Staying on top--9 rules for surviving and excelling on the streets

When EMS providers at both the BLS and ALS levels leave their training programs, they are armed with newfound knowledge, but they usually lack the appropriate life experiences to excel and survive on the streets. As these new providers enter the real world of EMS, they face the challenge of making life-and-death decisions in uncontrolled environments. This includes making the appropriate decisions while functioning effectively--even in potentially dangerous settings. The high job stress this creates often leads to burnout and, in many systems, high turnover rates. This need not be the situation, however, as field providers can learn to survive and excel in the streets by using the following nine rules.