Ep 12: The Interview of a Lifetime – Secondary Assessments

This week, the crew dives into one of the most conversation-driven parts of EMT work — the secondary assessment. After handling life threats in the primary survey, now it’s all about communication, connection, and collecting details that actually tell a patient’s story.

Jonathan returns from night shift to rejoin Mike and Max as they break down OPQRST + SAMPLE, share their first field experiences doing secondary assessments, and reflect on the art of interviewing patients in real time. From reading subtle stroke signs to learning through small mistakes (like oxygen-hose mix-ups), this episode highlights how much of EMS happens through listening, observing, and talking.

Episode Breakdown

00:37 – Jonathan returns and the crew catches up on night shifts and ride-alongs

06:20 – Mike’s first stroke-call experience and spotting subtle red flags

10:00 – Learning from mistakes: the oxygen-hose incident

20:15 – Medical Term of the Week: OPQRST + SAMPLE mnemonics explained

36:30 – Focused vs. full secondary assessments – and knowing what’s “important now”

48:20 – Physical exams, DECAP-BTLS, and patient communication tips

1:03:10 – Tools of the Trade: Pulse Oximeter 🩸 (history, use, and limitations)

1:14:00 – Student Tip of the Week: Know your community, speak their language

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Ep 11: First Impressions Matter – Scene Size-Up & Primary Assessment

In EMS, your first impression can literally save a life. This week, the crew breaks down the scene size-up and primary assessment—the first steps every EMT takes when arriving at an emergency. From assessing safety and forming that “doorway impression” to managing life threats with the ABCs (airway, breathing, circulation), Mike and Max unpack what it means to stay calm, think fast, and see the big picture.

With Jonathan out on contract, the guys navigate class solo—sharing real ride-along stories, lessons from their first volunteer shifts, and what it’s like to start applying classroom knowledge in the field. They also introduce the AVPU scale (alert, verbal, pain, unresponsive) for gauging patient responsiveness, and cover PPE in this week’s Tools of the Trade.

Episode Breakdown

00:37 – Pop culture warm-up: SNL, The Pit, and EMS on screen

08:30 – Real-world ride-along stories and first volunteer calls

15:10 – Scene Size-Up: safety, awareness, and “from the door” impressions

18:15 – Medical Term of the Week: AVPU responsiveness scale

25:40 – Primary Assessment: airway, breathing, circulation, and life threats

33:10 – Scene safety, violent scenes, and when to call for help

38:40 – Tools of the Trade: PPE (gloves, glasses, and gowns)

1:14:20 – Student Tip of the Week: Always carry a pen & pad

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Ep 10: Proof of Life – Vital Signs & Sphygmomanometer Practice

Vital signs are the foundation of every patient assessment—and this week, the crew gets hands-on with the “proof of life.” Mike and Max break down the five core vitals (pulse, respirations, skin, pupils, and blood pressure), plus the “bonus” indicators like oxygen saturation and blood glucose.

With Jonathan out this week, the guys tackle class solo—sharing lessons from the field, stories of testing on family members, and why getting an accurate manual blood pressure is harder than it looks. They also spotlight the American Heart Association in this episode’s community feature and close out with a Tools of the Trade segment on the blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer)—the deceptively simple tool every EMT has to master.

Episode Breakdown

00:37 – Celebrating 10 episodes (and one secret pilot)

02:20 – Vital signs: the “proof of life” and what they tell us

05:00 – Spotlight: The American Heart Association ❤️

09:00 – Medical Term of the Week: Baseline

13:20 – Tracking patient trends and reassessments

15:10 – The five core vital signs (and the two bonus ones)

19:00 – Pulse: where to find it and what it tells you

40:00 – Respirations: counting breaths and recognizing effort

43:30 – Skin: “pink, warm, and dry” vs. pale, cool, and clammy

47:00 – Pupils: PERRL, penlights, and what dilation reveals

51:00 – Blood pressure: manual technique and practice stories

1:15:00 – Manual vs. automatic cuffs + pro tips from class

1:21:00 – Tools of the Trade: Blood Pressure Cuff (Sphygmomanometer)

1:22:00 – Student Tip of the Week: Build your own vitals kit

1:29:00 – Closing thoughts & Jonathan appreciation

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Ep 9: And She’s Buying an Airway to Heaven – Airway Management, Respiration & Ventilation Skills

Airway is everything in EMS, and this week the crew gets hands-on with one of the most critical skills an EMT can learn. Mike, Max, and Jonathan dive into airway anatomy, manual airway maneuvers, suction, BVM ventilation, oxygen delivery devices, and airway adjuncts. From recognizing stridor to mastering the head-tilt chin-lift, this episode connects classroom lessons to real-world lifesaving skills.

The guys also have some fun with Lord of the Rings pop culture references, highlight the i-gel supraglottic airway in Tools of the Trade, and share a student tip on practicing lung sounds early and often.

Episode Breakdown

00:59 – Medical Term of the Week: Stridor

12:00 – Airway management: why it comes first in ABCs

17:45 – Recognizing airway obstruction sounds (stridor, gurgling, wheezing, rales/crackles)

29:30 – Manual maneuvers: head-tilt chin-lift & jaw thrust

33:15 – Suction devices: Yankauer vs. Ducanto

41:20 – OPA vs. NPA and when to use them

48:05 – Supraglottic airways & ALS vs. BLS scope

55:00 – Bag valve mask ventilation techniques

1:02:00 – Oxygen delivery: nasal cannula vs. NRB mask

1:10:42 – Tools of the Trade: i-gel Supraglottic Airway

1:20:15 – Student Tip of the Week: Listen to lung sounds on everyone

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.ridealong.bulletn.net

Ep: 8 Prove It or Lose It – Competency Verification & Skills Check

After eight classes, the crew hits a mid-season “prove it” moment. Mike, Max, and Jonathan recap Section One of EMT school and what it’s like to switch from book work to demonstrating real skills under pressure. It’s a lighter, story-driven debrief that still digs into hands-on takeaways—like practicing backboards with head blocks for c-spine control—and why actually touching the equipment beats watching someone else do it.

They also run through the big themes from the first eight chapters: EMS system overview, EMT well-being, legal/ethical scenarios, patient movement, med terms, anatomy, pathophysiology, and lifespan development—plus how the “skills check” vibe changes the way you study and perform.

Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Intro & welcome back to RideAlong (Ep. 8 kickoff)

02:22 – Sponsor Spotlight: xShear Trauma Shears + Giveaway reminder

38:57 – Section One recap: from EMT wellness to patient movement, ethics, terminology, anatomy, pathophysiology, and lifespan development

45:02 – Hands-on highlights: backboards, head blocks, and why c-spine practice matters

45:44 – “Doing it beats watching it”: why practical reps change everything

46:41 – How we’ll treat review episodes + where to connect with us on socials

47:24 – Closing & disclaimer

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

www.RideAlong.Bulletn.net

Ep 7: Stayin’ Alive – CPR Certification Night

Mike and Max earn their CPR certification — the first major credential on the road to becoming EMTs. With Jonathan adding real-world perspective, the crew covers what high-quality CPR really means, how AEDs actually work, and why chest recoil is just as important as compression depth.

From adult compressions to infant rescue breathing, this episode dives into the skills every EMT (and civilian) needs to know. Plus, a closer look at the scoop stretcher in Tools of the Trade, and a student tip on being ready for your very first clinical shift.

Episode Breakdown

00:58 – Medical Term of the Week: High-Quality CPR

08:17 – Recognition and early intervention

13:45 – Chest recoil, depth, and compression rate

22:15 – AEDs: What they actually do (and don’t do)

34:03 – Rescue breathing and avoiding barotrauma

42:49 – Adult vs. pediatric CPR

46:42 – Choking emergencies & “abdominal thrusts”

52:58 – Tools of the Trade: Scoop Stretcher

1:08:12 – Student Tip of the Week: Be prepared for CPR on your first clinical shift

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

https://linktr.ee/RideAlongEMTSchool

Mike and Max (with Jonathan bringing the paramedic perspective) tackle life span development — how EMTs assess and interact with patients differently from infancy through late adulthood. From dehydration in infants, to psychosocial factors in adolescents, to polypharmacy in the elderly, the crew walks through the major age groups and what makes each unique in the field.

This week also features a musically Medical Term of the Week, a spotlight on the Reeves stretcher as our Tool of the Trade, and a student tip on the importance of doing truck checks. Plus, we highlight the Code Green Campaign, an organization dedicated to mental health and suicide prevention for first responders.

Episode Breakdown

08:08 – Medical Term of the Week: Psychosocial

17:12 – Life span development across age groups

20:30 – Vital sign ranges: infants vs. adults

25:04 – Psychosocial factors in kids and adolescents

34:51 – Sensitivity and communication with teens

39:45 – Early and middle adulthood: trauma and bad habits

43:04 – Late adulthood: fragility, pill burden, and polypharmacy

52:58 – Tools of the Trade: Reeves Stretcher

1:00:48 – Student Tip of the Week: Participate in truck checks

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

https://linktr.ee/RideAlongEMTSchool

Ep 5: Malfunction Junction – Pathophysiology

Mike and Jonathan (flying the “missing man formation” without Max) dive into the toughest class yet: pathophysiology. They tackle the foundational concepts of how the body’s systems work together, what happens when they fail, and why understanding compensation and perfusion is critical for EMTs.

From heart and lungs working in tandem, to the different types of shock, to how children compensate differently than adults, this episode connects classroom theory to real-world EMS. Jonathan also brings in practical field experience and an EMT instructor’s tip on how students can succeed in class.

Episode Breakdown

09:43 – Medical Term of the Week: Compensation

13:17 – Cardiovascular & respiratory systems in balance

22:53 – Compensation vs. decompensation in patients

33:02 – System-by-system breakdown: cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, renal, skin

37:08 – Shock explained: hypovolemic, cardiogenic, distributive, neurogenic, obstructive

45:53 – Perfusion and the ABCs of airway, breathing, circulation

55:00 – Adult vs. pediatric compensation (gradual decline vs. sudden crash)

1:03:22 – Tools of the Trade: (skipped this week – EMT shears coming in Ep 6)

1:04:25 – Student Tip of the Week: Don’t be afraid to ask questions (feat. EMT Instructor Ashley)

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical advice or official EMT training. Always follow your accredited instructors and local protocols.

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🚑 RideAlong: EMT School Links

https://linktr.ee/RideAlongEMTSchool