Put a fork in me, I'm done.

[mediccjh]

I'm done with this so-called "profession."

I'm sick and tired of fucking retarded providers dragging us down, and keeping us from advancing.

I'm sick and tired of managers, supervisors, and administrators who treat the crews like shit, blame everything on us, but won't get rid of the dead weight.

I'm sick and tired of managers, supervisors, and administrators always treating the dead weight with preference, while shitting on the great providers and workers.

I'm sick and tired of busting my ass, doing the right thing, and treating my patients well, only to be dumped on and treated like shit.

I'm sick and tired of hearing the same excuses, saying that the dead weight can't be dropped, "because people need to be on the truck."

I'm sick and tired of the people who can't grow the fuck up, come in, and do their fucking job. It's not that hard, people. They call 911, we pick them up, treat them with respect, take them to the hospital, and maybe do things once in awhile to make them feel better.

I'm sick and tired of backstabbers.

I'm sick and tired of the immaturity.

I'm sick and tired of society being a bunch of fucking pussies, expecting everything to be done for them. Get up off your fucking ass and do some fucking work. You'll feel better.

People wonder why this "profession" is treated like shit. Read above; there's the answer staring us in the face.

I'm still going to do my job to the best of my ability.

I'm still going to treat my patients and their families/friends with respect.

I'm looking for an out.

[dallasdame]

I'd buy you a beer if I could........Sorry you are having a rough time.

[EMS49393]

I've been through what you're going through. It's tough. One day I had to stop being pissed off and realize that I just can't change it all. I go to work knowing that I'm going to be the best paramedic possible. I don't worry about who's whining or lazy. I worry about me. I worry about how others perceive me. I make sure that I do one thing my entire shift... I lead by example.

Be who you are and be the best. It may not effect any of your co-workers, but it will effect yourself and your patients. After all, it is all about you and those you care for.

Hang in there, the green beer is 12 days away.

Cheers,

K.

[fireflymedic]

Man, I'm with dallas - if I could take you out and buy you a beer I would. I had this exact discussion with someone last night as we both have hit an extremely frustrating point seeing the quality of future providers and what we have to deal with now. Even at the state level, there is no desire to change, at the national level, there is no push. Everyone is content to be just that - a freakin ambulance driver not a medical professional. Those of us that actually do aspire to be better and really make something of ourselves and treat our patients with respect seem to be pulled to the bottom of the profession and those who are half way providers are the ones making progress (or at least in this area and I'm sure it's like this many places). We don't demand respect, and until we do, it's not going to change. The problem is, people aren't willing to drop the dead weight and go through the tough time of replacing it with quality professionals, so we stay in this horrible stalemate. I hit the point you are several years ago, and a 6 month vacation from EMS helped. I realized I did really love what I did, but it didn't stop the frustration I still feel from time to time even though now I work for a good provider. I just realized that this was what I had chosen to do, and that if I didn't like it I either needed to walk away and fear the day I was picked up by one of these sub par crews, or to stay and do my best to change it even if that meant making some people uncomfortable. Perhaps if I changed a few people here and there, one by one maybe we'd see a difference. Best wishes.

[crotchitymedic1986]

A little advice from an old man. You cant control what you cant control. You need to stop letting the other stuff bother you. You have to ask yourself, when i am 99 years old, on my deathbed, is this the memory that will flash before my eyes ? If the answer is no, you are putting way too much emphasis on something trivial. Do your job, take care of your patients, and go home. No matter where you go, in any profession, you will find much the same thing. We do hold on to subpar employees too long in this profession, but the worse news is that if you fired them all tomorrow, they would rehire the exact same type of people to fill their spot. Its like 500lb patients or drug-seekers, as soon as one dies off, there is another to take their place.

Quit playing the role of "victim", and try to find happiness in your opinion of yourself, not what your supervisor or peers think of you.

[emtannie]

We do hold on to subpar employees too long in this profession, but the worse news is that if you fired them all tomorrow, they would rehire the exact same type of people to fill their spot. Its like 500lb patients or drug-seekers, as soon as one dies off, there is another to take their place.

It isn't just this profession.... it is EVERY profession.... Every profession has their share of bottom-feeders who kiss the right ass, sleep with the right boss, or spend their days pointing fingers at everyone else so no one is too busy to notice that they aren't pulling their weight.

It doesn't matter if you are in EMS, or flipping burgers, or are the CEO in the corner office of the business tower downtown.... sometimes your job just sucks, and sometimes it is all you can do not to be on the roof with a gun (figuratively speaking...).

If you are finding that every day you wake up and your first thought is "I don't want to go to work." and you spend your entire day watching the clock wishing you were somewhere else, it is time to take a good hard look at where you are, and what opportunities you have to change where you are. There is no shame, and it is no crime, to decide that this is not where you want to be and you are going to make a change. In fact, it is the RIGHT thing to do when you cannot see anything positive left in your work.

I have been there, done that... and made a MAJOR career move 3 years ago... from something else into EMS full time. It is the best move I have made in 15 years. I was that person who woke up every day dreading going to work. I was that person who couldn't wait to leave work... I was that person who busted my ass every day and put in 80+ hour weeks, and watched others who did nothing, or slept with the boss, or backstabbed everyone else, get promoted. I was that person who had high blood pressure from my lifestyle. I made a list of the things I wanted changed at work, in order to make it work for me. I also made my list of "if this doesn't work out, what can I do." I researched it, did the budgeting, and had my facts in place before I approached my boss... I went to him with my proposal, and gave him 6 months to make the changes that would keep me there. At the end of 6 months, he had done nothing... so I handed him my resignation. That was the best thing I ever did, and the look on his face alone was worth it.

Life is too short to spend it being unhappy.... if you are unhappy all the time in your work.... do the right thing for YOU and find something else you like. Trust me, it is worth it. And, trust your gut.... if your gut is telling you to stay in EMS, stay, and give it your 100%. If your gut is telling you to go, go.. and find something else to give your 100% to.

[Just Plain Ruff]

ok, I feel your pain but if you let the stupid people get you down then you are really no better than the stupid people.

I know exactly what you are going through but you can't let their attitudes dictate how you react to the situation.

I read a story the other day that has everything to do with your situation but I can't seem to recall or find that.

What I suggest is a hiatus from EMS. You show the classic signs of burnout and if you don't get away from this situation and either talk to someone or just get away then you will become one of the people who you are currently bitching about.

I hope and pray that you get the help and solace you need before you get too much further down the road to despair.

[island emt]

Hey Herbie : Tell us how you really feel about EMS & life in general :-}

Sounds like you finally have reached the point of needing to hand out a few bitch slaps.

Don't let it get to ya!! Trust me it's not worth it.

[FireMedic65]

ok, I feel your pain but if you let the stupid people get you down then you are really no better than the stupid people.

I know exactly what you are going through but you can't let their attitudes dictate how you react to the situation.

I read a story the other day that has everything to do with your situation but I can't seem to recall or find that.

What I suggest is a hiatus from EMS. You show the classic signs of burnout and if you don't get away from this situation and either talk to someone or just get away then you will become one of the people who you are currently bitching about.

I hope and pray that you get the help and solace you need before you get too much further down the road to despair.

Great advice Ruff... I have seen this before. Given I have not been doing this as long as you or Herbie, I know the stress this profession can put us through. I put myself on a hiatus from EMS for similar reasons and a few others. I got back into things, and nothing has changed. I want to learn, and for the most part, you get treated like crap and put down for "being dumb".

From my experiences, sadly... that is life. No matter where you work, being it is EMS, IT work, mechanic, whatever the job, it is the same. What we can do is make a difference. Like EMS49393 said.. Lead by Example.

If we work together others will follow. Those who chose to do their own thing, will only prove to themselves how immature they are. Help those who need help. People are often to scared or shy to ask for help when they need it, fear they will be crapped on for not knowing something or not being "educated".

Teach people, show them things while working. People who "hold us back" need the guidance and help to get better. They need to be pushed in a positive way.

Hope things get better Herbie. Keep your head up bro.

We need to get out someday for a beer and wings soon.

[Just Plain Ruff]

My hiatus from life was a cessation of all things EMS and a foray into the IT consulting field. I loved that part of the work for about 3 years and then the travelling got to me. Gone 4 days a week, week in week out, being away from the family for the 4 days straight got to me.

I began to look for a way back into EMS and finally after 6 years of travelling, I was given my walking papers from the nice paying job to the low paying job. I went from around 100K to 35K in 12 minutes. Got the call from the old work, said "you didn't do enough to find your new project so we are letting y ou go" and after arguing this with the assholes at the old job and not getting anywhere, I walked into the new job and said I'll take the full time opening here.

so I never really was out of a job, I was just into a new job that dropped my yearly salary from 100K to 35K in 12 minutes.

I said that already huh

I'm back in EMS, I love it, the attitudes and behaviour of both the co-workers and the public are the same.

I go into every shift saying to my self. "I cannot change anyone, I cannot change the world but with one day at a time I can make myself do my best" I know that the dirt bags and assholes that are out there in the company and also the public do not define me.

I know that only I can define me. you are not a failure if you fail one time. you are not a quitter if you quit one time. You do not become a loser because you lost one time. You become this person who only you can define and if you let others define you then you are the loser/failure/quitter.

Hiatus's are great, that's the reason why we have sabbaticals and vacations.

Have you had a vacation lately? If not then that's something to consider. Use all your vacation time on a vacation and keep your pager at home. Do not answer your cell phone if it is work. Do not bring your laptop if you are going to work on work.

If you let work define you then you have lost the battle. Those people who eat, sleep and breathe work and do not allow outside interests into their lives are sad if you ask me. If you do not have any outside interests and all you do is wait till your next shift make me sad for them. I see them all the time. They are the ones who are the most unhappy. A job is just that, some place you go to spend time away from home and home and family are where the fulfilling things are. Do not let your work define you. People are so much more than their occupation.

you never see anyone's headstone saying "If I could have only worked one more shift" or "If I could have only saved one more person" or "If I could have only worked one more cardiac arrest" but what I do think that most people say are "I wish I had spent more time with family", I wish I could have spent more time with my son and wife" That's what I think.

In the end, there is no-one that is going to help you out except yourself. No one to wipe your butt when you poop, no one to feed you no one to help you get over your rut's except for yourself.

There is God if you believe that which I fervently believe but with God's help I can do anything.