how to be a great er tech & helpful things for (an) er tech
Totally legit questions. Which are not simple questions to answer. I'll try to answer both at the same time. I'll only do 5 cause that's all I got time for.
1) Know your shit aka "educate yourself". Always work to educate yourself further don't get sucked into the "Well I don't need to know this cause it ain't in my scope of practice." thought process. Don't understand something and wanna know more? Write that shit down and look it up when you are not busy, better yet ask. Take classes ask to go on trauma, cardiac, ICU rounds or sit in on a M&M. You'll learn tons.
2) Know those mother fuckers aka "build relationships". Especially with the Paramedics, EMTs and Flight Medics & Flight Nurses. Most of us came from the field and need to remember it can really suck out there under a car in the snow and or rain. besides they can draw an excellent picture of what was going on with a very sick or injured pt. It can be tough as the tech you often go to places in the hospital and deal with the people in the hospitals that nurses and docs don't deal with. Getting in good with the CT techs can get a pt on the table a little faster or or have the XR techs run over for a muy importante CXR. The EKG tech can show you how to pull up serial EKGs when they ain't around. Go out of your way for central sterile techs cause they're the ones you'll need once in a blue moon and when you need what they have you're REALLY going to need it, like for instance a set of rib spreaders:
Needing rib spreaders and not having them is a monumentally BAD thing. That's a whole other story for another time.
3) Know how shit works. You are the "Tech" short for technician. Following that train of thought you NEED to know how pieces of equipment in your prospective ER works. Great example is the traction splint for a closed mid shaft femur fracture. I can't count how many times I have been pulled out of triage or from another area because I was the only tech around who knew how to use this simple piece of equipment. Also be familiar with more complicated pieces of equipment like the ultra sound and the I-stats if you have them. Know how to operate the level 1 infuser in your sleep.
4) This should go under building relationships it's just separate. Get to know the docs and nurses real well. I'm not talking on a social level either. That way you can anticipate what is going to be needed and get on it. Then when you have a moment ask what's going on with an interesting pt and why certain things are being done. That way you are building your knowledge and looking like a true professional that you are. I guarantee you if you do this long enough you'll have docs, nurses and everyone else wanting to teach you something every shift.
5) Last but not least don't be a goddamned social butterfly. Remember we are in the ER to take care of patients and not further our social agendas. In my book patients come first way before that stupid pot luck, what a really hot nurse is into this week or what happened on the reality show of your choice. Save that shit for lunch or break if you get one. Take care of the patients first!
