Stressed out partners.....

[emtCourt31]

Ok so yesterday was my first official day on the job. It was just me and my partner.

Here's how it went...

We had to pick up a patient at a local hospital and take him acrossed the street to an extended care facility. My phone said the distance was a total of .4 miles. I don't know how it took us 30 minutes to go .4 miles but it did. My partner was yelling at me in the back asking for directions, while I was taking vitals. He was driving like a maniac, I swear I almost fell on the patient 3 times because he would break super hard, punch the gas, and turn on two wheels practically. I explained to him that I couldn't see where we are, I set up my phone for directions and he was unable to read it (iphone btw) it doesn't take a rocket scientiest to read one of those.

We finally get our patient to the facility and check him in. When we were cleaning the rig, I blatenly told him he needs to calm down, to stop and take a breather. I've never seen a guy get so stressed out over something so little before. Later I find out he's only been with the company for 3 weeks and that this was his first time alone with another partner. I literally almost started laughing uncontrollably. I couldn't believe that it was my first day too and we were together. I felt like I was training this guy.

Anyways I gave him a break and took over driving for the next call. It went smoothly. I was told by my trainer to drive like you have a glass of water on the dashboard when theres a patient in the back. We get the patient to the facility in a timely manner. However, my partner was unable to get a set of vitals enroute, and it took him forever to do paperwork. By this time I was so ready for this day to be over.

Ok so......... our 3rd call comes around and it's the exact hospital and the exact destination from the first call. My partner said he wanted to try again so I gave him the keys and we headed to the facility. Guess what happens? Genius once again couldn't find the facility, he tells me what street he's on and I roll my eyes. My patient at least was super funny and was blaming his lack of directional skills on him being a man. We finally get to the facility and my partner is once again flustered and stressed out.

How do you deal with a partner that gets so stressed out easily? If I had more time with the company under my belt I would maybe say something to my supervisor but I'm not a rat. But this guy is in no way ready, I honestly believe he needs more training. So what should I do? This was only a one time thing, he normally works graveyard, and I work during the say so we wont be working together again. But i'm scared for his patients :sad:

 

[JPINFV]

0.4 miles? OC? Is this from a hospital on a bluff over looking the harbor to a nursing home with a boat theme?

 

[emtCourt31]

0.4 miles? OC? Is this from a hospital on a bluff over looking the harbor to a nursing home with a boat theme?

I think we're talking about the samething lol

 

[MusicMedic]

i think they should fire him, and hire me instead!!!!

but in all seriousness, if its the first day, maybe he was just really really nervous, and when people get nervous they tend to freakout and mess up. id say if he continues this behavior after a few weeks, then it would be wise to possibly get him reevaluated

 

[JPINFV]

Few things.

1. If the company doesn't provide a Thomas Bros. Guide (they should), but one.

2. Ask if your company has put together a facility listing packet. The OC company I used to work for handed out a 5-6 page packet with facility names, addresses, phone numbers, and map page/grid number for the Thomas Guide. Some of the facilities were visited almost daily while others once in a blue moon, however it was definitely helpful.

 

[EchoMikeTango]

Id say give him a break, maybe some High Flow 02 via NRB.

maybe he just had a rough day. I wouldent judge him on one occurence.
You never know what a book is like until you read the first couple of pages.

 

[46Young]

As far as this individual's pt care, make sure that you do your own assessment and baseline vitals on the floor. Do not allow this person to ride in the capt's seat, but rather beside the pt. Be firm on this. As a BLS txp unit, you shouldn't be transporting any unstable pts. If the pt's BP is high on the floor, or some other abnormality, be sure that the sending MD has been advised and directs pt txp anyway. This should be documented. If something goes wrong in the back during txp while you're driving, at least you did your own assessment and can honestly say that your partner was riding alongside your pt. Whatever happens in the back is out of your hands otherwise.

For PCR documentation times, the dispatchers will eventually know who's slow and who's fast. Extended onscene/destination times shouldn't reflect on you personally as such.

For the driving issue, I'd speak up about the rough driving before you or the pt get hurt. You don't need to bang your head on something or throw your shoulder out of socket while trying to hold on, should you need to unbuckle (always ride with a seatbelt on) for pt care reasons. I know someone who died in an ambulance MVA.

For the issue of directions, the newly released may not know the area, and will need directions. If it's a month later, there's no excuse, tell your partner that you cant hold their hand; finding locations is a necessary skill for an EMT. Maybe buy your own map if one's not supplied to you.

Get partnered with a medic if you can. You'll see sick pts, you'll be learning from someone with at least some IFT experience, and the responsibility of pt care is on them. The medic should be calmer and less of a nut job (maybe).

 

[EchoMikeTango]

Sorry guys. Newbie question. what is IFT?

 

[kkhartzog]

Sorry guys. Newbie question. what is IFT?

IFT is Inner Facility Transport

 

[JPINFV]

For the issue of directions, the newly released may not know the area, and will need directions. If it's a month later, there's no excuse, tell your partner that you cant hold their hand; finding locations is a necessary skill for an EMT. Maybe buy your own map if one's not supplied to you.

It's not that simple as "learning the area." While I'm not sure which company the OP works for, the IFT scene in Orange County can have units scattered around a 500+ sq. mile region (more if running calls on the LA side of the county line like Long Beach and Whittier). It's very easy to be running calls in one area in the morning and find yourself running calls 30 miles away in the afternoon. This simply isn't the area where driving around on your day off is feasible. Similarly, with 23 hospitals (not counting the numerous ones just Northwest of the county line), even remembering how to get to all of the hospitals from the freeway is a pretty big task. Especially if you find yourself at some of the hospitals only once in a blue moon (for example, in a 2 year stretch I ended up at one hospital 2 times. Similarly, there are 2 other hospitals where I never transported to the ER, one of which probably took me 6 months to a year before I even knew it existed).

Get partnered with a medic if you can. You'll see sick pts, you'll be learning from someone with at least some IFT experience, and the responsibility of pt care is on them. The medic should be calmer and less of a nut job (maybe).

Orange County does not allow private companies to have paramedics.

 

[alphatrauma]

IFT is Inter-Facility Transport

*fixed*

 

[emtCourt31]

We had both the Thomas guide and the binder full of all the addresses of every hospital, nursing home, extended care facilities, etc. I forgot to mention I did map it out for him.

Oh and he's been an EMT before, I found that out. He had 3 weeks of training. I only had 4 days because our trainers hand in reports of our progress, and based off those my boss thought I was ready, and I am.

 

[JPINFV]

The sad thing is that if this is the trip I think it is, there's an entire 1 turn involved. Go straight at the lights by the ER. Turn right at the first road. SNF is on the right at the end of the road.

 

[SanDiegoEmt7]

We had both the Thomas guide and the binder full of all the addresses of every hospital, nursing home, extended care facilities, etc. I forgot to mention I did map it out for him.

Oh and he's been an EMT before, I found that out. He had 3 weeks of training. I only had 4 days because our trainers hand in reports of our progress, and based off those my boss thought I was ready, and I am.

Throughout your time spent with IFT you will interact with partners of many different personalities and competency levels.

In regards to competency, the best you can do is help them become a better EMT by giving them advice, tips, explanations, training that helped you (the cup of water on the dash), etc.

When it comes to personality, we all have bad days. It might not be fair to judge someone on their first day. That said, I have definitely worked with people that I was unable to get along with over a span of multiple shifts, either do to their bedside manner, negative attitude, or just do to our personalities not agreeing with one another.

You aren't going to work with this person regularly so I wouldn't fret too much over it.

 

[Sasha]

As far as this individual's pt care, make sure that you do your own assessment and baseline vitals on the floor. Do not allow this person to ride in the capt's seat, but rather beside the pt. Be firm on this.

As they are both basics, she can't make him do anything. They are equals. I also prefer the airway chair over the bench if the patient was stable and treatment was done. I could watch the monitor from the airway chair, and verbally reasses. It's safer and less bumpy.

I also noticed my handwriting is better when I sit in the airway chair, for some odd reason. Also if she is working in a van, the curve of the side is killer on the back, and the airway chair is more comfortable.

 

[Shishkabob]

As they are both basics, she can't make him do anything. They are equals. I also prefer the airway chair over the bench if the patient was stable and treatment was done. I could watch the monitor from the airway chair, and verbally reasses. It's safer and less bumpy.

Even if she was a medic she couldn't "make" him do anything.



As for airway vs bench... if the pt is stable (which they should be on a BLS truck... but still do your assessment) then there is nothing wrong with going to the captains seat. Many pts would rather sleep then have you stare right at them, so I tend to get all the biggies done right away, then just let them know I'll be checking in on them periodically.

 

[Sasha]

Even if she was a medic she couldn't "make" him do anything.



As for airway vs bench... if the pt is stable (which they should be on a BLS truck... but still do your assessment) then there is nothing wrong with going to the captains seat. Many pts would rather sleep then have you stare right at them, so I tend to get all the biggies done right away, then just let them know I'll be checking in on them periodically.

If she was a medic, she takes the fall for anything that happens on that truck, and she has a right to tell him how to treat the patient.