You might work for a private if..... - Page 27 - EMTLife.com - The #1 Online Forum for EMS-Related Discussion

Darkcyn · 07-14-2012, 01:58 PM

Our private company provides ALS transport units (in house) to many surrounding fire/primary response districts. This particular one was a large retirement community. We responded in the early morning for an abdominal pain. The patient wanted to go to an ER 1.5 hours away, by-passing two perfectly good ERs because "that's where all my records are." Halfway there, her nausea and generalised abd pain shifts towards CP but nothing is really showing on the EKG. I give her a NTG and her BP plummets. I put her on her head, IVWO, Dopamine, and "oh-my-goodness-I-am-so-sorry-it-was-an-inferior-MI." We divert to the closest facility.
You know you were for a private company when even though your call went to the Medical Director and he said you were perfect, but you still get moved to another truck because the PR person wants to placate the people in the district who are upset because in the midst of all of that, you didn't have time to call and say you were diverting to a closer hospital.

You also know you were for a private company when they screw you so badly, eight of you call off 'sick' (We were sick, sick of the BS) halfway through a shift (something we ate, I'm sure) so you can go to a drag show at a club that evening....and you see ten people from the local PICU there, too.

onabemr · 10-25-2012, 05:57 AM

Small one, but last night at 2151, I got this call:

"Umm, I know you start at 0800, but we've got a patient that needs to go from X to Y (62km trip), then to an appointment across the street and then back... And we don't have a crew to do it. Can you guys start at 0500 instead?"

We don't get our start times until, at the earliest, 1930 the night before.

Aww yeah, private service...

dmc2007 · 10-25-2012, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onabemr

Small one, but last night at 2151, I got this call:

"Umm, I know you start at 0800, but we've got a patient that needs to go from X to Y (62km trip), then to an appointment across the street and then back... And we don't have a crew to do it. Can you guys start at 0500 instead?"

We don't get our start times until, at the earliest, 1930 the night before.

Aww yeah, private service...

You're not in metro Boston by any chance, are you?

onabemr · 10-25-2012, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmc2007

You're not in metro Boston by any chance, are you?

Heh, no. That happened for an Ontario private, non-emerg transfer company. I work there and seasonally in Alberta.

**Jon** · 10-25-2012, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmc2007

You're not in metro Boston by any chance, are you?

You too?

dmc2007 · 10-25-2012, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon

You too?

Yep. And effectively by choice too.

onabemr · 10-26-2012, 07:40 AM

Oie, gentlemen...

errey · 10-28-2012, 01:13 PM

when you don't even have a partner

firecoins · 10-28-2012, 02:31 PM

you know you work for a private service, when you need to teach your emt how to stuff that should have been learned in his emt class, orientation or ride alongs.

gicts · 10-29-2012, 11:08 AM

Trucks with broken odometers that are rumored to have hit 1 million miles
Trucks with exhaust leaks and black patient compartment ceilings.......
'Education Supervisors' that are EMT's and teach what they were taught in the 1960's

You know you're private when your benefits include:

16 HOURS of vacation a YEAR
NO paid sick leave or time off
An automatically deducted 30 minutes for meals
Non-stop threats of unpaid suspensions for unknown and trivial rules
PT employees, when not scheduled, are to remain available all day

10-28-2012, 02:31 PM	#269
firecoins IFT Puppet Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nyack, NY Posts: 3,813 Training: NY EMT-P	you know you work for a private service, when you need to teach your emt how to stuff that should have been learned in his emt class, orientation or ride alongs. __________________ NY Medic - Westchester/Hudson Valley REMACs Secular Humanist My opinions are not my own. They directly represent the opinions of the management of an agency I am not connected to in any way.

10-29-2012, 11:08 AM	#270
gicts Forum Lieutenant Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: insanity Posts: 149 Training: NREMT-P	Trucks with broken odometers that are rumored to have hit 1 million miles Trucks with exhaust leaks and black patient compartment ceilings....... 'Education Supervisors' that are EMT's and teach what they were taught in the 1960's You know you're private when your benefits include: 16 HOURS of vacation a YEAR NO paid sick leave or time off An automatically deducted 30 minutes for meals Non-stop threats of unpaid suspensions for unknown and trivial rules PT employees, when not scheduled, are to remain available all day __________________ Cost of B.S., A.A.S., NREMT-P, and State Instructor/Evaluator? $55,000 Realizing garbage men make more than you? Priceless

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07-14-2012, 01:58 PM	#261
Darkcyn Forum Ride Along Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 2 Training: EMT-Paramedic	Our private company provides ALS transport units (in house) to many surrounding fire/primary response districts. This particular one was a large retirement community. We responded in the early morning for an abdominal pain. The patient wanted to go to an ER 1.5 hours away, by-passing two perfectly good ERs because "that's where all my records are." Halfway there, her nausea and generalised abd pain shifts towards CP but nothing is really showing on the EKG. I give her a NTG and her BP plummets. I put her on her head, IVWO, Dopamine, and "oh-my-goodness-I-am-so-sorry-it-was-an-inferior-MI." We divert to the closest facility. You know you were for a private company when even though your call went to the Medical Director and he said you were perfect, but you still get moved to another truck because the PR person wants to placate the people in the district who are upset because in the midst of all of that, you didn't have time to call and say you were diverting to a closer hospital. You also know you were for a private company when they screw you so badly, eight of you call off 'sick' (We were sick, sick of the BS) halfway through a shift (something we ate, I'm sure) so you can go to a drag show at a club that evening....and you see ten people from the local PICU there, too.

10-25-2012, 05:57 AM	#262
onabemr Forum Probie Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 18	Small one, but last night at 2151, I got this call: "Umm, I know you start at 0800, but we've got a patient that needs to go from X to Y (62km trip), then to an appointment across the street and then back... And we don't have a crew to do it. Can you guys start at 0500 instead?" We don't get our start times until, at the earliest, 1930 the night before. Aww yeah, private service...

10-26-2012, 07:40 AM	#267
onabemr Forum Probie Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 18	Oie, gentlemen...

10-28-2012, 01:13 PM	#268
errey Forum Probie Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 28	when you don't even have a partner