AMR San Diego

[CodeSurfer]

Hey all, It's been a while so I'll give a little update before I get to my real post. I have finally gotten calls from all of the private ambulance companies I have applied to and I have 3 interviews in the next 4 days!!! Wish me luck.

Along with these interviews comes decisions and I already know which company I want to work for, but there is no guarantee that they will hire me so I am still going to go to all of the interviews. (for anyone curious, the companies are AMR, Care, and Pacific)

My only problem is that AMR has pretty much hired me already but they dont have defibrillators on their rigs! I am certified EMT-D/ETAD and I wont be able to use those skills and I know my cert will expire if I take this job. Also I think I will have a heart attack myself if someone goes into cardiac arrest and I cant do what I know I should to save them. Has anyone heard of this before? BLS without AEDs? I always thought that AED was pretty basic and everyone had them.

Also... anyone know how I can hold off on accepting a position without losing the opportunity?

 

[ECC]

Once upon a time only the paramedics had the defibrillators!

 

[rescuemedic7306]

I thought that AEDs were mandatory on BLS rigs....o well...It could only happen in California

 

[Wingnut]

You're forgetting the most important part!!! Who pays the most!!! :lol:

 

[MMiz]

It is my understanding that AMR doesn't have AEDs on BLS rigs. Of all the private companies on my county and surrounding counties, the one I work for is the only one that has AEDs on BLS units.

AMR generally pays more, but you have union fees, and it seems as though they're bitten off a bit more than they can chew. I'm not sure about how long they'll be around, but I know many people that are happy working for them. I'm sure working in EMS you've heard stories about all the places though, so I'll leave it at that.

I'm not sure how long you can hold off on a job, but I do know that AMR usually hires in waves around here, and they're one of the more difficult places to get hired. That's not because they're better, but because they usually only hire once or twice a year, and they're a large company.

Good luck, and let us know how things turn out!

 

[CodeSurfer]

I just got back from my skills testing and interview and I think things went well... the guy who did my skills testing let me know I passed all the skills. They said they will call me early next week. Now I just hope I can get hired at my favorite company before they call me back.

As for who pays the most, Care pays $10.50 and thats the best you get here. The others pay 9 and some change. The difference between AMR and pacific is that at Pacific you get paid X amount of money for every run you do per shift over 4. As far as I've heard, the company is really busy and you always go over 4 runs per shift, so it could be a good deal more money than working for AMR. We all know it's not about the money though... if thats what we were after we wouldnt be EMT's.

Wish me luck!

 

[CodeSurfer]

oooh yeah... I just found out today that AMR has pulse Ox. So thats at least one cool toy we get, even if we cant shock people. :lol:

 

[ECC]

I still use the old method of O2 administration. If you have SOB or are really sick...you get it.


Pulse OX is nice...but I can still tell when to use O2

 

[rescuecpt]

I put O2 on almost everyone. Makes them think I'm actually doing something medical, lol.

 

[TTLWHKR]

As long as you use the Pulse Ox as a diagnostic tool only, and not as a guide for your treatment it's all gravy. If someone is blowing bubbles but has a sat of 99.. throw the ox out the window..

On to the AED.. PA doesn't require them; they offer grants and even free AED's to anyone smart enough to speak up and say they want one.

But they don't require anything that may be practical.

Just call the funeral home...


***However.. I've never seen a fire dept. or Ambulance in at least five years that doesn't have one. The Comm of PA got a deal on LP500's, so that is usually what units get the deal on. If they don't get a grant, it's a good 1,500.00 less than MFG price to buy one on their own.

 

[Jon]

AMR is union? Totally?

I'm going to put an application in on Friday for the local branch. They do LOTS of EVENTS....

Probably LiveAid8....


Jon

 

[Jon]

As for PA and AED's - supposedly Jersey starts requiring it on EVERY BLS rig end of this year (i think) with PA the year after.... who knows, but some of the city transport co's invested a large chunk in them...

Jon

 

[SafetyPro2]

From what I've heard, most of the privates around here don't have AEDs. I think maybe one or two companies do, but that's it. Pretty sure AMR doesn't.

 

[ECC]

You can count on most private entities to do what is economically expediant

 

[CodeSurfer]

Originally posted by ECC@Jun 1 2005, 10:29 PM
You can count on most private entities to do what is economically expediant

It's ok... I figured out an economical and effective (sort of) way to fix VT an VFib without an AED. Care for a demonstration??? OK


*takes 9 volt battery places on patients tongue*

*calls lawyer to defend malpractice lawsuit*

 

[KEVD18]

in ma, all bls rigs are required to have an aed. as a former amr employee, i would reccomend that you take another job. things might be diff in cali, but at the end of the day its the same company. i wasnt particullarly thrilled with their operation

 

[ECC]

Originally posted by CodeSurfer+Jun 1 2005, 11:44 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (CodeSurfer @ Jun 1 2005, 11:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-ECC@Jun 1 2005, 10:29 PM
You can count on most private entities to do what is economically expediant

It's ok... I figured out an economical and effective (sort of) way to fix VT an VFib without an AED. Care for a demonstration??? OK


*takes 9 volt battery places on patients tongue*

*calls lawyer to defend malpractice lawsuit* [/b][/quote]
It is only malpractice when you have to synch it...otherwise all is good .

 

[Jon]

Originally posted by CodeSurfer+Jun 2 2005, 12:44 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (CodeSurfer @ Jun 2 2005, 12:44 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-ECC@Jun 1 2005, 10:29 PM
You can count on most private entities to do what is economically expediant

It's ok... I figured out an economical and effective (sort of) way to fix VT an VFib without an AED. Care for a demonstration??? OK


*takes 9 volt battery places on patients tongue*

*calls lawyer to defend malpractice lawsuit* [/b][/quote]
It is called a precordial thump.

Anyone else think the thump is "thump-thing"????

Jon

 

[ECC]

It kept more than one cardiac arrest patient 'viable' in an elevator.

 

[Strike3]

I believe it's called a pericardial thump...

In CA, at least in the counties that I worked in before I moved to SC, they were not allowed to have AED's on BLS trucks...

Every new EMT-B is AED certified, but you can only really use them if you get on scene and the location has one...

As far as AMR...I wouldn't recomend it. They suck as far as employee relations. You most likely won't be happy working for them.

I do have a recomendation though...

Priority One Medical Transport....They are picking up a lot of the county 911 contracts from AMR, and they're an up and coming company with good trucks, good equiptment, and you'll know the owners. They're based in Rancho Cucomonga, but run counties down south and up in norcal....I worked in Norcal, and saw the owners twice a month...Good place...

I believe their site is www.priorityonemedical.com

Good luck.