Mercy Air Protocols

VFlutter

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It's been a while since I read the book to remember the exact details but it took place in the 90s i believe so I am sure different now. I know our protocols supersede some of the weird regional protocols in our area.
 
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CTMD

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Any insight into applying for one of the Air Methods subsidiaries in AZ? Is it a universal type hiring/application process or is there something unique to applying in that region? I've heard that there is a pretty high turnover rate in Arizona. Can anyone confirm this or speak to the reasons why?
 

SandpitMedic

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AZ has had its share of management issues. I wasn’t down there, but they did have a high turnover.

As for hiring, it’s all through airmethods.com.
It is a universal process and indoc.
 

SandpitMedic

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The nurses did not have any issues as they are licensed by the state(s).
The problem is medics in CA are licensed by counties that all have their hands in the cookie jar, and a bunch of hostilities among agencies for whatever reason. For a while there it was that bordering medics had to have ICEMA, then we didn’t, then we did, now we didn’t again... Then they didn’t want you going outside of their ICEMA scope despite being trained at a higher standard. That brought a lot of BS with fire department personnel and other EMS or law enforcement personnel “snitching.” They’d literally call the EMS agency and taddle that they saw the medic touching the pump/doing a chest tube/et cetera.

It caused a lot of headaches, but as of the last few years I didn’t notice much of that BS. I ran a lot of calls in Baker, Death Valley, Dumont Dunes, etc and I never had an issue except for once. Generally, the medical director will have your back, as I mentioned before. The EMS agencies and ICEMA office have their own medical directors. That said, most of the physicians know each other and usually can squash whatever issues arise.
 
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AZ has had its share of management issues. I wasn’t down there, but they did have a high turnover.

As for hiring, it’s all through airmethods.com.
It is a universal process and indoc.
Interesting. So is it relatively easy to transfer from one base to another? Like going from AZ to California or Vegas? For overtime as well as moving to a new home base.
 

DesertMedic66

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Interesting. So is it relatively easy to transfer from one base to another? Like going from AZ to California or Vegas? For overtime as well as moving to a new home base.
From my understanding it is. For moving bases you normally have to have an interview with the area manager for that base to make sure they like you. Also Air Methods is starting to put in year long contracts at bases that are hard to staff. The base I am going to is a hard to staff one so I had to sign the year contract.
 

SandpitMedic

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Transferring can be easy or it can be impossible based on staffing needs...

Where I was, we had about a 90% staffing turnover in a year. Made it nearly impossible to transfer even within the same region.
 
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From my understanding it is. For moving bases you normally have to have an interview with the area manager for that base to make sure they like you. Also Air Methods is starting to put in year long contracts at bases that are hard to staff. The base I am going to is a hard to staff one so I had to sign the year contract.
Does this go for overtime as well? Or just a permanent transfer?
 

VFlutter

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Does this go for overtime as well? Or just a permanent transfer?

You can pick up overtime pretty easily almost anywhere in the company. I had the option to work a week of OT with bonus in Arizona when they were short staffed and I am in the Midwest. I am not sure I would pick up overtime outside of your local area / region until after a year anyway tho.
 

DesertMedic66

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Does this go for overtime as well? Or just a permanent transfer?
OT is very easy to pick up. As long as you have a medic license in the state/area where you are wanting to pick up OT at.

As VFlutter said for at least the nurses they will offer OT in different states that are short staffed and will pay you very well. We have been having a nurse from OR down here in SoCal to cover shifts.
 

IFRMedic

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From my understanding it is. For moving bases you normally have to have an interview with the area manager for that base to make sure they like you. Also Air Methods is starting to put in year long contracts at bases that are hard to staff. The base I am going to is a hard to staff one so I had to sign the year contract.

what base are you staffing?
 
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CTMD

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You can pick up overtime pretty easily almost anywhere in the company. I had the option to work a week of OT with bonus in Arizona when they were short staffed and I am in the Midwest. I am not sure I would pick up overtime outside of your local area / region until after a year anyway tho.
That's not too bad then. Do you suggest waiting a year because of coming off probation or just like getting used to the change in scope, operations, etc.?
 
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