After having logged 56 hours working first aid at Summerfest (over its 11 days, I worked seven of them, one a double shift) in addition to putting hours in at the office, it’s going to be weird going back to a more normal routine. The adrenaline high that can come on busy nights like last Friday contributes to a post-Jessup-like withdrawal, which makes me thankful to have today and tomorrow off from work so I’ve got some time to decompress and regroup (and take some time to write about it, I guess).
Eight shifts in such a short span of time might be nuts, but it was entirely worth it. Training is one thing, but experience is another matter entirely. Every shift was a chance to reinforce and practice what I learned during training and to build on the experiences of the previous shift. If I let too much time lapse, it’s likely that nothing would stick. And there was a lot yet to pick up–simply getting familiar with what supplies are available and where they are, both at the stations and in the run bags, takes time; not to mention the matter of what do you actually do when you are called on to help someone. While a lot of it just involved mundane tasks like dispensing band-aids and ice packs, I handled some less-mundane traumas and medical incidents that let me actually put my skills to use in real life situations as opposed to the safety of the classroom. Even in situations where the EMTs or paramedics were in charge and our only job was to provide assistance if needed, I learned a lot just watching what was going on. And every incident was a lesson in patient care and interaction, no matter how brief or trivial.
Even the idle times were still valuable. I had the opportunity to work with and learn from people who really know what they’re doing and who also had genuine interest in helping me learn and grow. Yeah, a lot of the downtime was spent chatting (when not talking through responses to hypothetical scenarios or stealing moments here and there to go listen to nearby bands), but I got a lot out of simply getting to know everyone on the team. And, if nothing else, I’m more solid on taking blood pressures now.
After 56 hours on the job, I’m confident that I can take the lead now. Even though there are skills I didn’t get to practice, the hesitation and nervousness that comes from inexperience is gone. And I’m increasingly sure that this is the type of work I want to do.