Alberta Health Services-EMS

[cprted]

Hi City,

I'm currently PT PCP-IV with BC Ambulance and have been mulling over opportunities to the east. I was wondering if anyone working for or around AHS-EMS can shed some light on their experience. Is this a good organization to work for? What's good? What's not so hot? I see positions being posted for the larger centres (Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, etc), are these positions filled by seniority from within AHS first? There are a few casual positions posted as well. How does casual work with AHS. Do casuals submit availability or are they scheduled as needed? The posting also distinguish between "work" and "on-call." Is "on-call" similar to the BCAS pager system ($2/hr to pack a pager)?

Searched around on the net and wasn't able to find too much recent info.

Many thanks in advance!

[HellsBells]

Hey CPRted,

I currently work in Calgary,and think AHS working conditions are fairly decent. We get a good wage and benefits as well as full pension after 30 years of service.

Our job postings are basically for full time or casual employment. All jobs are posted internally first. So what you see posted online has already passed through internal posting. Casual positions are scheduled based on the employee's availability, so you give the employer a list of days you can work and they will schedule you in advance or at a moments notice for those days. There is a minimum number of days casuals must be available for. I think its a minimum of 4 per month. There is no pager pay bullshit whatsoever here.

[cprted]

Thanks HellsBells and the others who responded via PM! Helps answer a few questions. I really appreciate it.

[a_shane2_go]

To add to Hell's Bell's info AHS just updated their policy. He is right with having to give 4 days availability, and you must work a min of 2 shifts a month to maintain casual status. (It used to be 2-4 shifts every 3 months.)

Although the pay is good, they do not look after their employee's. Good luck getting accomidation if you hurt yourself. Also if you are casual and not in the two big cities you are palced into shift bidding slots for the whole zone. So you can be expected to commute 50km-300km for one 24 hour shift. (ON YOUR OWN DIME and cannot choose where you go.) Unless its in the north of the province, where they have a seperate agreement to get KM's paid. "We are one" when it saves them money.

Personally I am not working for them Full Time because of how badly they provided service to my home town and how they screwed my wife over after she hurt herself at work. Also because of my morals and ethics I cannot stand predatory management and liar's.

[mobey]

The availability of a casual varies between zones.

Central zone is 1shift every 3mos.

I will reserve my opinions on a public forum, however I would suggest working for a private company until you are used to Alberta EMS operations.

[a_shane2_go]

It's sad that those who work for AHSEMS have to worry what they say in public forum's on the internet. Freedom of speech? Nope you work for AHS. We might as well become communists, at least the government will officially have the right to control of our lives. AHSEMS = Waste of my Tax dollars. (oh and a big contributor to the Alberta's $4,000,000,000 deficient this year.)

Hey Redford here's one. PATIENT CARE. Thats why i do what i do not for money, two pension plans, bonuses, or power.

They only control you if you let them.

Edited March 3, 2013 by a_shane2_go