What Are You Anal Retentive About in EMS?

[pmedic623]

Me.....Clean ambulances- sometimes multiple times a day I wash. I can't stop no matter how hard I try I just can't stand a dirty truck. I'll try to think of more but I've got to go outside and wash my truck real quick.........

[Michael]

checking this site

[Michael]

see what I mean?

[medik8]

Hmmm....This is a toss-up between safety (which I'm very big on), a clean truck....but probably most importantly, the way my patients are treated. I'm pretty obsessive about that. No unnecessary rudeness to my patients. If you can't handle that, then you need to fix your attitude and find "another way" to deal. OOOhhh...and I can't stand my crew members to look like slobs. If you're working with me, I want the appearance to be professional or you can go home. Tuck the shirt in, wear the belt, comb your freakin hair...and pull the pants UP....lmao....don't leave your boots untied. We are not a traveling circus. We are a profession.

*Sorry.....slowly walking away from soapbox...* :roll:

[Dustdevil]

I'm with you on the cleaning thing. Once I got stuck with a new partner (because his old partner wouldn't work with him anymore) who didn't share my passion. We picked up the ambo and went to our station for the day. When we got there, he went inside, plopped his fat ass into a recliner and watched foosball all day. I never even got out of the ambo for two hours as I inventoried, cleaned, and disinfected every part of the truck like I always did at the beginning of every shift. By the time I finished, we caught a run. When we got back from the run, I again stayed in the bay to clean the ambo and restock.

About mid-day, the shift supervisor calls me on the phone and asks me what the problem is between me and my partner. I told him I was completely unaware that there was a problem and asked him what he was talking about. Apparently, the partner actually called up the supervisor and COMPLAINED that I was antisocial because I had not come into the station and watched footie with him and the firemen. He actually had NO IDEA that I was out there cleaning the ambulance! It never even crossed his mind. When the supervisor realized that my partner had contributed NOTHING to maintaining the ambulance that shift, he was suspended for two shifts, unpaid.

The moral of the story is, don't ever complain about something unless you know for sure you're on the right side!

[Ridryder 911]

Basics that either believe they actually have more education than Paramedics, and especially those that failed the Paramedic test or never took it. Basics second guessing that it is time to transport.. just because we got the patient in the unit. Duh.. we need to really assess them & tx. them.. let's take care of the patient... okay.

Like Dust, lazy ass partners that like to shoot the feces instead of getting the unit in-service.

Paramedics that are STUPID.. .. not ignorant which is a total different story.

Those that do not understand there is a mixture of the field way and book way. Not just one or the other.

Any EMS perosnal that refuses to learn or increase thier knowledge and are satisfied with status quo...

Those with < 12 years in EMS your still a rookie to me... come and see me after 18 to 20 yrs. then you have some experience, after 25+ and you still are active and kept up... I will really respect you and what you say.

Instructors that read from the book....

Just a few,

R/R 911

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

What am I anal retentive about?

Paperwork, now that ive gotten jammed once or twice in my day

Decon, cleanliness is 2nd only to Zen.

Creativity in education...

....more to come, im going to work

[nsmedic393]

its not healthy to be anal retentive

[noahmedic]

I believe an easier question would be, what am I NOT anal-retentive about. Let's make a quick list of some of the things that bother me:

-Cleaning: quarters, ambulance, plane, comm center, whatever! I like it clean and organized.

-Paperwork: Sloppy charts just bother me, do it right

-People who complain about doing their job. We are on-duty for 2 weeks solid and then off for 2 weeks. I LOVE it but some people find the need to complain when we have a flight in the middle of the night. Get up and do it, this is your job, we don't pay you to sit on your ass all day. While you're at it, why don't you help me with equipment check and for godsakes CLEAN YOUR SHIT UP! Can anyone tell I'm having problems with my new partner?

-Listening: this should be tested as a practical skill, you have to listen to your patients, nurses, docs, partners, pilots, drivers, firefighters, dispatchers, and whoever else is talking to you

-Safety: actually my whole company is really anal about this

-MANY OTHER THINGS!

[DontFearTheReaper]

Hmmmm. I guess it would be easier to just say EVERY THING about ems. Cleanliness, being on time for your shift, clean pressed uniform, paper work (computer work) including billing sheets. Proper pt care and treatment. If I had to place one at the very top it would have to be vehicle maintenance. I simply can not stand working in a bus that is unsafe, and being maintenance officer of our fleet I am very anal about my mechanics keeping our buses safe.