Am I being selfish? Or logical?

[MDA]

So as some of you may know (or not know), I recently got hired on with two companies. One is a strictly ALS/911 company, and the other is a mixed BLS/ALS company.

With the ALS company, I should be getting decent hours right off the bat. It's a medium sized company, with new equipment. Aside from that a few other EMT's are finishing up their Medic NREMT testing, and should be Medics in a month at the most (which would open up eight or nine 24's a week between myself and a couple other people). Plus we do a lot of standbys for various events.

The BLS/ALS company is a very small company with too many employees and older equipment. Plus I was told right off the bat I would get under 20 hours a week (the shift would be a BLS morning car with HORRIBLE hours), I would only be doing BLS, and that's pretty much it.

So I'm thinking I want to just commit to the ALS company. For one I don't want to spread myself too thin. Two I want to be available as much as possible for the ALS company. Three I want to focus my free time on my family and preparing for Medic school in the hopefully near future (which at that time I would have to severe ties with the BLS company anyway). Plus working BLS doing transfers would drive me nuts. I mean it's patient care, but do I want to burn myself out? The extra money isn't nice but I'm focused on the future.

What would you do in my situation?

 

[Shishkabob]

Stick with the company that makes you happiest. No one can fault you for wanting to enjoy going to work.

 

[Fbarba123]

your being logical. Might as well go with the bigger and better company. And if you leave the smaller company, it's not like they are going to have to scramble to cover your shifts.

 

[MDA]

your being logical. Might as well go with the bigger and better company. And if you leave the smaller company, it's not like they are going to have to scramble to cover your shifts.

Exactly, it kind of just fell off anyway, and they haven't even called me in a week lol. I just need to make up the decision in my mind so I can speak to them personally and explain the situation instead of just disappearing.

I tend to over analyze and think about things until I get a headache. In reality the situation is cut and dry and the answer is really simple and Linuss helped me solidify that. Do what makes me happy. What a concept right? I don't want to be that burned out EMT before I even get to Medic school. I want to work at a company I enjoy being at, have family time, and have the ability to really focus on school... and that's where I am. I don't want to feel like I'm taking a step back.

I guess this was easier to figure out than I thought. It just helps getting it out there somewhere. Thanks guys.

 

[Fbarba123]

Yea, it's no problem! I just recently dropped my other job to pick up more hours with my ambulance company. Took me all of six months milling around to decide whether to leave or not.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Not to mention working on a BLS only rig when you're a medic sucks.

Trust me, I know.

 

[Jay]

I am BLS but strictly do emergency care. Down the road I do want to go as far as possible, medic would be nice and I agree that transports suck. Aside from getting you acquainted with patient contact I don't see too much overall value in transport alone from a provider standpoint. I would do what makes you happiest but your a medic, it sounds like you want to work within your scope and if your anything like me helping people is the reason why you are here in the first place so doing anything other than emergency/911 would make me simply ask "why"?

 

[Fox800]

Sounds like the ALS-only gig is the logical choice.

 

[Jon]

I thought I was the only one crazy enough to do that!

I vollie BLS... but when I work, I always work ALS. At the transport, if I am covering a BLS shift, I take a spare set of ALS gear and can be used as an ALS truck if needed.


It looks like the OP is "just" an EMT. Still, take what makes you happy. If the job where you'll be on an ALS truck will give you good hours, give it a shot.