r/NewToEMS

So, as a bit of background, I've been working at IFT for about 5 months. Last week, my partner (whose first day was today) and I picked up a patient from a rehab facility. PT was full code and had a prior CVA and hypertension history. V/S were 100/50, HR 52, 02 95% (within what we are allowed to transport for IFT calls). Rehab summary stated she was at the rehab place for 3 weeks, recovering from a stroke, and failed to get better. The nurse said PT was A&Ox4, but while I was doing my assessment, I noticed she was drifting in and out of consciousness, almost like she was about to faint. Her daughter was there and told us she has never acted this way.

This whole situation felt unfathomably fucked to me, so I asked the nurse to show me her vitals for the whole 3 weeks and the specific list of meds and doses she was given. Sure enough, until about 4 hours ago, BP was trending high, 160s/170s over 90s/100s, HR was trending in the high 90s, and O2 was trending 99-100%. The only change was that the nurse gave her a new BP medication right before we arrived. I know next to nothing about medications other than those within my scope, but the administration time and dose given didn't sound correct.

I told my dispatch everything, and they told me to alert the nursing station and tell the daughter to call 911. I did, and she asked me if I could take her mom instead of a 911 team. I wasn't sure if we were allowed to, so I asked my dispatch, and they told me to let the local 911 guys handle it. Now, on the one hand, I get it. Neither my partner nor I have ever run an emergency and did not know the area. Not only that, but I am a tech only with 4 months of IFT experience, and my partner's only ambo driving experience was driving from our base to the rehab center. Finally, by taking her, we'd be removing her from a facility that had nurses and doctors - incompetent nurses and doctors, but nurses and doctors nonetheless who have a wider scope of practice than we do.

On the other hand, this kind of thing feels like something we've been trained to do. We caught a medical emergency and were told to leave. I felt like the biggest asshole ever telling the daughter that although we, yes, are EMS providers, this is an emergency, and we have a fully stocked and capable ambo with people technically trained to operate it, there's nothing else we can do. We told the daughter exactly what had happened to her mom and the important info to relay to the EMS providers when they arrived, and alerted the nursing station, who sent some nurses. This whole situation took about 30-40 minutes from the time we entered the facility until we left. While I was on a wild goose chase talking with dispatch, the receiving facility, and facility nurses, my partner was taking vitals every few minutes. Luckily, they stayed consistent. I am going into work next week to talk to my manager about the call and what we could have done better.

What do you guys think? 30 minutes felt way too long to be on scene figuring out what to do, and it also felt deeply wrong to leave the PT with those nurses. Based on the info provided, was there a way we could have navigated this situation quicker? Should we have told our dispatch to suck an egg and transport her to an ER? Has anyone experienced anything like this? What did you do?

Edit: Reading the comments, OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW PROCARIOUS THIS SITUATION WAS. During all of this, I had the nurses trying to gaslight me into believing pt was stable, and I had the daughter trying to convince me to transport her mom ED. At first, dispatch was hesitant to cancel the call. Had I been a less experienced EMT, I probably would have bent to someone.

I'm looking to join an EMT program so I can later become a firefighter, I just haven't been able to find much in San Bernardino, CA. Anybody in the area know of any good, affordable programs out here or nearby?

Hello all, I am currently 5 weeks into my fire academy and we are supposed to be enrolling into local community college emt courses. However, all the spots at the college have been filled. I’m supposed to be on company by mid August and I do very well with online school. The only other option would be a community college an hour away which would be difficult but doable. My brother is a firefighter and got his emt through rc health but his department doesn’t run a unit, they contract it out

Just wondering if anyone had any experience and if these are legit programs

Hello! Tried to ask in the Interview sub, but due to low karma I can’t.

Background:
I’m doing a total career change (or trying to) from administrative to EMS. I have an interview in two weeks.

Question:
For the “tell us about yourself” question, I don’t know that I should go into irrelevant info about past jobs (administrative), as it’s a whole new wheelhouse. Am I correct about that? Is this where I say why I’m seeking a change? The question pertains only to professional, not personal?

I’ve not had an interview for many years and don’t know if I ever knew what I was doing. This one in two weeks is so important to me!

All our patients kept their fingers (yay!). But we were dealt the holy trinity of ETOH, combative, firework injury--oof. What about you?

Hi so this is for anyone in ct. I’ve been looking for hospital based jobs and have applied all over. I put in multiple applications with Yale new Haven Health and I still haven’t heard back from them. Anyone else also experience this?

Hello,

I applied to Cataldo Ambulance Service. I currently have around 6 months of driving experience and 6 months of experience in a prior private EMS company (got the job very close to the amount of time I got my drivers license). I understand that for insurance reasons/other reasons, they require a minimum amount of driving experience. My first question is, does Cataldo have a minimum amount of years for driving experience?
This question totally depends on if I’m hire-able. From what I understand from research is that they have you start off with 911 shifts (correct me if I’m wrong). Would they have me start off with IFT shifts until I get to a certain point? Also do you have to go through some sort of Paramedic-Basic course to get on ALS 911 shifts? Is there BLS and ALS specific 911 shifts?
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this, and if you do, send an answer!

Ive had my EMT-B for about 6 months now, working an IFT while I get medic school sorted (I know some people might think its "to soon" but as a basic your so limited and basically just a babysitter that can give O2 at least thats how it is at this service) I feel like im losing what I learned in school. My question is do yall keep going through stuff like your old flashcard, notes, or books to keep it all fresh? And for staying up to date on new things in the EMS world what sites/literature do you read so you dont fall behind? Maybe its the BLS Transfers getting to me and making me complacent. I do my PT assignments (much to the annoyance of some facilities and partners) I help my partner where I can (we run basic/medic trucks) I go through med lists we get from facilities and try to look them up in my off time to see whats for what. Maybe I just need to jump to a different service (IFT ofc the basic spots in my area are super competitive almost 100 people for the 1 basic spot thats open every 6 months it seems) Sorry for the long rant I just dont want to become another IFT basic who gets left behind because im not staying sharp. Appreciate yalls time.

I’m an EMT student and Friday was my third clinical shift. Something about that day kind of got to me emotionally. The company I was riding with was IFT, so I didn’t even really see anything bad, per se. Our first pt was a 70 year old man with severely altered mental status going for a MRI. He had a little stuffed animal with him for comfort and his mental capacity was so low that he couldn’t handle being in machine because it scared him so bad. The last one of the day was a very pleasant 60 year old man who was a retired nurse with a DNR order. We were talking and he was lamenting about how he had a wonderful career in nursing before his health took it from him.

Something about that day just got to me. I felt so bad for every single patient on our ambulance. I didn’t feel this strongly during my first few clinical shifts seeing similar things. I just felt like my heart couldn’t handle it. I know this is a very rookie post and I have to get used to it but my god man it just made me so sad. My dad is getting to be around 60 and my grandparents are in their late 70s. It’s frightening thinking of them like in those situations.

My personal life and mental health hasn’t been the best lately which I’m sure played a role in my feelings of despair the other day to be entirely fair.

Hey guys! I come to you asking another probably stupid question yet I find myself struggling

I am abot three weeks into my first EMT job, still going through my time with field training and im doing pretty well id say, but one area im lacking in "command presence" when I have two medics already on scene, treating and asking questions I find it difficult to find where I fit in where to help and not hinder and just in general finding where I fit.

I'd like any suggestions you have and advice. Thanks!

My supervisors moved me from a comptent and lovely partner who i used to work with every week to someone who is actively watching anime at full volume.

He answers his phone on scene on speakerphone talking to his kids and situarionships no matter what is going on. He goes around saying things that are clinically false, ignores everything I say on scene.

I feel like I am going to snap, everytime I ask him to turn it down, he will turn it back up within 5 mins.

I wear non noise canceling headphones at work so I can hear the radio. I can't hear the radio or anything I listen to. I can't hear myself think, I have to leave the truck for quiet.

I'm sad, i miss my old partner. I have literally tried everything with this man, asking him to turn it down doesnt work, when he drives he keeps it on, i literally hear one peice when I'm in the back working on a patient. I can hear it all the damn time. I am actually going insane ao miss my old partner so much, we would talk all shift or sit in silence woth our headphones or talk about watching documentaries together

Is it normal to listen to tv shows on full blast for a 13 hour shift no matter what you're doing, hospital? driving? The only time I get quiet is when I drive and he does patient care and even that doesn't garuenntee it becaude he calls his family and has inappropriate conversations in front of patients. I am actually going to go insane, he is 20 years older than me for context. O am incredibly polite, I've tried asking him to turn it down, I put on my headphones, I try to do everything but it is still so loud!

edit: example of randomly clinically false stuff, I asked him what his reasoning for giving NS instead of LR to an extremely dehydrated younger parient and he said "i worked with an old medic who gave NS to everyone and I'm going to do the same"

I’m in TX and my own dog bit me. Since I received care at a clinic I had to report the dog bite. I sent animal control photos of my injury, my dog, and his rabies vaccine, so I thought I was cooperating. I was under the impression I didn’t have to initiate an “exit quarantine interview”, and that animal control or the city would have initiated it.

Later, I got a Class C misdemeanor citation saying I failed to surrender him for quarantine within 24 hours. I have court in September.

I’m mostly worried because I’m in EMT school. Is something like this likely to affect EMT certification or EMS hiring in Texas? Also, would it be smart to contact the court/prosecutor before the court date and ask about dismissal or deferred disposition? Anyways thanks. My record is spotless otherwise.

Hi all,

I've been an EMT for 2 years, but mainly only doing IFT work. I recently took a side step to emergency medicine in a hospital as an ED tech. I've only had a few contacts with CPR in the field, due to IFT being considerably lower acuity patients, and my EMT training was very solid with CPR on the ground. I'm about 5'4", and when I try to do CPR on the hospitals beds, even with the step ladder, I realize I'm not hinging correctly the way I do when I do CPR on the floor. (On the floor I can kind of engage my thighs a little more to get more power). Does anyone have any tips for doing CPR on a higher surface or how to do CPR effectively if you're shorter?

Thanks in advance

The thing is I have a (sort of) criminal record. Nothing crazy. I had a Domestic Abuse Battery charge from about 8 years ago. I'm in the process of trying to get it pardoned since I literally did not even commit the crime but due to just getting some horrible court-appointed lawyer and really wanting to just get out of jail as soon as possible without dragging it out I ended up with the charge even though the "victim" ended up admitting I didn't even do it because the state picked up the charges (long story and I've tried everything to get the charge removed but the only option is having it pardoned and it hasn't been pardoned yet).

I also had a drug possession arrest from over 7 years ago which was dropped to drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor) and was expunged recently.

I also have Criminal Trespassing and Public Intoxication from almost 7 years ago (will get these expunged eventually but it might take a while, possibly several years at the longest)

So given that I have the one Domestic Abuse Battery charge from 8 years ago (again I'm pretty sure it will be pardoned, but who knows maybe not so I'm just assuming not for now), and a criminal trespassing and public intoxication on my record for the time being, how likely would I be able to find another job if I ever lost this one?

The job I'm calling "this one" is with a local ambulance who I know will hire me as long as I am eligible for the license in my state. I am currently actually in the process of going back-and-forth with the EMS board in my state to make sure I can get the license. And so far it seems promising... Seems I will. I'll have a final answer in 1-2 weeks, but they judge them on a case-by-case basis and from everything I've heard from the person who I am working with, it seems highly likely I will be able to be licenses (Woohoo!)

The only thing that makes me nervous is just incase I were to ever lose this job... (You know I don't think I'd ever do ANYTHING to make me lose the job, get fired, etc... But you know... Things can happen that are out of your control, always!) I'm wondering if I'd have success finding another place to hire me. I already know this place will, but what about another one? Seems like it could be up in the air...

I'm in electrical trade school right now actually and could go that route (would be less strict with background stuff). But what I REALLY want to do is EMT/Paramedic/Firefighter. But I don't want to start EMT now and then get in a bind later in case something were to happen and I couldn't get hired somewhere else. And then I missed out on starting my Electrician Apprenticeship. Since the apprenticeship takes 4 years and I am already 30, I don't want to miss the opportunity to make the right decision now, you know?

But I know I'd rather do EMT/Paramedic/Firefighter and the money is definitely enough for me. I'm assuming that having at least a couple years experience as EMT/Paramedic (once I have it in a couple of years) would help me land another job if I ever needed to but you know, I still wonder if there would be difficulty.

I'm in the USA in Louisiana just so y'all know.

Good evening,

I am balancing a few job offers at the moment and I passed the AMR PAT a week ago. There were at least 20+ new hires so I think the recruiter is swamped with questions and may have missed my email.

During my interview the recruiter said they had a program where they put you on a part time schedule and treat you as a full time employee while they send you to paramedic school.

Has anyone done something like this with AMR? And what do you need to do to qualify?

I talked to some of the EMTs while waiting my turn the other day. They seemed really happy and offered a lot of info about daily life, the recent pay raise they all got, the union, but they didn't know much about the paramedic program saying" some do it but you can't have any write ups."

I've been in and out of school due to a lot of things going on in my life and trying to stay available for my daughter. So this deal seems too good to be true and if it is this could really help change my life for the better.

Hi so ive been interested in becoming an EMT for a couple years and I also just got a site to help me learn stuff I need to know but im not sure if im starting too early. Im 15 and my family keeps telling me to start learning when im 18 but I really want to learn now since I just think it would help me more and plus knowing medical stuff is really important anyways? But they just keep telling me I shouldn't do it and slow down. Is it too early for me to start ?

I’ve never worked in EMS and got my cert through the army. I don’t want to order online because I typically have trouble finding sizes brand to brand. The military surplus stores near me don’t have a lot of pants my size. Any suggestions on where to go to find affordable pants in person? Looking for mens pants. I’ve seen other post but it’s mostly places to order online or thrift stores and there’s not many of those near me.

Hi everyone!
I recently got hired as a part-time EMT-B with a private EMS company, and I’ll be starting a 5-day new-hire orientation (9 a.m.–5 p.m. each day) this Monday.

This will be my first EMS job, so I’m excited but also a little nervous. For those who’ve been through a similar orientation, what should I expect?

I was also wondering:
What should I review this weekend to be best prepared?
What should I bring to orientation besides the usual paperwork?
How much of it is classroom training vs. hands-on skills?
Are there usually written tests or skills evaluations?
Any tips for making a good first impression?

Thanks in advance—I really appreciate any advice!