You guys ever lose the love of Doing EMS?

[RayEMT]

Ok I became and EMT over 6 Years ago and it was GREAT. Being on the Volunteer side was better then I thought but the Paid side was BLAH. Well after become a line officer only after 2 years things went down here fast. My best friend at the time was my Capt and well thats really was the end of it. I stuck with the paid side but there really is nothing to do when u r just transporting PT from Hosp to home you really dont use your skills.

Well after hurting my back lifting a PT was out of a Job. In the mean time I became a FireFighter and WOW it has been great. No that is only Volunteer as well. After finishing school I decided to go back to Paid EMT side. and it was fun but not the same ppl change and the compnay change and well that just made it not fun anymore. Well here I am 2 years later Still no JOB and I thinking if I want to do the Paid emt again.

I mean I cant find anything else but I have been out of the game for 2 years and not sure if I like to get back into it. I do miss it but dont miss the BS.

Have you guys every gone threw this and if so I like to get some help.

My Email is RayEMT8518@hotmail.com

[CBEMT]

So you were out of work with a back injury, and THEN became a firefighter? As if that doesn't involve your back at all?

Something stinks here, and it isn't just the firehouse bathroom.

[fireflymedic]

Definitely sounds a bit off to me as well considering most FD's require a pre employment physical and a back injury that was currently aggravated would be grounds for not hiring. However, perhaps I am misunderstanding and they worked EMS, got the injury, rehabbed and then joined fire ? Or got into volly fire and not active role? I'm hoping I'm just confused - it's too late for me to be trying to figure this out !

[croaker260]

I think he sounds somewhat legit, jut not articulating himself well. Assuming his background is reasonably honest, I'll proceed.

It sounds to me like your question isnt " what to do If I lost my love for EMS" Its " do you guys think I can tolerate the job enough to get a pay check again with out going postal"

My answer is , based on what your telling me...dont even try. It sounds like the only jobs you have are the BLS IFT shuffle, and you already have a bad taste in your mouth for it. Therefore you will never put up with the job long enough to make it a career and get on with a good service with good benefits, and 911 work and on to paramedic school...and surprise, even then, even in all 911 services (what few are left)...you still have to put up with BS. In the off chance you do try to stick it out, chances are your unhappyness will sooner or later sabatoge your future in this business.

SO make peace with the patient care part of the job, even the BS/non-emergency pt care, because thats what this job is all about... or move on to something else.

Respectfully, find something else you can love, and do that. You will be happier, your patients will be better off, and your co-workers wont be miserable from working with you.

Edited December 7, 2009 by croaker260

[Chief1C]

Something stinks here, and it isn't just the firehouse bathroom.

What is it w/ firemen? Jesus... Their bathroom is worse than a biker bar or a pre-school. They need to make a bulls eye for the inside of urinals. Oh wait, what were we talking about?

Yeah, I've had periods where I lost the joy I had for it. Had a black cloud, lots of things clashed together, frustration with acceptable low standards, quit for a few months. I have a back injury, but it doesn't stop me. Proved that last night, thank (who ever you thank) for the Reeves, in fact it feels good to prove that it doesn't hold me back.

Perhaps move, and try EMS in another state. I have nothing against volunteers, as long as they support a forward thinking, progressive, high standard EMS system. No offense, but New Jersey is a black eye to Emergency Medical Services.

[HERBIE1]

Sounds like you need a change of venue, but depending on the severity of your back problems(sprain, strain, or something worse?) I do not see how you would ever be hired by a fire department or other EMS agency if they did a background check because of your preexisting condition.

Look to another area- better opportunities/pay/conditions- or in a related medical field. Go back to school, get an education, train for nursing, ultrasound tech, RT, etc.

[angeleyes921]

Hi ray,

Yeah I went through it this last year following a bad car accident(head-on) and injured my knees and back. I am back to work but VERY part time. My body is now full of arthritis and hard to get around, but I never give up. I put here to help people, and as long as there is a breath in my body, I will do this kind of work. Take care!

Ok I became and EMT over 6 Years ago and it was GREAT. Being on the Volunteer side was better then I thought but the Paid side was BLAH. Well after become a line officer only after 2 years things went down here fast. My best friend at the time was my Capt and well thats really was the end of it. I stuck with the paid side but there really is nothing to do when u r just transporting PT from Hosp to home you really dont use your skills.

Well after hurting my back lifting a PT was out of a Job. In the mean time I became a FireFighter and WOW it has been great. No that is only Volunteer as well. After finishing school I decided to go back to Paid EMT side. and it was fun but not the same ppl change and the compnay change and well that just made it not fun anymore. Well here I am 2 years later Still no JOB and I thinking if I want to do the Paid emt again.

I mean I cant find anything else but I have been out of the game for 2 years and not sure if I like to get back into it. I do miss it but dont miss the BS.

Have you guys every gone threw this and if so I like to get some help.

My Email is RayEMT8518@hotmail.com

[Biker911]

Burn Out is a very real hazard of this profession. If you are feeling those emotions, get professional help.

If you are just not that interested in the profession, move on.

There are very few jobs that offer such a high job satisfaction as ours.

I get thanks for opening doors, shopping in stores, eating at restaurants, etc, etc that are just polite robotic statements.

After 40 years, I still enjoy going to work, albeit part-time, as it is rare for some one to thank me and not truly mean it.

The pleasure comes from having a caring and compassionate attitude for each and every patient.

It is not the major trauma nor the highly complicated medical call that brings the most gratitude as you are paid to do that at

a highly skilled level. It is that person that just needs to know that some one cares about their problem even though

it seems like such a silly assed call to us.

Get down on your knee's and help a child with a small injury and watch the face change from distress to calmness or hold that little old ladies

hand as you get her history and and feel the calmness you have brought. When they say Thank You, they really mean it!

If you can NOT do the small caring things in a genuine manner, maybe this profession is not for you.

[funkytomtom]

Burn Out is a very real hazard of this profession. If you are feeling those emotions, get professional help.

If you are just not that interested in the profession, move on.

There are very few jobs that offer such a high job satisfaction as ours.

I get thanks for opening doors, shopping in stores, eating at restaurants, etc, etc that are just polite robotic statements.

After 40 years, I still enjoy going to work, albeit part-time, as it is rare for some one to thank me and not truly mean it.

The pleasure comes from having a caring and compassionate attitude for each and every patient.

It is not the major trauma nor the highly complicated medical call that brings the most gratitude as you are paid to do that at

a highly skilled level. It is that person that just needs to know that some one cares about their problem even though

it seems like such a silly assed call to us.

Get down on your knee's and help a child with a small injury and watch the face change from distress to calmness or hold that little old ladies

hand as you get her history and and feel the calmness you have brought. When they say Thank You, they really mean it!

If you can NOT do the small caring things in a genuine manner, maybe this profession is not for you.

AMEN! If you can't give ALL your patients the best of your care...move on.

[Medic One]

Yeah I lost the drive to stay in EMS several times but kept at it ... basically for lack of knowledge to do anything else. I started paid EMS after helping someone in a crash and I did not know what to do so i got my EMT over the years I progressed to a paramedic and now I'm a fly car medic supervisor.

I wish sometimes I got out earlier but I have been paid since 1989 and no nothing else. I have been working 3on/3off day / night rotation for last 10+ years have 4 weeks of vacation, but I am tired. What keeps me in EMS is I have bills and with my work schedule I can do swaps working 6 in a row to get 6 off without having to take a vacation so I actually can squeeze out about 8 weeks of vacation a year.

I have had my lows and wanted to walk out but I always seems to get a funny call that says man this job is fun.

Its sad but after a week of vacation or time off I tend to want to go back to work...if on vacation I see a unit go by an wonder whats going on...I feel that once an EMS'er always an EMS'er and that scares me sometimes.

I have gone through my "sparky" stage, "who cares" stage, "burned out" stage, "never open a book" stage to better myself, "burning my JEMS and EMS magazines in the fire" stage, and seen to have made a turn around the last 4 years that wants to better myself as a paramedic and manager stage.

I think this career for everyone has ups and downs...most people I have noticed in my area (that is full of volunteers) look up to us paid guys and when they actually go paid for one reason or another either think we are all really messed up and quit or get run out of the job because they can't handle the call volume.

Now I am NOT putting down volunteers but paid people tend to "taint" the true reason why they got into EMS.

I always sit with my new recruits when they get hired and tell them a few things that sums up most EMS'ers

EMS'ers are mostly all "A" type personalities, so it will always be a competition of who got a better call...There is a lot of drama in EMS (rumors etc...), DON'T date anyone from work (causes problems down the road), Dating hospital staff can hurt you also (I broke that rule but it worked out for me and married a doctor), Keep your mouth shut and listen because once you talk that statement will get turned around, and if you call out don't go to a local bar, attend that party with your co-workers, or stop to assist at a crash.

I think the love for EMS if what you make it...you at some point have to decide to either walk away totally and never look back or stick with it.

I describe my career in ems as the same feeling I have for my cat...I love it but hate all the crap that comes with it (like stepping in puke /cleaning the litter box / Cat hair).

K ..I am don't rambling on..