A week ago Friday was the premiere of the Chronicles of EMS – episode 1 season 1. (view episode 1 in this EverydayEMSTips.com post). As I watched the episode for the premiere I had several ideas of how educators could use the episode in the classroom. Here are my Everyday EMS ideas. Please share your ideas in the comments area:
1. Student recruitment. Play the episode during a career day visit for potential visit. The Chronicles gives a real and balanced view of what EMS is really like most of the time.
2. Safety discussion. Regular readers know I strongly advocate the use of seatbelts at all times and the importance of securing equipment. As students watch the video, ask them to make a list of safety concerns. After watching, discuss those concerns and how to make changes to mitigate those risks. This would also be a good prelude to student’s beginning their ambulance ride time and things they should be doing to be safe and minimize risk during calls.
3. Patient care reports. Assign students to write a detailed patient care report using the episode information and their own imagination for one of the patients. They have these choices – cardiac chest pain complaint, extremity laceration, alcohol intoxication, congestive heart failure, pedestrian vs. car. EMT students, especially, need more patient contacts. The episode featured real patients with real problems.
4. EMS blog discovery. Screenshots of many of the top EMS blogs are shown in episode 1. Assign students a blog (or 5!) to visit and ask them to read and comment on at least three (or 5!) posts at that blog. Encourage them visit all of the blogs and add those blogs to their own RSS feed reader.
5. Film your own episode of the Chronicles. The “back of the rig” chat sequences between Mark and Justin could easily be replicated. Ask students to interview a preceptor.
6. Virtually visit another EMS system. Start with a simple internet search to visit another EMS system in your state, country, and outside of your country. Learn about that system through its website. Look for EMS professionals from that system on social networks. Invite a provider from that system to “visit” your classroom using Skype, GoToWebinar, or other virtual meeting technology.
How else can we use the Chronicles of EMS Episode 1 for EMS Education? I look forward to reading and sharing your ideas.
