I am intrested in career in EMT.

[dc1mike12]

Hi there, thanks for reading my post. I am 21 and live in Austin texas and am thinking about becoming an EMT. I do have questions however, and because school guideance counslers are essentially being fased out by computers they suggested I talk to someone currently in the field. With this said, I do have some questions and would be very intrested in talking to a currently employed EMT professional either through email or other instant messeging service. **Removed contact info**. Thanks for the help and look forward to hearing from someone

 

[ffemt8978]

Feel free to post your questions here, where there is a larger audience to answer them.

 

[dc1mike12]

Here is a list of questions I can think of at the moment .

-what is a typical work week like?
- how long are shifts?
-are there short/long term risk factors of the job?
- average pay scale/ overtime / night differential?
- what do you do during down time ?
- what are benefits of the job.
- what are the worst parts of the job.
-typical places that are hiring ?
- is there a ride along program like the police ?

Thanks in advance for the help !

 

[usafmedic45]

The key points here:
-Expect little pay and generally even less respect. Think slightly less respect than most people give a fast food manager and you're somewhere in the ballpark.
-You will see people at their absolute worst and their absolute best. More of the former than the latter unfortunately.
-The hours suck.
-You will be at a high risk of developing PTSD because of things you see multiple times during your career.
-This job is nothing like they show on TV: the "good calls" in the eyes of most rookies (gruesome car accidents, cardiac arrests, gunshot wounds, etc) are the minority of our calls. When I was a quality control officer for a medical director who oversaw a multiple county area, the statistics showed that these calls made up roughly 5% of what we did. However, remember that your "good call" is someone "really bad day" and potentially their last.

We are here for our patients, nothing more and nothing less. It's not about anyone's ego or adrenaline fix. If you want to help people or to make sure they have someone there to provide an empathetic ear, look further into this field. If you're looking to drive fast, be cool, see a lot of "awesome stuff", then please keep right on moving.

Any questions?

 

[usafmedic45]

1-what is a typical work week like?
2- how long are shifts?
3-are there short/long term risk factors of the job?
4-average pay scale/ overtime / night differential?
5- what do you do during down time ?
6- what are benefits of the job.
7- what are the worst parts of the job.
8-typical places that are hiring ?
9- is there a ride along program like the police ?

1- Depends on where you work.
2- Normally 12 or 24 hours.
3- Numerous. Basically everything that goes along with a high stress environment where you are sleep deprived, forced to lift heavy things and are riding around in vehicles all day. Heart attacks, strokes and divorces are all common in our ranks. Being a flight nurse or flight paramedic is literally the most dangerous job in America (three to five times more dangerous than being one of the guys on Deadliest Catch).
4- For basic EMT, minimum wage to $12 an hour. For paramedics, $12 an hour to $24 an hour (with a LOT of experience) is generally the range I have seen.
5- Eat, sleep, watch TV, read (if you're so inclined) and surf the internet.
6- Access to narcotics. Just kidding....you get to take care of people and occasionally- very occasionally- you can say with certainty that you made a difference from a clinical standpoint.
7- The pay, the hours, the lack of respect, the lack of opportunities to advance without getting out of the field; also see: http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=22939
8- Ambulance services? Although in many urban areas you'll be hard pressed to find a job because the market is so oversaturated.
9- Most places....no. Thank you privacy laws. LOL

 

[Lady_EMT]

First off, I'm going to throw some harsh truth in here. There are many positives, but the same amount of negatives. Also, don't be ready to get hired right out of class. It doesn't work that way. For the most part, you're only going to get hired if you have connections, or if you've been doing this forever. **YES there are exceptions to this, but this is how the game is played in my neck of the woods.

-what is a typical work week like? Depends on if you're full or part time. Shifts are usually 12 hours long. and if you're working a PM to AM shift, many companies have policies against sleeping during your shift. And if you're in a busy enough area, getting a bathroom break is hard enough, let alone some shut eye.

- how long are shifts? As stated above, normal shifts are 12 hours long.

-are there short/long term risk factors of the job? Bloodborne diseases are always a risk, among other fluid transmitted diseases. There are many easy ways to protect you from these things, but sometimes it's difficult. Physical injuries are always in play, especially if you don't know how to properly lift. Long term risk factors include burnout, as well as forming a certain apathy towards real life situations. Relationships are difficult in this field as well. You need to be able to form sturdy foundations with someone who is willing to accept that you may have to leap up in the middle of dinner and run out when the tones drop, and that there's no definate way to have a solid schedual. This is especially true if you're a volunteer.

-average pay scale/ overtime / night differential? Not sure about this one. In my area, EMTs/AEMTs get around $14/hr, while Medics make a bit more. Not sure if there's a night differential. It all matters on who you're employed through.

-what do you do during down time ? SLEEP. lol. If you're lucky enough to have downtime, and depending on company policies, you can sleep, eat, drive around in the rig, hang around on the computer, use your phone, play a game, read, etc.

- what are benefits of the job. You learn how to react in emergency situations. In some places, if you're lucky, you can earn a spot in a strong support system. You will never meet people like those in EMS. And, if it's for you, you'll find something that you can love day and night.

-what are the worst parts of the job. risk for disease/injury, having a bad partner, getting burnt out, crappy pay and hours, seeing people in their worst, being in situations that put normal people through hell.

-typical places that are hiring ? Thats really area dependent. Volunteer companies are usually always accepting applications.

-is there a ride along program like the police ? Volunteering is always a good way to get your foot in the door, and gain invaluble experience. Also, through your class you can usually get field ride time with the local paid service. It was mandatory during my classes.

There are many pros and cons to this field. The biggest one is this job is NOT meant for everyone. You need to be a certain kind of crazy to do this job. But there are always people that are willing to lend support and information to help you succeed.

Good luck in your travels, and we're always here to answer any questions or issues you're having.

 

[DesertMedic66]

The pay for EMTs varies widely. It all depends in your area. In my area some are only making $9/hr. I make $10.21 for 12 hour shifts and $8 an hour for 24 hour shifts. At a second medical job I make $9 an hours.

 

[firetender]

Remember...

...if any of this discourages you, you weren't meant to do the work. Nothing negative about that. It really DOES take a certain type. If we should ever figure out what that certain type is, you'll probably hear about it here, first!

 

[DesertMedic66]

...if any of this discourages you, you weren't meant to do the work. Nothing negative about that. It really DOES take a certain type. If we should ever figure out what that certain type is, you'll probably hear about it here, first!

Uhhhh crazy and demented come to mind........

 

[mycrofft]

Get to drive sleek, modern vehicles

If you're lucky

 

[orange20medic]

Here is a list of questions I can think of at the moment .

-what is a typical work week like?
- how long are shifts?
-are there short/long term risk factors of the job?
- average pay scale/ overtime / night differential?
- what do you do during down time ?
- what are benefits of the job.
- what are the worst parts of the job.
-typical places that are hiring ?
- is there a ride along program like the police ?

Thanks in advance for the help !

1. Typical work week depends on where you work. Full time normally works between 36 and 48 hours where I'm from.
2. This also depends on where you live. I've worked shifts that are 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, 24, and 48 hours. Where I currently work, we work 3 12 hr shifts.
3. Average pay scale here is usually 9-10 for basics, 11-13 for intermediates, and 15 for medics. Medics also get more pay if they have an associates degree or bachelors degree in something that has to do with the field. Some places offer night differentials, but not many offer them.
4. Where I work, we are required to post in our trucks with them not running. We aren't allowed cell phones, computers, books, etc. Pretty much we sit there and study if we are in school.
5. Benefits of the jobs are helping people and making friends of your parnters.
6. Worst parts? People dying, boredom, divorce, back problems, injuries, low pay scale...
7. I've noticed the Transfer companies are ALWAYS hiring. They also have a high turnover rate. Where I live, the county organization only hires intermediates or medics.
8. Ride along programs are usually reserved for those in EMT school or medic school. You might be able to find a place that gives you one ride along.

 

[Aerin-Sol]

4. Where I work, we are required to post in our trucks with them not running. We aren't allowed cell phones, computers, books, etc. Pretty much we sit there and study if we are in school.

How do you study if you aren't allowed to have books? And how exactly is this enforced? Do you have a third person supervisor on every truck who goes "omg you're reading? fired!" if you pull out a book? Not being allowed books/cell phones during downtime is one of the silliest policies I've heard of.

...if any of this discourages you, you weren't meant to do the work. Nothing negative about that. It really DOES take a certain type. If we should ever figure out what that certain type is, you'll probably hear about it here, first!

I disagree. I'd be discouraged about some of the things here if I didn't realize they were company-specific rather than profession-specific, ie, I wouldn't want to make minimum wage, I wouldn't want to be on-call when I'm at home, & I wouldn't want to work 24-hour shifts.


For the OP, it depends on what you want to do after class & where you live. I work for an IFT company, which means few emergency calls & lots of non-emergency transfers between medical facilities for people with dementia/mental retardation/physical issues that necessitate an ambulance. I work PRN, so I choose my own hours, and I make around $10/hr. I got hired right after passing the national registry, and I love my job -- I can work around my college schedule & most of my patients are pleasant elderly people. The only real stress is when I work with an annoying partner, and even then I know that I can just avoid them in the future.

However, if I wanted to work for the 911 service, it would be a 3-6 month hiring process, I'd work around 60 hours/week with no scheduling flexibility, & it would be stressful for all of the reasons already mentioned.

To answer your questions for my job:

The shifts are typically 10 hrs (which may run over), but some people work 12s & some people work 16s, if they request them. The risk factors are getting a disease, which is unlikely if you're not foolish, burning out, which can happen at every job, & getting a physical injury, which is difficult to do as you can always request assistance with overweight patients. During downtime, I read/study/text. The benefits are the low-stress environment, brightening up a patient's day, getting paid well for the low level of training required & the high amount of scheduling flexibility, but I don't get health insurance. It is generally much easier to get hired at an IFT service like mine than a 911 service.

 

[nonameheroes]

from what Sara22emt said about no books, I think they mean like normal type books like Harry Potter, or Steven King...those types. I've never seen a company that would discipline you for studying up in a school book or even a more updated version for a refresher class or CE type class.

 

[HotelCo]

4. Where I work, we are required to post in our trucks with them not running. We aren't allowed cell phones, computers, books, etc. Pretty much we sit there and study if we are in school.

I'd quit. Seriously.

 

[Trevor]

All these answers are VERY dependent on the company you work for... My answers are based on my company and others around here...

1-what is a typical work week like?- Mine is 48 hour work week, with 8 hours of OT built in everyweek.

2- how long are shifts?- Few different shifts to choose from: Most trucks do 2x12 hr, and a 24 hr in a week. Some do 2x24 hrs. Some 4x12 hours.

3-are there short/long term risk factors of the job?- Physical injuries are "fairly" common, some long term risks would be: possible exposure to communicable disease, physical injuries (backs and knees are common), PTSD and other emotional type problems for SOME people. Unfortunately, there is also something called burnout. Do a quick google search and learn about it. So take what some people say on here, with a grain of salt....

4-average pay scale/ overtime / night differential?- Depends on where you work. Central Texas is pretty lucky the area is paid fairly well (about the top 90thish %tile. Some Fire Based systems make more, soem private systems make less.

5- what do you do during down time ?- Anything i want... Study, work out, play XBOX, read (even non medical books {for the people who posted that above}), watch TV. Anything legal pretty much...

6- what are benefits of the job.- Feeling of helping people. Good pay (some places), fair amount of "unsupervised, free time".

7- what are the worst parts of the job.- Being away from my family for 24 hours at a time.

8-typical places that are hiring ? Generally speaking, this job has a fairly high turnover rate, so most places hire frequently. My system has a lower turnover rate, and we still hire AT LEAST 2x/year.

9- is there a ride along program like the police ? Yes. Send me a message and i can arrange it for you...

 

[HotelCo]

Here is a list of questions I can think of at the moment .

-what is a typical work week like?
24/48. 24 on, 48 off. Every third week, is five consecutive days off.
- how long are shifts?
My company offers 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, and 24 hour shifts.
-are there short/long term risk factors of the job?
Injuries, burn out, an unhealthy habit of looking at strangers veins in your everyday life.
- average pay scale/ overtime / night differential?
All the overtime I want (working 100+ hours this week), night differential.
- what do you do during down time ?
Watch TV, sleep, shoot the :censored:, play basketball, street hockey, work out, XBOX, read, drive around, run errands, people watch, eat.
- what are benefits of the job.
Lots of (unsupervised) down time, lots of OT, flexible scheduling, awesome co-workes
- what are the worst parts of the job.
Crappy calls, feces, stairs
-typical places that are hiring ?
Ambulance companies, ERs, doctor's offices, security companies
- is there a ride along program like the police ?
Yup

Thanks in advance for the help !

Hope this helps.

 

[orange20medic]

I'd quit. Seriously.

I'm well on my way to quitting- once I find a job. Don't feel like sitting in a truck in 100+ degree heat. And I like my cell phone....

 

[medicstudent101]

I'm well on my way to quitting- once I find a job. Don't feel like sitting in a truck in 100+ degree heat. And I like my cell phone....

Excuses. B)
Just kidding.
But seriously, quit ASAP!

 

[jonk970]

Dont let these guys scare you off, its a fantastic job that is very rewarding but a lot of hard work. There arent many jobs like it.

As far as your questions go, its probably quite a bit different up here in canada. But ill answer the way it is for me anyways:

Here is a list of questions I can think of at the moment .

-what is a typical work week like?
we do a mix of everyday base duties (cleaning/stocking) , transfers of patients to other facilities and emergency calls. its a decent amount of paper work and driving.
- how long are shifts?
i work 5 hours away from where i live; so my shifts are 6 days on, 6 days off. The 6 days on are on call the whole time living at the EMS base house.
-are there short/long term risk factors of the job?
tonnes hahaa, i think ive seen them all covered in this thread so far.
- average pay scale/ overtime / night differential?
the starting wage for emt at my company is $210 per day. overtime is payed on an hourly wage once youve worked on car for over 10 hours.
- what do you do during down time ?
just live regular life, watch tv, eat, sleep, live.
- what are benefits of the job.
very rewarding career. excellent life experience and a not typical life style. (i see it as a benefit)
- what are the worst parts of the job.
getting burnt out physically and emotionally
-typical places that are hiring ?
where ever you live.
- is there a ride along program like the police ?
yes, look into your local community

 

[WARR]

4. Where I work, we are required to post in our trucks with them not running. We aren't allowed cell phones, computers, books, etc. Pretty much we sit there and study if we are in school.

Wow. That's not good. AMR does the exact opposite of what your company does (besides posting)..

Hell starting up the engine takes a couple seconds, seconds that are wasted.