Am I ready to work on a ambulance??

[Dustdevil]

Good advice, Murph.

Long time, no see. Welcome back!

[Dmurphy73]

Thanks dust.. I've obviously been busy.. I've been reading the posts, just haven't felt the need to reply until now...

[medicgirl69]

Great advice from everyone. It's great to see everyone encouraging education as part of your working experience - it can only help you in the future.

I can say from personal experience that a newby EMT-B can be a great asset to a Paramedic/EMT team. My current partner came from BLS transfer car to my unit (dedicated 911) after only 6 months. Yep, the first couple of shifts he was shaking in his boots (almost literally), but he ASKED QUESTIONS constantly, even on scenes of calls, and was constantly reviewing the BLS protocols, putting equipment together that we might use on a call, and just familiarizing himself with the system. Fortunately we have a great working relationship and are able to talk about everything. He is very dedicated and loves to learn, and now that we have been together as partners for nearly a year I can say he is one of the best EMTs I have worked with, either on ALS or BLS units. We enjoy learning new things together, we share information from classes that we take, and we regularly review skills and local protocols together, which has also been a great help to both of us.

And, finally, one of the things I appreciate most is that he is not jaded. I know we have all at some point worked with some EMTs that just have no desire to do more than drive, so it is encouraging to see new EMTs who are excited about their jobs. And, just for the rest of us, I think it's our duty to keep our EMT partners excited and involved in things to the extent that they are allowed.

So, jump in and go for it. We were all newbies at some time!

[mobey]

Just the simple fact that you had to ask the question is an indicator that you need the experience. I also work for a very rural service with a fairly low call volume. Therefore I go to an urban service every couple of months for a few days and take call to make sure I am retaining my skills and knowledgebase. The thing us rural peple have to remember is our calls may not come in as often but they are just as real. You should take the job for the experience even if it you are not sure it will be a career path.

[EmtBasic65]

Thank you to all who responded to my post.I have decided to go for it! Its the only way I am going to learn.