Bad Partner

[EMSnewbie]

Part of being a perdium worker is I am always working with someone different and I don't have a "regular" bus. Some co-workers are great and we have fun and chat and get along great...others are OK not chatty but not rude or nasty either...there are some who take it upon themselves to correct me every step even critique my paperwork (the bosses think I do a great job with paperwork btw) but my last shift I really wanted to explode at the person they partnered me with. This person REFUSED to stop at any store I asked to stop at and told me from the day she found out we will be working together that I will NOT be driving "HER" bus so I was teching the entire shift.

Anyway how do I cope? I don't want to be a rat and run to the bosses but I don't want to start trouble either...do I continue to be quiet and keep the peace and allow others to think of me as a pushover? Or do I speak up? :evil:

[paramedicmike]

Have you tried talking with this individual directly? Ask her where the problem lies? Is it that she doesn't trust you? Or just flat out not like you?

Or, as could be argued with one particular coworker, is she just trying to get out of doing any kind of work and bullying you around?

From a management point of you, you should talk with this individual and try to work things out with her first. If you go straight to management this is what they'll tell you to do anyway. At the same time they'll wonder if you have a problem working with others there which could then look bad for you. If talking to her doesn't work and she's still creating a hostile environment for you at work, then you talk to the boss.

Make sure, when you talk to this occasional partner, you make notes of the conversation, what was said, how it was taken, results coming from the interaction. That way if you have to go to the boss you have documentation in hand. This will help back your side of the story.

Talk to her first. See if you can reach some sort of understanding with regards to the work environment. If that fails, take your notes with you when you talk to the boss. Maintain professionalism at all times (even if she doesn't). That can only help you in the long run.

Good luck.

-be safe.

[Guest]

well i wouldn't argue about techin the entire shift .... but thats me ... im all about the jump seat ... would rather do that than drive anyday thats why im here.

As far as the rest ... when i was a "part timer" with no set ambo, I just made do ... did the best i could and put up with it. But if it is a big thing you have to talk to whoever and get it strieght. if the "regular" techs are worth a damn they will respect you more and problably ease up on ya

[MedicNorth]

You can't possibly lose by speaking to this person. It sucks already - can she be more ignorant? Simply sit down and state your concerns - even if there is no improvement, she will know that you are not a pushover. Then , if necessary, you can discuss the issues with management knowing you have done the best you can to deal with the issues.

[Ridryder 911]

I agree with others as ParamedicMike stated confront one on one. I would be careful on how I would confront this person and use words appropriately and widely. If you do not receive adequate answers I would go through the official chain. Make notations of specific incidences with date and times. Attitudes can be worked upon, and hopefully they will change. If not then action should be taken.

good luck,

R/R 911

[Dustdevil]

This isn't the real world. This is EMS. And in EMS, he who gets his story to management fist wins, regardless of who was actually right or wrong.

Screw the broad. Go up the chain of command immediately with your concerns. If they are unfounded, they'll tell you and move on. If they don't like what she's doing, it's her arse instead of yours. But if she goes to management complaining about you first, you're screwed.

[nsmedic393]

Do what paramedicmike said.

[1aCe3]

Yeah, it happens, I can vouch for that. I work 13 hr fri-sun shifts - except for one thing, I don't work on saturdays because I happen to have a class that decided to be on saturday. That provides the person who does our scheduling a nice headache. Thus, I'm the "company whore" as they say - at least for the semester. People who start out here on weekends usualy are. I completely understand what you're saying, it happens. I use to think working 13 hrs with someone like that would drive me nuts, but I cope. But if it really starts to get to you, then you might just want to try talking to your supervisor. But try this - instead of telling him/her that you don't work well with "that person," throw a couple names out there that you WOULD like to work with. Just saying that you DO work well with some of these people might make you look better instead of vice-versa. Of course, it's a request, not a must-happen. After all, work's work, it's not a place where you can partner up with your friends all the time, but its worth a try.

[Dustdevil]

Do what paramedicmike said.

Meh... Mike's an uber smart dude who I trust, but I've just seen this situation way too many times in thirty years. Working something out mano a mano only works if you're both interested in reaching a compromise. It seems absolutely clear to me that she is not. And any attempt to discuss it will likely result in an ugly confrontation for which she will report our friend as insubordinate and argumentative. And with him being the newbie, guess who's going to be believed.

There is no settling this with this broad. And it ain't going away on its own. This requires moderation and intervention from upstairs.

And I will repeat one of the most important facts about working in EMS:

He who gets his story to management first wins! Be a winner!

[xselerate]

This isn't the real world. This is EMS. And in EMS, he who gets his story to management fist wins, regardless of who was actually right or wrong.

Screw the broad. Go up the chain of command immediately with your concerns. If they are unfounded, they'll tell you and move on. If they don't like what she's doing, it's her arse instead of yours. But if she goes to management complaining about you first, you're screwed.

I second that. And hurry.