Medical Questions Are Hard: Use A Winning Strategy
Medical certification exams, especially in the EMS field, are known for their challenging multiple choice questions. Preparing a strategy, and practicing it, is necessary to excel in these exams. Here is my method for answering these questions. Also available below is a video presentation of this method. 1. Don’t look at the answers yet. Cover up […]
The Cover Letter Dilemma: Yeah, You Need One
EMS was called to the parking lot of a grocery store by a bystander who r I know, I know, it’s the one of the worst parts of applying for a job and you’re probably asking yourself who reads those things anyway. And you’re mostly right – about 83% of employers either skip past the […]
Banish the Beast: Test Anxiety
You’re walking along, about to step into the pedestrian crosswalk on a green light, when out of nowhere a car screeches around the corner and rushes past just inches from you. You stop, put a hand on your chest as if to hold in your pounding heart, feel a cold shiver run through your entire […]
How to Become a SAR K9 Handler
Northstar SAR Team requires each handler to be a SAR Technician II, and just last weekend a group of five of us K9 handlers completed the SAR Tech II field exams and we all passed! This was the second and final component of the national credentialing process through NASAR (National Association of Search and Rescue). […]
Our 6 Year Anniversary Party
On April 29th, we hosted a party to celebrate our 6 year company anniversary, and also unveiled our brand new training ambulance! Attendees ate, drank (James’s homemade beer!), and checked out our facility and the new ambulance – then they went home with some free swag! A huge thank you to everyone who attended the […]
Search and Rescue K9s Throughout History
Working and training with the Northstar Search and Rescue (SAR) Team has given me a deep appreciation for handlers and their dogs. I became curious about the beginnings of SAR and when dogs were first recognized as having the ability, the willingness, and the desire to track and save humans. Which highly recognizable breed do […]
Landing Zone Safety
The coming of spring and warm weather means more ATV, motorcycle, boating, and other outdoor activity related accidents. This is a good time of the year to remind our first responders about medical helicopter landing zone safety. Life Link III relies on first responders to secure a landing zone for our helicopter prior to […]
RN to EMT Challenge
RN to EMT Transition Over the years, several RNs have used our program to add an EMT license to their healthcare qualifications. In order to do this, the RN can take our abbreviated online EMT course (about 30 hours), have current BLS certification, and pass the NREMT Psychomotor Skills Exam, then take the NREMT cognitive […]
Orientation Woes
During any sort of employment orientation, one would expect that a more experienced employee would oversee the new employee for a set period of time. Once a certain set period of time is complete, the company expects the “greenie” to be oriented, and know how to complete daily tasks. Ta Da! Orientation is complete. While […]
K9 Rebel
Imagine having a puppy with so much energy and drive that she never stops. Leave her alone and she will chew up anything in sight, including walls! Would you deliberately choose that dog because of her extreme play drive and noisy barking? Well that’s Rebel, a rambunctious, energetic, and talented Labrador retriever from much-awarded hunting […]
