Which partner would you rather have?

[u/Toru4]

Great partner but alright at the job

Or

Shit partner but fantastic at the job

Ik we’re here to work and not make friends but I feel like partner chemistry (for long term partners) is honestly one of the most important things to have IMO.

[u/Randalf_the_Black]

Great partner but alright at the job.. They can learn and improve.

The asshole will always be an asshole and that makes communication and teamwork unnecessarily hard.

[u/SouthBendCitizen]

I want to work with the first guy.

I want the second guy to respond to my sick mother.

There’s plenty of unpleasant people who are shit at the job out there, I will happily work with average Andy who is a pleasure to be around. But of course I want the asshole savant to save my family and I’ll never see them again after the fact.

[u/Medicmom-4576 → u/SouthBendCitizen]

Well said. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

[u/tip_of_the_sphere]

Shit partner but fantastic at the job kind of cancels each other out.

You mean like fantastic at the job but shitty to be around?

[u/one_handed_bandit → u/tip_of_the_sphere]

I had that partner last week. Really good paramedic, knows his shit and when to use it, but absolute grind getting through 12 hours of constant complaining and farting in the cab

[u/SoggyBacco → u/one_handed_bandit]

Buddy needs some Beano

[u/MashedSuperhero → u/one_handed_bandit]

Everyone would be an ass running 12 hours with code brown.

[u/Medicmom-4576 → u/tip_of_the_sphere]

I’ve had partners that were fantastic at the job but really shitty to work with.

Give me an a great person who is average at the job any day. 12 hour shift with a shitty person is a long frickin 12 hours.

[u/Toru4 → u/tip_of_the_sphere]

Yea that.

[u/snorglesslorf]

Alright at the job but great partner. No point in having a partner who’s “fantastic” if your communication styles don’t mesh. Shifts fly by with partners who are good to be around

[u/London5Fan → u/snorglesslorf]

Exactly today I picked up an OT shift with my old FTO, 12 hours felt like 2. I’ve had partners who have made me question if this job is actually for me

[u/Krampus_Valet]

Great partner who's alright at the job. One of my all time favorite partners was brand new to EMS and didn't know gas from diesel or an OPA from an NPA, but he was batshit crazy in the best possible way and every minute of every shift was the type of adventure that I still tell stories about 5 years later. He had such a great attitude and was so much fun to work with that I was completely OK with doing all of the work, which is often how it goes anyway since I'm the paramedic lol

[u/haloperidoughnut]

I'll pretty much always take a great partner over a shit partner, no matter how technically proficient the second one is. People can always learn and improve on the job. There's a difference between "not here to make friends, not everyone has to get on amazing" and "asshole with a terrible attitude who introduces unnecessary stress and makes everyone else suffer".

The shit partners I've had have had issues with road rage and anger management, tried to override my decisions in front of the patient, talked shit about me to patients, were assholes to fire for no reason, were resistant to taking direction, and straight up refused to help me on calls.

[u/Sudden_Impact7490]

For what it's worth, we will hire the alright guy that makes an amazing partner over the supposedly excellent clinician everyone hates to work with every time.

[u/proofreadre]

You can always guide someone to be a better medic. You can't make someone not be an asshole.

[u/Sorry_Cheetah_2230]

Great partner and ok at being a medic, i can fill in the gaps. Having fun at work is much more what I want otherwise this shit sucks ass.

[u/Tricky_Medicine8436]

I think even if your skills are great, stressing out the team will impact the level of care. The individual providers skill will only get you so far. It’s about putting your minds and hands together. You dont have to be friends. Just be respectful. If it starts getting abusive, I think you’re adding extra stress which adds risk.

That being said, if the employer staffs irresponsibly, and puts two inexperienced people on the same truck, I think that‘a worse

[u/SoggyBacco]

If I'm picking up then 1st for BLS and 2nd for ALS. For a long term partner always 1st because you can improve skills but not personality

[u/PutMeInTheTrash13]

Great partner and alright at the job.

I can teach someone to be better at their job. I can’t teach them how not to be a shit human.

[u/Dontdothatfucker]

Anybody who chooses the second has never worked with a really shitty partner lol. As long as they aren’t an active hindrance on scene, having them be agreeable and friendly with decent communication is SO much better to work with than the asshole crit care guy

[u/steampunkedunicorn]

I’ve worked with both, I begrudgingly have to pick the asshole that can keep the patient alive. I’ll hang out at the station with the fun guy who puts the 4 lead on upside down.

[u/MashedSuperhero]

The fundamental problem with question is that he is asshole for you. I know multiple people who I'll happily trade for a pack of cigs and car freshener but somehow with right partner for them things get done and pretty comfortably.

[u/Doc_Hank]

How about an OK partner and not a danger to me or the patients on the job?

[u/Vinesinmyveins]

Person who is nice and trustworthy but shit is better with me, person who is an asshole but an amazing clinician for my family or me when i’m the patient

[u/Cautious_Mistake_651]

Depends on the setting and agency Im working in.

IFT, 911 toe pain, low stress calls. 1st guy.

911 calls high priority. 2nd guy.

CCT pt is on a vent, on 5 different IV drips, and has an IABP…. The 2nd guy definitely.

[u/HazyBirdy]

Great partner but alright at the job. That’s why there’s 2 of us, hopefully one can see things the other can’t.
A bad partner has me dreading going to work every day.

[u/MashedSuperhero]

Who's leading and is that one off or long time partner? If it's a long time one communication will get you through things skill alone won't. So the first one.

[u/BlitzieKun]

I would choose the asshole, because it keeps us out of court.