Being pressured at work to hurry and get my driver license... help?

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AnonymousEMT

AnonymousEMT

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I'm 23, born and raised on the bus and subway in NYC. It's very easy to get around here without a license. When I was 6 I wanted a license because I loved the movie License To Drive and it got me interested in cars and such. When in my teens, 16,17,18 (the ideal time to get a license) I was undergoing other problems, I was stuck and depressed in serious relationships with crazy older women who saw ghosts, made me feel like crap, and fooled me into a false marriage that i am no longer apart of, you can imagine what a lovely effect this had on my school grades too. So yeah I guess you can say getting a license was the VERY last thing on my mind at the time.

I went to EMS school to do tech, not drive, however I don't mind driving in the event that my partner gets hurt and we need to drive back. I was misinformed by people around me that I dont need a license to get into EMS if all I wanna do is tech. So I went to school, passed, etc. The first job didnt take me cuz I didnt have a license. So I got my learners permit after that and spent a whole month doing driving lessons once or twice a week. Then the second job hired me with the learner's permit, I didn't say anything and they didn't say anything. I've been there 4 months now.

During my first two months there, I continued taking lessons and had 15 total under my belt. My road test was set for September. They kept bothering (in a joking manner) me asking when I'm going to get my license, when I'm going to practice driving their ambulances in their driving class, I kept telling them when. However, I had the unfortunate displeasure of finding out about my best friend since kindergarden who killed himself at work by sticking his head in a conveyor belt. I was about to reconnect with him after 4 years. Oh and I found out about this TWO MONTHS AFTER it happened. Isn't that lovely? So I had to postpone the test until the next month (october).

I took no driving lessons since, I focused more on him and the short film I'm going to make (that's my long term interest/destiny), plus I'm doing a part time online at home job that pays well for some extra money. So I took the road test in october and failed. I didn't tell my job though. They've insisted in pressuring me about driving in a joking way however. I hate it. Okay, even when I get my car license, I'm supposed to start tackling an ambulance right away, let alone with lights/sirens in traffic? Are they friggin serious? I just started driving in June for pete's sake.
 
:::headdesk:::
 
Quit, and go work at McDonalds.. you'll even make more.
Oh! And you won't have to drive!
 
trauma,

I don't know what your problem is, I'm bringing up a very valid point here. Do you really think it is a good idea for someone to go straight to driving an ambulance if they've only started driving a car a few months earlier?
 
AnonymousEMT said:
Do you really think it is a good idea for someone to go straight to driving an ambulance if they've only started driving a car a few months earlier?
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No, in fact, it's a stupid idea, but, sorry dude, driving is part of the job in most areas. And, there is a reason a lot of companies do EVOC before they let you drive code, to make sure you can handle the rig. I'm sure that if your employer actually knew you only had a permit at the time of hire, they wouldn't have hired you. Here you have to give them a 10 year driving record even!!!

As far as what everyone's problem is... you're whining about how unfair your company is, and how unprepared you feel, and how it's not worth it to you to continue learning, because this is just a job to pay the bills. This is a no whining zone, and no one's got you chained to your rig. If you're not happy, quit.
 
traumateam1 said:
Quit, and go work at McDonalds.. you'll even make more.
Oh! And you won't have to drive!
Click to expand...

Walmart is better but McDonalds works too, lol
 
bangHeadAgainstWall.gif
 
No I don't think its a good idea. I was in a car accident myself a few weeks ago that was pretty bad and one of the reasons I came back to this forum even though I am not working as an EMT right now is because I am contemplating my return to EMS in the winter when I'm back in Ohio.

It is a HUGE risk to be driving an ambulance but if you take an EVOC you'll reduce your chances. Don't let anyone pressure you into doing something you are not ready to do yet. If they fire you, then so be it. If you're dead, you can't have a job.

Learn to drive first, take an EVOC, and when you are ready, you can start driving.
 
EMTCop86 said:
bangHeadAgainstWall.gif
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Omg, I thought you were Kev for a minute! YOU STOLE HIS GRAPHIC!!!!! Graphic thief!!

For the OP, stop whining. Driving is a major part of an EMS job. You dont wanna drive? go get your medic license.
 
It is my belief that not wanting to drive and choosing to be an EMT is like not wanting to grade assignments and being a teacher. The truth is that I don't like driving the ambulance, and I avoided it whenever I could, but I still usually spent about 50% of my shift behind the wheel.

It sounds like you've had a lot going on and it still persists, and I'm not sure if you're using that to help rationalize not driving the ambulance. If you really want to be an EMT that is seen as a team player, then you'll work hard and get your driver's license. If you're comfortable being the odd man out then you can keep putting off getting your license.

If I were in your shoes I'd re-evaluate my career choice for the time being and look for other opportunities to use my skills that didn't involve driving. We have a whole thread of ways people use their skills in a more traditional health care setting, and that may better serve you at this point in your life.

Good luck!
 
AnonymousEMT said:
I'm 23 (snip) and the short film I'm going to make (that's my long term interest/destiny), plus I'm doing a part time online at home job that pays well for some extra money. (snip) Are they friggin serious? I just started driving in June for pete's sake.
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My question to you is: What are your priorities? You are 23 years old and going in (seemingly) three directions at once. Are you going to concentrate on your film interests, your home job, or your EMS job? I'm thinking that you went to "EMS School" for the paycheck, not out of a genuine desire to be a caregiver. As far as the licensing goes, I am getting the feeling you have been less than forthcoming with your employer. Your responsibilities in EMS are the care and transportation of the sick and injured to a provider of definitive care. You've met the minimum standards for the Care part, but how can you honestly expect to fulfill the Transportation part without a drivers license? We have enough liability issues in the back of the ambulance to deal with as it is, never mind having an inexperienced new driver piloting the vehicle. It would be a cold day in a hot place before I trusted my life and that of my patient to a person with the ink still wet on his operator's permit. You need to come clean with your HR department and be up front with what's going on. You also need to come clean with yourself and decide what's going to be the priority in your life. Your OP requested "Help"; I think what you were actually looking for was sympathy and advice on how to keep the money coming in from your EMS job without meeting the company's minimum standards for employment. I know this sounds harsh, but it's actually a plea to get your goals defined before someone gets hurt. If you decide to pursue emergency medicine as your life's work (highly unlikely after reading your post), then you're gonna need to get a driver's license. If you're not going to get your license, it's time to get on the bus and let someone who is serious about doing this job take your place.
 
Waaaah~!... Okay, somewhere ...oh maybe in EMT school you were taught part of the responsibility of being an EMT was to operate an emergency vehicle?

Okay, reading this post had more drama than the daytime soaps.

Do me and the public a favor, leave the profession. Apparently, you did not take the course serious as to investigate what the job entitles. I am surprised you were even interviewed as much as being hired. Until I have a copy of the license, and MVR to check point systems, I do not process the application. I don't care what level of license you hold.

Can't drive, can't hire.... Period.

23 and still has no license, WOW! I realize the East Coast is different, but its a good thing you have good transit system there. You would be poop out of luck in my area. Not even a bus or train within 25 miles and yes I live in metro area.


R/r 911
 
driving is part of the job...get used to that fact...you can't drive...sorry but theres no place in EMS for that.....
 
I agree with what everyone else above has been saying.

What are you going to do when you are teching a patient you cannot handle, someone who decompensates en route? What if you on-scene a terrible accident and as a brand new EMT, cannot handle the patient. Your partner, who not only has a driver's license, but also several years of work in EMS under his belt (more then you), is prepared to take care of this patient. You are then going to need to drive.

At that point, you have the capacity to not only kill one person (your patient if you were teching), but three people (yourself, your partner and your patient). If you barely have a learner's permit and little experience on the roads, you should by no measure be driving an ambulance, especially in NYC.

Think about all of this and reconsider your career aspirations (before a patient aspirates on you and dies because of you).

P.S. Apologies for the stupid joke.
 
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I've been reading everyone's posts and I agree, that it is a very bad idea to just out and get your driver's license and then jump right into driving the rig. However, there are alternate ways of being an EMT until you feel comfortable enough to drive the ambulance. Many local hospitals want to hire EMT's as Emergency Room Technicians and you can practice your "tech" skills in a setting like that. I also know that in my area, a lot of the sporting events for the towns (elementary and high school age kids) have EMT's on staff for their games in the case of injury. As far as the pay goes, thats a nice little saturday side job =) Don't give up on pursuing a career in the EMS field based on your lack of driving experience. I would get your license and then get some practice driving under your belt before attemping 9-11 Dispatch calls at the moment. Hope that helps
 
I would definately advise AGAINST starting off as an EMT working standby or first aid (ER tech is a good idea though). Standby/first aid jobs are a completely different animal than an ambulance job by the simple notion that you will not transport the majority of your patients. The EMT-B curriculum is designed around a job where the majority of patients will be transported. Before anyone works standby/first aid, I highly recommend that they get experience either on an ambulance or as an ER tech.
 
Thank you JPINFV for agreeing with my ER Tech idea, however, I question why you would advise against a standby position. As I stated, it's a good "side job" nothing to do on a full time basis, and more just to keep your skills at hand. Yes, granted, majority of the patients seen on the field would not be transported, and yes we are are taught as EMT-B's that we are to transport the sick and injured. However, if nothing else, having a saturday job as a standby/first aid just to keep your skills in check and have the ability to put them to good use would be a good idea. Especially if he believes that it will be a while before being comfortable to drive the ambulance to transport patients. In my opinion it would merely serve as a refresher to assist the EMT to keep skills in mind.
 
I have nothing nice to say so I won't say it at all :)
 
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The problem I see with providers going to a non-transport, no support (e.g. being the sole provider, unlike in an emergency room) style job fresh out of class is that the EMT-B education is based on absolutes. Trauma patient's with back pain get backboarded. Everyone gets transported. Everyone gets a NRB. The list goes on. If you're providing standby with no practical experience, how do you decide who gets backboared? The indication for spinal precaution is no longer a traumatic event or even a traumatic event with 'back pain.' At what point do you recommend someone follow up at a local urgent care clinic or with their primary care provider? Exactly how long should you wait on a patient with x symptoms before activating EMS?

This isn't to say that experience makes one infallible. At the waterpark that I worked at there was an experienced provider who ended up sitting on a patient feeling light headed and weak for 30 minutes on oxygen till the patient felt better. The patient got up to go to the restroom and came back feeling even worse. Now everyone who heard about that situation agrees that the provider waited way too long to activate EMS, but I don't think anyone would have argued that EMS should have been contacted immediately either, but how would someone who has zero experience know where to draw the line? On the other hand, there was the story that the director of operations related where a guest came into first aid complaining of minor back pain. The EMT on duty at that time was fresh out of school and did exactly what he was trained to. Backboard and call 911 for transport (in complete disregard of park policy). This was a complete and utter over reaction which, my guess in large part due to violating park policy (the head supervisor, which is normally the director of operations or a senior aquatics supervisor, is the one who ultimately decides to activate the 911 system), ultimately resulted in that provider being terminated.

In a system where the education is designed around every patient having the same ultimate end point (the emergency room), how does one without experience know where to draw the line?
 
Wow....Just Wow

I have nothing nice to say so I'm going to say it at all.
 
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