Another San Diego thread

[emsmonkey]

I have been working as an EMT-B in PA for three years, just graduated from paramedic school and planning to move to San Diego after I take the NR exam. I read through a lot of threads on here and realize that this makes me an idiot, but that’s nothing new!

I’ve lived a lot of places and San Diego is by far my favorite…someone else made the comment that it’s a great place to live unless you are trying to get a job in EMS. Well for those of us who are bound and determined to have our cake and eat it too I have a few more questions (sorry if they were already asked)

I don’t expect to get a paramedic job very quickly after moving so I’ll be applying to EMTB positions and basically any other job in health care where I can get a foot in the door. I guess that will give me some time to take the required reciprocity class at Palomar and learn Spanish.

Is it really that bad in CA? I know the job market is flooded but once I get myself hired what is it like? Are protocols as restrictive as everyone keeps saying? What is a reasonable starting salary for EMT B and P? (I make 12/hr now, which I know is laughable in SD) What about air transport? I’m told that a new graduate can get on a fixed wing aircraft with an RN. What is it like to work in the areas east of the city? Any other suggestions on making myself more employable? Any input is appreciated! Thanks

 

[Fish]

I worked there 4 years as an EMT and Medic,

And in one word, Horrible.

The pay for an EMTB is starting at about $10-11

Starting Medic at AMR I believe is making $11.47?

Benefits are almost insulting, plus you don't make enough money to be able to afford them. And retirement? Forget about it, they do a 401k match at 3% but you wont be able to afford to put aside any money for retirement because you will constantly be counting quarters to make rent at that pay.

Fire is in charge, yet most of the reason that San Diego has such a horrible rep in the EMS world is because of the Fire Medics there. They have ruined RSI and Intubation studies. And if I had a nickle for everytime an EMTB level Fire Capt. tried throwing his Brass around to tell us how we were gonna treat the patient, and when we respectfully disagreed or said that is not approipriate for this situation. Well here comes the talking to from a supervisor after her complained to them. The protocols for Medics are insanely limited and restricted, only place I know of that is more limited is LA County or San Antonio. Let me put it into perspective, an EMTB in the County I work in now can do about Half of what a San Diego Medic can do, yet a Medic in the County I work in now can do Triple what a San Diego Medic can do.

The Equipment is not good, private services run their equipment into the ground. If your getting on with a BLS transfer service then you will notice that it is even worse there.

As a Medic you have to call into the Hospital and give 2min long radio reports and request persmission to give Meds and do skills from a Nurse that should be a standing order. And it is insane, the nurse literally will deny you life saving procedures and when you once had a bradicardic that you wanted to pace and the nurse says no, you bring them a patient and cardiac arrest and they go what happened? I thought they were just bradicardic!

And if you are a BLS transfer person, my god prepare to be kissing the feet of nursing home staff because it is all about keeping and winning contracts!

I know you want to live in San Diego, but it is horrible for EMS. No self respecting Medic who is half way decent should ever intenionally move themsevles there to be subject to that kind of environment.

 

[terrible one]

Pretty much spot on from fish
What is your ultimate goal? Paramedic? If so id advice against SD. I love SD too,however, there is no way I could afford any decent lifestyle working for a private in SD without working a ton of OT and renting a crappy one bedroom.

 

[truetiger]

Sounds like the pay to cost of living ratio is way off. The pay out here in middle of no where Missouri is about double that with about a fraction of the cost of living.