New Partner Blues

[MedicNorth]

So, it happens to all of us... we get assigned a new permanent partner

We work a few tours, and at the end of them we are exhausted because things are not as we feel they should be - the new partner has the IQ of Stephen Hawking, scares the crap out of us when driving, has an 8 year old`s sense of humour, the common sense of a cabbage, and skills that are barely on the right side of acceptable.

Short of making huge destructive waves, you are stuck with that individual. I am interested in techniques and ideas on how to make this become a functional team. Go for it, everyone!

[Arctickat]

Huh? I don't have a new partner, otherwise I'd think you were talking about me.

[MedicNorth]

Purely hypothetical, naturally!

[ffemtp1988]

Talk about it tactfully, don't claim up hold in in a d let it fester. And for Pete's sake don't do the typical EMS thing and batch about it to everyone else and never a dress it with the person.

[Caduceus]

Talk about it tactfully, don't claim up hold in in a d let it fester. And for Pete's sake don't do the typical EMS thing and batch about it to everyone else and never a dress it with the person.

Typical EMS thing? This is the typical thing period.

I am not in EMS but I have experience working with new people on a team (I run an art club). The best thing to do is what everyone has already said--tell the guy why you're POed. Sometimes people don't realize they're being obnoxious and once someone lets them know, they'll get better.

Sometimes.

[island emt]

ORRRR::::::: is it you that is the problem child for the new partner ?????

[MedicNorth]

Pertinent question, Island.

We all have ways we like to do things, and get set into a comfort zone that is often difficult to see beyond. If I was a betting man, I would wager that your advice would be to shut up, suck it up, and adjust.

I have worked with people who had the attitude that it was their way or nothing. I have worked with people who don't care what process is used as long as the results are the same. Most of us would fall somewhere in between. Now, that being said, my question remains - What are some strategies that you use to come to terms with the situation?

[rock_shoes]

Initially all the two of you are doing is feeling things out. I would give it a couple of tours and see how things develop before going in guns blazing (except for the driving thing, that's a straight up deal breaker if not remedied as soon as it's mentioned).

My overall strategy at the moment is relatively simple. With regard to patient care, if the outcome is as good as can be expected for the situation I could care less how my partner arrived in that position. Accepting that their are other ways to accomplish the task at hand is a giant leap toward innovation within the industry. Regarding professionalism, either you treat patients/nurses/other staff with respect or you discuss your attitude with the appropriate supervisory body.

Everything else is incredibly individual. If you're a country guy and your partner likes the dance beats it's going to be a very long 12 hours. My usual compromise is the classic rock station. Almost nobody hates the Rolling Stones. Food choices, the ambulance has wheels, nothing says you have to eat at the same place. General discussion, everyone has a different line. My line is a long ways out so it really doesn't matter to me what my partner du jour feels like dredging up.

I have the luxury of working a holiday relief type schedule meaning I work full time but float between 8 different stations.in the GVRD (usually working the entire 4 days at one station then off to another station the next rotation). My work situation means I rotate through partners like underwear and never have to worry about being stuck with a dud long term. The disadvantage is that when I have a great partner I'm only guaranteed to have them for that tour.

[island emt]

Pertinent question, Island.

We all have ways we like to do things, and get set into a comfort zone that is often difficult to see beyond. If I was a betting man, I would wager that your advice would be to shut up, suck it up, and adjust.

I have worked with people who had the attitude that it was their way or nothing. I have worked with people who don't care what process is used as long as the results are the same. Most of us would fall somewhere in between. Now, that being said, my question remains - What are some strategies that you use to come to terms with the situation?

The reason I brought it up is because sometimes we are as much to blame as the new partner for friction.

Nobody does things the same way we do and nobody has the same education level from the same school.

However it is a two way street.

At a former position I had the dubious task of working with every new hire and teaching them how we as a company did things.

Things like how to find your way around this huge facility and how to maneuver through massive traffic jams in & out of the facility and how to keep from getting killed by a race bike or car going by a few feet away as we did our jobs on track.

Safety was priority and some newbies , just didn't get it. I would sit down and explain nicely where the short comings where and how I thought they might improve.

If the gentle reminders didn't help then a come to Jesus meeting was held.

Sometimes my expectations where just too high and other times it was the newbie that didn't have the skillset needed and it was up to both of us as a team to find the middle ground.

Poor driving is one thing I never tolerated. Just have to explain what it is that you feel needs improvement, and take the time to show them how to drive gentle & safe.

If the new partner is competent in his pt care then let him/her tech while you drive.

This was at a major motor sports venue where we provided coverage to AMA motorcycle , Nascar, Indy car and SCCA racing events and provided coverage for up to 125,000 guests at a time on top of our other duties trackside and in the 2000 acre camping area.

[mikeymedic1984]

1. First of all, try not to be one of those "clique people" who ostrasize anyone that is different from the majority. In some areas where I have worked, "the majority" that fit in, were pretty sorry. I get what you are saying, we have all had that weirdo partner, but make sure that your dislike for them is based on real stuff and not fluff stuff.

2. Try to find common ground, and be willing to "GIVE". Just because your last three partners and yourself ran calls a certain way, does not mean that that was "THE ONLY, BY-GOD WAY TO DO IT". Be willing to try new things. If you have no common ground, see if trying something new will not kill you. Where I work we like to trade off calls -- most choose to switch every other call, which I find stupid (constantly changing the driver's seat, passing off the computer so that they can sign-in (do you count cancelled calls the same as a transport)-- I prefer to split the shift in half or at least do 3-4 calls before switching --- you tell me which method is better in that situation? Who is the weirdo ?

3. Communicate!!! This is a marriage in every sense of the word (until you divorce), so communicate how BOTH of you can better work together.

4. If all else fails, communicate to your supervisor what it is that makes this person a problem child, but do not ask for a transfer right away, just ask that if something opens, you would like to move (the first to dump this type can earn a label, but this type of person usually goes through several partners before getting fired or quitting). You will earn brownie points by showing that you are willing to try to work through a difficult situation as long as possible.

5. If you can't move, and you are truly miserable, do the things that will make that person beg for a transfer (fart on them, refuse to do it there way, transport everyone to the most distant hospital you can think of, especially at 3am ---- Not advocating you violate any policy --- but you can justify -- backboarding all trauma pts, transporting all hypoglycemics, not getting a refusal on a particular patient, making sure the truck is spottlessly cleaned with a toothbrush every shift, taking over the TV remote control and force them to watch whatever it is that they hate --------- DON'T harass, just have your own unique way of "doing it right, that is contrary to their belief". If that fails, have an affair with their significant other -- off-duty of course.