crew member venting

[housert]

Does anyone else have crew members that just irritate you? I went on a run this past weekend for an unresponsive male. There were only EMT-B's on so we asked central to dispatch an intermediate. When the third basic showed up at the station (we don't stay at the stations as we are a small community) he jumps in the truck and starts chewing the driver out for dropping tones for another EMT. This of course ticked off the driver who chewed the other guy out saying we asked for an intermediate to meet us at the scene. They argued almost the whole two miles to the scene. Since I am the "newbie" and the only female on this crew I didn't say much. I was ready to tell them to shut up and quit acting like a bunch of 5 year olds and focus. Unfortunately we had a DOA.

Does anyone else feel like they are stuck with a bunch of overgrown babies on their crew? Oh the stories I could tell about mine! Thanks for listening to me vent!

 

[mikeylikesit]

I wish that I could but I let people know what I think and exactly how I feel all the time anytime no matter what. I have had my share of nuisances but I deal with them directly or indirectly immediately. Nothing bothers me more when someone feel the need to B#*$* when their on duty and on the way if not on scene of a call.

 

[CFRBryan347768]

I just go, i'm not even listening to you ramble so why keep going, and then most of them get annoyed and shut up.

 

[BossyCow]

They argued almost the whole two miles to the scene. Since I am the "newbie" and the only female on this crew I didn't say much. I was ready to tell them to shut up and quit acting like a bunch of 5 year olds and focus.

I understand you were venting, and I was with you on every point, until the part I quoted above.

By not saying anything, or at least expressing your discomfort with their behavior, you became part of the problem by tacit acceptance of the behavior. Being 'ready to tell them' but not taking action, means nothing. It doesn't need to be confrontational, it doesn't need to be offensive, just a polite.. "Hey guys, could you have this argument later, when I'm not in the rig?" I would also report the incident to their supervisor. So what if you are new and female, both those facts, while they may be true are completely irrelevent.

I had this same conversation last night with a volly at my station. She was complaining about something someone did on a scene. I informed her that the time and place to say something was when it happened or immediately after. Otherwise it turns into he said/she said and people start choosing sides. It is everyone's responsiblity to better a bad situation. Being a spectator of the event does nothing except give those behaving badly an audience.

 

[mdkemt]

h34r:

Conflict happens but if it makes you uncomfortable, I don't care if I am the newbie or the vet on the team, I going to say something because I have a right to not hear it and put up with it. Bossycow is right. Don't let something turn worse. If it bothers you say something. Yes be respectful but make sure you do something about it.

I have no problem reporting people or telling them this is not the time nor place and to take it elsewhere. Especially on a call because I know I am always reviewing protocols on the way to a call just to make sure I dont miss anything. If I had to listen to an argument for that long I would snap! And try to be polite so I didn't stoop to the same level.

MDKEMT

 

[firetender]

If, as most services do, you find yourself rotating through partners at least three times a year, one of those rotations is going to be someone that feels like scratching nails on a chalkboard.

After you're direct and nothing changes, then it's working around whatever idiocy you're exposed to and, above all, not giving them anything to resist or to feed off of.

Sometimes, with a few well-placed words, change can happen. But once you start wishing for that more than a few times (after asking for it), give it up, and start focusing on what YOU can do to make YOUR life better...without killing your partner, of course.