Making the jump from EMT to supervisor/FTO

[ITBITB13]

So I've worked as an EMT for quite a bit now, in various types of settings. I feel that I am ready to, and I am trying to make the jump to a supervisor/FTO position. I have interviews with a few ambulance companies already, but I was wondering if any current ftos or supervisors had any advice for someone who is working to make that transition. Any and all advice would beer early appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Handsome Robb]

Are you looking for a supervisor or an FTO position? We have Paramedic and AEMT FTOs. Paramedic FTOs can train AEMTs, Paramedics, Paramedic Interns or Prehospital RNs (Our Flight RNs are required to do a stint on the ground with a PFTO so they understand what we deal with and our capabilities). AEMTs only train AEMTs.

Supervisor is a completely different position although Supervisors can act as an FTO for all levels. Generally you have to have experience as an FTO before you can become a supervisor. If it's a BLS agency I'm sure there are EMT Supervisors but to be a Super for my agency you have to be a Paramedic.

Also, some agencies have Supervisors riding a normal street shift along with acting as the Supe from their rig while others have them in dedicated Supe trucks like an SUV or Pick-up truck with a utility bed with a full ALS kit plus additional MCI gear and some other random odds and ends. They rove, can respond with crews for things that sound like they may need a supervisory employee on scene or can also respond solo if there are no units available to get an ALS provider to the patient faster. Unless you have experience with that company or extensive previous supervisory experience it's extremely rare for agencies to hire externally for FTO and/or Supervisor spots. Without knowing how their agency works you can't exactly supervise or train people. Also it would be very difficult, if not nearly impossible to gain respect from employees who have been there longer, sometimes years longer than yourself. Not trying to burst your bubble or kill your dreams but if Supervisor and Field Training Officer is your goal your best bet is to stay where you're at and climb the ladder rather than leaving to another agency and having to start back from the bottom again. All our Supes had at least 5 years of experience on the street with my agency before they got their spot.

As far as the transition I can't comment since I am neither, although I plan to apply for a PFTO spot the next round of hiring. I've interviewed once before so I'm hoping this go around I'll land myself a spot since I have more experience and as odd as it sounds am in the top third of our seniority on the Paramedic list. I have had a partner who was an AEMT FTO and helped quite a bit with his trainees. The toughest part is teaching someone how to operate in the system and adjusting yourself and your teaching style to fit their needs rather than forcing them to adjust to your teaching style. The former produces much more successful providers than the latter. Obviously you're there to teach and when they need to be taught something you need to teach it, what I'm getting at is you need to find the best way for them for you to teach it.

Good luck.

 

[Akulahawk]

We would expect that the FTO is very much SOLID in their ability to be a Paramedic or EMT. You can expect that someone that is an FTO is essentially the "model employee" and "model EMT or Paramedic." In short, the FTO know their stuff very, very well and you don't generally have to worry about that employee from a "clinical" perspective. Here's the difficult part about being a good FTO. In that role, you have to be able to teach and be able to figure out your trainee's learning style and be able to ensure that your trainee learns. Over the years, I have met some people that were absolutely spectacularly good at their job. Many of them wanted to be an FTO because, let's face it, it looks good on a resume. A very few of them could teach others effectively.

At the core, an FTO is a teacher. If you don't feel like you're ready to take on a teaching role, then you're not ready to be an FTO. We all want to jump in and just do things because we know we can do it better and faster than the new guy... but if we do that, they don't learn. So FTOs have to know when to step in and step back to let their trainee learn. As an FTO, you also have to learn to model the behaviors you want your trainee to emulate both on calls and between calls. You're responsible for enculturating your trainee into your company. You're the guide. You're their resource. You're the one that sets the boundaries for what's acceptable and what's not acceptable.

Is it possible to become an FTO at a company where you've never worked before? Yes. Does it cause issues when the company hires external applicants into that role? Yes. There's a reason why FTO candidates are drawn from an internal employee population that's established and has been there for a couple of years. They embody the culture of the company. An "outsider" doesn't know the culture.

If you truly want to become an FTO, I suggest you take a course in adult teaching. It will give you some very valuable insights into how adults learn... and insights into various styles of learning. Such a course will also help you be able to teach someone more effectively because you'll learn how to figure out how someone learns best. Teaching is a skill. Very few people are natural teachers. The material you're teaching doesn't matter; it's learning how to teach that is important.

Becoming a Supervisor is a LOT like being an FTO because your job encompasses teaching. It also requires the ability to lead a group of people, to know how to take command and how to relinquish it. Supervisor is often the first level manager in a company because you usually have some disciplinary authority. You may have limited budgetary authority or some scheduling authority. Sometimes it means you have to be able to take a step back from doing direct patient care, even though you may be on scene. Also, once you become a Supervisor, your relationships among people that were formerly your peers will change. An FTO can still be a peer, but a Supervisor is in a whole different group of people with a different dynamic. Depending upon setup, you may also be responsible for various aspects of company operations.

FTO is a good gig... Supervisor can tear your hair out. I know...