Blog 15 - Independent Component 1

• Literal
• I, Lauren Burney, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 59 hours of work. 
• I used the textbooks Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured and UCLA Center for Prehospital Care Supplement. My lectures for the course are Quinn Bowyer and Jeff Pollakoff. The skills instructors vary. 
• Link
• In order to even take my EMT class, I first had to take a CPR for Healthcare Providers class. This took up several hours, but I am now CPR certified. So far I am three weeks into my eight week EMT class. I have learned some basic anatomy, ethical and legal obligations of being an EMT, airway, and ventilation interventions, assessing patients, and taking vitals. After being lectured at for four hours, we spend another four hours actually practicing the skills we learned about. So far I have learned how to maintain an open airway, basic lifting techniques, administer oxygen, perform CPR, take a manual blood pressure, and assess patients. 
• Interpretive
• I have spent far over 30 hours in class and many more hours studying and completing the required homework. This project is preparing me to actually become a provider of emergency medicine. Before I am given the certificate of completion, I will actually spend at least 24 hours on an ambulance providing care to at least 10 patients. 
• Applied
• This class has helped me understand what these people who work in this field actually go through. My instructors have told the class stories about their triumphs and tribulations which have given me a better understanding of the system in general. Also, learning how to be an actual provider on an ambulance has given me a better understanding of how ambulance diversion can affect patient care.  

This is a screenshot of my posted grade. While there are other things in the grade book, it is too much to post everything. The exams portion comprises 40%(the largest portion) of my final grade.

Blog 14 - Third Interview Preparation

What is the best way to minimize Emergency Department overcrowding?

1. Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise?
1. I plan to interview my mentor's boss, the director of the ED. He has a similar experience as my mentor and has probably more of a hand in the structuring of the department. I have contacted my mentor to get in touch with his boss, but he hasn't gotten back to me yet.
2. Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview.  What is the date and time of the interview? 
1. I haven't scheduled one yet.
3. Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ.
1. Do you, or anyone you know, subscribe to any journals that deal with hospital/emergency department management?
4. Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ (IC2, possible experts to talk to, etc).
1. Who do you believe has the most influence over hospital policies about overcrowding?
5. Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ.
1. How do you think overcrowding has affected this department?
2. What do you think is the biggest issue facing emergency departments state/nationwide?

The interview transcript  is due to turnitin.com with the 5-minute audio excerpt and entry to the blog on Friday, February 19th. In addition, you need to turn in the verification sheet to your house teacher

Blog 13 - 10 Hour Mentorship Check-In

1. Where are you doing your mentorship?
1. Downey PIH(formerly Downey Regional Medical Center) Emergency Room
2. Who is your contact?  What makes this person an expert?
1. Dr. Miguel Rodriguez
2. He has over 20 years of experience as an emergency room physician. He graduated from Stanford Medical School with a specialty in Emergency Medicine.
3. How many hours have you done during the school year? (Summer Mentorship Hours and Mentorship Hours should be reflected separately in your Senior Project Hours log located on the right-hand side of your blog).
1. 51 hours
4. Succinctly summarize what you did, how well you and your mentor worked together, and how you plan to complete the remaining hours.
1. During mentorship, I basically follow my mentor as a "shadow". Since my mentor is typically pretty busy filling out patient charts, giving orders, or consulting with other physicians, he doesn't usually have a whole lot of time to explain little details about why he is doing certain treatments. I can almost always figure out what is going on, though, and if I can't then I take a note of it and look it up later. I have finished the mandatory hours, but I plan to continue doing what I have been doing whenever I get the chance.