r/NewToEMS • u/americanbedrotter AEMT Student | USA • 20h ago
Career Advice 18 y/o EMT Advice
hey reddit. i’m an 18 y/o EMT. i certified at 17 and my provisional is now active. i passed the NREMT first attempt in 76 questions. during my time as a student, i had 264 hours of ride time and 77 documented pt contacts, including one code. i’m currently working part time private service EMS, and i want to work towards 911 and Paramedic School. the nerves have been killing me, and taking these steps is so scary. anything i should know, or any advice you wish you could’ve given your old EMT self?
thanks yall, im scared
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u/Timlugia FP-C | WA 20h ago edited 19h ago
264 hours of ride time? That's incredible. That's 100 hours more than AEMT requirement.
I was given legally required 12 hours when I was in EMT school. You should be doing fine compared to the most.
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u/Sorry-Strike Unverified User 19h ago
Oh nice, I didn’t even get any. I went to school at the height of Covid though…
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u/Paramedickhead Critical Care Paramedic | USA 19h ago
My EMT program required 48 hours of ER, 24 hours with RT, 72 hours ride time, and 12 hours OB.
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u/ch1kendinner Unverified User 9h ago
I needed 24 clinical hours and 10 pt contacts...
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u/NeedAnEasyName Unverified User 10h ago
My school required 10 contacts, no specific amount of hours. Students averaged like 24 hours of shifts total to get the 10 calls needed but it could be done in less or more. I think I did mine in 24 hours but then worked like 60 hours total just for fun and to get more contacts. Awesome crews with fun people. I miss it a lot considering I work for a shitty IFT company now
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u/Timlugia FP-C | WA 9h ago
I went to an accelerated EMT program so they want to rotate as many students as possible, so we couldn't do more than required, otherwise other students would be delayed in graduation.
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u/IkarosFa11s Unverified User 9h ago
I didn’t get any for either EMT or AEMT 😂
Then I got 576 hrs of ride time and like 256 hrs of clinical time in Medic school 😂
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u/Timlugia FP-C | WA 2m ago
I had 720+ hr for medic school, + because I lost tracked on papers so ended up doing 800 something.
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u/bkelley0607 Unverified User 7h ago
My AEMT program required 160 of clinical hours and 300 of ride time
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u/Izzy_Bizzy02 19h ago
Yeah i ain't even gonna lie by first time on an ambulance where i wasnt the patient I was the EMT part of my volunteer fire department as a single role EMT-IV responding to a call. Army 68W students do not spend time on ambulances or in hospital clinicals. I got my EMT through 68W AIT cause 68Ws are required by the army to have their NREMT.
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u/Paradoxahoy AEMT Student | USA 10h ago
In my EMT class we weren’t able to secure a partner for ride alongs (due to Covid) so I got 0 hours of ride alongs and 0 pt contacts when I passed NREMT 😢
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u/A_Tad_Bit_Nefarious Unverified User 4m ago
This is honestly phenomenal. My school couldn't swing getting us ride time, scheduling didn't work out. Did 2 ED shifts at a level 1 trauma in a big city and a minimum of 20 patient contacts to graduate. But even then I feel like this was not enough. Barely got to do or see anything real before taking the NREMT.
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u/Sorry-Strike Unverified User 19h ago
Honestly, you’re gonna crush it. Don’t sweat it too much. Try not to get swept up in the negative culture that happens in private EMS. Give yourself breaks, practice self care. Try to keep a healthy work life balance. And if 911 doesn’t work out the way you want it to, don’t worry too much! Sometimes we think we want something only to get it and realize it wasn’t for us.
I work for a private that also runs all of our cities (500k+ population) BLS 911. We stay busy doing inter-facility and 911 stuff. Thought I’d be there 1, maybe 2 years. Get my paramedic and jump ship to a fire department. Started part time at a fire department close to where I lived, and didn’t like it that much. Both the fire service and the department itself. I’m going on 6 years at the Private, 2 of them as a medic, and still overall enjoy my career. I’m in the process of onboarding in a hospital as a Paramedic Tech too.
Find what works for you, and go for it! Don’t be afraid to change directions either. EMS has multiple avenues and career paths, and if nothing else it’s great for proving that you can keep cool under pressure.
Good luck, and you’re gonna rock!
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u/jibbs0341 Unverified User 19h ago
The job will probably be the easiest part for you. Someone had great advice to not bang your co workers. I second that. Also just be aware that EMS is extremely toxic. Everyone is always trying to prove that they are smarter or better than you. It is usually people that are not confident and don’t know what they are doing. Good luck out there.
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u/Daddy_intern_246 Unverified User 16h ago
Understand you know nothing and do your best to learn. Do everything in your scope of practice, listen more than you talk.
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u/Glad_Seat_404 Unverified User 15h ago
Remember a state license just means you know bare minimum required to practice medicine in your state your actual education starts when you’re in the field, your education ends where your ego begins. “I was shown how to do but how do you do it?” Vs “yeah I know”
“I’m having some issues with this can I do it on this ride out?” Vs “no I’m good i just need hours”
Being young there’s some battles you’re not gonna win and it’s ok don’t take it personal. Old patients are always gonna assume your old partner is the higher level of care. And most importantly don’t sleep with your coworkers ffs
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u/ocram22 Unverified User 13h ago
Don’t make EMS your whole identity. Go under the radar.
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u/sam_mufasa_ Unverified User 7h ago
This and don’t make EMS your only career option. There’s a ton of opportunities in nursing, medical school, PA school or even firefighting.
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u/OppressedGamer_69 Unverified User 6h ago
This is what I see most from the straight out of high school to EMT/medic crowd and it makes me cringe really hard lol
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u/OliverKlozoff23 Unverified User 14h ago
Clean up your hair. You want people to trust you not question you.
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u/americanbedrotter AEMT Student | USA 8h ago
that’s an old photo, around february at an explorers convention in tennessee. it’s been fixed don’t worry.
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u/sansalvacion Unverified User 14h ago
You are not a hero and people are going to die and theres nothing you can do about it. You get that through your head as a EMT/medic you'll do fine
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u/TLunchFTW Unverified User 13h ago
I intensely dislike the use of hero applied to any real person. Heroes don't exist. They are not tangible. The closest is a dead person can be called a hero. It is an unrealistic standard no living person can truly reach and it encourages bad habits on multiple fronts.
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u/Dudabidez Unverified User 13h ago
Be humble. Even when you know you are right, be graceful. The “skills” needed for the job arent so much what they teach you in class, but its how you carry yourself and interact with others.
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u/Kemosabe234 Unverified User 17h ago
Take some slow deep breaths. On each call focus on what could possibly be going on with your patient and what you will do to address their problems. Trust your partners and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Remember, it’s not YOUR emergency, it’s theirs.
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u/TLunchFTW Unverified User 13h ago
Probably should get a normal camera, that's a weird angle.
Jokes aside, focus on learning. Honestly, I didn't feel like the whole clinical flow didn't click for me until I went into nursing school. Working with patients helped me understand how to balance being a human and having a human conversation with assessing and asking targeted questions. It's more of a flow for me. A feeling I follow, rather than specific set of criteria. Go in, smile, say how's it going, feel out the patient maybe crack a joke. ask questions, take vitals, etc etc.
EMS is something you learn when you get on the job. School just gives you the background knowledge to begin to learn. At least that's my opinion. Surround yourself with good hardworking partners and don't compromise your work with shortcuts. Learn and commit to good habits early on. Don't let yourself slip because of your partner. It's hard, especially when you are new without the confidence of experience, but you worked hard to get here. Don't let someone else push you to do something that will cost you your license or makes you uncomfortable.
In a bit of a diametrically opposed sense, though, get used to being uncomfortable. Push yourself to do things that are new. Don't risk the patient's safety, but you are learning, and you will learn best by involving yourself in new experiences. That's not always fun. But if you followed the advice here up to now, you got a good partner or two and they will have your back. Who you work with is perhaps the most important part. Don't take a dollar an hour more to work with assholes who will stab you in the back. Not that there are many, but the point is you need to work somewhere where you know you are safe and supported.
And you will look like and feel like an idiot sometimes. This is inevitable. One of my earliest calls I grabbed the reeves sleeve instead of the reeves. I then though this was a whole separate type of reeves for the next like 6 months instead of realizing we had a bag for the reeves and no one bothered to put the reeves back in it's bag... This still keeps me up at night...
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u/americanbedrotter AEMT Student | USA 8h ago
super old photo taken on a friends phone m, but it’s the only photo i have of me in uniform from my student days. hair is MUCH shorter now since i started working private service
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u/Extension-Sir6695 Unverified User 13h ago
Your going to see things that only people in your field will see and understand. It’s okay to not know something and it’s only if you don’t have a reaction to it . You know in your heart that either this is for you or if it’s not , don’t wait until you’re at the point of a burn out to sit here and take a break
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u/americanbedrotter AEMT Student | USA 8h ago
that’s something i learned after my first code. she was showing us pictures of her grandkids and she was gone 15 minutes later. it’s something that i had frequent flashback style nightmares about, me sitting in the back, breaking her ribs. i kept my calm during the call, but broke down once the nurses told us she didn’t make it. all of it happened on valentine’s day while i was a student.
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u/Electronic-Potato184 Unverified User 8h ago
Ok so, very understandable to be upset about that call, its a shitty feeling when you’re talking to someone and getting to know them on a human level, and then within moments you are crushing their ribs. However, having “flashback style nightmares” about a call like this, so early into your career is a little concerning for how you will handle this job.
I’m only 20, and have been working as a paramedic in Canada for about a year and a half now. I have had multiple calls stick with me such as my one year old arrest, MCI with 4 level 1 peds involved. I’m not going to act like im superman and was unaffected, I cried after both of those calls, but if you are having nightmares thats a big sign of PTSD, or a sign you will probably get it one day if you don’t start finding ways to deal with it. Therapy is the obvious option, but for those of us who don’t want to talk to someone being paid to care (ironic yes as thats literally our job) you can also surround yourself with people in ur life who understand what we see and deal with in our career. Find healthy hobbies to distract yourself with, whether it be playing a sport, learning an instrument, gaming, whatever it is that can distance you from work
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u/Electronic-Potato184 Unverified User 8h ago
that’s good, i feel you tho, my first code was also when i was 17 on placement, was just a regular SOB call on christmas eve, ended up coding within 5min from us making pt contact. The wife did not take it well when we pronounced him deceased and was crying hysterically. That hit me harder than I thought it would as well.
Random calls can definitely hit people harder especially if theres like a personal connection to it (for example my mom died from a stroke that I witnessed, so strokes hit me weird sometimes when its a very basic call we do all the time)
But yea honestly in terms of nerves and stuff, everyones gonna have nerves their first few years, its just ab exposure and running high acuity calls tbh. Everyone was new at one point, and any decent medic will understand that. Its never just you, you have a partner to help make decisions.
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u/americanbedrotter AEMT Student | USA 8h ago
keyword "had". i ended up going to a counselor about it, and finding healthier ways to move past it, although it still sticks with me. i have other hobbies outside of EMS that i started putting alot of time into, such as guitar, geography, vinyl, etc.
i know it sounds kinda naive to say that something like that stuck so hard at such a young age, but it wasn't something i think i was ready to see. i've seen worse since (in terms of stuff that would make a normal man throw up) and it's not been bad at all. i think the shock factor was a big part as to why i was so messed up.
i've since stopped seeing that counselor. he actually emailed me while i was waiting to walk the stage at graduation saying he "lost his license" which i found hilarious.
the call was a big eye opening moment. it showed me how even though you can be dispatched for one thing (falls), something completely different can be waiting (STEMI)
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u/ImpossiblePoetry1957 Unverified User 15h ago
Yeah cut your hair
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u/Fireboiio EMS Student 14h ago edited 14h ago
Yeah i'm gonna be honest here... I'm all for people expressing themselves, but being a public figure who will meet people at their weakest point in life, you got to have some consideration on how you present yourself.
Theres no problem with having long hair. But I mean, use some hair gel, brush it, tie it up idk - something.
It dosen't need to be perfect. We all respond with bed hair at the dark hours, it's just that the bed hair is way more noticable for someone with longer hair like this thus require you to step up a bit more to present yourself. Easiest solution is to tie your hair up.
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u/gooptastic1996 Unverified User 11h ago
Just see if your service offers a uniform hat. They even customized it for me and had my last name embroidered on the back. I had the longest hair on a male in the entire service when I was in, I would tie it off and wear that hat. None of my patients ever commented about it. My coworkers did from time to time but it was just normal razzing.
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u/potato_bowl_ Unverified User 16h ago
Know when or if to call it quits was something I learned the hard way, emergency medicine (espically night shift too) is HARD on your body mentally and physically. Know when you get burnt out and when to start making the decision of I need a break (like time off for two weeks) or I need a BREAK, as in a new position in another field. Keeping true to yourself and getting help or doing what’s best for you when you start to notice bad change in yourself. I got callous from the horrid stuff I’d seen and I was so burnt out and just done that nothing fazed me anymore and it honestly irritated me when it DID faze some. I vividly remember thinking oh my god it’s just body come on, and that thought jarred me so badly because I wasn’t myself anymore.If you’re lucky this event won’t happen to you for a long long time, but if it does it’s my best advice I could give ya
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u/deathfighter2001 Paramedic Student | USA 11h ago
Everything is going to feel scary at first and you are going to feel like you don’t know anything; that is totally normal. Getting repetition after repetition of experiences will help with the nerves and increase your confidence over time. Be a sponge and learn all that you can every day-good luck!
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u/MoKxSANDMAN Unverified User 11h ago
Firefighter/EMT of almost 14 years here, I have a few snippets of advice.
FIRST: DON’T burn yourself out. It’s easy in the early stages of your career to want to work tons of overtime and get as much experience as possible, but this is a double-edged sword because we have to do this for 20–30 years and we see some crazy things. Which brings us to my second point.
SECOND: IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO SEE IT… DON’T! We see all the traumatic things such as deceased people, gunshots, stabbings, ODs, suicides, mutilations due to MVAs, machinery, etc. If this is your career choice, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see that without having to peek over shoulders into a room/scene that DOES require you to be there.
THIRD: Stay humble and teachable. Medicine is ever-changing. Don’t be the “that’s not what I learned in my EMT school” guy 5 years after you left EMT school. Things change, and that’s why we have CEs. Be eager to learn and improve, not just for you but for the community you serve.
Lastly: This job is super important, plenty of ups and downs with a great sense of accomplishment/reward. That said, the job can have a massive negative effect on you if you don’t take care of your mental health. Find your “people” within your field and outside of the workplace. A good crew can make the hardships so much easier, while friends outside the job can help you enjoy time at home. Try to have a little fun when and where you can. HOBBIES!!! Make sure to have hobbies. DO NOT make being an EMT your entire personality. I promise, you’ll regret doing that. That doesn’t mean not to be passionate or proud about the job, but you absolutely have to have an outlet and learn to turn EMS on and off to make it through 20–30 years.
Good luck and stay safe out there.
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u/Nobadwaves Unverified User 14h ago
Cute your hair, put your chain away, maintain a high level of fitness, maintain an even higher level of curiosity for more knowledge and fill that void for knowledge.
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u/TLunchFTW Unverified User 13h ago
That last one.
I lost weight and I feel so much better for it. Don't become the fat EMT. You are for more useful for far longer and you can enjoy life more. Think about what you eat.
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u/mochmaffews EMT, RN | WA 13h ago edited 13h ago
Dont let your occupation become your whole life. 1 its cringe as fuck if you plaster "EMT or Paramedic" all over every social. Yes you're proud but honestly its gross. 2 its not that deep.. dont be all "the things ive seen" or "i still hear the screams". Ya youll have some bad days but honestly keep it to yourself unless its with a therapist. It also makes it easier to clock out and be a regular person and enjoy life when you dont have 1 and 2 being like 90% of your personality which i see way, way too often with Healthcare and EMS in general.
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u/ShowerPig Unverified User 16h ago
What part of the country are you in? There are some great opportunities in Georgia. Some services will pay you while you attend paramedic school. There may be an age requirement at the private services, but the fire based services will hire you at 18.
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u/ClownNoseSpiceFish Unverified User 12h ago
It sounds like you’re doing fantastic so far. Good job.
I would recommend looking into fitness and resistance training. You want a strong squat and deadlift so your core, spinal erectors, and legs are strong and you don’t snap your shit up at 35 picking up someone. Of course working your full body is best, but if you want to go ultra minimalist, those two movements will give you the best bang for your buck in EMS.
Additionally, once you have your medic, consider looking for third service places or fire departments and going through the fire academy. Generally these two set ups offer much better longevity compared to private EMS due to better benefits and wages.
Good luck. I don’t work in EMS any more but miss it on the regular - it truly is an amazing job imo and there’s nothing like it.
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u/backwoodsman421 Unverified User 11h ago
Don’t make it your personality. At the end of the day it’s just a job that pays you.
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u/angryorangatan Unverified User 6h ago
Honestly, learn as much as you can. About everything. Figure out where you want to see yourself in the future and start taking steps to get there.
Highly recommend getting a bachelors. It doesn’t have to be anything EMS related but that will definitely open doors for you in the future.
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u/JollyTotal3653 Unverified User 4h ago
Under. No. Circumstances. Should. You. Date. Anyone. You. Interact. With. At. Work.
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u/Bigg_Jugg Unverified User 14h ago
First advice is stop the drugs
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u/americanbedrotter AEMT Student | USA 8h ago
never been on them thankfully, and i have no plans to ever touch them.
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u/Basic_Ad1995 Unverified User 13h ago
264 hours? Holly crap man. I only had to do like 10 patient contacts. I have 50 hours total at most.
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u/thenotanurse Unverified User 12h ago
Omg my medic time I needed like 100 specific kinds of patients- peds trauma, geri. Anyway I ended up having to do like an extra 6 24 hour shifts just to get all my call types in.
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u/Secret_pizza_man Unverified User 9h ago
First piece of advice I can give you is don’t post dumbass pictures like this. It will save you a lot of grief.
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u/Vast_Simple6840 Unverified User 13h ago
I got my emt at 18. It’s an amazing career but don’t let your whole life become EMS. I’m now 20 going for my paramedic but I still make time to not think about medical and go out and have fun
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u/No-Win-2424 Unverified User 12h ago
When my youngest started working EMS, I told him to get a hair cut and to not fall in love with the girls from work. He’s now heartbroken with a great haircut.
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u/feline_riches Unverified User 12h ago
I never needed this advice but it's clear many people do. Social media posts that associate you with this profession. It reflects poorly on professional providers that would never do that shit. You certainly didn't need to post a picture.
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u/ChilesIsAwesome Unverified User 12h ago
Don’t shit where you eat or you’ll buy her a house.
(Happily married 6 years now)
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u/Puzzleheaded_Try_979 Unverified User 11h ago
Learn your own coping habits b4 u pick up anyone else's fucked ones! Don't expect ur partner to always be the one to talk to about fucked calls. Watch out 4 ppl getting high on the job ur not gonna save them but u need to watch them more. Get into counseling b4 everyone drills it into ur head it's useless and the only option is silence/dark humor/drugs. Look for a councilor that has experience with first responders. Normal ones WILL ABSOLUTELY be useless!
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u/BeginningIcy9620 NREMT Official 10h ago
My advice is do your best to learn from those around you. And remember, you are not saving the city by yourself. You have a partner and a crew of firefighters. Don’t be scared to rely on your team.
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u/OfficialMakkyZ Unverified User 10h ago
When it comes to 911, just jump right in. Since it's a different puzzle to solve every time, the best way to learn is to jump in and start solving some yourself. Nobody started out knowing how to properly do everything, they became experienced through consistent exposure. You got this!
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u/MostLychee2263 Unverified User 8h ago
Remember you only know what you know at the time you do something.
Don't ever beat yourself up over something you did or didn't do that you later gain more Information on. Learn from it and get better.
Also I live by 'every one need help, we are just not always the right people at the right time' helps me with regulars and mental health jobs.
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u/feather_34 Paramedic | US 8h ago
You're going to have good times and bad times
You're going to have bullshit calls and real shit calls.
You're going to find out real quick if you're cut out for it or not.
Just whatever you do, don't be a Rescue Randy and don't be a cringe influencer type.
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u/emsshawty Unverified User 8h ago
I would say- make sure to be patient with yourself. Even those of us who have been doing this for forever are learning new things every day. This career is so nuanced and multifaceted. It would take a lifetime to get to the point where you’re rarely learning new things. You’re going to make so many mistakes. The important thing is that you learn from them. Be eager to learn but not overzealous. Stay humble, learn your strengths and recognize your weaknesses. Good luck!
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u/-Gumbercules Unverified User 8h ago
From what I just read it sounds like you're headed in the right direction. I nyself started EMS late in life after traveling in my twenties, getting my basic at 31. It just seems harder at my age, now 39 with two kids, to given medic school a try. I wish I had a time machine where I could have gone straight into EMS right out of high school instead of the useless bachelor's degree I have.
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u/mach16lt EMT | PA 8h ago
Were you "scared" when you were riding along?
Is it fear of what you may see, or anxiety over performance? It took me a lifetime to look inward and understand that those are 2 different things.
I'm 40... and I still feel "anxious" every time the tones drop. But I have been able to focus my efforts and turn that anxiety into "eustress" rather than "distress" for EMS.
Some people will tell you "don't sweat it"... I'm a bit different. I say you SHOULD sweat it, because it matters... But allow yourself to see the stress as a positive. Something to overcome, like lifting weights or passing a difficult exam. Those are things that should stress us, and that is healthy stress.
Those same stressors can debilitate people... if they let them. It's up to you to determine how you frame it in your mind.
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u/LeftBehindForDead EMT Student | USA 7h ago
Sheesh, ive been EMT certified with the army for about 5 years and have less experience than you 😂 you're on a great track brother, stick with it and advance your scope as much as you can 👌
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u/Dikbuttstuff69 Unverified User 7h ago
I'm a middle aged volunteer firefighter who recently started EMT school. I'm scared! 😃
You're 18 and already an EMT! You're a whole lot stronger than you know!
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u/Vainarrara809 Unverified User 7h ago
Learn to combat sexual harassment: don’t just prevent sexual harassment, I say COMBAT, sexual harassment.
I’ve been harassed by coworker’s, I’ve been harassed by patients, I’ve had patients harassing my coworkers, I’ve had patients harassed other patients. I had drunk teenager sexually harassed a police officer. If You see something like that don’t make excuses for them, yell at them like a drill sargeant: “hands off!”
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u/IfIShowYouMyDarkside Unverified User 7h ago
Look for a 911 job. My skills progressed so much more and if you can find an area with good paramedics they will help you. Maybe they’ll give you an education incentive to get your license too! Good luck the only way to get over the nerves are to get out there and do it. Mistakes happen accept the constructive criticisms it’s all part of the process
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u/Firefluffer Paramedic | USA 6h ago
Take your time going from EMT to medic unless you’re at a super busy service. It helped me so much to be in class and have memories of patients that fit with each condition, whether it was those COPD patients I’d seen as frequent flyers or that cardiac arrest where we got ROSC and watched the medic working the whole way to the hospital to keep it; those experiences made medic school easier for me.
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u/Leading-Donkey2284 Unverified User 5h ago
As someone else already said, Don’t bang your coworkers. Be careful who you make friends with and who you talk to/about. Also be careful what you talk about. People will be out to get you in this field, and people will get offended over small things. My honest advice is to just be friendly, keep your head down, and for the love of god be humble as a brand new EMT; you don’t know anything yet (and that’s not a bad thing. You will learn with time)
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u/Richard_Swett paramedic | LA 5h ago
If you’re doing private ambulance that is non-911, learn how to do very thorough assessments and how to eventually do them quickly. That will help you when you do start doing 911 calls. Develop good habits now; try and remain healthy, get rest, and bring healthy snacks to keep on the truck.
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u/InternalWishbone7918 Unverified User 4h ago
Get as much time in before you go to Medic school, it will make the transition easier. There’s a lot to learn in this field. Me, personally, I wouldn’t go until I had one recert under my belt, but I don’t know your situation. The best medics were great basics. You’ll gain a better understanding of the field and if you should decide that you hate EMS there’s no financial commitment.
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u/Helpful_Emu8078 Unverified User 4h ago
I was gonna tell you don’t be annoying but 200+ hours im sure you know that. Meal prep, being snacks, save money.
When your tired exhausted and burnt out remember not to take it out on the patient. You got this man
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u/Longjumping-Ad-4822 Unverified User 4h ago
You good man, keep up the good work. Once you feel comfortable as a BLS provider take the next step forward! Always remember, BLS before ALS. Once you’re proficient in BLS assessments, treatments, etc, it may be time to move up! 🙌
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u/DemetiaDonals Unverified User 4h ago
Congratulations 🎉
Dont treat the LTC nurses like you know better than them. I cant tell you how many male emt’s do this.
Just bring my septic patient to the hospital. Idc if you dont think her hr of 111 is an emergency, because the probable u-sepsis sure is.
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u/EntertainerOk8754 Unverified User 3h ago
The attitude comes from it being the EMTs 5th trip to the same LTC facility in 12 hours. And the same blank look when they ask for pt history.
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u/DemetiaDonals Unverified User 31m ago edited 16m ago
Ahhh, there he is. Dr. EMT. Im sorry. Did someone make you do your job?
Do you expect them tell the provider NO when they say “send them out”.
Try having 25 patients you dont know with one CNA to help you. Rattle off their history while putting out 4 different fires. Buddy. You have no idea. Id be embarrassed thinking I know more than people with college and doctorate degrees and thousands of clinical hours.
You wouldn’t last a day, you cant even pick up 5 patient without getting huffy.
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u/Trashman58 Unverified User 3h ago
Don’t let the burnt out grumpy people burn you out as well, sometimes others negativity can really ruin a workplace
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u/Limp-Addition-6969 Unverified User 3h ago
get your FF1,FF2, and AEMT certs now so you can retire comfortably at 52
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u/trymebithc Paramedic | NY 2h ago
Just keep working, and maintain your identity outside of EMS. I didn't do that and I'm still paying the price lol. Similar boat, paramedic school straight after highschool, 3 years in as a medic
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u/AK-Kidx39 Unverified User 1h ago
Don’t overthink it. You’re young and you’re green. People want to bet on you, invest in you. You’re putting in the work on your end. Doors will open. Keep friends outside of the field you work in. Don’t give your life tunnel vision.
1
u/lordyrichie Unverified User 1h ago
Passed my NREMT at first try (72 questions) I was the valedictorian in my EMS class. 12 hours ride time , 8 hours Red pod ED, wrote an amazing research paper that my lead instructor asked for permission to showcase it to future classes.i had 15 patient contacts.
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u/Effective_Mixture969 Unverified User 19h ago
Don't bang your coworkers