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Play nice everyone...
HELP! My EMT-I thinks she's a paramedic!
- Thread starter paragod
- Start date
MSDeltaFlt
RRT/NRP
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Cop an attitude? Yes. Take over? Absolutely not. If there is a problem, we'll talk about it after the call. And though I may be the medic and in charge of the truck, I am only one man. I cannot do this job alone. I need help. I don't have "drivers". I have "partners". My partner and I are going to work together. There is no ultimatum. There is no "or else". We are going to work together. Period. End of discussion.
How to handle the situation? You, the EMT-I, and a witness who is a senior officer (not your wife, but a 3rd party that is neutral), and the 3 of you need to sit down and have a discussion and clarify a few things. You may learn a few things from her. She may learn a few things about you.
You're liable to piss her off and hurt her feelings. She's liable to piss you off and hurt your feelings as well. But all of you are grown. Meaning you're all grown enough to get over it and learn from it. That's what adults do.
Good luck.
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thank you for your wonderful advice! some people on here have totally turned this into something bizarre. it's partner problems, people. not the finer points of ems guidlines!
again, thank you for reading, comprehending, and responding in a polite manner!
You seem to allow your personal feelings to interfere with what you should be doing professionally. Decide what you want to do but if you are wearing a Paramedic patch, keep the patient in mind.
And stop making excuses just because you live in a small town. Regardless of who or what owns your service, you should have some knowledge about charting and services required for certain situations.
You serve food on your ambulance? We are restricted from doing that by a couple of different agencies including OSHA.
No, not every transport van carries oxygen. Yes there are big ambulance companies that even have contracts in small towns which own many different types of transportation services. Yes, PDs, FDs, Private, Volunteer, City, County and a whole mess of other may provide EMS. Some are even all rolled into one and called Public Safety Officers.
I don't think you know how many different services there are in the world patient care transport or how many different types of agencies that provide EMS.
I have no warm and fuzzy advice for you. I am not "Dear Abby". If you are as seasoned of a Paramedic as you say you are, this situation should be clear to you as it pertains to patient care responsibility.
Toss in the words medical certification or professional and you should have your answer.
Just be a professional when it comes to your job and leave your personal problems at home and don't take them on the truck. Deal with this problem you have with your wife's friend in another area that is away from a patient.
You serve food on your ambulance? We are restricted from doing that by a couple of different agencies including OSHA.
seriously, dude. sarcasm. covered the food thing before.
by the way, thanks for explaining public safety to me. i had no idea what any of this was until just now. in fact, i think i will care for my patients now.
wait, i already do that, and i already knew all of that. but thanks for wasting your time, i guess.
seriously, dude. sarcasm. covered the food thing before.
by the way, thanks for explaining public safety to me. i had no idea what any of this was until just now. in fact, i think i will care for my patients now.
wait, i already do that, and i already knew all of that. but thanks for wasting your time, i guess.
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Last chance to stop the
Read your original post and you should be able to see what I was referencing with my comments.
I intended no malice towards you but did have concerns with the way you were allowed to be directed by the person you were describing especially when it came to patient care issues. This should not have gotten as far as it did.
You are correct that I do not know what a "quasi-critical care" service is. Here we would probably call it a half arsed attempt at CCT. Our CCT IFT trucks are also called when the care of a patient from a LTC facility is beyond what a 911 ALS is capable of.
I intended no malice towards you but did have concerns with the way you were allowed to be directed by the person you were describing especially when it came to patient care issues. This should not have gotten as far as it did.
You are correct that I do not know what a "quasi-critical care" service is. Here we would probably call it a half arsed attempt at CCT. Our CCT IFT trucks are also called when the care of a patient from a LTC facility is beyond what a 911 ALS is capable of.
Last chance to stop the
no, no. i'm done
fortsmithman
Forum Deputy Chief
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Another thread about to be locked. People please get along.
fortsmithman
Forum Deputy Chief
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Last week and this week I've noticed a few threads locked. More than normal it seems or is it.
the thing is that ems is different everywhere. the is no uniformity, though there is some sort of skeleton in place for what it is supposed to be. the problem is that emt-whatever's are mostly type-A personalities and everyone thinks that his or her particular locale has it right, and maybe they do. i'm not even saying that this one is right. i have been in death matches with management over some of the policies that are in place in this company and in this area that i believe are not in keeping with the true spirit or intent of ems as a profession. when you add in the fact that jobs are dropping like flies, and people, at least here, are flowing out of ems at an alarming rate, you then have a lot of passion on top of whatever amount of passion is innate.
truth is, i am beginning a study for my own benefit, of how these places are different, and how these ideas can be incorporated in my own everyday experience. i am signing up for a cct class in september, as well as a tactical medic class as soon as i learn to shoot a gun. i want to learn about the intricacies that make this thing what it is, and find out how to make it better. i believe that a lot of the things we focus on are simply wasteful. i don't know what sort of things are going on elsewhere, but i know that there are things at all of the services that i have strongly disagreed with. that doesn't mean i didn't see the point, i just think that it could be done a better way.
and for every opinion i have, there are thousands upon thousands more out there, and that is why i posted here today, and why i have been reading this site. the other guy got upset when he thought that patients weren't being cared for. i got upset at that implication. so what? we get over it and move on to the next thread.
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That's because I didn't want to ban somebody while I was on vacation, but I go back to work tomorrow.
djmedic913
Forum Lieutenant
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Gotta love Para-Basics and Para-mediates...It is bad enough that we have Para-gods and Para-medics.
I have had a similar situation.
When I started at this company as a Basic, there was a brand new basic in my new hire class. well she was already a Para-Basic. we worked 1 or 2 shifts back then and it was ok. But then I got my medic. Ever since I got my medic I have had partners, not drivers, but partners. that said, I was informed my management that I am the medic and responsible for everything that goes on with the rig. Well, the original Para-Basic and I ended up getting scheduled together. needless to say we had a call that she tried to take over on me. I had to pull rank. I hate having doing that, but with this basic I had to tell her to "get in the driver's seat and wait until I tell you to go". I have never done to anyone before...or since actually.
Best advise I can give would be at the beginning of your next shift with her spell things out. Tell her flat out what your issues are and they will not be tolerated in the future. As for the new hire that YOU are supposed to be retraining, make her aware that he is with you and not with her.
You need to put her back in her place. You also need to let your wife know what you are planning. I understand you are between a rock and hard place. But when you are at work your wife is only a co-worker. and if there is an issue with mutual co-worker you each would expect that person to handle it. Love is Love, Friends are Friends, and Business is Business...
WannaBeFlight
Forum Lieutenant
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This is a Simple Answer: Put being friends aside, If it endangers the patients then it is not right and needs to be stopped. If she is not a EMT-P, then she isnt, and should not act outside of her Scope of Practice. This could come down on you in the long run if it continues to happen. This is a Profession, not a High School. Friends can be friends outside of work, but should not affect your patients safety in any way. I am a very black and white person when it comes to rules, They are there for a reason and are for safety of ourselves and others. Sorry!
WannaBeFlight
Forum Lieutenant
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Also it seems that she is taking advantage of your wifes and hers friendship. She feels safe thinking that there is no way you would do something to your wifes best friend, or would do something to upset your wife in regards to her.:excl:
reaper
Working Bum
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I would say, read up on "Borrowed Servent"! She is working under your medic cert. So, if she screws up, it is your cert that takes the hit.
Step up, take control of the situation and stop worrying about someones, friendship!
Step up, take control of the situation and stop worrying about someones, friendship!
medic417
The Truth Provider
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After talking to her she said you don't know how to do your job and if she doesn't step in and act like a Paramedic you will end up killing patients.
h34r:
h34r:
WannaBeFlight
Forum Lieutenant
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After talking to her she said you don't know how to do your job and if she doesn't step in and act like a Paramedic you will end up killing patients.
Huh???? I am confused, did she actually say this? I am not sure where this comment came from. :wacko: