naturegirl

I took the advise here and I'm looking around at what is being offered academically. Is everyone referring to a good old general management or BA type program, or the EMS degree information that keeps popping up on the side of the screen?

Thank you all for the advice. I'm surprised there was no one that recommended getting instructor credentials in any EMS (BLS, PHTLS, AMLS, etc) related field. If I hadn't asked that's probably the way I would have gone. Interesting.

I hope I'm posting this in the right spot for maximum reading. I am looking for advice on how to move into management. I love field medicine, but I'm 52 and I know things are going to become harder physically. However, more than that, I've seen too many instances of bad management driving good EMT"s and medics away and I want to do something where I have good skills. I have 8 years in EMS, 2 as a medic. I know my experience is short compared to other training officers, directors, etc. Is there any path I can take to get into management? I have a lot of management skills but every FTO, or training officer or administator seems to have 20 plus years of experience. By then I'll unfortunately probably be retired. So please advise and if you think it's not possible please tell me that too. I'm very willing to move to make it happen, and I plan to later this year. I just got my CPR instructor and that's it for any training experience.

The JB learning program is ok. There are several that offer questions in the same format as the exam. Don't worry. I knew a lot of people who failed it and I was freaked too. I bought a study program and made a point to figure out why the answer the program gave was right and I was wrong. I bet I drilled for 60-80 hours. I also used EMT-nationaltraining.com and another program I bought as a disk. I felt so sure I would fail when it shut off at 78 questions I went home and cried. But I didn't. I passed and if you work at it you will too. Good luck

Just a quick follow up. Time is amazing. I took a chance and confided in a long term employee here some of what has been happening. IT'S NOT ME! She confirmed that this hostility came with this new administrator and many people are working on baling out. She did also state that no one knows why or when he goes after someone but there's probably nothing I can do to change his treatment of me. It's pretty much written in stone now that I'm on the losing side. I'm just happy to know it wasn't me. Thanks for all the good advice. I hope if you need it you take from it. It helped me alot. I may not be as good a medic as some people here, but I'm a better person. Catch everyone later.

Morale? What's that? Seriously? We get to drive real fast with the lights and sirens blaring. What's better than that? Free health care? Yep, we treat each other as needed cuz they don't keep up on workers comp. The real reason we go thru so much thiamine is hangovers. And for my tendonitis, I can grab all the icepacks I need to keep my arm cool. Every 3 or 4 years we get brand new ass kickin' neon striped coats. What more could we ask for?

Thanks everyone. I have a few days out from the last disastrous day and i am feeling a little better. I know I have to deal with jerks and it's not them, but how I respond to it that will define me. Thanks for being so positive.

I'm glad to hear it may not be in my head. I actually thought I was imagining some of it until I stood up for myself and my boss accused me of being argumentative and rude. It was over a stupid protocol test and a poorly worded question. I don't want to initiate any conversation with him because he turns everything I say into a character attack. I do acknowledge I need to learn better ways to "grow a pair". At my current job we are very blunt and sometimes get yelled at but then it's done and we move on. Thanks all for the comments. It's comforting to know I'm not alone in this. And thanks, Ninja for the boost to my ego. Not true but I'll take it

I told myself when I went to medic school 2 years ago it was the last career I'd ever have. I'd work in this until I couldn't, physically. I didn't get into EMS until later in life, after a full career doing something meaningless and pale by comparison. I asked myself if I was ready to sit in the big chair (the captains seat) in back, instead of driving the ambulance. I had 4 years as an EMT with both a volunteer service and a pretty casual and un-rigid service and I thought I was ready. I had no idea. Oh, it's not the patients that die, or get messy or combative. IT's not the 4 year old that drowned or the baby that bled to death or the old lady afraid of dialysis who didn't go and coded in front of her family. It's the fact that I opened myself up to get better, made myself vulnerable by getting a new job at a new service with a higher standard. I actually told them I learned all these great skills in medic school I wasn't using and I wanted to be better. Apparently at this service the accepted method of instruction is to berate, humiliate, and pick apart any mistake, comment or way of doing that is different. I don't know how it started or when or if they even notice, but I just spent yet another end of shift listening to what a lousy medic I must be for making a mistake. I've had to defend my use of tape on an IV over a "toilet bowl", and when I asked how they want things done, I get a weak, well what do YOU think? followed by a session of why I was wrong. I know things are different at different places, but isn't it easier and simpler to just say what you want rather than tell you to do it the way you want and then tear you apart for it? It's not a protocols thing but the way in which not doing everything perfectly gets handled. And God forbid I actually made a mistake, which I did, and felt terrible and apologized repeatedly but it only made it worse and pretty much my whole existence as a medic and future was placed in question. I don't understand why this EMS agency seems to eat their young, so to speak, to be rude and hurtful to co workers without a thought and endlessly complain about each other behind their backs. It's also how our boss treats some of us. I'm starting to think it's a bad fit, but the problem is I know I'll be better for being here because they do have higher standards, better protocols, more challenging medical calls, but I don't know if I can handle much more in the thoughtless manner of "correction". Is this the best way to inspire an employee to improve themselves or is it just the way things are in EMS? I'd really like to know so I can decide if I should just swim back into the shallow end of the pool and give up trying to be better. I hate the fact that I can take anything from patients but my co workers are driving me to tears. I feel like they'd throw me under the bus without a thought. I need some advice.

I need help finding out when you lose student status? I've heard it's when you test, practical but I've noticed other programs test long before their students are finished with clinicals, so is it a state difference or NREMT or DOT? Also where can I find core requirements, such as skills, and time required? I'm coming up empty in my google search. If you know, what is the minimum requirement on "team leads"? Also, specific skills, IV starts, pediatric contacts, cardiac arrests, etc? I'm trying to compare my program with what is the requirements in order to test. Also why are there differences between states in when students can work and get paid and count their contacts from work vs riding as a student with a preceptor? Is it states requirements or what?

I must admit I'm surprised at the responses I've gotten. In the past, on this forum have been some very heated discussion about paramedic education, skill levels, and lack of salaries being related to lower education, lack of political support etc. It ran the gamut. Just for the record, I don't want to be in administration until I"m too old and feeble to pick up a patient or a cot. I love the street, I love being out where the action/fun is and I just want to be marketable wherever life may take me. I've looked at some previously posted jobs here and at other forums and a BS has been recommended on some. I can clearly see the value of organic chemistry, A&P, Biology and Pharmacology. So I may infer from the posts that maybe an advanced degree is not really necessary for where I want to go. I could just take a few courses in these advanced subjects and make the most of my paramedic school time. I'll welcome any further discussion on the issue. So next year when I'm job hunting, I'll post again on the subject so others may learn from what I did or didn't take.

OK, I'm down to making a decision here and I'm really interested in what the gallery has to say. Is it necessary/worth it/waste of time to get a BS in paramedic sciences/EMS. I can handle the organic chemistry, biology and A&P but will it make a difference in getting me a job wherever I want? Or is the current non related degree I have enough, along with the paramedic program and being nationally registered? I'd also like to hear from anyone who has moved around the country a bit on what are the different standards in training and education. I've also looked at some of these online degrees that accept previous experience and are cheaper than attending a local U and paying per credit hour.