What was that? Teamwork?
EMS is a world that demands teamwork. We often think of teamwork as it relates to the first responder in terms of firefighting or extrication and rescue. But, what about the medical calls we all respond to day in and day out? These alarms require teamwork as well. Think back to a call you've been on that did not go so well. What do you think the problem was? I bet it had a great deal to do with teamwork. And, more specifically communication within the team. Think about it. What do all great teams have in common? Communication. They are all on the same page and moving in one united direction. Each member within the team may have different responsibilities and perform different tasks but only for the betterment of the team. So what do teams consist of at the basic level? They consist of a team leader and then team members. We have to understand what our specific roles are within the team in order to be the most effective and efficient team possible. So, how much time do you as a team member or team leader devote to the medical team? Do you think about the importance of developing your teams medical response to alarms? How do you go about developing the team for medical responses? Do you conduct AAR's after critical medical incidents to make the team better? Do you continually practice your teams communication skills? By developing your team you silently build the teams confidence to go out the door and enter the mayhem of EMS as a unit. You will be more efficient, more effective, and make less mistakes with a strong team. Developing your team will be a career long pursuit that will make you and everyone around you better everyday.
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