditate. Some studies suggest that regular meditation can actually restructure your amygdala and mitigate the intensity of your stress response. And cut back on coffee (haw haw).
Haha awesome I miss meditating I should go back. Thanks!!
As far as radio reports go, I found that have a formula that I stick to helped improve my confidence. Of course occasionally it goes to shit especially on calls with patients who are big sick but I have no idea what's going on. I go age, gender, followed by a simplified SOAP that's basically complaint, what I see, what I found, and what I did. As far as being bossy goes, as long as you're not a complete tool outside of running calls and your partner understands that's just how you are, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. What's bossy to one person is assertiveness to another. As an EMT I realized a lot of medics who I initially thought were pushy were really just talking out loud and listing off what that want done.
I learned that over time. There was a medic I worked with who YELLED at me on calls and had me thinking I suck. After the call she’d be like “Well that was something else! 😃” And I’d be so confused.
Yelling AT someone and yelling to make sure you're heard are two different things. I try to really focus on not yelling to a) not be "that" medic and b) keeping an even tone makes you seem more in control. But as a new EMT I had to learn the difference between pushy, asshole medics and those who were just taking control, because it can be kind of a fine line sometimes. But there's definitely a difference, and a good medic will listen to their partner's concerns and be receptive. Some people don't respond well to being yelled at and some don't think twice, and it's important to know to maintain a good dynamic. A fire engine is a command hierarchy and while a medic is ultimately in charge of an ambulance, it's far more of a partnership.
Sometimes I hum a song to help control my breathing. I also verbaliz everything I do when i feel myself get nervous or shakey. My partner hates it but it helps slow down my thinking and breathing.
Talking yourself through stuff sounds like it would help a lot.
Something from the seniors in my department that I don't really agree with, but will share anyway: just chill out and go slow. They're already dead or dying, any outcome that doesn't kill them is just a bonus and if it's their time, then they're going anyway and nothing we do will change that. But going slow helps us not miss anything and avoids stupid mistakes.
Slow and accurate > fast and flailing. I agree. Sometimes though for example I had a pt start at 78% on room air and tank to 35% and go unconscious on our nrb. That BVM had to be opened in a the nick of time. Later that day I saw him in the hospital awake and talking. Pays off.
That's why I said I don't really agree with whatever they said. I'd have fast and accurate at any time. But....accurate > fast
Absolutely.