Am I ready to work on a ambulance??

[EmtBasic65]

Hello. I have been a EMT B for about six months now and I was told that one of the city ambulance companies will hire a EMT B to work with a EMT P. While I do realize this would be great experience for me, I am not sure I am ready!! I am a member of a very rural volunteer fire department, and we do not have that many calls.When I did my ride time for my clinicals all the paramedics I worked with were happy with my performance. So I guess I am sitting on the fence. Do I wait awhile longer and get some more calls under my belt or do I just dive in and learn from experience? Any input would help!!

[ladyemt51_2000]

Personally, I would dive right inand get all the experience you can get. You will never be comfortable with your skills until you use them. Will you be going on for your Paramedic? The sooner you decide and can get into class, the better you will be for it. Basics are a dime a dozen and more times than not, you will get stuck in the drivers seat than in the back doing actual patient care. During your ride time and clinicals, you were allowed to assist in treatment. This will not be so, in many cases, if you choose to stay a basic. So jump in, get your feet wet, learn all you can, and get back to class! Good luck to you and keep coming back here. You will learn so much!

[spenac]

NO!!!!!!! But if you are going to choose this as a profession go for it, but continue your education.

[Just Plain Ruff]

think of the Nike ad "just do it"

[SarahT]

I would go for it. You'll get comfortable the more you do it, not to mention better at your skills. Read as much as you can, and ask questions.

[Redcell19512]

When I was 19 I faced this same decision. I'd been running as a volly with Advanced First Aid for two years in high school. I took my EMT and 3 months later applied for, and got, a job on a BLS rig in Chester County, PA. I went from running 200 calls a year at my volly squad to running around 150 calls a month at my job. I was exposed to hospital based ALS (a medic and a nurse). I started doing inter-facility transports from the local hospital to one of the many Philadelphia hospitals. When I did I always read through every page of the patient's chart. When I didn't know something I took notes and asked one of the hospital folks about that particular subject. A year later I went to medic school and graduated #1 in my class (not a huge accomplishment considering the curriculum and the caliber of the other students..but please, I have so little, let me cling to this one thing...oh, sorry bout that)

My point is that if you want to get ahead you need to put yourself in uncomfortable positions sometimes and you need to work hard. I say you have only one option...go for it.

[Dustdevil]

Ditto on all of the above advice. In addition to taking the paid job, I would quit the volly thing altogether. It is more likely to hurt your development than to help it. And it is definitely hurting the profession. You have to decide if this is going to be your profession or your hobby. If you try to make it both, it will stunt your professional growth and burn you out. EMS is a job, not a lifestyle. Work your hours, then go home and be normal.

Five years from now, you will hopefully be a medic and still questioning whether or not you are ready each day you put on the uniform. I still do after thirty-four years.

The only thing that changes is how often you sweat.

Best of luck!

[Just Plain Ruff]

and with Dust, because of where he's at I think his sweat glands are working overtime day after day.

You bein safe over there dust?

[katbemeEMT-B]

I agree that you should just do it. I started out for a volunteer service in my community and like you had limited calls. Some friends kept telling me to apply with an ALS service 30 miles away. I didn't think I had what it took to work for them so I didn't do it. Well, I finally got up the courage and applied and have now been working with them for two months. Per their policy, I was required to do ride alongs which allowed me to learn so much more. At the end of my probation, they asked if I felt ready to go out on my own, I told them I would like to do a few more ride alongs. They were fine with that. I would suggest checking out the service(s) you want to apply with and see what their training requirements are. I would also check out what they offer for furthering your training and education. They may even be willing to help pay for your medic schooling. Education is the key to being the best EMT or Medic that you can be so never stop learning and not just on the job.

[Dmurphy73]

First things first.. go for it.. Over a year ago I was faced with the same dilemma, I had just completed EMT-B training and was entering a 2 1/2 year paramedic school (i'm a year and a half into it and love it), and there was an opportunity at the city third service ems where i live. Against the advice of some of my emt city colleagues, I went ahead and took the opportunity and signed on part time. I worked alongside a paramedic every time, and it was great. The further I progressed in my training, the more comfortable I felt, and the more time I spent on the ambulance, the more comfortable I felt in school. I am now a NREMT-I, taking an 11 week cardiology class, and working FULL TIME with the same service. Its like getting paid to do a clinical because I assure you that your partner will only let you get so far before they step in and take over, much like a preceptor. In closing I suggest you take it to paramedic, take the longest, most in depth program you can find, and enjoy the ride.. congrats and good luck....