# how do you handle your unruly medic partner?



## emt_angel25 (Sep 23, 2008)

ok so heres the deal. i work part time for the ambulance service in my town. the other day started like any normal day. we got up did house chores, rig checks, and our other daily duties. not to far into the day we start running calls. i just happend to get stuck with that particular shifts "paraGod" you all know the type. anyway the day started off pretty good. our first coulple of calls went with out problem. then it was like someone flipped a switch.

i couldnt do anything right. and it was EVERYTHING. i wasnt driving the way he liked, i couldnt say anything to him with out him yelling at me cause i had an "attitude", i couldnt spike a line right, i wasnt puttin the monitor leads on fast enough, i didnt make the cot back up how he liked.

i know that i need to talk to a supervisor but when you are stuck in a truck for 12 hours and are too busy to talk to one what do you do? any help would be absolutely wonderful!!!


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## mikie (Sep 23, 2008)

ugh I had a similar situation.  A paragod -very moody.  Could never really handle him (5x everyones size).  one day, funny and all, one day, complete jacka$$

didn't really know how to handle that...so I moved!  (no, I actually moved for other reasons, but it helped )


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## KEVD18 (Sep 23, 2008)

ive never been shy about this sort of thing. wait till after a call and confront him. dont be angry or upset or overly emotional in any way. just lay out exactly what the problem is in plain english. dont dance around it, have an adult discussion with him. be ready to redirect the discussion back on topic.

and when he says something, actually listen. maybe he's just blowing hot air, but maybe he's right. the other thing i'll reccomend to you is pick your battles. maybe its easier to make up the rack his way, or to do the leads in the order he likes. im not saying completley bend to his will but there are things worth fighting over and there are things that arent.

if that doesnt solve your problem, only then is it appropriate to take it to the boss. always try to resolve your issues at the lowest level possible.


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## traumateam1 (Sep 23, 2008)

I notice a lot of people are afraid of dealing with problems head on. I don't know why but they are. When I have a coworker who has paraGod syndrome or is just completely rude and bossy I talk to them straight up. Take them aside at the stn. and tell them what they are doing, why I don't like it, and give them options on how to change their attitude. If it keeps going on I talk to them again at the stn. but with a little attitude of my own, and if it keeps up I just full out ignore them. I tried a sensible way of dealing with the situation and then I approach the supervisor or U/C and we have a meeting. The 3 of us.


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## emt_angel25 (Sep 23, 2008)

ive called him out on it......he wouldnt have an adult discussion with me. and they way i do things on the truck has never been a problem before


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## traumateam1 (Sep 23, 2008)

That is a problem. Ignore it than. If you are doing a good job than ignore him.. he isn't your boss and has no say in how you are working, unless of course you are actually driving/attending poorly. If it keeps up talk to your supervisor and sit down with him and the super.


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## mycrofft (Sep 23, 2008)

*Then maybe it isn't the job. Get another coworker.*

You don't drive a rig with a bent wheel, don't ride one with a bent medic.


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## rhan101277 (Sep 24, 2008)

See if you can get a new partner.


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## jordanfstop (Sep 24, 2008)

Pretty much the same advice I give to anybody who is having trouble with a partner: tell your supervisor. It's what they're they for. If it's a one time thing, maybe they were having a bad day. If it's reoccurring then try to tell a supervisor a few minutes before or after your shift.


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## Outbac1 (Sep 24, 2008)

A lot of good advice here. However if my partner didn't like the way I made up a cot and was snotty about it. They would soon be making up every cot. 
Someone once said "Treat others as you would like to be treated", or words to that effect.  If polite discussion doesn't work maybe a dose of their own medicine is in order. At least until you get a partner change. Don't be shy about asking for one. If management finds they have several complaints about someone from different people, they tend to take action on it. 

  We have had those kinds of problems at our base too. Attitudes have been known to be adjusted. One medic was known to leave a huge mess in the back after even the simplest of calls. After charting an event one day they came back to the truck and asked if it was ready to go. Their partner said "No YOU have a mess to clean up", and walked away. They started to make smaller messes after that.


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## Grady_emt (Sep 24, 2008)

My partner and I get along great.  She has been at our service for 20 years, very old school, hates driving, great medic, not very technically inclined.  I come in 30 minutes early, get a truck, check everything off, she comes in gets a drug bag and we are off.  When the supervisors ask her anything about the truck or equip, its "i dont know, ask Will, I just do the paperwork"

We are both eternal smarta$$es to each other, and according to our shift captain, argue like and old married couple.  When I dont feel like listening anymore, I tell her to "Shutup and go do paperwork!"   It usually works well, and I go back to texting/computer/restocking without any interference.


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## BossyCow (Sep 24, 2008)

Sometimes being up-front, honest and direct is helpful. Try telling him/her... "You know, when you jump all over me like that it just makes it harder for me to do it the way you want me to. So, either explain to me, without being rude about it, how and why you need this done differently or shut the :censored: up"

I've also found that when someone is yelling at you in the middle of a task, sometimes just stopping until they quit yelling works. He/she may see it more as 'motivational' than critical and you need to make this an ineffective tool for getting what they want. 

My husband (EMT-P)had a co-worker (FF/EMT-B ) who has since retired who used to scream at him and the other Medics all the way back from a call about how long they took to write reports, transfer care, wasting time talking to the nurses when they could have been back at the station. Once, my husband very calmly looked at him in mid-rant and put in ear plugs.


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## TraumaJunkie (Sep 25, 2008)

5 drops of Visine in his morning coffee will do the trick lol. :glare:

btw im jk no matter how bad the partner is its just i wouldnt wish that fate on most people. 

If someones giving you problems just call them out on it. Then you can deal with it like adults. But if your partner isn't one he just might just take his scope and toys and home. lol


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## Emtint08 (Sep 25, 2008)

*paragod syndrome*

I occassionally am on the partner de jour tour, and frequently have different partners, mostly medics, and must admit I have been very lucky.  As a basic, they have been very eager to test my knowledge and help me move on to the next level.  We are all a team, and we all have a method of doing things, such as taking turns taking a call.  I have had two medics like the one you refered to ( who seems to need a little time off) like that.  I manage them as well as I can, but also do not put up with being treated like a subservent.  These two seemed to forget that they were once basics and intermediates.  I try to keep my side of the street clean.  You don't deserve to be treated like that, and the visene idea seems provocative!!!! I have thought of so many dirty tricks, but havent had the nerve to try them.  Most of them are male who see me, a female, coming and for some reason think my iq is immediatley twenty points lower than theirs.  Just keep plugging away, his time will come when your expertise will be needed and the tables will be turned.  The best thing for you is to know at the end of the day you did your job and did it well!!! Its a good lesson as to what can happen when burnout sets in.


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## wolverine (Sep 28, 2008)

EMT Angel not sure what town you work at, back in the day we went to a bar after the shift and if i had a problem with someone, I asked him to step outside and we either talked or had it out. He usualy is taking out his personal problems on you, which is very unprofessional. Just remember you can't wake up in the morning hating your job. God knows I don't do EMS for money, the pay stink I do it because I love this job, don't let someone ruin it for you


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## BEorP (Sep 28, 2008)

traumateam1 said:


> I notice a lot of people are afraid of dealing with problems head on. I don't know why but they are. When I have a coworker who has paraGod syndrome or is just completely rude and bossy I talk to them straight up. Take them aside at the stn. and tell them what they are doing, why I don't like it, and give them options on how to change their attitude. If it keeps going on I talk to them again at the stn. but with a little attitude of my own, and if it keeps up I just full out ignore them. I tried a sensible way of dealing with the situation and then I approach the supervisor or U/C and we have a meeting. The 3 of us.



Where do you work?


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## emt_angel25 (Sep 28, 2008)

well i worked with him again the other day. he jumped my *** over nothing again. i went to his shifts supervisor and talked with him about it. then the three of us had a discussion after work. it got a little intense ok it got very intense and long story short he is on suspension for 2 weeks. cause aparently im not the only one who has had the same issues


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## wolverine (Sep 29, 2008)

*Rude Parasite*

Good 4 you EMT Angel, I am glad the situation worked out. ^_^ Now I have to admit, I didn't look at your profile when I suggested you take him out back for a talk or settled it the old fashion way. Not saying you couldn't take him, I just recognize it's not the way ladies like to resolve problems :blink:


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## el Murpharino (Sep 29, 2008)

As a supervisor, one thing I've found is that some people can't leave their problems at the door.  If your partner is getting on you over nothing, maybe it's a problem they're having at home or a personal issue, and you just happen to be taking the brunt of the venting.  Obviously that's not right, but talking things out with him/her may be what they need.  If that doesn't resolve the issue, you have to be firm and tell them that regardless of what is wrong with him/her, they have no right to take it out on you.  Only after that should you take it up the chain.  I like to resolve issues at the lowest level possible before taking issues up with supervisors and management.  I've been on both sides of the venting...and on most occasions it's come down to mismanagement of stress.


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## MRE (Sep 29, 2008)

One tip for when he gets back, if you end up working with him again.

Don't mention what has happened and try to start off with a clean slate between you two.  Hopefully the suspension has made him re-think the way he conducts himself and there won't be any more problems.  If things haven't improved, its time to go back to the supervisor and let them deal with him.  But bringing up old problems and the disciplinary action will only cause new problems.


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## 41 Duck (Sep 29, 2008)

*Eeek*

I don't envy your position... particularly when the medic in question returns to work.  My vote then is to go for the clean-slate approach as well.

Best of luck to you.


Later!

--Coop


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## KEVD18 (Sep 29, 2008)

el Murpharino said:


> I like to resolve issues at the lowest level possible before taking issues up with supervisors and management.



that sounds familiar.....


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## el Murpharino (Sep 29, 2008)

Most of we Military peoples do...


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