Yay!!! I went to fill out an application at a local very small laid-back private ambulance company called Advantage Ambulance. After talking to the owner for about 10 minutes, I filled out the application and he hired me on the spot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!! It is a company of about 50 EMT's and paramedics who mainly do transfers. But the only thing is, I have to wait to actually be hired because Illinois hasn't sent me my state license yet...darn it!!!!! I have my National but I need my state! :wacko:
first job in EMS!!!
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BossyCow
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Congratulations! Now that you're working, remember to keep posting!
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Awesome news. Congrats!
babygirl2882
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Cograds!!!!!!
Had my first ride along today! First time in an ambulance as an EMT-B!!!! It was pretty great!!!! Pretty much the same dialysis patients almost every day. Not much pay, pretty nice ambulances, not many interventions just transport. But everyone has to start somewhere!!! The company I work for has no quarters so in between runs we are in the ambulances. I like it!
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Welcome to the field. Just an FYI - Transport can get REAL old, REAL fast. That said, there are several good reasons to work transport, that will help you throught your career.
#1 - You will see LOTS of patients. Some sick, some well.
#2 - You will take LOTS of blood pressures and do LOTS of assessments
#3 - You will write LOTS of charts, and become practiced at it.
#4 - You will work the strecher a LOT of times.
#5 - You will become practiced at lifting and moving people. Up stairs, down stairs, from bed to bed, etc.
#6 - You will problably drive LOTS of miles in ambulances. When you go work 911, you will already be comfortable with the operation of an ambulance, and will need "emergency" driving practice... but you'll be comfortable driving in traffic and backing up.
#1 - You will see LOTS of patients. Some sick, some well.
#2 - You will take LOTS of blood pressures and do LOTS of assessments
#3 - You will write LOTS of charts, and become practiced at it.
#4 - You will work the strecher a LOT of times.
#5 - You will become practiced at lifting and moving people. Up stairs, down stairs, from bed to bed, etc.
#6 - You will problably drive LOTS of miles in ambulances. When you go work 911, you will already be comfortable with the operation of an ambulance, and will need "emergency" driving practice... but you'll be comfortable driving in traffic and backing up.
Congrats on landing a private job. It's real good for getting the basic skills up to par (taking vital signs, etc.), but unless you land a critical care job I'd still join a fire department to get emergency skills in. Start learning abbreviations; they'll save a LOT of time when you're filling out 15 MIR/PCR/AIS/SAN (or whatever your local jurisdiction calls run sheets) a day. AOS t/f 55 y/o M c/c SOB; pt. Rx 3LPM o2 v/NC is a lot easier than "Arrived on scene to find a 55 year old male with a chief complaint of shortness of breath; patient was prescribed 3 liters per minute of oxygen via a nasal canula.".
Beware of Dialysis patients.....they will die all over you in a heart beat! Make sure you get vitals with they EVERY time you transport them even if you just transported them 45 minutes ago and if something starts to look wrong or you get that little feeling deep down inside take them AGAIN. Beware of the dialysis patient. Been there done that!
Oh and another thing about transfers. they are the meat and taters of EMS. So it is very important for medicare and medacaide reasons to document how that pt made it to your cot. Did you carry their heavy butts or did they walk? If you had to carry or lift them were they 90lbs and an easy 2 man lift or were they 450 lbs and need extra people? Did they walk on their own or did you have to assist them? Why did they need an ambulance? Do they use a wheelchair.....now if the car came to a quick stop could they support them selves....No???....then they prob need an ambulance because they could not "sit safely supporting self." Just some helpful hints that your boss will love ya for.
Oh and another thing about transfers. they are the meat and taters of EMS. So it is very important for medicare and medacaide reasons to document how that pt made it to your cot. Did you carry their heavy butts or did they walk? If you had to carry or lift them were they 90lbs and an easy 2 man lift or were they 450 lbs and need extra people? Did they walk on their own or did you have to assist them? Why did they need an ambulance? Do they use a wheelchair.....now if the car came to a quick stop could they support them selves....No???....then they prob need an ambulance because they could not "sit safely supporting self." Just some helpful hints that your boss will love ya for.
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