EMS Administration

[EpiEMS]

How long does it typically take as a provider to move into EMS administration? That is to say, how long does it take from field provider (say, for these purposes, an ALS provider with a bachelors' degree) to supervisor or run a service?

Anybody have any thoughts on what it's like to be an EMS supervisor or chief?

 

[STXmedic]

That is tremendously dependent on where you work. If you work for a company that has low turnover, it could take until 10+ years (my old PT gig was this way). If you work somewhere that people are constantly coming and going, you could be in management in just a couple of years.

If I recall correctly, shfd was in a supervisory role and left it to go back into the field.

Also, when you say supervisor, are you referring to field supervisors or something along the lines of administrative (read: office) directors/chiefs?

 

[NomadicMedic]

Depends on where you are, your political connections and the availability of promotional steps.

EMS is still a job where it doesn't matter what you know, it matters WHO you know and how long you've been at it.

I firmly believe that longevity in a service doesn't make you qualified for leadership, but I seem to be in the minority.

 

[EpiEMS]

I was thinking both field and "office" -- say, how long does it take to get to be a field supervisor (assuming the individual in question is a a competent provider)? And from there, are there often options to move into, say, running the state office of EMS or a municipal service?

 

[triemal04]

The first question has already been answered.

It is completely dependent on where you are working.

Some service's may have minimum time requirements that need to be met, some may not. Some places may be staffed by apathetic paramedics who see no need to promote. Some places may be staffed by paramedics who prefer to work as a line paramedic. The end result of that will skew that particular services average time to promotion.

Some places will have very little turnover. Some places will burn through personell on a regular basis. The end result of that will skew that particular services average time to promotion.

It is completely dependent on where you are working.

 

[JPINFV]

EMS is still a job where it doesn't matter what you know, it matters WHO you know and how long you've been at it.

I firmly believe that longevity in a service doesn't make you qualified for leadership, but I seem to be in the minority.

At the same time, being competent as a field provider doesn't necessarily make for a good leader or administrator. Look up the Peter Principle. Additionally, being able to mesh or "fit" is more important the higher you go... and the wider effect your decisions have.

 

[NomadicMedic]

At the same time, being competent as a field provider doesn't necessarily make for a good leader or administrator. Look up the Peter Principle. Additionally, being able to mesh or "fit" is more important the higher you go... and the wider effect your decisions have.

Or, maybe education and leadership skills? Political acumen is important Ina system like mine, but I'd rather have a well educated boss than the guy who's been here longest and "firs in".

 

[triemal04]

All the education in the world isn't going to matter if every time someone steps into a room they antagonize people. Being in a supervisory or leadership role means that you MUST be able to get along with others. If all someone does is piss off everyone they meet, in a best case scenario you end up with people who hate being involved with that person, which has it's own repercussions, and in a worst case you get people actively oppposing what they want to happen.

You still need to be intelligent and have an education, but you can't sacrifice social skills and the ability to interact appropriately with others.

 

[NomadicMedic]

But you also can't base the promotion on social skills alone, which in many instances, is THE requirement for promotion in EMS.

I worked for a supervisor at an IFT job who couldn't figure out how to use the scheduling software, didn't know how to read or edit an excel spreadsheet, based his leadership on platitudes he read off of a motivation thought of the day calendar and presented himself like an utter buffoon when he had a conversation with anyone aside from the brand new EMTs who didn't know any better.

The IFT company sold the assets and existing contracts to AMR. The supe bragged about how he was vital to the operation and how AMR was grooming him for a management position. He was fired immediately after the transition.

Why? Because the owners of the old company liked him and the new people realized that he was 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag.

Plain and simple, you need to be able to talk the talk AND walk the walk. If you're planning on moving into a supervisory role, learn all you can about the things you'll need to do, before you're expected to do it. If you don't know how to build a pivot table in excel, take a class at your local CC. If you're nervous speaking to a group of people, take a public speaking class so you don't look like a smacked *** when you're addressing your team. It's all about building your skill set in preparation for the job. Attempting to learn how to do an expected task on the day the project is due is not the way to inspire confidence.

 

[mycrofft]

The "career pyramid" for PEMS, like firefighting, is shaped like a thumbtack.