I understand you Monkey Squasher. I have this once a week partner who seems to have an itch to use our lights and sirens. We pull out of our base at the beginning of shift to got to post, and he hits the lights just to merge with a pile of cars stopped for a red light. It's embarrassing because I'm seated next to him.
He also seems to have bad hygiene. He picks his fingernails with a knife instead of using nail clippers. It's disgusting. He's quite a joke. One time I spotted him smoking outside his rig, while his rookie partner struggles in the back with a patient with 4 tubes sticking out. He was delaying transport so he could have a smoke.
Another partner takes forever. Afraid to take vitals during transport. He prefers doing it when we arrive at destination, and he tells me to hit the engine off. I stand outside for the next 10 minutes while I view him inside, checking BP, then peripheral pulses, resps. He can't seem to multitask coz I prefer doing them all while transporting, or quickly inflate the BP cuff while on a red light or slow moving traffic. At the same time, I count the resps and heart rate. Then, he takes forever finishing his narrative at the facility. You look at his PCR and it's almost blank by the time we drop off a patient. So I ponder: "What was this guy doing the whole 20 minutes he's in the back with the patient?". THIS GUY HAS BEEN ON THE JOB FOR 2 YEARS.
I still have to correct him, like not to take BP on an AV graft or paralyzed limb. He appears shy talking over the radio like the mic has some bad odor or something. He disappears during emergency calls. I had to explain what a PICC line was. I mean, we've seen dozens of those in our careers. We were at a senior home, a 500lb guy was in pain and while waiting for lift assist, he tells me he's just gonna wait in the rig. I had to do everything on scene. Vitals, assessments, Hx, med questions, etc. Some of my driver partners take vitals while I talk to the HCP or family member/patient. This guy, no. He just vanishes.
The first guy, argued one time with a nurse that the asymptomatic, acyanotic patient was hypoxic coz the pulse Ox was at 93%, and that they should have called ALS. I had to convince him that the hospital was only 3 minutes away. Another incident was when an MD at an ER was asking the pt if he had a tetanus shot. My partner said "yes" because he saw PPD test on the med record.
Another partner would actually lay down on the bench, while the patient is in the gurney, because he was drinking the night before and had a hangover.
I have categorized partners through the years: based on skill and personality
a) clinically competent - constantly strives to better oneself - humble
b) clinically competent - talks a lot - slacker
c) clinically competent - constantly strives to better oneself - boastful
d) incompetent - but thinks he's super EMT
e) incompetent - shy and withdrawn - humble and tries to be better
f) incompetent - shy and withdrawn - hopeless
He also seems to have bad hygiene. He picks his fingernails with a knife instead of using nail clippers. It's disgusting. He's quite a joke. One time I spotted him smoking outside his rig, while his rookie partner struggles in the back with a patient with 4 tubes sticking out. He was delaying transport so he could have a smoke.
Another partner takes forever. Afraid to take vitals during transport. He prefers doing it when we arrive at destination, and he tells me to hit the engine off. I stand outside for the next 10 minutes while I view him inside, checking BP, then peripheral pulses, resps. He can't seem to multitask coz I prefer doing them all while transporting, or quickly inflate the BP cuff while on a red light or slow moving traffic. At the same time, I count the resps and heart rate. Then, he takes forever finishing his narrative at the facility. You look at his PCR and it's almost blank by the time we drop off a patient. So I ponder: "What was this guy doing the whole 20 minutes he's in the back with the patient?". THIS GUY HAS BEEN ON THE JOB FOR 2 YEARS.
I still have to correct him, like not to take BP on an AV graft or paralyzed limb. He appears shy talking over the radio like the mic has some bad odor or something. He disappears during emergency calls. I had to explain what a PICC line was. I mean, we've seen dozens of those in our careers. We were at a senior home, a 500lb guy was in pain and while waiting for lift assist, he tells me he's just gonna wait in the rig. I had to do everything on scene. Vitals, assessments, Hx, med questions, etc. Some of my driver partners take vitals while I talk to the HCP or family member/patient. This guy, no. He just vanishes.
The first guy, argued one time with a nurse that the asymptomatic, acyanotic patient was hypoxic coz the pulse Ox was at 93%, and that they should have called ALS. I had to convince him that the hospital was only 3 minutes away. Another incident was when an MD at an ER was asking the pt if he had a tetanus shot. My partner said "yes" because he saw PPD test on the med record.
Another partner would actually lay down on the bench, while the patient is in the gurney, because he was drinking the night before and had a hangover.
I have categorized partners through the years: based on skill and personality
a) clinically competent - constantly strives to better oneself - humble
b) clinically competent - talks a lot - slacker
c) clinically competent - constantly strives to better oneself - boastful
d) incompetent - but thinks he's super EMT
e) incompetent - shy and withdrawn - humble and tries to be better
f) incompetent - shy and withdrawn - hopeless