kristinaemtb

By no means would I go with the media. The lawsuit was actually started due to them refusing to give me my paycheck. In this state they are required by law to hand over your check within 72 hours...it took 8 days for mine. And don't ask me why they held it because I'm not sure. And my lawyer and I went from there with the wrongful termination due to the fact it put me in a "hardship" situation. All I am concentrating on now is my being an EMT and my Paramedic classes. The lawsuit is NOT my priority, but it will put me in the right! (I hope!)

Glad to see I have some support! There were several others that wanted to take the class and for personal reasons beyond their control...they stayed with the company. I was the only one fired because I stood up for myself. There were 2 others that quit to take the class. All I have to say is......IN 9 MORE MONTHS I'LL BECOME A PARAMEDIC(I HOPE) They have made me work even harder for this!

I know that the companies here make you go through EVOC or CEVO(as long as your 21). So, I guess as long as you have a D.L. and you can pass the EVOC or CEVO written test and driving course...your good in their eyes.

Richard, the company I was working for offers the EMT-I class with a bridge to Medic in the future, the classes I decided to take are EMT-P! The classes around here are taught by squads that have their accreditations with colleges. So...that being said...the other school I decided to go to is taught by another company 1 hour away. My boss says they are "competition", This is not so. The company I worked for doesn't even come near to running ANY calls in that area! I was merely getting an education from somewhere else. OH...did I mention that the boss doesn't like my instructor because she used to work for him? Conflict of interest? Or a personal problem?

Recently I made the choice to go to college to take the paramedic course. The company I worked for offered the I-class, but I wanted to go to medic, so I found a college that offered what I was looking for. The boss called me and said "I just want to let you know that if you go to that class...you will no longer be employed here." I feel that I should get an education where I see fit. My classes would not have conflicted with my schedule. I have worked for this company for 3 long, hard years! Not only did they loose an EMT, but they also lost a potential paramedic.(Both of which they desperately need!) And for those of you wondering..."is that legal?"...My lawyer has a thick file already on his desk! My classes are going very well, and I have since began working for another company that is glad to have me!

WOW! These kind of trips are an everyday occurrence for us. We have a contract with the VA. hospital here, so we do a lot of West Virginia to Salem VA, Richmond VA , Baltimore and Charlotte NC. trips. And other cases of CCT transports. And we never get to know in advance to a call. We have had to transport to Baltimore at 2am(remind you that we start our 24 hour shifts at 7:30am and have ran all day long). I once had a patient have to go 4 hours away just for a doctors appt. and have to be on that stretcher the whole time. And it's hard if they put you on the truck with someone who is not allowed to drive. It is very hard to make these trips, and is not safe!!! But, hey....I just work there.

Dustdevil wrote: If it delays the patient's arrival at the hospital, yes, you should be reprimanded. Once. Then fired the next time. Dust, by no means would I ever delay pt. care! I was trying to explain a point. Ever since we got the new protocol's to administer nitro, some of our Medics feels that they "don't need to be there" on chest pain calls. I do load and go, with ALS enroute. If I meet them enroute-GREAT, if I get to the hospital first...then thats fine too! BUT...just because I can get orders to administer nitro, doesn't mean that I have the drugs to reverse any side effects. I just hate that some of our "medics" feel that we don't need them due to our new protocol's. If I feel the need for ALS....bet your a$$ I will call for them!!!

I think burn out plays a big role in our jobs. Between the scenes we see, the frustration with our dispatch, and not to mention what we put up with our captains that try to speak to us as if we are in the military. I have been here for 3 years and understand how quick we can all get burned out!

I am an EMT that works on an ALS truck. We intercept Quit a few calls in our area. Most of our calls have the need for ALS back-up. BUT...our EMT's also have protocols to "administer" nitro...and some Medics think that since we have those protocols, that we should follow our protocols and get to the hospital...Me on the other hand...I DO CALL FOR ALS ON CHEST PAIN CALLS!!! Some medics get so frustrated that we call for them...but I know that if I happen to work on a BLS truck, that if I do administer nitro, that I do not have the drugs to reverse any bad side effects. So...there is definitely some dumb reasons for intercept and some very "smart" decisions for intercept. Who gets to decide which is smart and which is dumb though???

As an EMT in W.V. we can administer(NOT ASSIST) patients with nitro,epi and and few other meds now. BUT...Myself as well as others in our company have had our a$$ handed to us for calling for ALS backup on a chest-pain call. I think that a medic should be present on these calls....even if my protocols say I can administer nitro. I feel comfortable giving it, but there is always that "what if" that change change your call! So, should I be reprimanded for calling for ALS? I don't think so!

Nate, please don't laugh! This is what I enjoy doing! I don't want ridiculed for my $ 6.75 an hour. I want praised. The money is not everything ( although I do need it! ) But I am proud of what I do.

have you tried atlanicare?

Dust, I was just saying that the explaination that AK gave was more persice than that of our supervisor (who might I add is also our continuing ed director). I understood what AK was saying. I have furthered this topic and AK just simply worded it better.That is what I was meaning to say.

Thank you for your info. Our supervisor did not say anything like that. You make sence when you expain it!!!

We were informed of this. I don't like it. We are going to wear ourselves out! But if it works... then one more saved!!!!!!

I bought one for $229.00 I am partially deaf in my left ear. Look up stethoscopes and pick a sight. They also have a digital reading on them also. But they are not cheap! I just looked mine up.It is a Littman 3M.The receipt says $269.00. I love mine. The reading is very accurate! You can try www.standris.com, but they are pricey. Or go to eBay! Hope that helps ya!

AK, we take our time, trust me! But you can only take up so much time when our station is next door to our corperate office. And our hospital is 1 mile away with the gas station next to it.

That is similat to what the labor board had told us.Your info will be very handy.Thank you! What gets me is what if I am out for 168 minutes instead of their "181" minutes.I don't get paid for it!We don't get the full 24 hour pay unless all calls combined total 181. I will definatly look into this again-further!!!Once again,thank you for everyones info!!!!!!

SORRY-NOT PERFECT

I was curious of some of the differences in our states ems.Drop a line and tell us about your line of work.(classes,uniforms,pay scale,etc,)

We have a two way drive cam for these kind of calls.(and others)We can record everything from the road to the back of the truck.It saves our a$$ if ever a problem could occur!

Katy,my thoughts exactly!!! And yes it is legal,we all looked into it when the switched to this stupid pay scale.

We have "sleep time" on our 24 hour trucks.We dont get paid for our sleep time(11pm to 7am)UNLESS...we are out a "total" of 181 minutes.They say that we have a great deal of time in the night to ourselves.The way I see it is that pager can go off at ANY given time.We are at our job-not at home in our OWN beds.We can't just get up and go eat,or shop.I feel that we should get paid for being "at work".Heck,during the day we have some down time between calls(sometimes)but we are getting paid.What is the difference?Do any of you have "sleep time"?

I have thought about moving,but I have 3 children and my family is here.The cost of living is changing here,but not the pay!Like I said before...I have 2 jobs.At my other job I am a set up manager for "new Lowes stores",the pay is so good!But this is not my profession.The reason I asked this question is because I travel all over the U.S. with this job and people freak out when I tell them how much EMT's make back home.I spoke with a lady when I was in Colorado and the make no less than 18 an hour on her squad.I should not complain about my pay,but I can not be a full time EMT/Paramedic on these rates of pay.But I want so passionately to put my time into something I care about doing.

I know that I chose the profession,it did not choose me.I was a phlebotomist before becoming an EMT.Pay for that was $7.00 an hour.I am currently enrolled in the medic course for this fall.I know what that the pay scale for our medics is $7.50.Our minimum wage is $5.15.I find it sad that our Wal-Mart employees make $8.00 an hour.BUT...I enjoy what I do,just not the pay.On one hand you look at your job as enjoy what you do,but you also have to survive and support your own family.