# Has anyone here been fired as an EMT?



## brochocinco (Oct 20, 2010)

There was a situation at work and as a result my partner and I got fired...

How hard is it going to be for me to find a new job?


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## MMiz (Oct 20, 2010)

Just read the forums and you'll see how many members we have looking for jobs in California.  Being fired from a job isn't a career ender, but it certainly will make it more challenging to find employment.

Good luck!


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## SMEMT (Oct 20, 2010)

Can you go into detail why you were fired? Did you break any laws? Did this situation result in a patient getting injured? It all really depends on what the situation is.


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## brochocinco (Oct 20, 2010)

SMEMT said:


> Can you go into detail why you were fired? Did you break any laws? Did this situation result in a patient getting injured? It all really depends on what the situation is.



Alright heres what happened:

My partner and I were removing a patient from the back of the rig..there was a small slope on the curb and causing the gurney to roll towards the side benches. The patients arm scraped against the rubber part on the side of the bench and cause an abrasion. We ended up wrapping the abrasion is a moist dressing and offloaded.

We had a cct nurse on board at the time and he asked us both to fill out incident reports and put them in the managers box. We didn't immediately report it to the supervisor (at the time I guess we thought that writing the incident report was enough), but we were supposed to call him as well.

The patients parent emailed our manager complaining about the incident today and because of a chance of a potential lawsuit due to the patient possibly getting an infection or any other problems with the abrasion, they need to cover themselves and justify our actions by letting us go.


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## medicdan (Oct 20, 2010)

I know many EMTs who have been asked to resign from various ambulance providers... for errors that are violations of company policy or generally poor choices, companies tend not to terminate, as opposed to that that affects patients, all in an effort to salvage the employee's future career.


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## EMT81 (Oct 21, 2010)

emt.dan said:


> ..all in an effort to salvage the employee's future career.



Or maybe, just maybe, to not have to pay unemployment.


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## CAOX3 (Oct 21, 2010)

You were fired because of a scrape?


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## TransportJockey (Oct 21, 2010)

EMT81 said:


> Or maybe, just maybe, to not have to pay unemployment.


If the employee is fired for cause, they're most likely not going to be getting paid UI anyways


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## Shishkabob (Oct 21, 2010)

Is Cali an at will state?


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## bstone (Oct 21, 2010)

I haven't been fired, because I worked for a very employee-friendly company. I know of people who have been fired for pure accidents that were immediately reported and all necessary paperwork filed out immediately.


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## 18G (Oct 22, 2010)

If all that happened was what you described than you and your partner got a pretty raw deal and sounds like you had some crappy management that was more interested in protecting their own interests. 

Its hard to say what other employers will consider negative but I think any good employer will look at the incident and shake their head. It's a field environment and sometimes things like that happen regardless of how careful you try to be.


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## JPINFV (Oct 22, 2010)

18G said:


> It's a field environment and sometimes things like that happen regardless of how careful you try to be.



It's also a training issue. It's amazing how many people don't (and I didn't until taught this) utilize the loading wheels under the head. If the ambulance is on a slope, lift up as you pull the gurney out. This puts wait on those two fixed wheels forcing the gurney to just go straight in or out on what ever angle the gurney is currently at.


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## citizensoldierny (Oct 22, 2010)

Nope, but came close. While working for AMR in Mass. I bumped into a pole with a pt. while backing up, no real damage to truck(bumper had a scratch), pt. had no complaints and wasn't aware till my partner asked him if he was ok. As there was no damage and no pt. complaint in my inexperienced mind there was no reason to report it, and partner agreed. Apparently though for some reason he had a change of heart and decided to rat to management some time later. I got suspended for not reporting it pending being let go. Thankfully the union thought it was B.S. so I ended up with a four day paid, though somewhat stressful vacation. And a newbie partner who went so far out of his way as to switch stations to avoid me. Might have been my offer or two to take it out back and settle whatever problems we had, or the fact that no one wanted to ride with a rat.


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## MusicMedic (Oct 22, 2010)

ive been fired getting in a fender bender (it was my fault), i did all the Necessary paperwork and informed my supervisor right away, there was minimal damage to the other vehicle as well as mine but i guess the company thought i was a liability..

it really depends on the company and how strict their policies/management is

but i did find a job a few weeks later with a new company (albeit not as good)


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## brochocinco (Oct 22, 2010)

CAOX3 said:


> You were fired because of a scrape?



Yeah -_-



Linuss said:


> Is Cali an at will state?



Yes it is



18G said:


> If all that happened was what you described than you and your partner got a pretty raw deal and sounds like you had some crappy management that was more interested in protecting their own interests.
> 
> Its hard to say what other employers will consider negative but I think any good employer will look at the incident and shake their head. It's a field environment and sometimes things like that happen regardless of how careful you try to be.



Yeah it sucks, every co-worker i've spoken to about the situation said the same thing, but this company has a reputation for not giving a crap about their employees. They let us go to protect themselves and cover themselves in case of a lawsuit.



JPINFV said:


> It's also a training issue. It's amazing how many people don't (and I didn't until taught this) utilize the loading wheels under the head. If the ambulance is on a slope, lift up as you pull the gurney out. This puts wait on those two fixed wheels forcing the gurney to just go straight in or out on what ever angle the gurney is currently at.



You know I actually thought back on the situation and thought about what we could have done differently/better, but i've found that sometimes this method just isn't possible. My partner tried to do this but it can be pretty hard sometimes if the patient isn't light, and my partner isn't a small guy...

Looking back I still don't even know what I could have done different. Tried to stop the gurney as it was rolling towards the bench just didn't have enough momentum/leverage.


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## JPINFV (Oct 22, 2010)

While yes, it generally isn't possible, it isn't necessarily hard. There doesn't have to be much pressure pushed up, and the gurney doesn't have to be physically tilted like a dolly. Most of the times I've had problems, it was more of a height issue than a weight issue. Also, sometimes you just have to have someone inside guiding it out to make sure it catches the hook at the door of the ambulance.


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## xrsm002 (Oct 24, 2010)

My old partner on a "jinky" transfer service I worked for got fired because he decided to drink a beer on duty, and I wasn't about to lose my certs I worked hard for.  He got got when the owner drove up to "check" on us.  I no longer work for that company.


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## 5thGenFF (Oct 25, 2010)

well that one is a bit more deserving of a termination.......


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## EMSLaw (Nov 2, 2010)

jtpaintball70 said:


> If the employee is fired for cause, they're most likely not going to be getting paid UI anyways



That depends on your state.  In New Jersey, for example, if you are terminated for cause, you are ineligible for unemployment for four weeks.  After that, you can collect regularly.  If, however, you are terminated for cause arising out of conduct that constitutes a crime (say, you stole from your employer), then you are ineligible for unemployment until you return to work for a certain period and earn a certain amount of money.  

So, a termination doesn't necessarily mean you can never collect unemployment, and it's worth checking with your state office.


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## sir.shocksalot (Nov 2, 2010)

It seems like most EMS employers are very unforgiving when it comes to mistakes/accidents. I think any employer would be kidding themselves if they truly believed that any "good" EMS provider would never get in an ambulance wreck or drop a patient or be late to work once. I have lost many friends to the evil ambulance empires when they make a silly mistake, a buddy of mine rear ended a car a few weeks ago, absolutely no damage, and he is probably going to be fired.
I think ambulance companies are so quick to fire people (especially EMTs) because there are always people lined up to take the position. But to answer your question, I don't think it will affect your ability to find another job, but as someone else posted the job market for EMTs in California really sucks. If it makes you feel better, every grizzled veteran medic I know has been fired from at least one ambulance company in the Denver-metro area.


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## TransportJockey (Nov 2, 2010)

sir.shocksalot said:


> It seems like most EMS employers are very unforgiving when it comes to mistakes/accidents. I think any employer would be kidding themselves if they truly believed that any "good" EMS provider would never get in an ambulance wreck or drop a patient or be late to work once. I have lost many friends to the evil ambulance empires when they make a silly mistake, a buddy of mine rear ended a car a few weeks ago, absolutely no damage, and he is probably going to be fired.
> I think ambulance companies are so quick to fire people (especially EMTs) because there are always people lined up to take the position. But to answer your question, I don't think it will affect your ability to find another job, but as someone else posted the job market for EMTs in California really sucks. If it makes you feel better, every grizzled veteran medic I know has been fired from at least one ambulance company in the Denver-metro area.



I got fired from a Denver-metro service as well for a driving accident. I think more EMTs and medics are fired for driving related things than pretty much all other reasons combined


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## EMSLaw (Nov 2, 2010)

jtpaintball70 said:


> I got fired from a Denver-metro service as well for a driving accident. I think more EMTs and medics are fired for driving related things than pretty much all other reasons combined



Some of that is attributable to the company's insurance provider.  If they won't insure you because you have a accident, then you can't drive, and if you can't drive, you can't work for the company (depending on policy).


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