VitalNotes

Paramedic Thinking. Essential Ideas. One Page at a Time.

Common Errors and How to Learn From Them

Why Focus on Mistakes?

Mistakes Aren’t Failures—They’re Feedback

Mistakes don’t make you a bad student. They make you human.

The best clinicians aren’t the ones who never mess up. They’re the ones who notice what went wrong, reflect honestly, and adapt their thinking.

This page helps you normalize error, analyze it without judgment, and turn every misstep into progress.

You’re not here to be perfect. You’re here to get sharper.

Why This Matters

It’s easy to walk away from a scenario thinking:

  • “I blew it.”
  • “I should’ve known that.”
  • “I’m not cut out for this.”

But mistakes are part of the process. And the faster you start reviewing them with structure instead of shame, the faster you grow.

This page gives you a post-error framework you can use weekly.

5 Common Student Errors (and How to Learn From Them)

1. Anchoring on the First Diagnosis

Mistake: Locking onto one idea too early and filtering everything else through it
Fix: Build a habit of differentials.

Ask: “What else could this be?” before you treat

Try this: After each scenario, write 3 possible causes—even if you’re sure

2. Over-focusing on Protocols, Not Patients

Mistake: Trying to make the patient fit a directive instead of thinking about what’s actually happening
Fix: Step back.

Ask: “What’s the patient’s story?” → Then use directives as tools, not templates

Add to your notes: “What directive did I reach for too quickly?”

3. Missing Red Flags

Mistake: Overlooking danger signs because of tunnel vision, stress, or assumptions
Fix: Build a “red flag radar” over time.

Ask after each case: “What did I underestimate or miss?”

Tip: Create an Obsidian note called [[Red Flags I’ve Missed]] and review it weekly

4. Incomplete Assessments

Mistake: Skipping pieces like BGL, 12-lead, lung sounds, or pupils under pressure
Fix: Build micro-checklists into your routine. Repetition builds reflex

Example: Create a Permanent Note called [[Primary Survey Mental Cues]]

5. Letting Stress Flatten Your Thinking

Mistake: Rushing, freezing, or forgetting basics under pressure
Fix: Practice under mild stress. Use reset cues:
→ “Take a breath”
→ “Recheck ABCs”
→ “What’s changed in the last 2 minutes?”

Use Pomodoro-style drills to rehearse calm decision-making

Use the “What Happened” Loop

After any mistake, walk through this:

  1. What actually happened? (Just the facts)
  2. Why did it happen? (Anchoring? Knowledge gap? Rushed?)
  3. What will I change next time? (Add a cue? Note? Card? Mental checklist?)

Example:

  • Scenario: Missed crackles → gave fluids in CHF
  • Why: Anchored on low BP, skipped auscultation
  • Change: Add “lung sounds” to ABCDE mental map
    → Update Obsidian note: [[CHF Assessment Pattern]]
    → Add Anki card: “CHF + crackles = give fluids?” → “No—contraindicated”

Reflection Prompts

Use these after scenarios or during your weekly review:

  • What mistake did I make this week—and what did it teach me?
  • What’s a pattern I’ve repeated more than once?
  • What do I keep missing under pressure?
  • How would I explain this mistake to a new student, so they don’t repeat it?

Tip: Add your answer to the bottom of your scenario notes or MOC

Normalize It: Even Good Medics Mess Up

Error doesn’t mean you’re unqualified. It means you’re learning.

What matters is what you do next.

Tracking your own missteps with honesty and curiosity leads to:

  • Safer patient care
  • Sharper critical thinking
  • Stronger clinical instincts
  • Greater self-trust

Final Thought

Mistakes are data.
When you reflect, they become insight.
When you review, they become memory.
When you adjust, they become growth.

You’re not expected to get it right every time. But you are expected to learn every time.

I. Learning Foundations

Build a strong system for thinking, studying, and remembering in high-pressure fields.

II. Practical Application

Move from theory to field-ready practice. These tools help bridge simulation, lab, and real calls.

  • Scenario Days – Make Learning Stick
    How to get more from scenario practice using repetition, debriefs, and learning loops. Turn repetition into retention.
  • Mastering Directive Decision-Making
    A breakdown of how to use directives in real-time, with pattern recognition, logic triggers, and threshold thinking.
  • Reflecting Without Journaling
    Not everyone journals—this guide offers quick, low-resistance alternatives to build metacognition through regular reflection.
  • Lab Integration Guide
    Use lab sessions to build decision-making habits, not just check off skills. Includes scenario prep, debriefing, and error capture.

III. Clinical Reasoning

Develop clarity under pressure. These pages train your diagnostic eye, pattern sense, and mental workflow.

IV. Resources

Your support tools: guides, summaries, templates, and setup walkthroughs.

  • Summary
    Recap of the big ideas behind VitalNotes: learn reflectively, study actively, and build a system that supports decision-making under pressure.
  • Helpful Resources
    Downloadables and quick-reference tools: directive cue sheets, Anki decks, debrief templates, and scenario aids.
  • Anki Setup & Use Guide
    Step-by-step instructions for downloading, customizing, and optimizing Anki for long-term retention.
  • Obsidian Setup & Use Guide
    How to build a clinical note vault in Obsidian: folder structures, templates, and linking strategies.
  • Sources and References
    A list of research and literature that supports the methods taught in the blog, with commentary on their application to clinical learning.