Just passed the Registry

[sutclifj908]

Just passed and I got a job lined up for a private ambulance company. What are some good pointers for my first day

 

[SandpitMedic]

Listen more
Talk less

 

[TigerManMcCool9974]

Congratulations! I start orientation for my first EMS job Feb 3. Forget that guy. Listen, yes. Ask all the time. Never EVER let anyone who has more "experience" than you tell you to stop learning and asking questions. The day you meet someone that knows it all is the day you met someone to avoid.

 

[Akulahawk]

Listen more, talk less. That doesn't mean you should not ask questions, that's something completely different. If you have a question, ask it! Just don't go jammering on about how you were taught this or did that in school. Ears and eyes open. It's because you should be open to new things and look for opportunities to learn something other than war stories. When you go pick up patients, look at the patient and make sure you look around the room. Take note of where things are and the general condition of things. If you're at a medical facility, listen to the report you're given about the patient. Try to correlate what you've heard with what you see. Sometimes you'll pick up on something that prevents a transfer or something that someone else missed!

It happens...

 

[TigerManMcCool9974]

Again, yes, listen more. Listen, listen, listen. But NEVER, EVER, EVER TALK LESS!!! If you have a question, ask it. NEVER, EVER fail to ask a question or state where you thought one thing and your paramedic partner did another, why did that happen? If you are a basic and your paramedic partner EVER says, you ask too many questions, then it's time for you to find a better partner.

I start my first EMt-B job in a week. I'm going to tell my paramedic two things: A) I want you to tell me and teach me what you want me to do to make OUR job as close to 100% effective as possible, and B) I want you to teach me how to do your job in our off time so that I can become as good or better than you, once I go to school and learn the science behind it.

There is no such thing as a stupid question. There are, however, entirely too many people who are too "cool" and too stupid to ask the same question.

 

[UnkiEMT]

I was just about done writing a nice long response that talked about the difference between the good advice of listen more and talk less, and the bad advice of never shut up, then I hit my back button and lost it, so I'm going to bullet point this instead.

1) Be humble. You're a brand new basic, the scope of your ignorance about this industry is immense. That's okay though, we've all been there, we'll help you through it. Don't try to cover your ignorance with hubris.

2) Learn the time and place. Unless you think I'm going to kill the patient, don't question me while we're on the call. I'm busy concentrating on my patient. When we're headed back to base, ask away, I'll happily explain. As will almost anyone who isn't burnt crispy.

2a) If you do think I'm going to kill the patient, please by all that's holy, speak up. I'm not too proud to admit that I've missed something my partner caught, but don't say 'ZOMG YOU KILL THEM! YOU KILL THEM UNTIL THEY ARE DEAD!', just point out what you think I missed, I'll either respond with "Oh, you're right" or "No, we're good". Again, when we're on the way back to quarters I'll walk you through every last detail if you want.

3) Keep learning. I will work with anyone, no matter how I feel about them personally so long as they are either good at the job, or show a willingness to learn and improvement. If you're neither good at the job nor getting better at the job, I'll drop you like a hot rock.

4) Make a good first impression. EMS is a SMALL community, in any given geographic area, we all know each other, and we gossip like old hens. If you get a bad reputation at one company, it'll follow you to any of the other services around. Similarly, though, if you get a good reputation at one service, it'll be much easier for you to move around to better jobs.

Finally, and off the topic at hand, but always good advice:

5) Always lift with your knees and not your back. Not only will using proper lift mechanics help minimize injury, it reduces the risk we're going to drop the patient, and you don't know misery until you see the kind of paperwork you have to do if you drop a patient.

 

[SandpitMedic]

:/

Tiger,

Okay, other brand new EMT. You just walk right on in there to that medic with that attitude, self entitlement, and "know it all" speak and then come back and tell us how that goes.

Clearly, you did not read Akulahawk's reply which was right on the money and clarified what I meant. As you gain more life and EMS experience you will understand what we mean by "listen more, talk less." Your 20 years as a "Surg tech" has no bearing at all on your first day on an ambulance.
It does not mean anything remotely similar to "don't ask questions," nor does it mean don't talk to your patients.
You're responses indicate you're not yet at that level of understanding.

Good luck at your first EMT job, genuinely.

OP,

The advice here is sound. Heed it and you should be just fine.

 

[NaptownEMT]

I recently had my first day of work as an EMT. My advice - make sure you talk to your patients. Introduce yourself. Make eye contact. Tell them what you're doing before you do it.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Here's my advice. Drive carefully and with much situational awareness. Know how to operate the stretcher. Be able to get a puke bucket ready in under 5 seconds. Don't text when driving. Know how to get to the hospital. Listen more, talk less. Don't be a tool bag.

 

[Milla3P]

Be nice.

This is a customer service job. Your "patients" are customers. These customers are normal people, presumably, just like you. Talk to them like you would want to be spoken to. You are no better than them. Most likely your first private ambo job will be mostly dialysis runs and hospital discharges. You are not going to be a sparkling hero shining in the sunlight to them. You're going to be the guy (or gal) that gets them from point A to point B because they can't do it themselves. These people are not delicate flowers who will break and die if you're not staring at them for the duration of their ride.

 

[sutclifj908]

Thanks all for the awesome advice.

 

[gotbeerz001]

I start orientation for my first EMS job Feb 3. Forget that guy.

Haha... I don't know if you realize that you managed to tell everyone here exactly who you are in 13 words.

I would write my own "Guide to Getting Along" but it would just be a repeat of what else is already here.

 

[gotbeerz001]

Again, yes, listen more. Listen, listen, listen. But NEVER, EVER, EVER TALK LESS!!! If you have a question, ask it. NEVER, EVER fail to ask a question or state where you thought one thing and your paramedic partner did another, why did that happen? If you are a basic and your paramedic partner EVER says, you ask too many questions, then it's time for you to find a better partner.

I start my first EMt-B job in a week. I'm going to tell my paramedic two things: A) I want you to tell me and teach me what you want me to do to make OUR job as close to 100% effective as possible, and B) I want you to teach me how to do your job in our off time so that I can become as good or better than you, once I go to school and learn the science behind it.

There is no such thing as a stupid question. There are, however, entirely too many people who are too "cool" and too stupid to ask the same question.

Okay, I lied... Here are a couple rules:
1. Before you ask, think about it and see if you can find the answer.
2. Before you voice your opinion, make sure that you have been there long enough to have actually developed an informed opinion.
3. If your informed opinion is "This sucks", you should have been quiet longer.
4. If you actually see a problem area that needs to be addressed, always provide some sort of solution along with it.
5. Do not show up your first day and TELL your paramedic partner anything.
6. There is a time to ask questions, there is a time to be quiet. There is a time to discuss things, there is a time to do what you are told. There is a time to eat, a time to sleep, a time to crack a joke, a time where you don't even crack a smile. Your job is to know what time it is.
7. You will learn something from everybody that you ever work with. Sometimes you'll learn what to do and how you want to be, sometimes you'll learn what not to do and how not to be. Both lessons are valuable.

OP, congrats on the job.
McCool, Congrats on your job as well.