A big chuck of Paramedic school consists of Pharmacology. My program is designed that every week we have a cumulative drug quiz that consists of the new drug of the week and possible dosages and information on every previous drug that we have studied up until that point.
I don't know how this stacks up against how other paramedic programs do pharmacology. But this path seems (to me) to lend itself to a lot of rote memorization. Which is funny, because medicine is one big interlocking web and understanding how the whole system works makes it easier to understand how the whole system works.
So, there are a few tips that I have picked up along the way that have helped me.
Understanding Functional Classes
Its not only important to know that Epi is a sympathomimetic, but it is very important to understand what a sympathomimetic is. If you understand what actually the underlying functional class of the drug is, then it is a lot easier to understand what the drug does, and you know what a selective beta-2 agonist is. If you have an understanding of the sympathetic nervous system to begin with.
Does that answer make sense?
Our med quizzes also have at least 1 or 2 questions about med math, and luckily enough, the math is usually based on actual drugs and actual dosages, so I never have had to worry about whether the answer of 950 gtts/min is the right answer.
But I have found that if I can get the per ml concentration, I can get to the answer or back to the start without relying on "the formula" too much.
I will post some more ideas when I think of them I guess...
Friday, February 17, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Review of MedicTests.com
[rant]
So I listen to Confessions of An EMS Newbie...
I'm not sure when but recently they started advertising MedicTests.com
They are actually pretty heavily promoting it "on air"
Being 3-6 months away from taking the National Registry Test, I decided to buy a 3 month membership. For the fee of $59.
My membership when through, and my paypal account was debited.
When I signed in....I couldn't acccess the tests.
I checked to make sure all the tech stuff on my side was good...and it was.
I sent in a support request and 5 hours later the admin was able to manually approve something and I was able to get to the tests. So that went okay.
But, overall the whole site just seemed....unfinished.
I don't know how many questions the bank has, but I've been through the 50 question practice test about 3 times and the National Registry practice exam once, and there has been I'd say about 10% overlap in that I have seen repeat questions.
The thing that really got me was that there were spelling errors in some questions.
There was at least one question that I think the correct answer was programmed completely wrong. This is of particular concern because this site may be inhibiting a paramedic student's chances of success by providing the wrong information. I remember this question particularly because it wasn't a case of NR "least wrong" answer being the right answer, it was a flat out straight forward question that had the wrong answer marked as correct.
As well as some questions that appear dated in terms of Standard of Care.
I think the National Registry Test Simulator is somewhat Bloat-ware as well.
According to National Registry Web Site the cognitive exam is between 80-150 questions that 2 hours and 30 minutes are allotted.
I know from my own experience (at least with the EMT-B test) is that once you answer a question and move on, you cannot return to a previous question. I also noticed that if you got a question wrong in the computer based test, the test asked you the same question worded somewhat differently.
The simulator on the site gives you 100 questions in 2 hours, which you can scroll back and forth through all the questions. I'm not sure but the test doesn't seem to adjust (or adapt) depending on your answers. And it doesn't let you review the questions at the end.
So in my estimation, its doesn't seem to simulate the NR test well, and it doesn't let you see the questions you made mistakes on. So I don't find it particularly useful.
So really the only similarity between it and the actual computer based test is that it doesn't let you review the test and see what you got wrong. Which I don't think there is any value.
There was a little icon that allowed a test-taker to "flag" a question, which I did, but I am apprehensive that that might actually do anything, because of my next point.
Something that was very frustrating was the "review" option, for questions that you got wrong. When I was going over the questions I got wrong..there is a "review" button that I was figuring would go over the correct answer and maybe some background information. That would be VERY helpful right? Press that button and all you get is a confirmation that the answer you gave was right or wrong. Awesome.
This leads me to believe that MedicTests.com purchased some out-of-the-box Adobe Flash test creation program...and didn't bother to disable the Review button, or fill out the information to make the Review Button actually useful. This just leads me to my feeling of the website being unfinished.
Which brings us to the study materials portion. I was surprised to see the vast majority of the additional resources behind the pay-wall were free to any internet user links to other web pages.
That lead me to feel like I had just been duped. I had paid for information that was freely available on the internet, of which MedicTests.com appears to have no control over.
MedicTests.com appears to be charging for access to web hyperlinks to information that isn't under their domain name, and is freely available by other means.
MedicTests.com has a guarantee that if you use their program for 3 months 3 days a week and don't pass the NR cognitive exam, they will refund you your membership fees. But you still would be out the $110 it costs to take the test.
Overall, I guess you can say that the experience had not met my expectations.
I set those expectations by Ron and Kelly's hardy recommendation of this product.
I hate being negative, and I really didn't want this blog to become a bitch session regarding all the ills that surround EMS in general and Paramedic Education in particular.
But like I said, MedicTests.com feels unfinished, it definitely has potential. I'm not sure how adaptive the test is, but it could definitely be an outstanding product that assists all us paramedic-lings to success.
[/rant]
So I listen to Confessions of An EMS Newbie...
I'm not sure when but recently they started advertising MedicTests.com
They are actually pretty heavily promoting it "on air"
Being 3-6 months away from taking the National Registry Test, I decided to buy a 3 month membership. For the fee of $59.
My membership when through, and my paypal account was debited.
When I signed in....I couldn't acccess the tests.
I checked to make sure all the tech stuff on my side was good...and it was.
I sent in a support request and 5 hours later the admin was able to manually approve something and I was able to get to the tests. So that went okay.
But, overall the whole site just seemed....unfinished.
I don't know how many questions the bank has, but I've been through the 50 question practice test about 3 times and the National Registry practice exam once, and there has been I'd say about 10% overlap in that I have seen repeat questions.
The thing that really got me was that there were spelling errors in some questions.
There was at least one question that I think the correct answer was programmed completely wrong. This is of particular concern because this site may be inhibiting a paramedic student's chances of success by providing the wrong information. I remember this question particularly because it wasn't a case of NR "least wrong" answer being the right answer, it was a flat out straight forward question that had the wrong answer marked as correct.
As well as some questions that appear dated in terms of Standard of Care.
I think the National Registry Test Simulator is somewhat Bloat-ware as well.
According to National Registry Web Site the cognitive exam is between 80-150 questions that 2 hours and 30 minutes are allotted.
I know from my own experience (at least with the EMT-B test) is that once you answer a question and move on, you cannot return to a previous question. I also noticed that if you got a question wrong in the computer based test, the test asked you the same question worded somewhat differently.
The simulator on the site gives you 100 questions in 2 hours, which you can scroll back and forth through all the questions. I'm not sure but the test doesn't seem to adjust (or adapt) depending on your answers. And it doesn't let you review the questions at the end.
So in my estimation, its doesn't seem to simulate the NR test well, and it doesn't let you see the questions you made mistakes on. So I don't find it particularly useful.
So really the only similarity between it and the actual computer based test is that it doesn't let you review the test and see what you got wrong. Which I don't think there is any value.
There was a little icon that allowed a test-taker to "flag" a question, which I did, but I am apprehensive that that might actually do anything, because of my next point.
Something that was very frustrating was the "review" option, for questions that you got wrong. When I was going over the questions I got wrong..there is a "review" button that I was figuring would go over the correct answer and maybe some background information. That would be VERY helpful right? Press that button and all you get is a confirmation that the answer you gave was right or wrong. Awesome.
This leads me to believe that MedicTests.com purchased some out-of-the-box Adobe Flash test creation program...and didn't bother to disable the Review button, or fill out the information to make the Review Button actually useful. This just leads me to my feeling of the website being unfinished.
Which brings us to the study materials portion. I was surprised to see the vast majority of the additional resources behind the pay-wall were free to any internet user links to other web pages.
That lead me to feel like I had just been duped. I had paid for information that was freely available on the internet, of which MedicTests.com appears to have no control over.
MedicTests.com appears to be charging for access to web hyperlinks to information that isn't under their domain name, and is freely available by other means.
MedicTests.com has a guarantee that if you use their program for 3 months 3 days a week and don't pass the NR cognitive exam, they will refund you your membership fees. But you still would be out the $110 it costs to take the test.
Overall, I guess you can say that the experience had not met my expectations.
I set those expectations by Ron and Kelly's hardy recommendation of this product.
I hate being negative, and I really didn't want this blog to become a bitch session regarding all the ills that surround EMS in general and Paramedic Education in particular.
But like I said, MedicTests.com feels unfinished, it definitely has potential. I'm not sure how adaptive the test is, but it could definitely be an outstanding product that assists all us paramedic-lings to success.
[/rant]
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Bigeminy vs. Couplets
Bigeminy is when a sinus beat is followed by an aberrant conduction pattern. Trigeminy is 2 sinus beats followed by ann aberrant conduction pattern.
Couplets are 2 aberrant conduction patterns in a row.
Triplets are 3 aberrant conduction patterns in a row.
I seem to have wired these two things in my brain wrong and I am trying to get them sorted out.
Aberrant Conduction is caused by something, treat the underlying cause and don't abolish perfusing rhythms.
NTG, NTG, NTG....
We had a practical lab day this past week and these are the things I have to work on.
Update(8/23/2012): This seems to be the most popular post I have on this blog, a lot of folks navigate here from googling "Bigeminy Couplets". Does this help explain things a bit? Please comment...
Couplets are 2 aberrant conduction patterns in a row.
Triplets are 3 aberrant conduction patterns in a row.
I seem to have wired these two things in my brain wrong and I am trying to get them sorted out.
Aberrant Conduction is caused by something, treat the underlying cause and don't abolish perfusing rhythms.
NTG, NTG, NTG....
We had a practical lab day this past week and these are the things I have to work on.
Update(8/23/2012): This seems to be the most popular post I have on this blog, a lot of folks navigate here from googling "Bigeminy Couplets". Does this help explain things a bit? Please comment...
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
A new outlook and a slow transformation
I think that I am becoming a "healthcare professional"
I find myself frustrated with the lack of detail in my textbooks regarding..say...the endocrine system. I think that I have finally reached the "consciously incompetent" stage of being a paramedic. I am beginning to see that there are a ton of gaps in my knowledge.
I see that as a good thing.
I also have recently noticed that when I am getting information on a patient (from the patient, caregiver, nurse whatever) the wheels in my brain immediately begin spinning, and the next thing I know I am asking questions about pertinent information before I've even thought of it. Which I think is pretty cool.
I find myself frustrated with the lack of detail in my textbooks regarding..say...the endocrine system. I think that I have finally reached the "consciously incompetent" stage of being a paramedic. I am beginning to see that there are a ton of gaps in my knowledge.
I see that as a good thing.
I also have recently noticed that when I am getting information on a patient (from the patient, caregiver, nurse whatever) the wheels in my brain immediately begin spinning, and the next thing I know I am asking questions about pertinent information before I've even thought of it. Which I think is pretty cool.
Monday, December 19, 2011
The Oral Station
So, I used to play Dungeons and Dragons as a kid.
A few weeks ago, during one of the lab days in class, we began to work on an oral board type station.
Really all it was was playing Dungeons and Dragons...except there weren't any dungeons....or dragons...
Visualizing a situation in your head takes practice....luckily I had no trouble with it so far.
I have gone so far that during practical stations (during PALS in particular) I don't pay much attention to the simulated mannequin in front of me and just visualize everything in my brain...the outcomes tend to be better. I am definitely a lot more thorough that way.
I always had trouble with the practical stations, just because I was paying too much attention to what I saw with my eyes, I never thought to just play D and D with the situation. I barely passed the ITLS practical exam, because I was too busy being in the room with the dummy, and the examiner, and not being in my brain with the imaginary patient.
So go ahead, bust out the d20 and go slay some dragons...err..SAVE some patients...
update 7/12/12: Post about my experience in the Oral Station
A few weeks ago, during one of the lab days in class, we began to work on an oral board type station.
Really all it was was playing Dungeons and Dragons...except there weren't any dungeons....or dragons...
Visualizing a situation in your head takes practice....luckily I had no trouble with it so far.
I have gone so far that during practical stations (during PALS in particular) I don't pay much attention to the simulated mannequin in front of me and just visualize everything in my brain...the outcomes tend to be better. I am definitely a lot more thorough that way.
I always had trouble with the practical stations, just because I was paying too much attention to what I saw with my eyes, I never thought to just play D and D with the situation. I barely passed the ITLS practical exam, because I was too busy being in the room with the dummy, and the examiner, and not being in my brain with the imaginary patient.
So go ahead, bust out the d20 and go slay some dragons...err..SAVE some patients...
update 7/12/12: Post about my experience in the Oral Station
Sunday, December 18, 2011
So maybe thats why.....
Having not posted here in months for the simple reason that I have absolutely no time/mental energy to commit to such an endeavour as a blog.
So maybe thats why there are so few blogs about paramedic school.
So far, a good piece of advice that I can offer is that Cardiology isn't terrible if you truly understand the underlying physiology of things, and don't let Pediatrics sneak up on you.
Throughout Pediatrics there was an underlying mantra of "don't memorize, look it up"
The problem with that is to pass that module, memorizing normal heart rates of 3 month olds is necessary. Not to mention to pass the PALS written test.
Just an FYI...
But overall, I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have completely all my merit badges (ACLS, PALS, ITLS), as well as I have gotten all my intubations in the OR.
Just keep on truckin' I guess
So maybe thats why there are so few blogs about paramedic school.
So far, a good piece of advice that I can offer is that Cardiology isn't terrible if you truly understand the underlying physiology of things, and don't let Pediatrics sneak up on you.
Throughout Pediatrics there was an underlying mantra of "don't memorize, look it up"
The problem with that is to pass that module, memorizing normal heart rates of 3 month olds is necessary. Not to mention to pass the PALS written test.
Just an FYI...
But overall, I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have completely all my merit badges (ACLS, PALS, ITLS), as well as I have gotten all my intubations in the OR.
Just keep on truckin' I guess
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Advice for New Paramedics
I am always scanning the web for information for brandi-new and soon-to-be-brandi-new paramedics...
Rogue Medic posted a good piece about the differences between EMTs and Paramedics here
then again, if you are the kind of person (er...NERD!) that is searching out EMS blogs and whatnot...you probably have already been there.
Rogue Medic posted a good piece about the differences between EMTs and Paramedics here
then again, if you are the kind of person (er...NERD!) that is searching out EMS blogs and whatnot...you probably have already been there.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)