What is expected of me on the first day.

CountryEMT-bGurl

CountryEMT-bGurl

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I know every place is different, and everyone expects different things, but what do you think I should expect on the first day?
 
Training on how your company does things. Becoming familiar with all the paperwork and which forms get filled out by whom and who can sign for what. How to fill out run reports the way your employer wants. Learning your way around the ambulance, inside and out. Knowing what should be stocked on the truck. Learning how to lift patients. Dealing with the staff and family of your regular patients, etc, etc. You will (hopefully) go through a couple weeks of orientation as part of a 3 person crew so you can observe all these aspects of the job and lots more. What should be expected of you on your first day (and every day thereafter) is a positive attitude and a willingness to learn. Have fun with it and congratulations!
 
Hopefully, you will be employed by a well established company that has an established orientation program.

One of my duties as an Operation Manager is to conduct such a program. The one I conduct varies from 5-8 weeks to a minimum 6 months in length, dependent on several things from experience, education and of course individualistic traits.

What is truly expected?

Come to work with that in mind, that it is a job and that alike all other jobs there is responsibilities that are just as important than the main focus of the profession. Come willing to learn, prepared to listen, take notes, study and grasp things as fast as possible. Now with that saying, also don't beat yourself up or have false expectations that you will be alike "others" as experience and time is one of the best teachers.

Good luck,

R/r 911
 
Ridryder911 said:
Hopefully, you will be employed by a well established company that has an established orientation program.

One of my duties as an Operation Manager is to conduct such a program. The one I conduct varies from 5-8 weeks to a minimum 6 months in length, dependent on several things from experience, education and of course individualistic traits.

What is truly expected?

Come to work with that in mind, that it is a job and that alike all other jobs there is responsibilities that are just as important than the main focus of the profession. Come willing to learn, prepared to listen, take notes, study and grasp things as fast as possible. Now with that saying, also don't beat yourself up or have false expectations that you will be alike "others" as experience and time is one of the best teachers.

Good luck,

R/r 911
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Keep this statement in mind. Be long on ears short on mouth and ask questions. When you get an answer to those questions, listen to them and note the advice that you get. The people giving you these answers usually know what they are talking about. They have been there and most of the time want to make you a better employee to make things better for them.
 
rescuepoppy said:
Keep this statement in mind. Be long on ears short on mouth and ask questions. When you get an answer to those questions, listen to them and note the advice that you get. The people giving you these answers usually know what they are talking about. They have been there and most of the time want to make you a better employee to make things better for them.
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Become an expert in your field. Actively seek out opportunities to improve and develop yourself, your knowledge base and your skills.

This is part of a list on a poster i have seen at several stations.

1.Golden Rule - What is said here, when you leave here, stays here.
2.Thy Mouth Is Open- You weren't hired to give speeches. This isn't the
United Nations. Feel free to ask pertienent questions or to speak up about
safety concerns. This doesn't grant you license to wax philosphically on
the "way this department runs." NOTHING is worse than a mouthy probie.
3. What We Should Do... - You don't have an opinion yet. Veterans have
opinions because they earned the right to speak up. Again, in an
emergency, speak up. Refrain from "This is what we should be doing"
4. What WE Used To Do - No one cares what you did at your old
department. If you volunteer at another department no one cares what
happened there either. You aren't "there" you are "here." Focus on learning
all you can about this place.
5. Arrive Early - old salts can roll up right at the change of tour/shift. The
probie should show up early AND be the last to leave.
6.TV - Why are you watching television? Do you know everything you need
to know as a probie? If not get out a book, go out to the rig and LEARN.
7. Mobile Phone - Stay off the phone unless someone is ill or your wife is
pregnant.
8. Dishes - YOU wash dishes.
9.Ears - Take both hands and wrap them around your head. Do you feel
ears? Good. Use your ears to learn when to speak up. Soak in the great
information and remember it.
10. Broom/Mop - Your new best friends. Use them. There are many like them
but for a year these are yours.
11."I'll Do It" - This is the best attitude to take. If something needs to be
done you do it.

recognize that it is a prevelge not a right to work this job.
Good luck and congratualtions on your new JOB!!

While you are the new guy, don't let everyone else walk all over you. recognize your needs and demand respect. Earn your respect though. and remember"you can't respect people you can walk all over" don't be a doormat
 
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4. What WE Used To Do - No one cares what you did at your old
department. If you volunteer at another department no one cares what
happened there either. You aren't "there" you are "here." Focus on learning
all you can about this place.
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I disagree, to an extent, on this one. Everyplace and everyone should be open to at least some change. Sometimes group B does something more efficiently or better than group A and it would be insane for group A to not implement B (when feasible) just because the new guy mentioned it. Similarly, 8 and 10. Everyone is responsible for doing station chores, not just the new person. If the crew is just sitting on their collective butts while the new guy is cleaning everything, then that speaks volumes to how pathetic the old hands are.
 
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JPINFV said:
I disagree, to an extent, on this one. Everyplace and everyone should be open to at least some change. Sometimes group B does something more efficiently or better than group A and it would be insane for group A to not implement B (when feasible) just because the new guy mentioned it. Similarly, 8 and 10. Everyone is responsible for doing station chores, not just the new person. If the crew is just sitting on their collective butts while the new guy is cleaning everything, then that speaks volumes to how pathetic the old hands are.
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I agree. Like said that list is copied and pasted. i think the list is intended to be partly humorous and sarcastic, but i believe parts of it hold true.
In our area, yes everyone chips in but the new guy is expected to do more. to prove he wants to be a part of this unit.
 
The new guy should never be expected to do "more", just their share.

Always listen to how a new persons old service did things. You can learn a great deal of how things work better. Those afraid of change are the ones that never listen!
 
First day.

Watch. Ask. Listen.

Learn back of the truck.

Watch. Ask. Listen.

Learn back of the truck, blindfolded.

Welcome to and enjoy the Adventure!
 
Thanks everyone!!! What do you bring on your first day?? I am not sure on my hours yet. I was told 7am, and thats it! I know my second day it will just be me and a medic! So I am wondering if it will be a 24! If so, what do I bring??
Thanks for taking your time everyone to reply to this post!
 
CountryEMT-bGurl said:
What do you bring on your first day?? I am not sure on my hours yet. I was told 7am, and thats it! I know my second day it will just be me and a medic! So I am wondering if it will be a 24! If so, what do I bring??
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Oh, dear. So much for a prolonged training period. Snacks, clean socks, and reading material.

Lifeguards For Life said:
I agree. Like said that list is copied and pasted. i think the list is intended to be partly humorous and sarcastic, but i believe parts of it hold true.
In our area, yes everyone chips in but the new guy is expected to do more. to prove he wants to be a part of this unit.
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I'm glad that the list is at least partly humourous, but I think the sort of hazing point of view it has is offensive and silly. Aren't we supposed to be a medical profession? Yes, new people have to learn, but that doesn't mean they should be doing all the scut work while everyone else sits around.
 
I 110% agree with the comments above "know the back of the truck". It's taken me quite a few shifts to really feel comfortable, but it's really important. And that doesn't just mean where stuff is, but also how to use it. Example: we talked about blood sugar plenty of times in class but I had never actually used a glucometer. We talked about suction plenty of times too but I had never used either the stationary or the portable suction. Take it out, ask someone to show it to you, make sure you can use it WITHOUT THINKING.

Just the other day, I was doing the shift check and marked off "stair chair". We had used that for only one day in class. I took it out and played with it for a while until I felt more comfortable. And while I was doing that a medic came and asked me if I had any questions.

Make sure you know how to work the heat/ac/lights too.
 
Get someone to show your around the re-supply room. It sucks when you are trying to get home and you are spending 30min looking for a new laryngascope blade.

Also, unless you grew up right where you are working and know it backwards and forwards, spend some time with the maps. I would study that beforehand. When I started working I had just moved to a new city so I spend hours before my start day learning all the main streets, and the medium sized streets off those main streets.
 
Get to the station early, put the flags up and make the coffee, check in with your captain and see what they have planed for the day, after that introduce yourself to the crew and strat checking your rig, then study, study, study, and study some, more. Yes you should attempt to clean everything insight, even if no one helps you tjhis is a right of passage more than anything, also know your specs when giving drills everything you cover/use is free game for comments and questions, and have fun remember this is the best job on earth and you only have to do it 10 days a month.:P
 
bring a dozen bagels if your on duty crew is more than 6 people. butter and cream cheese too. oh and get there early, have all your personal stuff with you and be ready to go when your shift starts. your job when you start will be to conform to their normalcy, to blend in with the more senior guys, and not stand out. good luck
 
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EMSLaw said:
Oh, dear. So much for a prolonged training period. Snacks, clean socks, and reading material.



I'm glad that the list is at least partly humourous, but I think the sort of hazing point of view it has is offensive and silly. Aren't we supposed to be a medical profession? Yes, new people have to learn, but that doesn't mean they should be doing all the scut work while everyone else sits around.
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tradition is sometimes offensive and silly. but yeah, you are right
 
tradition1.jpg
 
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Thanks everyone!!! Should I really bring bagels and cream cheese to my first day??? LOL.... I will if it doesnt make me look like a brown nosier from the begining!!! Although I will play that part if I need to, or should I not travel that path?? Hmm.. alot to learn. Also where do I find maps for the county that I will be working for, and how am i suppose to know before hand what area they cover? I guess I could just start with the basic surrounding area!!!
Thanks again everyone!
 
CountryEMT-bGurl said:
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Thanks everyone!!! Should I really bring bagels and cream cheese to my first day??? LOL.... I will if it doesnt make me look like a brown nosier from the begining!!! Although I will play that part if I need to, or should I not travel that path?? Hmm.. alot to learn. Also where do I find maps for the county that I will be working for, and how am i suppose to know before hand what area they cover? I guess I could just start with the basic surrounding area!!!
Thanks again everyone!
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bringing peace offerings is for students.

Oh my best advice to you.... if you will be driving the ambulance, on your days off, drive to all the local ER's. Know which side of the hospital the ER is on, the codes to get through the doors. there is nothing worse than having a cardiac patient in the back, and the driver accidentally pulls into the vallet parking lot!
 
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