# Will it get better?



## jonathanrs89 (Apr 6, 2012)

I recently started an emt job, mostly transports from dialysis home and so on a couple er calls once in a while. While I run calls with other emts its a smooth ride, im learning if i ask they clear my mind. But when I run with fto, he is a completely rude person. I cannot ask anything unless I want a "are you seriously asking that, youre stupid" literally. The manager likes him so I cant do crap. And the other emts just go along with "well thats just him". Other new emts get this treatment. It is really a pain. Is that just in every company or am I just in the wrong place. I had met other emt's and medics and they were not disrespectful and condescending as this pos.  Last shift I was about to just walk away in the middle of it. It just did not seemed right getting paid 8.50 to get this treatment where in my retail job i make more and get treated better.


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## jonathanrs89 (Apr 6, 2012)

I recently started an emt job, mostly transports from dialysis home and so on a couple er calls once in a while. While I run calls with other emts its a smooth ride, im learning if i ask they clear my mind. But when I run with fto, he is a completely rude person. I cannot ask anything unless I want a "are you seriously asking that, youre stupid" literally. The manager likes him so I cant do crap. And the other emts just go along with "well thats just him". Other new emts get this treatment. It is really a pain. Is that just in every company or am I just in the wrong place. I had met other emt's and medics and they were not disrespectful and condescending as this pos.  Last shift I was about to just walk away in the middle of it. It just did not seemed right getting paid 8.50 to get this treatment where in my retail job i make more and get treated better. I just need some hope, I know I am new, but patients actually like me, and I treat them with respect. My weakness is mapping, as we dont have a gps. I just have this huge amount of stress, but it is not even over the actual job or calls, but the treatment from this person. Any suggestions, is that how FTOs are everywhere? should I just quit and stick to retail and volunteer and wait for a better company.?


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## STXmedic (Apr 6, 2012)

Good luck finding a job that doesn't have someone that pisses you off. That's not just EMT jobs. That's anywhere. You just have to learn to brush them off. 

Learn your job the best you can. Consider advice when given, even if you have to sift through negativity. If it gets to the point where you dread coming to work every day, start looking for a new job. But don't let one toolbag run you off so easily. Show that you're eager to learn (and actually learning instead of having to be told 5 times) and I'm sure he'll lighten up for you.


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## BEorP (Apr 6, 2012)

Regardless of what you decide, do not walk away in the middle of the shift. Professionalism is obviously important to you, so even if you choose to go, be sure that you go out in a professional way.


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## bigbaldguy (Apr 6, 2012)

It's not that way everywhere. Stick with it. There is a lot of "attitude" wrapped up in EMS unfortunetly. Most of this attitude come from people who are very insecure. Acting like a jerk to the new guy is just their way of dealing with it.


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## Anjel (Apr 6, 2012)

You HAVE to have a tough skin in EMS.

Its not like you have to work with.him forever. Just ignore the attidue and do your job. 

If you have questions ask other employees. You need a foot in the door in EMS somewhere. So at least get some experience before going back to retail.


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## Anjel (Apr 6, 2012)

How about you also don't double post.

Its frowned upon.


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## ffemt8978 (Apr 6, 2012)

Duplicate threads merged.


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## jonathanrs89 (Apr 6, 2012)

sorry about the double post, i clicked it twice because of my internet. Thanks for the advice, that is the reason I accepted the job, just to get my foot in the door and get experience. I guess I just have to make the best of it.


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## bigdogems (Apr 6, 2012)

Your always going to have people like that. And depending how long they've been there they may just be that typical pissed off old guy that is mad because the never made it out of there. On the other hand when I was a FTO and Supervisor I would get some new employees who you'd think never went to school. A FTOs job should be to further your knowledge and train you how the company does things. Not teach new people how to be a EMT. Don't misunderstand that for me saying you are one of those new EMTs. Just playing devils advocate a bit


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## Sam Adams (Apr 6, 2012)

At some point you're going to have to stand up for yourself. What I mean is that you are going to run into a patient care situation where someone wants to do something detrimental to your patient. You, as the patient advocate, are going to have to stand up, grab your coin purse, and put an end to it. It will get nasty. Perhaps, as an FTO, he's seeing if you have what it takes to stand up for yourself


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## jonathanrs89 (Apr 6, 2012)

Yeah, after talking about it with other people that was my thought too. He probably either is insecure and thinks he is better than all new emt's or he wants us to stand up to him. Because i notice none of the new guys do. They just look down and take it when he picks on them. And the questions i have all do with paperwork because i do not want to make a mistake. I ask it once and learn it. But apparently it is frown upon to want to not make mistakes. Well see,


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## KyleG (Apr 6, 2012)

It will get better when you re on your own. I got lucky and had a super cool fto. But once you take what he taught you to another partner you'll be fine.

Also Im assuming EMT isn't the final stop and some of the FTO are just stuck there and they really wanted to go fire or medic but are stuck making nothing at some BLS job doing gurney runs. Just stick it out get to the ultimate goal is way better then this job.

Sent from my iPhone so don't judge my gramer.


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## jonathanrs89 (Apr 7, 2012)

Yeah to begin with, I heard lots of bad things about this company, which I wont name for obvious reasons. But it is what it is, I need the experience and my goal is medic eventually fire, or medic then PA school. Or wildland and work my way up to battallion chief. I guess I just kinda got used to cool EMTs, medics, firefighters, a rotten apple shouldnt kill my dream. Great advice thanks.


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## KyleG (Apr 7, 2012)

jonathanrs89 said:


> Yeah to begin with, I heard lots of bad things about this company, which I wont name for obvious reasons. But it is what it is, I need the experience and my goal is medic eventually fire, or medic then PA school. Or wildland and work my way up to battallion chief. I guess I just kinda got used to cool EMTs, medics, firefighters, a rotten apple shouldnt kill my dream. Great advice thanks.



NP my dad keeps me grounded with this same speech.


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## Cindigo (Apr 7, 2012)

I'm in the middle of clinicals. It's nearing the end of class so people who were done with the required (or more) amount of ambulance rides were asked not to go on anymore until the rest of the class (and paramedic school) could finish theirs. So, I switched over to going into the ED once or twice a week instead. On Thursday a girl in my skills lab group was saying that twice on her ED shift a nurse "body checked" her. I didn't say too much because it sounded exaggerated and the girl seems a little "scrappy". I thought maybe there probably was more to the story. 

I worked in the ED last night and sure enough I got elbowed in the ribs by a RN in one of the trauma rooms. There was no mistaking it. I'm respectful, make damn sure I'm not in the way, help in whatever way I can and will do anything anyone asks of me. I thought it was a mistep and jumped out of the way apologising while I was doing so. She didn't say anything, just glared at me for two seconds too long and kept walking.

I was like "Really? Did that just happen? That.....could not have just happened". But, whatever, her problem, and I just kept on with my night.

Later, I was walking by one of the trauma rooms containing one PT and one nurse. She had his arm out on a rolling metal exam table and was looking at his hand really intently under one focused, bright light. I went in and stood behind her. She looked over her shoulder and said "Oh wow, look at this". 

The guy had a hand laceration about three inches long across and all the way down to the tendon of his little finger. The tendon was partially damaged, but not enough to stitch it. She said, "can you help me with this?" I grabbed some gloves and flexed and extended his finger so she could probe into the wound deeper and look at what was going on better. 

That interaction erased X10 the earlier interaction with nurse :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: face.

My point is, to chime in with all the others.....don't let the :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored::censored::censored:s grind you down. Do your best and let the positive people and experiences feed you, and the negative ones roll off your soul the best you can. It sucks to be new, but you (we) won't be new forever.


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## Vivian (Apr 14, 2012)

I'd suggest if it gets too bad confront him in private about it. I wouldn't let it get you so worked up that you want to walk away on the job. Be polite but let him know you won't let him push you around. Worst case scenario he dislikes you, but thats not grounds to fire you. EMS is a team effort, I imagine that extends to IFT work, you're no good if you can't function together.

I know a lot of companies when you are with them long enough will let you request shifts or at least not to work with certain people, so if things don't get better just try to stick it out until you get a chance to not ride with him.


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## jonathanrs89 (Apr 18, 2012)

yeah, its been 3 weeks, she is just like that to all the new people, there are about 8 or 9 newbies. Even to long term people he/she is just a bitter person i guess. I actually do not laugh at his dumb jokes nor go along when he picks on people. I noticed when I work with my other emts everything is smooth, as little thing as lifting the gurney, but he is finally going to medic school after 4 yrs and luckily we wont see him as much,


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## cynikalkat (Apr 18, 2012)

It does get better. Ignore those d-bags who act like they're big shots and just do your job.


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## Maine iac (Apr 18, 2012)

It'll get better. The partnership might always suck, but you will be more comfortable with the job.

One way to deal with these types is.... "Don't :censored: talk to me, and I wont :censored: talk to you. When we are on calls we will both be professional. If I ask you to do something you will do it. If you ask me to do something I will do it. To the pt it will seem like we are best :censored: friends."

Key thing is to make some allies at work whom you can ask questions of.

I just moved to a large metro area, am completely knew to the area, and thus don't know any roads (for the most part). I tell my co-worker straight up I don't know where the :censored: I am going. I'll gladly take a few minutes and map it out, or you can just tell me and deal with having to give me directions. So far most have been accommodating. 

You just have to remember when it is your pt, and you are signing the chart, it is YOUR pt. Don't let them start driving you to the hospital before you are ready to go, or do other things you don't want.


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