Immature EMTs

[Hellsbells]

I don't think his attitude could be fixed with a discussion. Anyone who is involved in patient care and gets visibly disgusted by someone's naked rear end isn't going to be receptive to/improved by "hey, don't be disgusted by people's body."

Not really the point is it? I think the matter is really how one presents himself on a call, making faces and other obvious signs of disgust that the pt could potentially see is pretty low in my opinion. Of course you can't dictate how a person actually feels, but I think its worth a discussion because, like it or not his behavior reflects directly on you.

 

[adamjh3]

Not really the point is it? I think the matter is really how one presents himself on a call, making faces and other obvious signs of disgust that the pt could potentially see is pretty low in my opinion. Of course you can't dictate how a person actually feels, but I think its worth a discussion because, like it or not his behavior reflects directly on you.

This.

Yes, you have to be able to have fun with this job, if that means cracking some jokes, talking through calls with other crews in a humorous manner, that's fine. BUT there is a time and place; In the rig by yourself while your posted, at the station during your down time, etc. How you act on scene and how you act out in public while you're in uniform impacts everyone around you and shapes their views of not only EMS, but everyone in uniform. We're supposed to be role models, whether you like it or not. People DO look up to us, that opinion and trust can very, very easily be betrayed by one bad apple.

I've had to talk to some of my crew members about using vulgar language when we're getting food or going through a store and cracking jokes about patients in the same settings. There's no need for it, and it's safest to assume that nobody - not even other health care providers - "gets" our twisted gallows humor. Explaining it in these terms often stops the problem.

By the way, I started EMS at 18, I'm now in charge of a station of about a dozen people and I'm only 19. Age =/= maturity.

 

[mycrofft]

In charge after one year

Further deponent sayeth naught, save that McDonald's has a similar promotion profile.
Not to say it is not warranted or successful, but there have to be "issues" with older and more experienced practitioners.

 

[adamjh3]

Further deponent sayeth naught, save that McDonald's has a similar promotion profile.
Not to say it is not warranted or successful, but there have to be "issues" with older and more experienced practitioners.

Meh, not really. Very, very small BLS IFT station with a very high turn-over rate. Only one person has been there longer than me and he didn't want the responsibility. Looking a good five years older than I am helps with the "older" folks, granted, the oldest is only 28 and one of my closest friends.

Not gloating. Actually, it's nothing to gloat about, a whole lot more work for an extra buck an hour. Just putting facts on the table.

 

[mycrofft]

adam, the very best to you then!

Hey, 19 year olds were walking point on patrols in Nam and calling in artie. Good deal, get it on your CV with a letter of recommendation!

 

[samiam]

I have noticed that the older and more experienced the person is the crueler and sicker the jokes become. I initially was very timid to crack jokes about patients etc even when they were not around but it is what keeps you sane.

 

[jediwill]

Immature...

I totally get the need to vent and joke about some things...I'm one of the first to do it..but I would never let my "immaturity" influence my patient care in a bad way...I mean yeah so its a butt? Ever think that the poor guy that has to ask for help with something so personal aint really wild bout you getting a look at his hinder either?Empathize a lil.

 

[firetender]

Respect yourself

If it's an issue of immaturity then the whole EMS culture is immature. Gallows humor and cracks about patients (to ease the pain?) are quite prevalent throughout and so pervasive that sometimes, a real cruel crack is likely to slip out.

It's all about your awareness of yourself and your impact on other people.

There's nothing wrong with what is in the culture, but each of us has the right and maybe obligation to set limits and boundaries on each other. I'm not talking Rules, though like some here at EMTLife make sense. I'm talking about calling out the individual when he/she shows more malintent than fun in what they say or do in the moment.

There are times each of us will need to be reminded why we're here.

 

[bigbaldguy]

As someone coming to EMS in his mid 30s I have to say I was blown away by the maturity I often see in some of the "kids" I volunteer with. I've worked with paramedics that are barely old enough to drink but who handle themselves on the job with a confidence and maturity I could only dream of at their age.

 

[EMSpassion94]

I think think there is a big line between being immature and having a sense of humor. I'll be one of the first one's to crack a joke after a call, but i'm not going to sit there and watch you struggle with a patient because i'm grossed out about touching his rear. I'd say, if he can't handle seeing someone else's 'junk', he can't handle being an EMT. Let alone in the medical field at all. You're going to see alot of these things. It's more the bound to happen. I'm 16 years old, and alongside being an EMT, i'm also a caregiver. Who DEFINITELY sees things. And no, I don't believe its about age, at all. People have told me they can't believe how calm, collected, and confident I am on scene. And then there are other people, 10, 20, 30 years older than me who can't hold themselves together on scene if it's not a simple call. And I also don't believe it's in experience. I have only about 1 year of experience in EMS, and those same people who can't hold it together have been in EMS for 10 or more years. You definietly have to be "called" to work in the EMS field. Some people can handle things that other people can't. Simple as that.

 

[firetender]

that

and as long as you don't forget that everyone has an Achilles heel, including you, you'll be fine. You will meet yourself in EMS, no matter where you stand.

 

[daveathlon]

Yeah it sucks, but you get retards in just about every job. Too bad they can't be kept out of the EMS field.

 

[Dougy]

This is more of a rant than a constructive post.

Other EMTs who act like they are too good to help a patient with anything not explicitly in the EMS scope are so annoying. I took a very nice patient home yesterday. He was bedbound and his caregiver wasn't completely mobile either. The patient asked us to help get a chux under him, and another EMT there acted *SO* immature about it. He made faces when the patient was turned away from him, he made the process much harder by refusing to actually touch the patient, and when we got back to the truck he made a few comments about how gross the whole experience had been. It was so annoying! Here was this patient who was fully oriented, mid-40s, having to humble himself by asking us to help him get padding under him in case he soiled himself, and this EMT was completely immature and unprofessional about it because he had to see another male's derriere. Ugggg!!!!

It frustrates me to be around immature EMT's. There are a few on my squad, myself included at some points, but really, it's a good group. I'm lucky.

 

[usafmedic45]

It frustrates me to be around immature EMT's. There are a few on my squad, myself included at some points, but really, it's a good group. I'm lucky.

That's what happens when you have a "dozen" or so 16-17 y/o EMTs. About 0.01% of EMTs under 18 y/o are anything I would even begin to approximate as "mature". Hell, only about 5% of EMTs under 30 y/o are so....

 

[TransportJockey]

Yeah it sucks, but you get retards in just about every job. Too bad they can't be kept out of the EMS field.

Hard to keep them out when the standards of entry are so freaking low we will take anyone

 

[bigbaldguy]

That's what happens when you have a "dozen" or so 16-17 y/o EMTs. About 0.01% of EMTs under 18 y/o are anything I would even begin to approximate as "mature". Hell, only about 5% of EMTs under 30 y/o are so....

You gotta say one thing for em though. Those young gung ho guys have nice strong backs.

 

[usafmedic45]

Yup and they make effective canaries. Hand them a lit road flare and send them into the scene. If they don't get shot, stabbed, beaten, run over, pass out or engulfed in a massive fireball, the scene is most likely safe.

 

[TransportJockey]

Yup and they make effective canaries. Hand them a lit road flare and send them into the scene. If they don't get shot, stabbed, beaten, run over, pass out or engulfed in a massive fireball, the scene is most likely safe.

You just gave me a new use for our volunteer hosemonkeys

 

[usafmedic45]

You just gave me a new use for our volunteer hosemonkeys

Just for the sake of the impending lawsuit, I disavow that I am actually suggesting that and likewise deny that I've ever made an EMT student engage in such activities.

 

[Jay]

Hey, 19 year olds were walking point on patrols in Nam and calling in artie. Good deal, get it on your CV with a letter of recommendation!

When I was in the Navy, the average age was 18, 19, 20 and 21 if you were lucky; almost half of the population was within that age group. The odd thing was that they were virtually split into two categories (without trying to sound sexist and to make the point) the men and the boys. I almost pulled my hair out at times because I was 19 or 20 and in a position of responsibility and I had guys older than me acting like it was high school. I guess EMS is the same deal, it comes down to the player and not only the game.