Reflections

[medicgirl05]

So as my time on the box has come to a close, I have been reflecting on all the calls I've worked and the things I've done over the years. I'm so sad that I'll never respond to tones again, or use some of the skills I've worked so hard to "perfect". On the other hand, I'll never have to work a 48 hour shift or do a fire standby for hours on end.

My question is...if you knew then(when you stepped into the first EMT class) what you know know, would you have done things differently? What would you tell your younger self?

I would have been much more proactive in learning and practicing skills in class, I was always nervous that people were "watching" which I later learned is a character trait that is very bad to have in EMS.

I would have told myself after the first code that it would get MUCH worse than that. I would have told myself to really cherish those first few years when the adrenaline was "fun". Some days I think if I had it all to do over again I would tell myself to get the heck away from EMS, it definitely hasn't been the easiest journey.

[ERDoc]

I miss my time on the bus (yeah, I said bus).  Maybe we make the past seem much better than it was but I would love to go back to those days.  I don't miss some of the shit that management pulled, like the guy in the Durango they hired whose only job was to sneak up on crews and find some way to bust them.

If I could talk to the young me I would tell him, "DON'T DO IT!!!  DON'T GO INTO MEDICINE!!!"  The enjoyment of medicine is being beaten out of the field by people who have no medical knowledge and have never taken care of a pt.

[Just Plain Ruff]

My one (at least that I can think of right now) piece of advice to me would be

Don't let your NREMT-P lapse

[Inf]

The only thing I would recommend young EMTs just starting out is to hit the gym regularly. You may not need the physical conditioning 80% of the time on the job, but when you do, you will be glad you had the stamina and physical strength to raise to the challenge. Your partner will also be glad you can lift properly and not put their back and patient's safety in jeopardy. I've seen 6' guys that were dangerously out of shape, and 4'9" females that were better conditioned and capable, so you have to do your best, and don't take it personally.

[rock_shoes]

On 3/4/2017 at 6:31 AM, ERDoc said:

I miss my time on the bus (yeah, I said bus).  Maybe we make the past seem much better than it was but I would love to go back to those days.  I don't miss some of the shit that management pulled, like the guy in the Durango they hired whose only job was to sneak up on crews and find some way to bust them.

If I could talk to the young me I would tell him, "DON'T DO IT!!!  DON'T GO INTO MEDICINE!!!"  The enjoyment of medicine is being beaten out of the field by people who have no medical knowledge and have never taken care of a pt.

Funny. I probably would have told my younger self to suck it up and go into medicine instead of becoming an over educated paramedic who's job doesn't exist in any country but Canada. 

[ERDoc]

I would tell my younger self to stay away from medicine, but if he won't listen, then yes, go to med school.