Deal breakers at work

[NomadicMedic]

I'm pretty easy going, but there are a couple of things that are deal breakers for me.

1) Dipping. My service is a tobacco free workplace, and that includes dip. If a partner of mine stuffs a wad of chew into his mouth, he can either spit it out or the supervisor comes down and delivers a written. The idea that spitting at work is acceptable is totally foreign to me.

2) Excessive smells. I occasionally work with a partner that pours on the perfume. I've asked her several times to not wear so much, or any, when she works with me, as I'm very sensitive. It still happens. Not acceptable. The supervisor made her shower, as we have a "no perfume" SOP. I hated to do it, but I won't spend 12 hours sneezing and wheezing because of perfume.

What is over the line for you? I'm sure most of us will put up with a lot from our partners, but what's that one thing that you just can't stand?

 

[Shishkabob]

Questioning (read: arguing) my treatment modalities in front of the patient or family when there isn't a safety concern.


If it's a safety concern, let me know. If I want your input, I'll let you know. Other than those two, if it's my call, it's my call.

 

[shfd739]

Dipping in the station/unit/on scene. I seriously had to warn a medic last night to lose the dip as he walked up to a house.

Smoking with unit doors open. Cant stand the smell going in.

Excessive perfume/cologne is one for me. There are only a few scents that I can stand so I know it bothers patients.

 

[DesertMedic66]

I have a lot of things that bug me. I just learn to ignore them. The one thing I can not ignore is working with an incompitent EMT or Medic. That is the one thing that I can not stand.

I've talked to the supervisors about many of these incompitent partners.

 

[shiroun]

Questioning (read: arguing) my treatment modalities in front of the patient or family when there isn't a safety concern.


If it's a safety concern, let me know. If I want your input, I'll let you know. Other than those two, if it's my call, it's my call.

x2.

Not just questioning, but questions. "Hey what does that drug do" asked in a serious tone, as opposed to a commentary with a little kid, is never good. Most of the public doesnt know the difference between BLS and ALS, so asking those quesitons can scare them.

Now, joking around with a little kid to try and build a rappor is 100% different. "Hey Angel, what does that med do? I'm sure our friend here would like to know!" is 10x more justifiable.

Also, stupidity is another one of my big concerns with partners. We were taught in EMT School, life over limb every time. IF the car is on fire, and your patient may have C-Spine injuries, but you can get him out, what do you do?

You get the damn longboard, you pull him onto it, and you get the hell away from the fire. You DONT get the KED out, and hop in the car to help him.

Anyway, my two cents. Cheers.

 

[med51fl]

A big one for me is the non-stop cellphone talker / texter. It amazes me you have to tell somebody that they shouldn't be texting while treating patients or driving the rig. I really cannot imagine any reason to be on the phone all shift. How did these people survive before we had cellphones?

 

[Joe]

I can tolerate just about anyone at work partner wise. My only thing is chute times. Get your butt off the couch and respond.. if u have to pee...that sucks, pee at the er. Not before you respond.

And just a question, if i have a small dip in and i swallow it the whole time im around you or pts is it that big of a deal? What is it you dont like? And never, ever, tell me to lose it. Ill take it out if its a really nice house or an arrest.

What about gum? Have to take that out too?

 

[DesertMedic66]

Ill take it out if its a really nice house or an arrest.

So for family's who can't afford a nice house you don't care? Why should the rich get that treatment and not the poor?

 

[Jambi]

And never, ever, tell me to lose it. Ill take it out if its a really nice house or an arrest.

What about gum? Have to take that out too?

Then you could expect to never, ever, make patient contact with me. I'd rely on the FD to help me with everything else, and when asked I'd tell them that I only had an ambulance driver for the day. It's unprofessional, period.

Then I'd call the supervisor, tell him or her that my EMT is broken, and request a new one.

I'd do the same if there were uniform or appearance issues as well.

Sorry man, but it's no wonder EMS gets no damn respect. :censored::censored::censored::censored:

 

[DrankTheKoolaid]

Opinionated partners who have not the knowledge or experience to be able to form an informed opinion but do anyways.......

Smells... Perfumes and colognes are a big no go. Not because they are offensive (usually) but because they take away my sense of smell during patient contacts if thats all i can smell at a scene.

And someone has not been doing this long enough if you think taking a leak before responding is not a good thing to do for a couple reasons. Do this long enough and you will become conditioned like Pavlov Dogs and will immedietely have to pee the second you hear a pager, even when not on duty.

 

[Asclepius911]

Cocky, wise guys that have years in the field that instead of helping you, or giving you pointers, they make you feel retarded, and treat you as if you are inferior. Also being ignored.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Yep, the minute I see or smell that dip, you're spitting it out. If I see it again, it's a really bad day for you. Think written discipline. The kind that prevents promotion or merit raises. If I see it again after that, it becomes a bigger issue and suspension or termination will be the outcome.

Dipping is tne thing I can not stand, a habit that has no place in my station, truck or anywhere near my patients. If you worked here and you had a problem with it, I'm pretty sure rereading the "no tobacco/zero tolerance" policy would make it crystal clear that I'm right and you're wrong.

Sorry.

 

[Joe]

So for family's who can't afford a nice house you don't care? Why should the rich get that treatment and not the poor?

Ha i dont know where i was headed with that. Made me look like a toolbag haha.

And we dont have an anti dip policy. But just dont do it around pts. I was just trolling for responses. Now at the station/rig/post we can dip. (Which is how it should be) some of the fd does it on scene but thats not my department and i like those guys and there is no reason to stir up stuff. Live and let live. What justifies the mentality of "hey, im gonna get that guy in trouble"

 

[Joe]

Opinionated partners who have not the knowledge or experience to be able to form an informed opinion but do anyways.......

Smells... Perfumes and colognes are a big no go. Not because they are offensive (usually) but because they take away my sense of smell during patient contacts if thats all i can smell at a scene.

And someone has not been doing this long enough if you think taking a leak before responding is not a good thing to do for a couple reasons. Do this long enough and you will become conditioned like Pavlov Dogs and will immedietely have to pee the second you hear a pager, even when not on duty.

How long have i been doing this then? For some reason it wouldnt let me quote the first time. When our response area is so small, our scene time is low (think scoop and go on most pts) and our transport to the hospital averages 5-8 mins non code, there is no excuse to have a 3 minute chute time. Wait 15 mins and do it at the er.

 

[usalsfyre]

How long have i been doing this then? For some reason it wouldnt let me quote the first time. When our response area is so small, our scene time is low (think scoop and go on most pts) and our transport to the hospital averages 5-8 mins non code, there is no excuse to have a 3 minute chute time. Wait 15 mins and do it at the er.

I'm sure your patients love the fact that you make them wait 15 minutes for treatment ....

 

[fast65]

I'm a pretty easy going guy, so I don't know if I can really say I have any "deal breakers"...yet. I have a good amount of pet peeves, but nothing as of yet, that I can say will cause me to say "I won't work with this person", outside of them being dangerous.

Dipping has never been a huge problem for me, I find it to be a disgusting habit, but if someone wants to do that outside of the station I'm alright with it. That being said, I can't stand it when it's done inside the ambulance, I DO NOT want to mistake your spit bottle as my water bottle. I've never had a problem here with my partners chewing while dealing with patients, so I can only say I can't believe people actually do that.

 

[DrankTheKoolaid]

How long have i been doing this then? For some reason it wouldnt let me quote the first time. When our response area is so small, our scene time is low (think scoop and go on most pts) and our transport to the hospital averages 5-8 mins non code, there is no excuse to have a 3 minute chute time. Wait 15 mins and do it at the er.

Long enough to have been conditioned to pee on command even if i just did 20 minutes ago. I have response times to a scene of 5 minutes to ~3 hours at the furthest reaches of my response area, add in scene time and much longer transport times depending on patient condition and facility I choose to take the patient to.

 

[Joe]

I'm sure your patients love the fact that you make them wait 15 minutes for treatment ....

15 if their nice! But honestly i have no idea what your talking about.

 

[adamjh3]

Dipping has never been a huge problem for me, I find it to be a disgusting habit, but if someone wants to do that outside of the station I'm alright with it. That being said, I can't stand it when it's done inside the ambulance, I DO NOT want to mistake your spit bottle as my water bottle. I've never had a problem here with my partners chewing while dealing with patients, so I can only say I can't believe people actually do that.

At a station of 10-15 people at a time we'd only ever have one or two that didn't chew. I chew, but I "learned" in a culture that was very polite about it. No clear bottles, spitter had to be capped when not in use, never goes in the cup holders, and never chew during any phase of public contact were some of the unwritten/unspoken rules.

I can't imagine someone chewing in front of a patient. Blows my mind

 

[usalsfyre]

15 if their nice! But honestly i have no idea what your talking about.

Scoop and run generally forgoes treatment of things like pain instead of treating them appropriately.