sorry if there's a thread about this, i spent a good 10 minutes putting in a search for this topic and came up empty. this might pertain to just california or los angeles county ems based workers, but i would like input from non california providers as i've seen many of you seem to be very familiar with how ems is run in LA county.
i'm about to have to recertify for the first time in a couple months, it took a good month for me to get my first ift gig and recently got a pretty sweet tech position. so i've been employed for a good 20 months and i've learned alot about myself as a provider and a person, i've found i really have my heart set on working in this field for as far as i can see but i've also come to find i have no desire to work in the fire service, which is put out to be the only way to live comfortably as a medic. i have no desire to be in the competitive type A frat house environment (as an LAFD medic described it to me the other day in the er), even less of a desire to carry a 60 pound hose up 20 flights of stairs with turnouts and an scba. i've done a few ride alongs with my local fd, talked to too many fire fighters about the service and i really just think it's not for me. nothing against fire fighters or the service, but i can honestly say it's not my cup o tea.
i've been told by single function medics that their job is a joke, i really don't mind IFT's, i'd love to do 911 as a medic after school but i feel like there's a legitimate reason for dialysis and other misc ift transports (most).. i keep being told i'm not going to like the work, but then again i was told if you're not working 911 you're going to hate your life in LA county, but i really love just being there for people, whether it be getting a juice box for my patient when i'm holding the wall for 5 hours or just extending my hand to the patient is getting tired of going through the torture of dialysis tx 3 times a week, i'm fine with constantly keeping my skills in check and not using my them as often as others. my only real deal, being i want a future in this is money. i'm not trying to become rich, but i know that atleast in la county getting your p card and not being attached to a fire department is pretty much financial hell for a 2 dollar raise from your emt job. i live on my own and work most of my life away, which im fine with for the time being, but i'd eventually want to overcome this stump and find a little bit of ease on the other side. i'm willing to leave california after medic school, i just don't know if i'm going to find the same struggles everywhere else.
so could i get some input from out of cali medics? anyone else have this on their minds?
i'm about to have to recertify for the first time in a couple months, it took a good month for me to get my first ift gig and recently got a pretty sweet tech position. so i've been employed for a good 20 months and i've learned alot about myself as a provider and a person, i've found i really have my heart set on working in this field for as far as i can see but i've also come to find i have no desire to work in the fire service, which is put out to be the only way to live comfortably as a medic. i have no desire to be in the competitive type A frat house environment (as an LAFD medic described it to me the other day in the er), even less of a desire to carry a 60 pound hose up 20 flights of stairs with turnouts and an scba. i've done a few ride alongs with my local fd, talked to too many fire fighters about the service and i really just think it's not for me. nothing against fire fighters or the service, but i can honestly say it's not my cup o tea.
i've been told by single function medics that their job is a joke, i really don't mind IFT's, i'd love to do 911 as a medic after school but i feel like there's a legitimate reason for dialysis and other misc ift transports (most).. i keep being told i'm not going to like the work, but then again i was told if you're not working 911 you're going to hate your life in LA county, but i really love just being there for people, whether it be getting a juice box for my patient when i'm holding the wall for 5 hours or just extending my hand to the patient is getting tired of going through the torture of dialysis tx 3 times a week, i'm fine with constantly keeping my skills in check and not using my them as often as others. my only real deal, being i want a future in this is money. i'm not trying to become rich, but i know that atleast in la county getting your p card and not being attached to a fire department is pretty much financial hell for a 2 dollar raise from your emt job. i live on my own and work most of my life away, which im fine with for the time being, but i'd eventually want to overcome this stump and find a little bit of ease on the other side. i'm willing to leave california after medic school, i just don't know if i'm going to find the same struggles everywhere else.
so could i get some input from out of cali medics? anyone else have this on their minds?
. You could travel or even do flight. Sounds like nursing would be a good fit for you.
