Retrospective

[HERBIE1]

Dwayne's post got me thinking. Instead of derailing his thread, I thought I'd start a new one. After around 30 years in the business- from volunteer to management, to street provider, I was thinking recently about where I am professionally. I am currently on the street, but looking to get back to a management type position. (Long story, but it was mainly a financial decision to return to the streets). I went back to school and received my Masters a few years ago which allows me to teach at the college level in a university setting- at least part time. I felt I needed more intellectual stimulation and this helped me to satisfy that need. It also allowed me to give back to the profession on my terms.

I was thinking back to when I first got into this business. I would look at people with the time I now have in the business and wonder- what will I be like when I have put in that much time in EMS. I am now an "old fogey", at least in terms of my students and new hires, so how have I changed since I was an FNG? Well, for one thing, I think the experience I have gives me a better insight into what is really important about this business. Getting an EJ in the back of a moving rig, getting a tube in a dark room, or being able to quickly and efficiently push tons of medications on a sick cardiac or medical patient are all nice skills to have. Problem is, it soon becomes apparent that the most impact we have is NOT our prowess in intubation skills or phlebotomy, but in how we relate to our patients, their family, and the image we project to the public and the other professionals we encounter. To me, that is what will determine the future of this business- NOT how many tubes we get. Alot of what we deal with- fire service animosity, politics, etc- is beyond our control, and despite all the rhetoric and bluster, unless we decide our personal goal is to become politically active, most of us will never be intimately involved in that process.

I often wonder what my students and new folks really think of me and how I present myself. I have heard mostly positive feedback, so I must be doing something right. I am pretty stubborn, and have a fairly rigid moral compass. If something is wrong, I say so, and if asked, I have no problem expressing myself- even if it's an unpopular opinion. I do not bend easily to the will of others, and now that I'm an "old timer", like it or not, my opinions and actions DO carry more weight. I feel a responsibility to project a positive image for the profession, as well as to the new folks who are just starting out. I recall seeing too many old timers when I started and thinking- gawd, I hope I never get that way. Yes, our profession has certainly changed over the years, as has the caliber of most of the providers.

So what say you, folks? Newcomers and old timers alike. How has your perceptions/opinions/goals in EMS changed over the years? I know you cannot turn back the clock, but do you have regrets, or are there things you would have done differently, knowing what you do about the business?