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Naturegirl,

You have done enough second guessing your procedures, and questioning your actions. There are some external things you will not be able to change.

I gather you have been in EMS for awhile and are very experienced. What made you get into EMS in the first place? Do you still feel the way you did when you first joined (not counting the politics) regarding patient care?

The holiday period does make anything more stressful, but this could be a good time to take some time to think about my previous questions.

All EMS services are not like the horror show you have been presenting over the last few blogs and it is hard to tell someone what to do. Are you with a private agency or community based one. What is around you? Every agency is different even when they are "next store" to each other.

Don't be selling yourself short, use this as an opportunity to look around at other locations and at yourself. You have a lot to offer and it just has to be in the right direction. 

BTW I recommend a glass of Turning Leaf Chardonnay for the New Year. A Happy New Year to You and Yours

JMHO  

SO you are abandoning us because we don't comment on your blog? I thought blogs were places for people to blow off steam no to seek opinions or help. The forum is where to ask for those. The blogs are for your benefit.

Good point, I forgot to mention the forum on "General EMS Discussions" There are some great minds that read these and may be able to shed better light than I did.

Don't forget the glass of Turning Leaf.

WOW, sorry.  I really wasn't looking at the Blog like you have presented.  I didn't want advice as much as validation.  Lots of people read, no one replies seemed to be a message that hurt.  I was hoping I could be a word of warning for newbies to own their medic school experience, their first job, to listen to the inner voice.  My inner voice said repeatedly, you do not have enough experience.  I let myself be placed where I wasn't entirely comfortable and then the stupid little voice kept going until reality mirrored it.  I have seen a lot of posts where people comment, encourage, or just plain say, get a life.  I do know what I want and it will not be easy.  It is something I will have to work at, study at every day.  Just because I passed the test doesn't make me a medic.  I know that, but I don't need my face rubbed in it.  I wanted to take another job but the words of  FTO I rode with during my internship echoed: Don't try to be my friend until you get through this, then maybe you can try.  What, you can't be tough and be friendly is what I wanted to say, but I shrank back and prayed to get done and go home instead.  What I really wanted was a place to make mistakes and learn while someone sat at my side keeping me from doing anything stupid.  I didn't realize I was supposed to come perfect.  That seemed to be a unifying mark of many internships in my class and there was 100% pass rate on the test but only half are even working as a medic now 2 years later.  I don't want to be one of them.

So I apologize for mistaking the lack of comments on the blog for any real judgement.  However if it seems like I need a smack, feel free to smack.

It sounds like you are basing your feelings on the comments of one FTO. Not Good. No one comes out perfect. Everyone is different, My favorite example of this is the show NCIS where the boss is fair but cares about his team.

You will always be learning and the 100% pass rate only shows you can read the mind of the person who wrote the test and nothing more. Getting your hands dirty in the field and making a few mistakes will teach you a great deal, but you also have to be open to learning. This is regardless how long you are in the field. I only hope any mistake I make does not cost a patient his or her life.  

I have the fortune of working with some folks that have been active over thirty years, they are still learning (as well as teaching). Stop selling yourself short.

How long have you been in the field? Why did you get into it? Some times you have to tell the little voice to STHU.

BTW, Did you have that glass of wine?

Just my Humble Opinion 

As it turns out you need a corkscrew to open a bottle of wine.  I am realizing as I search out how various organizations run that there was no system in place.  None.  You make a mistake, don't perform well and it all falls on whether or not your partner might say something to you, or another medic on the call.  It doesn't usually happen, so your mistakes just anchor you until you are shown the door with no warning.  I guess the only thing worse is to never know what mistakes you made and then be out in the cold, ready to go somewhere and make them all over again.  I got in EMS after 20 years of wishing I'd done it sooner.  I do wish I'd taken more responsibility for the lack of experiences I got on my internship.  I ended up doing penance for arguing with my instructor about it by being sent to handle cancer center transfers instead of the busy local EMS system.  It's a messed up world, but one I'm proud to say I'm ready to depart from.  I intend to stay in EMS somewhere else, where I can also find a place to put my management skills to.  I know what's f-ed up about so many places, I think I can make a positive difference, if it's possible to be in management without extensive field experience.  I've seen management ridicule people openly for asking what they considered to be a dumb question, gang up on less assertive employees, make character assassinations because they didn't like an otherwise very competent employee.   I also need to get over the fact it's not easy for me, so I have to work harder at it.  Just because I went to medic school with a bunch of brainiac med school wannabees who are really good with the details doesn't make me a crappy medic.   

Stop positioning your mindset as a crappy medic! Opinions are like rear ends, everyone has them. Look around you and see if there are other opportunities. Please bear in mind, I don't know your locale, but I would not like to see your talent and dedication go to waste over the singular opinions of someone in your dept.

Let your partner say something, then use it as a tool for more training if you feel it would help you.   

I got into EMS when I turned sixty, and wish I had done it sooner. There are other areas around me that I could look at even if it means starting from close to the bottom.

I see you did your initial foray into EMS in 1978. Not sure when you returned, or how long you've been doing it again. As for getting into management, generally yes, you do need some field experience for credibility and to really understand the issues facing the providers and the company in general. Is it mandatory?  No- especially in a company where their may be multiple managerial positions- such as operations, clinical, training, etc. If you have managerial training without the field experience, you could lean on the other managers for advice on how to integrate leadership and managerial concepts and direct them to EMS issues. Obviously this would mean you needed to convince a company of your value- despite a lack of field experience. Good managers are rare- especially ones who have the educational background in leadership and management, and the ones who berate and belittle employees clearly are lacking in that department. 

Bottom line- EMS needs better leaders AND better managers, Good luck,