Job pride vs. Hero complex?

[systemet]

I had a next door neighbour in my old city, who was 80 years old. She didn't have family in town, and her husband had Alzheimer's. He was ready to be put in long-term care, but she wouldn't hear of it. She'd seen the condition of the local long-term care / dementia wards, and realised that they really weren't going to treat him very well. She came from a generation where you just dealt with these realities and made do. So she looked after him, even when it was difficult. My neighbour wasn't particularly unique -- I think there's a lot of people like her. But I would say she's something of a hero to me.

Going to work, drinking coffee, driving around town, talking to people, fixing problems -- that's how I remember a lot of EMS being. It definitely came at a personal cost. But I also got paid for doing it, and honestly, paid quite well. Most of the time when I did something particularly skilled, the patient and their family were unaware. And realistically, most of the time I was just doing what the next person with a union number and a paramedic license would have done. All that stuff that just falls under "doing your job". The things the patient's and families seem to remember are the interpersonal things. They don't know whether you did good medicine, just whether you were kind.

I've never felt that EMS is a heroic calling. As someone else suggested, sanitation makes a greater impact on public health. Few people call an RN at an immunisation clinic a hero, or a PT working with cardiac patients, the average family MD, etc. These are all people who may have made much more of a difference than I ever did. I also don't believe that someone is a hero by virtue of being a cop, a firefighter, or being in the armed forces. I've met plenty of despicable people in all these occupations. There are occasionally individual heroes, but that's something that's earned in special circumstances, not just because you collect a weekly pay-cheque.

I do hold some substantial respect for the volunteers. I like people who try and take care of their community, for free, and often without the best training or equipment. I like that. I feel with EMS sometimes it's hard to collect money for doing a paid job, and then claim great hardship. It's a situation voluntarily entered into for personal gain. My image of a hero doesn't quite include someone who says, I'll help you, but first I'd like an pension plan, extended health care, good dental, a certain overtime rate, and ten statuatory holiday days in lieu.

I think I'm rambling again.

[DwayneEMTP]

Systemet....Until the volly part, as I tend to believe that most volunteers are there for the lights and pager more so than community spirit...I don't see how it could have been said any better...

Thanks for posting that..

Dwayne

[Richard B the EMT]

Most on this site who know me through my musings, know I started out as a volunteer (Peninsula Volunteer Ambulance Corps of the Rockaways, incorporated, 1973-1996). When I started, while admittedly just wanting to drive while breaking most traffic rules, I quickly got the better idea that I, and the group, were there to help the people in the communities we served.

[ERDoc]

Don't be too hard on the vollies Dwayne. Not all of them are buffs. Some of them actually do it because they want to do something. Yup there are those of us who did it for the ego boost, but a lot of vollies (where I lived) had paid jobs too.

On the subject of pride vs hero, I am almost done reading A Paramedic's Story by Steven Grayson (guess I'm still a buff at heart). Something about him was rubbing me the wrong way but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. After going through this thread I think I figured out what it is. The stories are great and most are pretty funny but most of the time he is overstepping his boundaries. It is amazing how many incompetent people he is surrounded by, including doctors and nurses. He walks in the ER and everyone moves to the side to let him in. He has to remind the doctors what to do quite often. I do realize he is using some literary license but sometimes it becomes a little unbeleiveable.

Edited November 8, 2011 by ERDoc

[ERDoc]

Having just finished the book and reading the last chapter, I take back some of my previous criticism.

[DwayneEMTP]

Having just finished the book and reading the last chapter, I take back some of my previous criticism.

But it's worth reading?

[Just Plain Ruff]

But it's worth reading?

it is a great book but I thought the same thing that ER Doc did. The last chapter is a pretty good one and it ties most of everything together.

[ERDoc]

But it's worth reading?

Oh yeah, it's a definite read. I was looking at some of the reviews on Amazon and apparently I'm not alone in my opinion. The author even responded to the person that gave him 1 star saying that he shouldn't invite him to the next book signing. +1 for being a good sport when being criticized.

[FormerEMSLT297]

Hmmmm,,,, THANKLESS job .. I 100% agree..... I do think that anyone who walks around wanting people to "bow down" to them because they are in the Emergency Services profession, well, that person has some serious psychological problems, not to mention maybe some type of a PERSONALITY DISORDER.

A co-worker of mine, Jim Thompson wrote this book several years ago. My guess is that the title of the book, kind of illustrates his frustrations with the life of an EMT.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Just-Say-Thank-You-James-Thompson-Paperback-2005-/341366168571

I read the book, and it has some good stories, but the best thing I can tell you is IMHO, it is not worth $10.00 let alone $18. I found it thru the lend and loan library AFTER A LOT OF SEARCHING.......

THE USFA library in Emmitsburg had it.. As some other reviewers commented, it did make for some painful reading.

[basejump]

I don't get how people look for gratification in the job they are suppose to be doing,and fufilling all the requirements for that job. Example: if i work at tango at the drive thru window,should i be expecting a thanks for my coffee your doing a great job?no. Serving coffee and donuts is what i should be doing to the best of my ability. it is in the job description, this is what im trained to do. If im a paramedic in the city should I expect the public to thank me for something that im suppose to be doing or going that extra mile to make a patient feel comfortble? no. Maybe if you want people to thank you and praise you for the things you have done or the deals you have given go work at a car dealer. Someone want to iterate what the term public service means. sorry

if this post sucks,ive had a few shots tonight

;

I remember in Paramedic school, I made some kind of off-hand comment that put down some profession, with the attitude that I was superior because of my profession, and my teacher tore me a new one. As she pointed out, every job is important, and there is no job that is superior to another. If the garbage man fails to do his job, he will lose it, and his job is just as important to his family, himself, and his community as any other job.

If anything, we should thank our patients for calling us. 99% of them could get in a car and make it to the ER just fine.

i dont have aproblem with patients driving to the er