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There have been times that I've accepted a job almost immediately knowing that I made a poor choice. Anyone else? What did you do?
Ever accepted a position and immediately know you made the wrong decision?
What did you do?
And I thought I was to only one to have this experience. ^_^
I got hired to work for a private service. I hate working private, but hey, I needed the money. I was never administered an exam to test my knowledge nor was I put through a patient assessment scenario. I should have flagged this as sketchy, but I didn't. I get hired immediately and show up to my first day of work. Everyone seems normal but I notice that the backboards in the ambulance were made of cardboard. Before I go into my story, it is important for me to tell you that I had 9 months as a volunteer for a 911 agency. I had to quit because I couldn't volunteer because I needed to make money. Anyways, I digress. It is my third day on the job and we get a call.
Long story short, dispatch sends us code 1 to a nursing home 20 minutes away for in respiratory arrest. They did not think to call 911 and thought it was a great idea to call the nonemergency transport service that transports this patient to and from who dialysis appointments. We get there and absent lung sounds to her left chest are noted. we rush to the hospital. I am the new guy and expect the tech on board to tell me protocol. He is completely flustered with the patient. The patient needs an IV but I don't know our protocol. I ask the tech what to do but he keeps brushing me off. Finally, I yell and say, where is the written protocol? He informs me that the ambulances don't carry the protocol on the truck.
A patient report is never called into the hospital. An IV is not started and the experienced "emt" who is training me gives the worst patient hand off report i have ever seen. The doctor and nurse berate us for not starting an IV.
I never showed up for work the next day. I didn't even call to say I quit and I didn't even pick up my three days worth of pay I was so sick.
Bottom line: if it doesn't feel right, it is not right. You can't afford to be wrong in this kind of work because people suffer at the hands of poor medical care.