Can you handle criticism?

[volparamedic]

Always remember there is no right way or wrong way to do things. Everyone works different. It's a learning process for the new people. It's good to have a base pattern and direct from there with each situation. You know what I mean when there are medic's that are all over the place and the calls never go smoothly.

You can never stop learning. This business is ever changing. When you think you know it all please leave EMS. If your not bettering yourself then it's time to move on. Just because someone gives you critisim don't become hateful. Live and learn. Each bad call I go over it with the EMT I work with. One reason is to help them learn more and another is to see how I could have done better. Not saying I did wrong but it's all about improving the quality of care. I can actually say you can teach a new dog tricks...proved it just the other day!

You know I was asked in my paramedic school interview...."What do you hate most about your job?"

I paused and thought for a moment and said, "Nothing...oh wait a minute there is something (as they all leaned in to listen)... the old burned out Paramedic's". Needless to say I had the attention of the whole room and then a burst of laughter came out. We all know someone when you think about it. This place is to learn and have fun and yea maybe destress a little but come on we don't need to fight each other. After all we're in this together....ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY!!

Stay safe!

 

[mycrofft]

Yup. Consider a cultural blind spot here..

We need to stop and check what went wrong or could have gone better, but do we ever stop and ask ourselves (in a non-neurotic a'la Woody Allen fashion) "Why in blazes did that go right?".

Have you ever tried that? It makes people paranoid! And it can scare us into making sure it wasn't a fluke.

Here's an experiment, go do it today: every organization has an official written avenue to (privately/secretly) report "unusual occurances", lawyer talk for bad things. Take the time to fill one out for when things go really well, or your partner really shines. .....Now, doesn't that sound sarcastic or Pollyanna-ish? It actually is a good thing, but we are so culturally attuned to blaming and being blamed that we are losing half the learning curve, and even more because we have to cover our arses.

It all starts on the boss's desk who can, when yapped at by third parties or during counseling with subordinates, look up and say sincerely "On the whole, things around here and regarding" (this employee/you/et al)" go pretty well. We can figure this out and, as adults, adjust it to the good of our customers and our organization, my employers".

And then, if necessary, stand up and say "Now, get out and give me a few mnutes, will ya?" <_<

(This was written with two of my earliest ambulance company supervisor/owners in mind. I was a lucky young man to work for them).

 

[mycrofft]

Yup. Consider a cultural blind spot here..

oops sorry duplicated:blush:

 

[abriggs]

I couldn't agree more; I'm still training, but there's nothing worse than someone that is all burned out. I love my class right now because my instructor is really enthusiastic about our participation. It makes me leave every class more excited than the first day.

 

[rchristi]

We need to stop and check what went wrong or could have gone better, but do we ever stop and ask ourselves (in a non-neurotic a'la Woody Allen fashion) "Why in blazes did that go right?".

ecessary, stand up and say "Now, get out and give me a few mnutes, will ya?" <_<

(This was written with two of my earliest ambulance company supervisor/owners in mind. I was a lucky young man to work for them).

I have to agree with you. The best boss I ever had once explained to me that his goal was to go out every day and catch every one of us doing something right and tell us about. Needless to say he got the best out of us.

 

[reaper]

While I agree with most of the OP's post. This sentence is the wrong way to put things, when dealing with lives!

"Always remember there is no right way or wrong way to do things. Everyone works different."


There definitely is a right and wrong way to do things in medicine. That is why we go to school, to be taught the right way to do things! If everyone did what they wanted, we would have chaos!

 

[Ridryder911]

While I agree with most of the OP's post. This sentence is the wrong way to put things, when dealing with lives!

"Always remember there is no right way or wrong way to do things. Everyone works different."


There definitely is a right and wrong way to do things in medicine. That is why we go to school, to be taught the right way to do things! If everyone did what they wanted, we would have chaos!

Not only chaos... it is also called negligence. There are standards in medical care.. which some here apparently do not understand. When one is judged for negligence they are judged by the medical standards and if another person with the same license, experience, etc would perform as you did.

Many are generalizations but are still there.

R/r 911

 

[sixmaybemore]

There are standards in medical care.. which some here apparently do not understand.

My pet peeve is people who a) do not stay on top of things and b) refuse to listen to new information. It bugged the crap out of me when I was in the military, it bugs the crap out of me in the child passenger safety arena, and I'm sure it will bug me as I continue to get back into EMS. To me, I just can't understand why you *wouldn't want to keep up with your profession. There are all kinds of ways to accomplish that: self study (A&P, anyone?), continuing education, specialty classes/certifications, trade magazines, message boards that help you keep your ear to the ground on what's upcoming... etc.

 

[mycrofft]

I sincerely doubt anyone here means we all go do our own thing.

I believe the tenor of the post is that an environment of arse-kicking and style over substance is destructive to its employees and leads to a culture of covering up instead of doing the best for the client and sharing the right and wrong quickly and with the proper people.
Right or wrong? He&% yes. Little generalissimos drop-kicking people's, especially disempowered new one's, egos: He$% no. Taking even the generalissimo's criticism and finding the lesson if any...sign of maturity, even if the lesson, after all due consideration and the sting has worn off, is to get out of a nepotist or McAmbulance operation like that may be.

PS: When you "stay on top of what's happening", make sure it's from the folks who write the rules and do reputible and reasonable studies. Most of all of it will be changed in five years, but you have to pick the best and be in accordance with local systems and policy. (E.G., some which our older members have seen come and go: witholding supplemental O2 from COPD patients in the ambulance, slathering people with Silvadine cream for burns, arm lift rescue breathing, treatments for snakebite, CPR technique, etc etc).

 

[sixmaybemore]

PS: When you "stay on top of what's happening", make sure it's from the folks who write the rules and do reputible and reasonable studies.

I figured that was a given, but perhaps I should have disclaimered that statement. Thank you for pointing that out.