Breaking down “personal space” barriers in new EMT students can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Are there small steps we can take to facilitate their comfort levels?
Certainly! During your section on human body, skeleton, and anatomical terms, employ this simple activity. You’ll only need some file folder dots which can be obtained from any office supply store (search “round color-coding labels”). Then, pair up the students. Each time you call out a body part (or plane or location), one of the students places a colored dot on that part of his/her partner. Then, they switch. Create a list of anatomical locations and keep it ready for this activity.
The exercise gets students out of their seats, engaged in kinesthetic learning, and more comfortable touching someone else. You can even have students make up their own anatomical locations and call them out to the rest of the class.