This thread came along because I had trouble reporting harassment due to my religious beliefs because I didn't want to be a whiner or appear too sensitive.
He sang religious songs in the truck, piped gospel into the patient compartment, told me he would pray for me, told me I wasn't happy because I wasn't a Christian and that I feel god with me but ignore it.
Finally snapped last week and reported it when he started off the shift as "hey still atheist?" And that was the least offensive thing out of his mouth for the little bit of time we worked together after that.
I have had to deal with christmas music from halloween to new years. so I hear your pain when it comes to religious songs in the truck. Either way, what your partner is doing is wrong, report it, it shouldn't be tolerated. You aren't whining or being overly sensitive, it's your truck too, and his actions are obviously making you uncomfortable.
Not to totally sound like a typical female, but I leave all the vehicle maintenance stuff up to the guys I share the amb with. I know NOTHING about cars. I could manage windshield washer fluid and changing the headlights, but that is about it. I'm a little too short to do the oil because of where the dip stick is. I do however make sure to let someone know if I think there is something up.
I don't really see that as sexism, so much as playing the strengths of different people.
omg, how sexist are you? you are stereotyping guys. I'll have you know, I am a male. I know nothing about cars. Wouldn't know how to manage windshield washer fluid unless you showed me, and I had to call a mechanic to show me how to change a headlight. and the only reason I know about checking the oil was someone showed me (and even then I barely do it).
Just because someone has a penis, doesn't automaticly make them an expert in auto repair. And thinking that it does is extremely sexist.
I just don't want to get that car crap on my hands or under my finger nails.
But as I take all the patients I see it as things to do with patient care at mine. Things to do with driving are theirs. I will help wash the truck at the end but I don't think I should have to.
and maybe the guy doesn't want crap on his hands or under his nails? If you are on the crew, you should be washing the truck with your partner. it's your truck too.
My partner is...a fairly bad EMT. His contribution to patient care is minimal. I have to double check most of the work he does independently, like stocking. It is in no way unfair that he washes the ambulance and makes the gurney by himself. I help with the ambulance sometimes, when we've had a slow night and I don't have paperwork or anything to do.
if your partner is a fairly bad EMT, than he should be fired and replaced with a better EMT. If you can't trust your partner, than he or she isn't a partner, he is just your driver. a partner is someone you work with; based on what you just said, you don't have a partner, just a grunt who doesn't even need to be an EMT, just a clean DL and maybe a valid CPR card.
Who said I don't pull my weight? I don't check fluids... I pull my weight by checking, stocking, and cleaning the entire rest of the truck.
and your partner doesn't check the truck, restock, or clean any of the inside with you? damn,I feel bad for you.
I do this for two reasons. I don't want to depend on someone to know that all my crap is there. I've been bitten by "Oh no I already checked the o2, we are good."
than your partner should be smacked, reprimanded, and fired. smacked for making you look like an idiot in front of the patient, reprimanded for laying about the status of patient equipment, and fired for lying on the ambulance check sheet.
I feel that since I do all the calls, inside the ambulance is my domain. I even wipe down the steering wheel, and all that other stuff as a courtesy when I'm saniwiping everything.
that is your opinion, and as long as your partner agrees, that's fine. if you were my partner, than we would definitely not be in agreement here.
And if I needed further justification: the fluids should be checked on a cold truck. I am a non driver. That means I can't pull the truck from the field to around the back where we check it out. That is something my partner HAS to do. So while he's out there, s/he can check the fluids before starting the truck. I COULD walk out there, check them, and walk back, get fluids, then walk back and fill the fluids, but that's where it comes back to I don't like the car stuff under my nails. And that seems silly.
It is not slacking, it's dividing the labor up.
Maybe you should just become a driver, and that way you could do the job? this isn't a volunteer thing where you can choose what you want to do, when you work in EMS, you should be able to both drive and treat (the level of training not withstanding). and I don't like crap under my nails either.
Maybe it's different in the IFT world vs the 911 world, but in every 911 system I am familiar with, the duties are shared. each employee is expected to do both sides of the job (drive and treat). But I still think if two people are PARTNERS, than the work should be handled equally, regardless of the gender of the crew members.
