It takes all types(Know it All)

 The Know-It-All

I've worked with some incredibly intelligent people in EMS. People who could quote protocols from memory. People who knew the pharmacology of every medication we carried. People who understood anatomy and physiology better than most.

Knowledge is important. But knowledge without experience can be dangerous.

Years ago, I was assigned a paramedic student. Before they ever stepped onto my truck, I had already heard about them. Several medics warned me that they thought they knew everything. They had gone straight from EMT school into paramedic school without ever working as an EMT.

When they climbed into the truck that morning, I told them something simple. "You're the lead medic today. I'm just here to observe. My EMT is your partner." Without hesitation, they smiled and said, "Sounds good."

Our very first call was for an elderly woman who had fallen while taking her trash to the curb. She was sitting on the curb when we arrived. There was blood in her hair. I looked at the student and simply motioned toward the patient. It was their call.

They walked over and asked, "Did you call an ambulance, ma'am?" She smiled and said yes. "What happened?" She explained that she had fallen while taking out the trash. They paused. "Hmm..."

A few seconds later... "So... what happened?" She explained it again. Another pause. Then... "So what happened?"

By the third time he'd asked the exact same question, I knew they were stuck. Finally, they looked at her and asked, "Do you want to go to the hospital?"

That was when I stepped in.

I asked if she had hit her head. Did she lose consciousness? Was she taking blood thinners? Did she have neck pain? Any numbness? Any weakness? Did she have a headache? What medications did she take? Blurred vision?

Those questions matter.

A fall isn't just a fall. An elderly patient with blood in her hair could have a traumatic brain injury. A cervical spine injury. A subdural bleed. Or half a dozen other problems that aren't obvious at first glance.

After the call, we had a conversation.

I told them something I hoped they'd remember. "You're at a disadvantage." They looked surprised.

I explained that going straight from EMT school into paramedic school had skipped one of the most valuable parts of becoming a medic. Patient contact. Experience.

The ability to walk into a room and recognize when something doesn't feel right before you can even explain why. You don't learn that in a classroom. You earn it one patient at a time.

Knowledge is essential.

But experience teaches you what the textbook can't. It teaches you what questions to ask. What not to ignore. When your gut is trying to tell you something.

I've met brilliant paramedics. I've also met wise paramedics. The best ones are both.

Because patients don't care how many tests you've passed. They care whether you know how to take care of them.

"Knowledge tells you what can happen. Experience teaches you what probably is happening."



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