New guy at work has no hustle

[on_the_way]

He says he's been on an ambulance for a year before this. He's fine with the paperwork and writes a good narrative so maybe he did. Everything else is not so good, though. We had a busy day today for the most part. We had maybe two hours of downtime on the 12 hour shift, and he didn't seem to take advantage of it when we had it and he wanted a cigarette every time we stopped the rig.

He was supposed to be in training with myself and my partner for the day. I've never pulled a shift with either one and have about the same amount of time in the field that he does. Maybe a little more but I'm not going to pull out a calendar and start counting shifts. It's close.

We don't have a lot of Leaders at this company so I wasn't totally familiar with the rig. The gloves are in a different box, the blue sheets are in the door not on the shelf, etc. If he wasn't familiar with the rig then neither was I. We use a different gurney than he's used to so I'll give him that, but the guy never went ahead and got the door for us. I had to go get signatures a couple of times. He was sitting in the dialysis chairs. While that's not a problem or anything, I've just never seen an EMT sit in the dialysis chairs. Everybody I know either does their paperwork on the rig or standing in a corner with the clipboard or something. Usually those places are busy and they don't have open chairs anywhere. He didn't want to reach past the patient to get the large BP cuff. He looked at me and expected me to get it for him. It was just kind of off all day. He was supposed to be getting checked off today for patient care, so the expectation was that he was going to handle that work today and show that he knows what he's doing.

I'm sure he knows, he just wasn't showing any hustle. He beat me to it a whopping four times today. Got one door, loaded the gurney once, and I can't remember the others. He was on the phone or texting a lot of the time. I don't care if he does, it's no big deal to me. But when it's time to bring the patient in or out, hang up the phone and do your job. Don't leave the patient or your partner waiting for you to finish your personal business on the clock. I know we all do it from time to time, but it was pretty apparent that he had better things to do today than do his job.

At the end of the day, he was cleaning up his paperwork and asked me if I was going to "stick him with all the work."

Bottom line, I'm going to ask management to not put me on with this guy. I thought maybe it was me, maybe I was expecting too much or something, but the FTO thought the same thing. He didn't want to check him off for patient care today because he didn't see much of it.

[Just Plain Ruff]

take the pre-emptive action you need to. you need to first discuss this with him. Tell him you were discouraged by the lack of work he did as well as the non-lack of personal work he did.

Tell him that he either needs to shape up or you'll go to management

Next you need to write this all down in a narrative or whatever detailing what he did and didn't do. Date this and seal it. That way when this yahoo goes to managment first, which he will, over some little thing that you did and made him do then you have the ability to fight back and say, whoa wait a minute, here is what happened

If you are not into confrontation which most people are not, then you need to go to your supervisor or management and discuss it with them.

Often times in EMS the person who complains first is the one who keeps out of trouble. Many ems workers will stab you in the back to further their career goals or they will run you over in the ambulance if it will keep them from getting in trouble.

Good luck.

[itku2er]

I agree with RUFF you need to step up and talk to him. Communication is the key to anything and if you can not communicate effectively with him then you need to go to management. You shouldnt have to tell him how to do his job he should already know how but if he does not then action needs to be taken.

Good luck

Terr

[paraloco]

I am an FTO and one of the first things I tell a rookie is that I better not beat them out of the house, to the truck, or to the patient's side. And they better not be empty-handed.

[Richard B the EMT]

He was sitting in the dialysis chairs. While that's not a problem or anything, I've just never seen an EMT sit in the dialysis chairs. Everybody I know either does their paperwork on the rig or standing in a corner with the clipboard or something.

While I have not transported either to or from a dialysis center in over 25 years, one thing was beaten into me by the staffs at the various centers: NOBODY but the patients are to sit in those chairs, due to understandable concerns of Blood Borne Pathogen contaminations, either from or to the dialysis patients. We usually were allowed, begrudgingly, to use a corner of the receptionist's desk.

Maybe that is just the way things were done in the NYC area, the centers by you might be less stringent in this type enforcement, or times have changed in that aforementioned 25 years.

[emtannie]

If you can, talk to this person - I know it can be hard.... but they he won't feel like you stabbed him in the back if you go to your supervisor.

If you feel you can't talk to them, and that is understandable too, go to your supervisor. .. and document, document, document.... times, specifics, everything you can think of.... You don't want his lack of work ethic to back you into a corner on a bad call or any other situation.

Above all, maintain your professionalism... keep all your education and skills up, work hard on shift, and be a positive role model - peer pressure can work....

[kyle308]

While I have not transported either to or from a dialysis center in over 25 years, one thing was beaten into me by the staffs at the various centers: NOBODY but the patients are to sit in those chairs, due to understandable concerns of Blood Borne Pathogen contaminations, either from or to the dialysis patients. We usually were allowed, begrudgingly, to use a corner of the receptionist's desk.

Maybe that is just the way things were done in the NYC area, the centers by you might be less stringent in this type enforcement, or times have changed in that aforementioned 25 years.

we have an EMS office at our local hospital :wink:

[ohemt648]

Have to agree with Ruff and Terri on this one. Discuss first with the one you are having the issue with, keeping it professional. A pissing contest will get you nowhere. If that fails, then address it with your manager.

I recently was sent home after completing only half of a shift because of my partners indiscretions. :x I had talked to her about it one other time but was unable to talk to my manager for fear of making my partner mad :oops: Looking back now I really wished that I had done so.

Good luck! I hope this is the type of feedback you were looking for.

Take care and be safe

648

[Dustdevil]

Wow... I have to admit that when I read the topic title, I expected you to be the problem, and not the "slow" guy. I like my partner to chill out and pace himself, doing things in a deliberate and non-rushed manner. But dude... lethargic apathy is completely unacceptable.

I wonder what this guy's previous experience was. Anyhow, it sounds like he's just a typical transfer jockey burnout. Probably never worked EMS in his life, and is used to being nothing but a taxi driver, so he doesn't give a crap. Sounds like this is about as much effort as he is willing to give for whatever money he is making to be a taxi driver and babysitter.

I wouldn't tolerate it. But if management is putting you in a position to precept these guys, you need to have an understanding from the get-go about what is expected of you. Do they want you to shape this guy up and cut him loose? Do they want you to just observe him and report to them? Or is spending a shift with you just a formality, and he will be cut loose no matter what since, let's face it, transfer work isn't rocket surgery.

Once you know what management is expecting of you, then you can respond appropriately. In fact, that is how I would begin my report to management. Ask them the above questions. They are going to know from you asking that, that you have some concerns. When they ask you for those concerns, that is your opening to spill it honestly. And completely, as it sounds like this guy has a laundry list of faults. Just be careful how you word things. Comments like "I wouldn't want to work with him at this point" are a lot better taken than ultimatums like, "I won't work with this guy." You want to maintain the trust they have in you to be objective.

Good luck!

[Lone Star]

Wow... I have to admit that when I read the topic title, I expected you to be the problem, and not the "slow" guy. I like my partner to chill out and pace himself, doing things in a deliberate and non-rushed manner. But dude... lethargic apathy is completely unacceptable.

I wonder what this guy's previous experience was. Anyhow, it sounds like he's just a typical transfer jockey burnout. Probably never worked EMS in his life, and is used to being nothing but a taxi driver, so he doesn't give a crap. Sounds like this is about as much effort as he is willing to give for whatever money he is making to be a taxi driver and babysitter.

I wouldn't tolerate it. But if management is putting you in a position to precept these guys, you need to have an understanding from the get-go about what is expected of you. Do they want you to shape this guy up and cut him loose? Do they want you to just observe him and report to them? Or is spending a shift with you just a formality, and he will be cut loose no matter what since, let's face it, transfer work isn't rocket surgery.

Once you know what management is expecting of you, then you can respond appropriately. In fact, that is how I would begin my report to management. Ask them the above questions. They are going to know from you asking that, that you have some concerns. When they ask you for those concerns, that is your opening to spill it honestly. And completely, as it sounds like this guy has a laundry list of faults. Just be careful how you word things. Comments like "I wouldn't want to work with him at this point" are a lot better taken than ultimatums like, "I won't work with this guy." You want to maintain the trust they have in you to be objective.

Good luck!

Well stated, Dust!

I don't think I could add anything to it, without becoming redundant, so I'll just agree with your assessment of the situation and go from there.