If I knew then...

Handsome Robb said:
That's odd, I check BPs on "psych" patients all the time. Never once had one act out at me because I treat them like the human being that they are.
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STXmedic said:
If you are having psych patients attack you frequently enough to have a rule about when to check BPs on them, you're doing something wrong. If you aren't having them attack you, please stop listening to war stories from guys that likely can't even acquire a 12 lead correctly.
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:rolleyes:

I've never had an issue before. Still going to palp BPs on these patients.
 
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If I could do it all over again, I'd go military first and then see what my options are.
 
The only time I don't wear mine around my neck is in the helicopter. I didn't know it was such a danger.

As far as EMS goes, it's not too bad. If I knew then ... I would have gone to medical school. Or nursing school. But otherwise I can't really complain. I think it's just important to find a situation that makes you happy and try and keep some time for your life outside of EMS. That's a struggle for lot's of people though, even those that are not Medics.
 
If only I have really understood the significant disruption that working weekends, nights and holidays plus never having the same days off has on your ability to have an out-of-work life that the rotating roster has.

Plus there is limited value in the Degree for the significant investment required. A $20,000 degree which qualifies you to do one thing and one thing only - work as a Paramedic on an ambulance. There are other qualifications that cost the same but are significantly more transferrable.
 
"Plus there is limited value in the Degree for the significant investment required. A $20,000 degree which qualifies you to do one thing and one thing only - work as a Paramedic on an ambulance. There are other qualifications that cost the same but are significantly more transferrable."

The creation of Flight/Critical Care Paramedic positions with increased scope of practice might create a reasonable tier for advancement in some regions/states. I know in some states the scope of practice is the same as Nursing and I imagine if that becomes more common you might see an increase in compensation and maybe opportunities to work in hospitals in some capacity. Still there are no where near as many options for someone in EMS compared to Nursing. I think that really is the chief drawback for me.
 
Clare said:
If only I have really understood the significant disruption that working weekends, nights and holidays plus never having the same days off has on your ability to have an out-of-work life that the rotating roster has.

Plus there is limited value in the Degree for the significant investment required. A $20,000 degree which qualifies you to do one thing and one thing only - work as a Paramedic on an ambulance. There are other qualifications that cost the same but are significantly more transferrable.
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i agree with the top part. having friends who are mostly or all EMS they tend to 'get it' though.
not everyone has to spend that much money on school though. my entire program i probably never spent more than 1500 (included acls/pals/phtls) which were separate.

if i could do it again, i mightve done it sooner. internships were sparse at the time so maybe not.
 
Internships were sparse? Is that a separate from clinical hours? Also I keep seeing holidays and weekends being an issue. Do most departments not have rotating annual holidays? i.e. Off Christmas Eve, Work Christmas Day 2015, work Christmas Eve 2016, off Christmas day 2016?
 
auscultate said:
Internships were sparse? Is that a separate from clinical hours? Also I keep seeing holidays and weekends being an issue. Do most departments not have rotating annual holidays? i.e. Off Christmas Eve, Work Christmas Day 2015, work Christmas Eve 2016, off Christmas day 2016?
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Rotating holidays? Never heard of that. Anywhere I've worked, if the holiday fell on your normal shift rotation you were expected to be there. Unless you took pto.
 
Angel said:
i agree with the top part. having friends who are mostly or all EMS they tend to 'get it' though.
not everyone has to spend that much money on school though. my entire program i probably never spent more than 1500 (included acls/pals/phtls) which were separate.

if i could do it again, i mightve done it sooner. internships were sparse at the time so maybe not.
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Where CLare is they actually require a real education to work on an a@ambulance. Not like in the states
 
TransportJockey said:
Where CLare is they actually require a real education to work on an a@ambulance. Not like in the states
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ah, i totally overlooked that. i actually wish ems was like that here. (canada, aus, new zealand ect)
20 is still kind of a lot (thats like UC tuition rates) but to be paid better and have more respect would be worth it i suppose.


something else i thought that i wish i knew, is the pay isnt what i or people think it is. not that i do it for the money, but it shouldnt be this hard to make a living out of a 'career'

@auscultate: by sparse i meant, the class before mine waited (most of them did, before internships were shut down) over 9 months to get placed. this area is saturated with medic schools and another one opened recently and NONE of their students have be assigned preceptors yet.
 
Okay so just found out today the salary range in my area for EMT-P...Wow, I'm pretty sure the housekeepers at my workplace clear that. The plus is that in a 7 day week the EMTs/Medics work 24x3. So I suppose the overtime makes up for the first 40 hours.

With that in mind, how family friendly are your stations? Since working 72 hours a week is going to be the norm how do you find time to see your family? I've heard that some families come to visit at times like for dinner or something.
 
auscultate said:
Okay so just found out today the salary range in my area for EMT-P...Wow, I'm pretty sure the housekeepers at my workplace clear that. The plus is that in a 7 day week the EMTs/Medics work 24x3. So I suppose the overtime makes up for the first 40 hours.

With that in mind, how family friendly are your stations? Since working 72 hours a week is going to be the norm how do you find time to see your family? I've heard that some families come to visit at times like for dinner or something.
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I work seven days on and seven days off. Depending which station I'm at I can bring the girlfriend and the puppy or just the girlfriend
 
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