Mateo_1387 Posted August 7, 2012 Posted August 7, 2012 I wonder if I am in the wrong field...maybe I should be looking into a new career...maybe I am just not cut out for EMS...I have been in EMS for 7 years now...is this a feeling that will always come and go? Is it something I should be concerned with? Does anyone else ever wonder if they are doing the right thing? If so, is there anything that helps you to know that EMS is for you? Ahhh, the self reflection burnout question... Dwayne, I have to disagree with you and saying she is plainly 'cut out' for the work due to time served. (I make it sound like a jail sentence). You might not be cut out for it. I think you will truly know that in your heart though. Obviously you have the capacity to fill the position, perform the actions, and the like. Just to prove my point, how many would like to work at the pound gassing little puppies and kittehs... I'm just sayin'... A friend of mine, who shall go unnamed.....*coughs* Dwayne *coughs*.... asked me one day "what the hell are you doing scrapping people off sidewalks and not partying your life away chasing women?" I keep asking myself that same question all the time. The point of the quote is that I do not think it is abnormal to self reflect and ask the question. If anything, I think it will help you keep perspective and reaffirm to yourself why you do what you do. There are so many high and low points, happy and sad moments, adrenaline rushes and come downs on the job that provide us with many hours of instability. For many, I think that crosses over to home/personal life that it appears to be a permanent reality of how we live. This leads me to answer your last question... EMS is for me when my personal and home life has stability. When things go haywire on the personal side, the daily instability of EMS just doesn't mesh well, in fact they seem to potentiate each other. I find that it varies, when home life is not going well, work life seems to follow suit. This is my day to day answer to your question. The long term answer to the last question for me is a bit complicated. Right now, EMS is for me, but it is not at the same time. I have this wild dream to be a rich kid (at least enough to support myself) and travel full time. Of course being in EMS and full time travel are not complimentary. Though, if I did not have the desire to do some other things in life, I could say that I could do EMS for years and years. I like to think what grounds me is to have a stable personal life, and sufficient time off. During the time off, I do not surround myself with EMS, with EMTCity being an exception. The other part of knowing that "EMS is for me" is more of a gut feeling. I can talk about certain aspects I like and that I don't like. There is a part of the explanation though that is not quite tangible. You just know. When a person is in a bad situation, I believe they sense it or know it before things really get bad. Do you get that sense MedicGirl? Another question, how much non EMS/work related time do take out for yourself?
HARDCORE CAP Posted August 7, 2012 Posted August 7, 2012 When asked if I enjoy my job I usually respond with "I LOVE my job." There are times though when I seriously question if I am cut out for it...After you try multiple times to help a person and they wind up succeeding in their suicide attempt, or after telling someone that despite our best attempts their loved one is dead, or when you get back to the office after an especially gruesome trauma.... I wonder if I am in the wrong field...maybe I should be looking into a new career...maybe I am just not cut out for EMS...I have been in EMS for 7 years now...is this a feeling that will always come and go? Is it something I should be concerned with? Does anyone else ever wonder if they are doing the right thing? If so, is there anything that helps you to know that EMS is for you? Thanks! Like others have said, if you're 7 years deep then you're definitely cut out for it. It seems to me you have stress related to events in the job and question your career due to your coping with such events. I'd say to find ways to vent or relieve that stress. Talking with a fellow crewmember about your frustrations, going for a wicked hard workout, taking some "you" time, etc. For me, the majority of my stress comes from my employer, not the job. Sometimes it's important to discern between those two ha ha
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