Bullying

We started a very interesting discussion in class before the ‘snow break’ about bullying. I would like to continue that here. I found it quite interesting that such an unacceptable behavior can be so easily accepted.

As I progress through life, I am surprised to discover that this behavior does not stop and often gets worse. Up to 70% of working adults have been bullied in the workplace. (www.noworkplacebullies.com) There is no legal recourse for these people and many need to leave their place of employment due to the bullying. Here the victim is still blamed for the problem. I have noticed that people learn to justify their behavior. One comment in the class referred to trust. I am not sure how a victim of bullying would ever learn to trust the perpetrator. I also do not see how there is any behavior that the victim could exhibit that would cause the bully to trust them or to stop for that matter.

I am also struck by the way that people are unwilling to accept that there is a bully and a victim in all of us. It is clear that the bullying that we see around us in the fire department is justified by the idea that if it happened to us then we need to continue to do it to the next generation. The idea that we make people smarter, better, or more trustworthy is foreign to me. I can watch and understand but I will never believe that it really works.

That being said, this is the system that we are working with and I can’t make the changes I see fit in a vacuum. I would like to know what you think of bullying and how you have been the bully and the victim if you would like to share.

Reaching the end of the first semester

Congratulations! You have reached the end of the first semester. Although you are not quite half way through the program, you have accomplished a great deal. Clinically you have learned more than a few skills and you have practiced most of them in all of the settings. IV, intubation, medication administration, and ventilations have all been put into place in the field. You have completed a BLS recertification, trauma, airway, adult and TBI. I could go on but I think you are getting the idea.

I want you to take some time to appreciate your progress. You are all doing a great job. Take time for your family and yourself and have a wonderful winter break.

Leadership

Leadership is a goal of this program. It is obvious that a Paramedic must have leadership skills. This is not an easy goal to reach. Confidence is the first element that I look for in a leader. Belief in oneself does not mean arrogance. In fact, the most confident people are often the most modest. Confidence in oneself lends itself to trust. Being trusted is required in leadership. To be trusted you must have credibility. Credibility is undermined by low self-confidence. When I started to work at JHH, I was questioned. I did not have the required year of critical care experience. I barely had a year of experience as an ALS provider. Everyone was talking behind my back and watching every move I made. My partner tried to convince me to tell everyone my past experience. I found this offensive and counterproductive. The experience that the others knew about did not impress them, why would the rest of my experience impress them? I said that my calls would go well and then they would eventually start to trust me. That is exactly what happened. Many of the other more experienced providers that started at JHH with me did not last. I worked there for over seven years and after only about one year was hired by the hospital. I did not have to expose any of my past experience. My experience simply was there in every call I completed and every decision that I made. I was able to gain the trust of others.

At the same time, I made myself part of the team. I did not have to lead every call to show my leadership ability. I am just as strong as a member as I am a leader. This also gains trust from others. I am able to be a member of the team and support the leader well. It is impossible to learn how to lead if you are unable or unwilling to follow. There are courses that teach followership.

Gaining the support of others requires more that knowledge and experience. It requires the ability to follow, earn trust, have confidence, and lead others.

Goals and Expectations

Looking back to the first week of class, I remember a group of students eager to start the Paramedic program. This is a rigorous program due to the short amount of time allotted. I wonder now if the students are still as excited as they once were. There are many bumps to starting clinical. Paperwork and new requirements were two of the biggest hurdles this year. Each site has their own required paperwork and that lends itself to a great deal of redundant forms. After all of the paperwork is started then shifts start….or not! Scheduling is always an awkward process in the start of the class. The students are unsure of how to schedule and what to schedule. The program that we use changes format without warning and is lacking in education for faculty and students. I often seek clarification from the administrators of FISDAP and I am often disappointed with the education for use of product that we are provided. Then there are the clinical or field sites; even though we attend each year they all seem surprised that we are coming. Preceptors are used to the seasoned students. The new cohort is unsure of the role. I wish I could attend each clinical with them to be sure that they are able to complete their tasks, but that is not possible and not a learning experience.

I think that clinical differs from the classroom setting because there is no familiar instructor there. I know that the students can meet the expectations but the students do not know this. This seems to make the students uneasy and feel as if I have abandoned them. Leadership and independence are two qualities that are innate in these students. You do not need me to become a Paramedic.

The goal that was consistent during the first week of class was that each student wanted to become a qualified Paramedic. I have experience and I know how to guide you to that goal. Trust on the students’ part is required. Trust in themselves and in a tried and true process. I am only a small part in that process.

Look back for yourself and remember your own goals. What is your responsibility and required actions to achieve those goals?

Bits and pieces

Every day I hear bits and pieces of the ‘stories;’ the issues that have happened in the field during a clinical shift. Thousands of ‘things’ happen in a short eight-hour period of time. About half of those ‘things’ should not have happened, should not have been said, etc. I have to hear the facts and decide if the student should learn to speak up for themselves or if I should intervene.

One of the most frustrating problems for me is the venting and commiserating that occurs between the students. The students talk, as they should, but often the story seems worse after the commiserating. Need to act on facts alone. I need the facts in writing.

 

A real problem occurs when the preceptors vent. The students are protected, just as the patients are, by a federal act called FERPA. In short it is similar to HIPAA for students. If the preceptors are venting a bad behavior of a student, that is a bigger liability to the preceptor than any student error. Even if the matter is discussed by another party, the preceptor still has responsibility.

It is hard to address student behavior with the students after I have heard the story through the vast firefighter grapevine. This is a truly incredible feat because I am not working in the field anymore. I still hear the stories about the student who wore a yellow jacket or the students who compared one jurisdiction to another. How can I correct the actions of the students if the actions of the preceptors are just as inappropriate?

Some examples of sticky situations:

A student states that a neighboring jurisdiction is better that the preceptors jurisdiction.

This is a reoccurring theme. Pride in ones jurisdiction is not a bad thing until it is manifested as an insult to another jurisdiction.

To this all I can say is WOW no experience. There is no such thing as the ‘city way’ or ‘xyz county way.’ Maybe there are different ways to approach the situation in the setting. Location, equipment, scene… all of these factors change the way the call is handled. I remember two-hour hikes back to the ambulance with a gun shot patient, just to enjoy a forty-five minute drive to the timber-line to meet the helicopter. My approach to that patient is much different if the patient is shot on a city street. It does not make my experience better, just different.

Another example:

Now the preceptor is complaining to all of his colleagues about the comment above.

To this all I can way is WOW no confidence. How is that person ever going to learn not to offend if he is never given a chance to redeem him/herself? You know better. You are the teacher here. Tell them that his statement is offensive, drop me an email so I can see if there are other issues to address, and give the student another chance to do better. Telling everyone is a violation of his/her privacy and can get you into a great deal of trouble. Haven’t you ever said anything stupid?

I need these issues relayed to me in writing. There is a preceptor belief that if they spoke to the student, then I do not need to know. That can be true but is often false. I need to hear about any issue. It is surprising how often I am not surprised by student and preceptor behavior. We are like people that way. Please do not think that you will be getting someone into ‘trouble’. This is education.

I would love to hear what the students and preceptors think I should do to advocate, protect, and educate in these matters.

Remember what I always say. Just because there is a mannerism that is uncomfortable to others, there may not be a reason to alter it. Be genuine, be kind, be respectful, and be yourself.

Netiquette

I have been doing a lot of reading about netiquette. What is netiquette? It is etiquette for use on the Internet. What does this have to do with clinical? Good question. I have been more than frustrated lately with the communication that I have been receiving and looking very closely at the communication that I am trying to relay. I have found that a large gap in that communication and I have learned that there is a right and wrong way to use the tools that could serve us well. I am not the only person with a deficit. That is what I learned. There are several kinds of netiquette. There is netiquette for email, chat, discussions, and social networks. Some of the rules overlap and some are unique to the medium.
Email etiquette
Netiquette, or email etiquette, is about the manners we use on the Internet. Cyberspace has its own culture, and has developed its own rules. Without knowing netiquette, you might commit some social blunders, or offend someone without meaning to.
Netiquette rules are based on common sense and respect, but since email is so quick, we often forget that we are still using a form of written communication.
Netiquette or e-mail etiquette 10 best rules are:
1. Imagine your message on a billboard. Anything you send can be forwarded, saved and printed by people it was never intended for. Never send anything that will reflect badly on you or anyone else.
2. Remember that company emails are company property. Emails sent from your workplace can be monitored by people besides the sender and reader, and are technically company property.
3. Avoid offensive comments. Anything obscene, libelous, offensive or racist does not belong in a company email, even as a joke.
4. Keep your message Cool. Email messages can easily be misinterpreted because we don’t have the tone of voice or body language to gives us further cues. Using multiple explanation points, emoticons, and words in all capital letters can be interpreted as emotional language.
5. Be careful about forwarding messages. If you aren’t sure if the original sender would want to forward the message, don’t do it.
6. Don’t expect an answer right away. Email messages may be delivered quickly, but your recipient may not read it right away.
7. Don’t sacrifice accuracy for efficiency. Don’t send sloppy, unedited email. Experts say that for every grammar mistake in an email, there’s an average of three spelling mistakes. While the odd spelling mistake is overlooked, when your readers have to break communication to decipher a word or message, at best, you’ll look slopping, if not illiterate. At worst, they may stop reading.
8. Include the message thread. Keep the original message for a record of your conversation. However, when sending a new message to the same person, start a new thread with a new subject line.
9. Don’t type in all CAPS. It’s perceived as YELLING. However, don’t write with only small letters, as this is perceived as your being lazy, because it makes it more difficult for people to read.
10. Write clear, organized messages, with a subject line that gives enough information for the reader to file it and find it later.
I invite you to use these netiquette rules and tips when you send email.
I’d also like to offer you a free report: “Breakthrough Communication Skills” packed with powerful tips for business success, at http://www.ImpressforSuccess.com when you join my Communication Capsules newsletter.
Would you like to attract new customers, increase sales, and boost your career? Click here for simple How-to Guides that give you immediate results. http://www.goldmansmythe.com/howto.html From Lynda Goldman, business communications and etiquette consultant and author of 30 books, including How to Make a Million Dollar First Impression.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynda_Goldman

Others
Here are the 10 Best Rules of Netiquette

1.The Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. This rule is an oldie but a goodie and can get you through just about any situation, online or off!

2. No “Flaming”: Flaming is a form of verbal abuse when you intentionally attack or disrespect somebody for whatever reason. Maybe you didn’t agree with something they said, but there’s a nice way to share a different point of view without name calling or attacking someone. Harassing or insulting someone will not likely help you gain many online friends!

3. Respect Others’ Copyrights: There are wonderful things online, information for everyone on just about any topic! However, these things have copyrights and licenses. Copying the works of someone else without permission or saying it is your own will not only ruin your online reputation, but could land you with hefty fines and lawsuits!

4. DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS: It hurts our eyes. It makes people think you are shouting at them. It’s okay to type in caps to accentuate a word or two, but please don’t do it all the time everywhere you go.

5. Don’t Spam: As a blog owner, I get hundreds of spam messages each day. Most of them aren’t even legible, with things like “kjhgsawu” typed in the comments and links to sites with adult or inappropriate content. I don’t appreciate it! Some spammers are getting really sneaky, as they use the same generic post over and over again like “I really like your blog” – if you own multiple blogs like I do though you can quickly identify these types of spammers! There’s a fine line between spam and self-promotion, do it very carefully!

6. Be Honest: Faking website statistics, pretending to be someone else, or trying to cheat people online will not only hurt your reputation but can land you in a lot of hot water. You know the line honesty is the best policy; it’s also one of the 10 best rules for netiquette.

7. Use Proper Grammar & Spelling: If u rite liek this lol ppl might start 2 get mad lol. We understand spelling isn’t always easy and typos and basic spelling mistakes will happen. But if it’s distracting from your message, it can be annoying. Using a browser such as Firefox 3 with built in spell check can be a life saver for bad spellers! Be careful not to use too much web jargon, seeing lol used more than twice in a sentence or two is probably unnecessary and does not promote good internet etiquette.

8. Follow the TOS: Most sites have a terms of service policy that also lists rules of netiquette. Read it and abide by it! I am constantly reading discussions on MyLot about people who have had discussions deleted because what they posted did not meet the terms of the website.

9. Keep it PG-13: I never write or say anything I wouldn’t let my kids read. It can really come back to haunt you if you write something that’s not appropriate – as a blog owner, it could mean trouble with Google if you use them for adwords or like to be ranked in search engines since they seem to penalize swearing/adult content sites.

10. Research Your Facts/Cite Sources: I can’t tell you how many times I read something (often politically related) that is not even close to the truth. There is so much information out there online; it can be very difficult to distinguish what is true and not true. Before posting something, forwarding emails, or going off on a tangent, make sure it is factual and cite sources if possible to boost your credibility. Not only will this help keep down on the hoaxes and insanity floating around online, but it can help make you build a solid reputation online.

This list of 10 Best Rules of Netiquette will help not only you but others have a much more enjoyable online experience. Have any other tips to add to the 10 best rules of netiquette and good online etiquette? Share it in the comments below.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1043498/10_best_rules_of_netiquette_.html?singlepage=true&cat=15

Please respond with your comments about times when you were misunderstood while using an alternate communication tool.

Attendance

Attendance for clinical shifts seems to confuse students. The statement “there are no excused absences from clinical shifts” is the root of the stress.

There are several reasons for the strong stand for the clinical shifts. We are requesting the time and services from a hospital or jurisdiction. We are also requesting services from these entities. Other programs make the same requests. We must respect the time and energy that the hospitals and jurisdictions give us. If you are assigned to a clinical event, whether it be by program assignment or your request, you are responsible for the shift.

The policy is documented in the Clinical Manual.

• All community service, clinical and field shifts that are assigned or scheduled will be attended. The student will be required to call the clinical/field site if for any reason he/she will be tardy or absent, including absences due to inclement weather and college closure. An email to the Clinical Coordinator and the standard clinical paperwork will be required for any absence along with documentation of the name of the individual at the clinical site who was notified of the absence. Due to the contractual nature of the relationship between the HCC and the clinical sites, it may not be possible to reschedule missed clinical rotations which may result in significant consequences for the student. If this occurs the student may be assigned alternate coursework, they may receive a failing grade for that assignment, they may be required to take an incomplete grade in the course they are in and resume their course of study during the next offering of the course, or depending upon the circumstances surrounding their absence, they may be dismissed from the course or program.

The question is; do I really expect that you will never miss a clinical event? I do expect that there will not be 100% attendance for clinicals. I am looking for several things to happen. You will need to be careful and deliberate with your scheduling. If you are making mistakes it is due to your inability to balance your life. That is a time management issue and it is graded on the affective domain form. You will need to make a real effort to attend what you schedule. If some conflict arrises and you are not going, you will need to be responsible for communicating the information and providing the correct documentation. There is a part of the clinical grade that looks at the number of scheduled shifts and attended shifts. The percentage is calculated and the events missed will be categorized and applied appropriately.

If there is a weather issue, the policy is as follows:

• If the college is closed due to inclement weather or unforeseen emergency ALS and BLS students will not be required to attend the scheduled shift. The student will be required to call the clinical/field site and send an email to the Clinical Coordinator. The standard clinical paperwork will be required along with documentation of the name of the individual at the clinical site who was notified of the absence. Efforts will be made to assist the student in rescheduling a clinical rotation that is missed due to the closure of the college; however, due to the contractual nature of the relationship between the HCC and the clinical sites, it may not be possible to reschedule missed clinical rotations which may result in significant consequences for the student. In some circumstances, students may be permitted to attend clinical rotations at times when the college is closed, such as during Spring Break. Consult with the Clinical Coordinator for times when this applies.

In other words, if the college is closed you are not required to attend a clinical event. You must think of your own safety and the safety of others.

To tie class attendance into this discussion, I will refer to the policy that is in the rules and regulation section of the Clinical Manual:

• Attendance in all class sessions is mandatory. The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) mandates that course rosters and attendance sheets are filed with their office at the conclusion of each course in the program. The student is provided a course schedule during orientation for the course, which is held during the first session or sessions of the course. The schedule is also posted in the classroom and is available on CE-6. Penalties may result for missed class sessions which may include lowered or failed grades for tests and assignments, inability to make up missed coursework resulting in an inability to successfully complete the course or program, or dismissal from the course or program. In some circumstances missed class sessions may be made up and this occurs solely at the discretion of the course instructor.

I know this does not answer all of your questions, so please respond so that we are all on the same page.