New Medic

[LaceyA]

So I just accepted my first job as a paramedic last night. I have only worked as a EMT prn so not very much so i already know im at a disadvantage. So do yall have any tips or advice for new Paramedics?

Thanks

 

[mgr22]

LaceyA, I'm reposting this advice from a similar thread:

1. Be on time and in good humor.
2. Do lots of listening and little talking. Let your actions speak for you.
3. Learn some of the things your coworkers hate to do, then offer to do them.
4. Don't say anything bad about anyone.
5. Don't carry more stuff on your belt than your partners do.
6. Don't take yourself too seriously.

 

[JW5974]

Know your protocols.
Don't be afraid to ask for advice.
If you don't know something (disease process, medication, etc) research it so that you'll know about it on your next encounter.
Talk to your coworkers who have been around for awhile. They can probably teach you a thing or two.

 

[hometownmedic5]

No patient, no call, no job(employment type, not run type) will ever be worth your personal health and safety. If your employer doesn't understand that, find a new employer. I blew my back out 12 years ago humping dialysis patients to and fro for a crappy private that didn't care one bit about me.

The "ems diet" is fun to joke about when your 19 or 20 and your metabolism is firing along at full speed. It's not funny when your weight and cholesterol are in a neck and neck race for 300 before you're 35. Learn how to eat properly and find a better way to deal with stress than junk food and cigarettes.

Never get comfortable. Always be looking at the next step. Whether its the next job, the next cert, perhaps even the next career choice. Always be moving towards a goal. When you stop trying to get somewhere, you stay where you are. That may be fine if you're the chief of the trauma surgery department at Hopkins, but its a terrible plan when your a basic emt barely making the rent.

Know when to turn it off and go just be a regular person. You dont have to be the hero 24/7. You're allowed leisure time and that leisure should be outside of fire/ems.

Understand that, bls or als, you will very very rarely actually pull someone out of the grave and have them saunter off into the sunset. Hero moments are almost non existent. This job is a daily grind of small accomplishments. If you cant hold an old ladies hand on the way to the hospital and find value in it, go do something else.

 

[luke_31]

No patient, no call, no job(employment type, not run type) will ever be worth your personal health and safety. If your employer doesn't understand that, find a new employer. I blew my back out 12 years ago humping dialysis patients to and fro for a crappy private that didn't care one bit about me.

The "ems diet" is fun to joke about when your 19 or 20 and your metabolism is firing along at full speed. It's not funny when your weight and cholesterol are in a neck and neck race for 300 before you're 35. Learn how to eat properly and find a better way to deal with stress than junk food and cigarettes.

Never get comfortable. Always be looking at the next step. Whether its the next job, the next cert, perhaps even the next career choice. Always be moving towards a goal. When you stop trying to get somewhere, you stay where you are. That may be fine if you're the chief of the trauma surgery department at Hopkins, but its a terrible plan when your a basic emt barely making the rent.

Know when to turn it off and go just be a regular person. You dont have to be the hero 24/7. You're allowed leisure time and that leisure should be outside of fire/ems.

Understand that, bls or als, you will very very rarely actually pull someone out of the grave and have them saunter off into the sunset. Hero moments are almost non existent. This job is a daily grind of small accomplishments. If you cant hold an old ladies hand on the way to the hospital and find value in it, go do something else.

This is the best advice for someone entering the field. If it's one thing we know the schools oversell what we do and that's fine for them. They are trying to keep their enrollment numbers up. Other hobbies that you can do outside work are great, I go shoot firearms for fun and spend time outdoors moving around and doing different things. I also dedicate time every day I'm off work to exercise a bit, it's only about an hour a day, but it will help in the long run. Don't let the job consume you, you will experience burnout at some point, it is a given. I love this career I'm in and now work for the federal government as a paramedic, but it was a long road to get here and I burned out for a while on the way. Had I not found a laid back eight hour a day paramedic job before this one, I might not still be in the field today.

 

[LaceyA]

No patient, no call, no job(employment type, not run type) will ever be worth your personal health and safety. If your employer doesn't understand that, find a new employer. I blew my back out 12 years ago humping dialysis patients to and fro for a crappy private that didn't care one bit about me.

The "ems diet" is fun to joke about when your 19 or 20 and your metabolism is firing along at full speed. It's not funny when your weight and cholesterol are in a neck and neck race for 300 before you're 35. Learn how to eat properly and find a better way to deal with stress than junk food and cigarettes.

Never get comfortable. Always be looking at the next step. Whether its the next job, the next cert, perhaps even the next career choice. Always be moving towards a goal. When you stop trying to get somewhere, you stay where you are. That may be fine if you're the chief of the trauma surgery department at Hopkins, but its a terrible plan when your a basic emt barely making the rent.

Know when to turn it off and go just be a regular person. You dont have to be the hero 24/7. You're allowed leisure time and that leisure should be outside of fire/ems.

Understand that, bls or als, you will very very rarely actually pull someone out of the grave and have them saunter off into the sunset. Hero moments are almost non existent. This job is a daily grind of small accomplishments. If you cant hold an old ladies hand on the way to the hospital and find value in it, go do something else.

My favorite part of being in the back is actually holding the little old person hand and listening to the story. That makes my day! My goal is to make some one smile a little or make their day a bit better then i am happy. I know its not all trauma and fun exciting calls and im really ok with that. My goal def doesnt stop here at paramedic.

 

[CALEMT]

The "ems diet" is fun to joke about when your 19 or 20 and your metabolism is firing along at full speed. It's not funny when your weight and cholesterol are in a neck and neck race for 300 before you're 35. Learn how to eat properly and find a better way to deal with stress than junk food and cigarettes.

To add on... There are healthy alternatives like bringing your own food.

Know when to turn it off and go just be a regular person. You dont have to be the hero 24/7. You're allowed leisure time and that leisure should be outside of fire/ems.

+1

Understand that, bls or als, you will very very rarely actually pull someone out of the grave and have them saunter off into the sunset. Hero moments are almost non existent.

5 years doing this and I've only gotten ROSC once and the guy was a true definition of a save. Walked out of the hospital with no deficits. When and if you get the hero moment certainly don't forget it and let it drive you to becoming an even greater provider.

Now to add my own little piece. Don't kill anyone, have fun, but take the job seriously.