What is life of a paramedic like?

[justinbien9]

Hi, thanks I like the responses. My province is Manitoba.

I have done a lot of research and I have found a lot of negatives which are a bit demotivating and making me think twice, but I don't think I have seen one bad experience from a paramedic in Canada.

I understand that this line of work is emergency so I'm predicting call in's and overtime, which I think I should be okay with. I guess I'm lucky not to be in Ontario or any other very big cities. I've been told lots that I shouldn't worry yet for something that has yet to happen and I do worry often sometimes even with the littlest things, but I still think about having a family as a paramedic, and if I would be able to have a good happy life. I hope that being a paramedic won't affect my life off the job, and I'm willing to learn a lot and overcome the consequences. There are other career options that I'm also thinking about, but I believe that this is what I wanna do for a living. Being a paramedic tops over my other choices and if after I become one, possibly I'll study more or maybe even try as a cop.

I'm preparing myself for this. I plan on volunteering, and also the ride-along internship with the paramedics, I just can't find one.

[Kiwiology]

Call back and overtime is voluntary so I wouldn't worry about it; here you work your 4 days on, then you get 4 days off without interruption or exception unless you volunteer to do call back. Overtime e.g. finishing beyond the end of your shift does vary, most crews are very good at showing up 15 minutes early for changeover so the off-going crew can finish on time and not get stuck on a job for 2 hours after their shift Overtime is a great way to earn extra money.

As for the emotional side of things, it might sound callous but its not your problem so you can deal with it more objectively than if it was you it was happening to. Yes, I have seen plenty of fucked up shit and sad things happen to people but you sit there when all is said and done and go "oh shit you know I kind of feel sorry for that bloke" but thats it, if you sit there and dwell on it or whatever you will simply stop functioning, you have no real emotional attachment so its not that hard; if you look at me when my life fell apart and I stopped functioning for a year and tried to commit suicide it was because I was emotionally attached to what had happened and it was personal as opposed to professional.

I do not know of any AO/Paramedics who says that the emotional side of things are a problem.

[Arctickat]

Kiwi, out here in the boonies, call back and overtime is mandatory. Essentially, you're at the base for 8 - 12 hours a day, but then you're on call for the rest of the day. If a trip comes in, you go. Many services compensate their staff in many different ways. For example, My slaves make 25 bucks an hour and get paid 8 hours a day, while on call for the other 16 they get paid 2.19 per hour. If they get a call during their oncall time they get paid $38 bucks an hour for the duration of the call. Other companies pay their slaves the same hourly wage, but only 4 or 6 hours a day, then the $2.19 per hour for the remainder of the day. However, if they get a call out they don't accrue overtime until they hit a combined total of 162 hours in a month in car and regular pay.

We're on 24 hour call, usually 6 days on 3 days off.

[jsd67]

EMT's are on 24 hour call ? Meaning someone can call you in the middle of the night while you are at home sleeping to come in?

Edited January 26, 2013 by jsd67

[Arctickat]

Correct.

[island emt]

Yes : It's not like being a burger flipper for 4 hr shifts at Mc Rat meat.

[jsd67]

I guess that's one of the reasons why the job has such a high turn over rate.

[Arctickat]

A rather insignificant one of many. Call outs are great money.

[jsd67]

Ya but getting woken up at 2 am from a dead sleep to come in to work does not sound that great.

[Arctickat]

Then you might want to reconsider your current occupation.