Not going to go into much detail but basically I'm the new guy at the company. I was training, third riding with a medic. I'm a brand new emt got licensed a few months ago. This medic didn't tell me anything I was doing wrong if I did do anything wrong. But they went on and told someone else how I did this and that wrong and how I'm not good and didn't talk to them enough, etc. I heard about it and first I was going to call the person in charge of these "trainers" and let them know that they're not doing their job very well because they're not saying what I need work on. Then If I see the medic again I was going to let them know basically if you have something to say say it to my face type of thing. Bad idea? I don't have much work experience in general to be honest so haven't had to deal wih too many ck workers.
How do you deal with THAT co worker
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NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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Everyone deals with this kind of stuff differently, but I'm certainly not the kind of person that lets that stuff slide.*
I'd make it a point to seek out the medic and say, "I understand that you have some issues with my performance and that you've been sharing my shortcomings with other people, and not me. So, let's get it out in the open... tell me what I need to work on".
Talk to him in person. Don't go to the boss.
*As a caveat, I'm 45 and don't have time for he said/she said BS. YMMV.
I'd make it a point to seek out the medic and say, "I understand that you have some issues with my performance and that you've been sharing my shortcomings with other people, and not me. So, let's get it out in the open... tell me what I need to work on".
Talk to him in person. Don't go to the boss.
*As a caveat, I'm 45 and don't have time for he said/she said BS. YMMV.
SandpitMedic
Crowd pleaser
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Yeah. Corner him somewhere... Tell him to man up. Or tell on him to all the bosses.
You're gonna get a lot of work/life experience that way. They fast way.
Or...
Be new. Ask questions. Listen more than you talk. And don't be weird. Go with the flow. Pay your dues. (No one wants to hear that, but welcome to life.)
You're gonna get a lot of work/life experience that way. They fast way.
Or...
Be new. Ask questions. Listen more than you talk. And don't be weird. Go with the flow. Pay your dues. (No one wants to hear that, but welcome to life.)
Bad idea. You are already seem deamed not a good fit with the company so far. No need to ruffle feathers with the medic. Just because they don't tell you what you were doing wrong, doesn't mean they are bad FTOs. Unless it was life threatening but I HIGHLY doubt that was the case. He/she probably wanted you to take the initiative and ASK what you need to work on. Ask how you did after each call. If then he/she still does not help, then you have an argument. Every FTO is different. Are you fired yet? If not, then go to work and ask questions like you are supposed to...
It just makes no sense to me. After a call if I did something wrong you're not going to tell me so I can correct it? You're going to let me keep making that same mistake on the next call? If I'm told to do something and I do it and I get no feedback I'm under the assumption I did it correctly. I'm brand new and I understand and they should too that I'm not going to be perfect at everything.
If it is not harming the pt? Absolutely. I want to find out what type of person you are...which seems to be the non-assertive type. They don't expect you to know what you're doing. They are expecting you to act like an adult and seek what you need to improve on without being babied. Unless it completely absurd and annoying then I will let you do your thing. More than likely not for more than a shift or two. Also, you learned everything you need to know in your EMT class. Its an extremely small scope of practice. FTO time should be learning how to deal with actual patients and not be an idiot.
Welcome to EMS, where not everything is how you though it would be...
So what are you doing wrong on calls?
teedubbyaw
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I deal with them like I would chewy, hoof them right in the front butt.
EMSComeLately
Forum Crew Member
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Just work to get better and keep demonstrating your growth to each new person you work with and are actually willing to give you guidance.
People already know the loud mouths in the crew and discount feedback accordingly.
You're better off winning respect by performing and realize that there'll always be "those guys".
People already know the loud mouths in the crew and discount feedback accordingly.
You're better off winning respect by performing and realize that there'll always be "those guys".
I don't want to get into too much of it because I don't know who's reading this but I guess I dont talk enough, which ok. Let me know, that's an easy fix. And I guess I did a couple this fairly basic wrong. I did it the way I learned it. The other thing they complained about we worked on.
We did A LOT of basic transfers. The ones that weren't, fire was on scene before us already had the basic info on the patient and transferred it to the medic. And the medic is the one doing the paperwork in the back. So sure I can sit there and ask the patient every OPQRST and SAMPLE question, but is it necessary when they already have that info? And to interrupt the medic while their talking with the patient? Is that what I need to do? I know I'd be asking questions if I was on my own but I'm third riding and that stuff is being taken care of already.
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Yes ask every OPQRST and SAMPLE question even if they have the info already. You're there to learn. If it's an ALS call then let the medic do his thing. Ask if you can offer any help, and pay attention to what they are doing and asking. Before you go into a call, ask your FTO if you can have this one from start to finish. Also ask to have them critique you after the call once away from the patient. You should have a million questions. Don't be afraid to ask.
Well I will now. I do ask "hey is there anything you need me to do?" When we get the patient in the back I do the basic stuff right away like bp, vitals. But when it's an als call there's the medic I'm with and two other FF medics jump in the back with us and they're doing what they do and I'm just standing there, I feel like I'm not doing enough. But like I said I DID ask and usually got "no, we are good right now"
Then that's all you can do in situations like that. Don't worry about it.
I'll take your advice. I do need to talk to the person in charge of training on Monday to know if I need more which I'm sure I will because I know the medic is going tell them I did things wrong. I'm going to ask if I could work with the same medic if it's ok with them and be and different person and prove I can handle the work.
I am one of those people who loves teaching and helping others learn, so I tend to stick with medics who are the same way, because being the new guy sucks so I get it. I'm still in that position right now during clinicals pretty much constantly and having a proactive teacher just makes that learning curve easier and takes that edge off, because it sucks when you are unsure of your place. On the other hand, there is some merit to just asking for feedback as well. That might be all you need to get the ball rolling on building a working relationship with that medic. Some turn out to be a huge help and others can be as useless as tits on a bull, but it'd probably be good to talk to your medic first.
Well this medic did seem very helpful, they should me a lot of things and how to do certain things. A medic I worked with before was horrible and did nothing at all. So I liked this medic until I heard that they went behind my back and ran their mouth, I don't have an issue with them and I did enjoy working with them want to again but now I'm thinking they're fake and just putting on an act when I'm around.
Ewok Jerky
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Devil's advocate: maybe this person was just complaining about having "the probie" and ventng about the things that ALL probies do wrong. Which we have all been guilty of at some point.
1st rule of workplace getalongness: always approach your coworker before going to the boss. Don't *****foot around. Maybe the medic said something, or maybe the person who told you was starting some ****. "So and so told me ABC..." Is very effective at getting to the heart of the issue.
1st rule of workplace getalongness: always approach your coworker before going to the boss. Don't *****foot around. Maybe the medic said something, or maybe the person who told you was starting some ****. "So and so told me ABC..." Is very effective at getting to the heart of the issue.
The boss is going to call me Monday and let me know if I need more training or not. So I was just going to mention a few things. They get to say how good or bad I am as an emt but I can't say how good or bad they are at training?
NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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Nope. If he asks, "everything is fine. I'm learning a lot."
reaper
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A good training program will always have a way for the probies to evaluate the ftos. Stop worrying so much about him complaining about you. That is just part of the job. Become better and prove you are willing to learn all you can. That is what the rest of the people in the service will see.
Underoath87
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From experience, when an FTO slacks off like that, it is because they initially offered advice or feedback and it was thrown back in their face or ignored repeatedly. So they give up and just watch you fail on your own. Any chance this is what happened?