the 100% directionless thread

VFlutter

Flight Nurse
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They're 500 bucks? Wow I never imagined. What are they made of unicorn horn.

Kevlar/Carbon fiber

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Lo2w

Forum Captain
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Partner and I got to use "...has a screw loose" as a legit chief complaint today.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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2 more weeks until I present at the NC OEMS Expo!
 

Jim37F

Forum Deputy Chief
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Well I got my 2 new away bar links...and everything installed fine...except for the very last nut...that's crossthreaded... -_- Oh and of course neither AutoZone nor O'Reilly's have the nut I need...
 

VFlutter

Flight Nurse
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Sometimes it's hard to be pleasant when being critquied. Some Doctors don't understand we follow protocols despite what their opinion on best treatment might be. But getting scolded by a resident for not allowing "permissive hypertension" in a ICH with uncal herniation.... Sorry Bro, we try to keep them from dying in route.
 

VentMonkey

Family Guy
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I once got a snarky remark from an attending for RSI-ing a suspected bleed with obvious indicators.

I walked away almost immediately and leaned into my partner who happened to be our CFN/ administrator and said something along the lines of “I’m just gonna bite my tongue really hard right about now.”

The term “austere environment” need not apply to those with access to all resuscitation amenities. It is, indeed, a challenge. It’s even more challenging at 3 a.m.
 

Peak

ED/Prehospital Registered Nurse
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I never understood being confrontational at the bedside. It doesn't make the receiving facility look professional, doesn't make the crew look professional, and it doesn't change anything that has already happened to the patient.

We have EMS coordinators, chief flight nurses, medical directors, et cetera for a reason. I've witnessed plenty of sub-par care but the bedside is not the place to hash it out.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
6,196
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While not to go too much in a direction, I have brought concerns up my chain of command, only to see them go no where and the same issues reoccur. I did decide to deal with one issue at that moment (but i went right into the ER directors office, didn't berate the person who obviously didn't know what HIPAA was), and was able to get it all resolved. So I can totally understand taking action on an issue immediately, vs waiting days or week when everyone has forgotten what occurred. But a public scolding rarely makes anything better.

I have also seen paramedics berate or reprimand EMTs in front of patients, because they did something they didn't agree with. I have no issues telling anyone that if they don't like what I did (ER doc, firefighter, nurse, etc), here is my boss's number, feel free to discuss it with her. Even better when I say to a doc "I don't work for you, but if you have an issue with my care, here is my medical directors number, I'm sure he would love to here your option on his orders."
 

PotatoMedic

Has no idea what I'm doing.
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Just took the FP-C. Now I just need to find a job and I can be a flying potatomedic!
 

CALEMT

The Other Guy/ Paramaybe?
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It’s a rough life being an Angels fan... but someone’s gotta do it.
 

PotatoMedic

Has no idea what I'm doing.
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Carlos Danger

Forum Deputy Chief
Premium Member
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References in short are dated and should be jettisoned from the employment process. Because for all I know I could be talking to an employee who no longer works at your current company, I could be talking to a relative or friend, etc. Its not even a requirement for most companies these days...when I say most companies I mean professional organizations outside of EMS.

I find this position surprising, as my experience has been the exact opposite. Most of my experience with EMS hiring was with a small HEMS company as they went through an expansion over a couple of years. Most of the folks we hired were fairly local and known by at least one of the existing HEMS crew members, who could attest to the applicant's background and their general reputation, and that information was very heavily weighted. We had plenty of folks apply from out of the area though, and no one knew them. In those cases, it was up to the applicant to convince us that they were no only clinically competent, but that there were honest and had the soft-skills that were just as important as the clinical ones. Without being able to speak with previous employers and co-workers, I don't think any of us would ever have felt comfortable making an offer.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
6,196
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If you can't find 3 people who will say good things about you (whether they are true or not), I question your personality and wonder how you have made it this far in life.

referrals who already work for a company are always a plus, but if you informally require it, than you eliminate much of you talent because they aren't on the in crowd, and you become an agency that relies on the good ol boy network to survive
 

Carlos Danger

Forum Deputy Chief
Premium Member
4,510
3,234
113
If you can't find 3 people who will say good things about you (whether they are true or not), I question your personality and wonder how you have made it this far in life.

referrals who already work for a company are always a plus, but if you informally require it, than you eliminate much of you talent because they aren't on the in crowd, and you become an agency that relies on the good ol boy network to survive

If an individual has a good reputation and both the clinical and soft skills that are important to an agency, you can generally feel that out pretty easily. If they have a hard time getting that across, I think it's usually telling. At least that's been my experience.

Of course there are some applicants who would turn out great but never get a chance because the hiring managers get the wrong vibe, and that's unfortunate, but it's just life. You can't go hiring everyone because you think everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves. The onus is on the individual to prove that they will be an asset to the agency, not necessarily on the agency to give every applicant the benefit.

At least that's how it is at a place that has the luxury of being very selective due to maintaining a pool of 50+ qualified resumes from all across the country for every open position.
 
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