I can't stand being a paramedic.

[Montbell]

I am anonymously requesting your feedback because I am unable to discuss this topic with any friends, family, or employees.

I recently graduated paramedic school and have been working with my current employer for less than seven months (we are an ambulance service on the outskirts of a big city with ~100 paramedics, ~5 calls in a 12hr shift). I did not work as an EMT prior to medic school. Even though medic school was very tough and frightening at times I enjoyed almost every minute of it. I was so happy to get hired at such a great service as a fresh medic and I LOVED coming to work for the first 6 months until one really terrible shift:

I was working with a veteran paramedic that I have never worked with before and the night was going great until I noticed that she was doing something VERY unsafe and I requested that she stop what she was doing (there was no patient in the ambulance). This person’s reaction was very unprofessional and we both were angry at each other for the rest of the night.

Ever since this occurrence I am sickened with the idea of going back to work. Now I can’t stop thinking about all of the things that I hate about being a paramedic. For example:

---Driving emergently at 0300 while trying to decipher what is reality and what are remnants of my dreams.

---Pretending to feel sorry for a patient with COPD due to 60 years of smoking.

---Being unbelted in the back with a partner who thinks code-3 driving means that they should drive like they are in a rally race.

---Working an overnight shift one day then working a day shift the next and then getting called in at 1am to work a shift at 4am.

I can’t stand being a paramedic. Is this just a phase that all new medics go through? Because I went through a lot of work to get where I am and I am considering throwing it all away.

 

[exodus]

1: Spend a minute waking yourself up, do a few quick push ups or 10 jumping jacks to get your blood going real quick. You can take a minute or two to wake up before responding.
2: Don't feel sorry for them, just don't be cold towards them. Treat them the way you would treat a family member that smoked for 60 years.
3: Then belt up, or tell them to go code 2.
4: You can say you're too tired to work. Companies will do this to new medics because they are eager and excited to get to go play.

Remember, when you are in the back, you are in charge of EVERYTHING. If you feel unsafe with your partners driving, make a paper trail and report it.

 

[AceThunderstone]

It doesn't sound like you dislike being a medic, just that you don't like your company or your coworkers.

For your specific examples:

1. Take some extra time to wake up. You're patient isn't going to die because you took an extra minute.

2. No one is asking you to feel sorry for them. Not sure where you got this idea. Treat them as best you can and don't be a **** and you'll have done your job.

3. If your partner won't change their driving style by talking to them directly, go to your supervisor or refuse to work with them. Also, buckle up.

4. That just sound like a bad company to work for. Are you required to come in whenever requested? If I even chose to answer the phone, I'd probably just say no or tell them I'd been drinking.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Find a new place to work. It's not like that everywhere...

 

[Tigger]

Find a new place to work. It's not like that everywhere...

Yup. You don't need to come up with a million strategies for dealing with what basically amounts to other people's crap. Find a place where it doesn't exist as much. Obviously harder than it sounds, but not nearly as hard as many make it out to be. There are many discontents in EMS, and among them there are many unwilling (for a variety of reasons) to climb out of their hole and find a new beginning, if you will.

Don't be that person.

 

[Montbell]

I really appreciate the feedback guys. It is hard for me to imagine other services being much different because I have been dealing with this craziness since graduation.

 

[abckidsmom]

I really appreciate the feedback guys. It is hard for me to imagine other services being much different because I have been dealing with this craziness since graduation.

There is a certain amount of suck it up involved in the level of working together that we do, but it doesn't extend to safety issues. Seriously, just never transport with lights again. It doesn't really save time, and it's not worth it.

Look for a better agency. If you're willing to relocate, we can recommend a ton of them.

 

[Aprz]

Some of the issues you mentioned, you are in control of.

I would advise against working day AND night shifts. If you are working a 12 hour shift, there is no problem napping in between calls, but you shouldn't expect to sleep.

Even when there is a patient in the back, wear your seat belt. Take it off only when necessary.

 

[unleashedfury]

Is this your permanent partner or was just the flavor of the day?

Truth be told any job has it crappy parts, Its either embrace the suck or move on to somewhere different.

to address your issues

1. wake up, I keep a drink with me sometimes a quick swallow of something chilled wakes me up. If your posted step out of the rig and jog around it. If your at the base calisthenics as others suggest can get the blood flowing, Disruptions in sleep you get used to, My wife goes nuts cause when I am at work the pager or house alarm wakes me right up. When I am at home I'll hit the snooze about 5 times, As far as driving emergent at 3AM whos on the street that you need to run hot?

2. Theres a difference between empathy and feeling sorry for someone, I have empathy but feel sorry for no one, I treat my patients as I would want my aunt uncle brother sister mother or grandmother treated.

3. Belt up, secondly if you are treating the patient you are the paramedic in charge, If you feel your partner is driving unsafe you need to advise them of such actions

4. Welcome to EMS as a new candidate you will flip shifts and times and they know its frustrating but if you won't 50 other new candidates will eat up that job.

 

[ZombieEMT]

I have to agree with the census, it does not seem that the issue is with being a paramedic, its with working for that particular company.

-Having a lack of interest in patients for some people becomes a way to deal with it. Just do your job and get through. Think of the reasons that you chose to become a paramedic. Remember not all people are perfect.
-On most calls, there is no reason to not have a seatbelt on. Belt up all the time, and only unbelt when needed. If the driver is being unsafe, address the issue. Do not let someone else deter you from being a paramedic.
-I think the change after the first six months is because you thought it was a great service and were excited for it to be your first job. I have been in the same situation. I took a job that I thought was good but then realized many negatives about that specific company, not necessarily the job. Once you realized the company wasnt perfect, you did not like as much in the first six months.

 

[mgr22]

Is it possible your disenchantment is mostly about that one unfavorable incident with your partner? I'm no expert, but you did say your negative feelings started at that point. Perhaps that incident is coloring your overall view of the job. If so, maybe you'd feel better if you talked about with the other person, or with a neutral party. Maybe you'll be relieved to find out the job itself is ok.

 

[firetender]

I'm just wondering what's going on underneath it all. You state you loved every minute of school and loved the job for about six months and then you find yourself with one partner who is doing something "unsafe" and then you start running all these reasons why it's a sucky job and/or company and/or living.

Why are you working so hard to talk yourself out of it?

 

[Montbell]

Why are you working so hard to talk yourself out of it?

I am trying to talk myself into staying a paramedic. If I leave now, there is no going back. I have hated jobs in the past or thought they were boring but never have I literally dreaded going to work like I do now.

.

Maybe you'd feel better if you talked about it with the other person, or with a neutral party.

Here is the full story: My partner was texting while driving the ambulance. When I tried talking to her she blew up on me and, I KID YOU NOT, said that I will never be a good paramedic if I can’t multitask like texting and driving. Again, I am the new guy so going and whining to the manager is the last thing I want to do because I will be known as the tattle-tale. I seriously believe that this devastated me and I am trying to understand how my passion for being a paramedic was flipped upside down so abruptly.

 

[Montbell]

I would advise against working day AND night shifts.

I wish you were my scheduler. I am 1 of the 3 newest medics which means that I am stuck with all of the shifts that noone else wants. This is usually alternating day night shifts. This screws up my sleep pattern so bad. I don't remember the last time I got a good nights sleep. THIS IS THE EPITOME of why I am considering leaving. And there is no way of getting around this because Unleashedfury stated it perfectly:

4. Welcome to EMS as a new candidate you will flip shifts and times and they know its frustrating but if you won't 50 other new candidates will eat up that job.

 

[chaz90]

I am trying to talk myself into staying a paramedic. If I leave now, there is no going back. I have hated jobs in the past or thought they were boring but never have I literally dreaded going to work like I do now.

.



Here is the full story: My partner was texting while driving the ambulance. When I tried talking to her she blew up on me and, I KID YOU NOT, said that I will never be a good paramedic if I can’t multitask like texting and driving. Again, I am the new guy so going and whining to the manager is the last thing I want to do because I will be known as the tattle-tale. I seriously believe that this devastated me and I am trying to understand how my passion for being a paramedic was flipped upside down so abruptly.

Why does your unpleasant interaction with an individual change how you feel about the entire career? I don't quite get where this one experience seems to have colored what you think being a paramedic is all about. There are plenty of people I meet in everyday life I don't get along with, but it doesn't mean I suddenly hate life.

 

[STXmedic]

Why does your unpleasant interaction with an individual change how you feel about the entire career? I don't quite get where this one experience seems to have colored what you think being a paramedic is all about. There are plenty of people I meet in everyday life I don't get along with, but it doesn't mean I suddenly hate life.

This.

Hate your partner, cool. Big deal. Life goes on. Like Chaz said, if disliking my partner meant I would hate my profession, I would have quit a long time ago.

There are :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty people in all careers, and at every job you will ever work at for the rest of your life. If you can't learn how to deal with them, you're going to have a very long, stressful time ahead of you. This has absolutely nothing to do with you being a paramedic, though.

It sounds like you work for a crappy system. Find a new one. I've never had to constantly switch days/nights like that. That would screw me up, too. Or just stick out the first year until you can bid for a good shift, with hopefully a better partner.

Regardless, all of your complaints so far seem to have little to do with being a paramedic. They all seem to be operational or interpersonal. Both of those can be remedied with some work from you, and not require a full career change. Again, if you absolutely hate where you work, look for a new employer and quit your current one.

 

[Handsome Robb]

That's downright unsafe to flip shifts like that.

My first shift bid as a paramedic I was #42 of 42. I worked weekend graveyard but I still had a set schedule. Did they call me asking me to work OT all the time? Absolutely but you don't have to say yes. No matter what they tell you.

I agree that it doesn't sound like the job but the company.

There are thousands of EMS agencies and IFT agencies out there. IFT isn't glamorous but it gets you experience to get in with the really good agencies.

 

[Kevinf]

I don't know of a single agency that doesn't have a policy banning texting while driving. Those that do it usually have an inflated sense of their ability to multi-task as well, as they swerve in and out of their lane as they insist they aren't swerving. Report them.

 

[unleashedfury]

I am trying to talk myself into staying a paramedic. If I leave now, there is no going back. I have hated jobs in the past or thought they were boring but never have I literally dreaded going to work like I do now.

.



Here is the full story: My partner was texting while driving the ambulance. When I tried talking to her she blew up on me and, I KID YOU NOT, said that I will never be a good paramedic if I can’t multitask like texting and driving. Again, I am the new guy so going and whining to the manager is the last thing I want to do because I will be known as the tattle-tale. I seriously believe that this devastated me and I am trying to understand how my passion for being a paramedic was flipped upside down so abruptly.

Theres a fine line that needs to be drawn. first off, Texting and driving is unsafe. You are in California correct? I know for a fact that they have a policy that states there is no texting and driving so she is breaking the law.

Oh and multi-tasking is purely a myth. The brain can only concentrate on one thing at a time. Proven fact. So if your texting your focusing on what you are trying to say. if you are driving you are focusing on what you need to do.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201103/technology-myth-multitasking

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95256794

Some reading material for the "multitaskers to read as they drive their cars, drink their coffee and talk on the phone"

 

[OregonEMT]

I'm confused. You can't stand being a paramedic due to this one isolated incident? Or could it be that you can't stand the person that you work with? Can you give us a little more detail including specific aspects of working as a paramedic that has led you to "hate" your chosen profession.

your partner texting while driving is not a very common isolated incident that leads to instant hate of a profession.