Dad talking me out of becoming a paramedic. Help?

Josh4010

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Alright so here is my situation. I recently got my emt basic license and I am currently enrolled in advanced emt. My dad is a firefighter/paramedic. He keeps telling me that basics have the best job ever, that they hardly have to do anything except drive. That they hardly have any responsibilities as just a basic. He said if I went on to paramedic that i would have so much more responsibility and that eventually I probably would get burnt out and hate it. He said most people at his work said the exact same thing, that basics have it made. Part of me believes this is true, because my dad is a tough as nails type of guy. He said i would regret it if I went on to paramedic.

I like the idea of being more trained so I can do more for people who are dying than just being a taxi driver to the hospital for them. But on the other hand if i was stressed out all the time and unhappy, I would just rather be happy and be a basic. But i wanted your opinion on this to all the paramedics out there, is it really that stressful? Would you rather go back to being a basic?
 

cprted

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Ask yourself what you are in this for ...

Do you want to drive through red lights and play with the lights and sirens or are you in it to help people? The answer should guide your choice.
 

STXmedic

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If you want to be a paramedic, go be a paramedic. If you really hate it that bad, then you can let your cert expire and go back to being a basic again. Some people can handle it, some can't. How your dad handles it has nothing to do with how you will handle it.

As a paramedic, there is considerably more you can do to help your patients. If you're content with showing up on scene, taking a blood pressure, doing CPR from time to time, and going back to the station to play Xbox, then stay as a basic. If you want to really help, and you can't stand being with a patient that needs something you can't provide, then go to paramedic school (or further...).

As far as stress, who knows. Try it and see how you handle it. A lot of the stress can be eliminated by working in a good system or having a good partner. Some of my most memorable shifts were shifts that we got completely hammered, but my partner and I had a blast and made it fun. You can also try and find a good, healthy way to take care of your stress. For me, it's running and cycling. There's guys on here that do skiing, or dirt bikes, or collect things, or have other hobbies that help them destress and enjoy their down time.

I have never bought the whole "too much responsibility" crap. Are you responsible for your patient's well-being? Sure. Pay attention in class, learn as much as you can, and do the best you can to be a good, competent provider and the responsibility part will take care of itself.

Me personally... In the very short time I worked as a basic, I had a patient die from prolonged hypoglycemia because we had a long transport time, no intercept available, and the doc I contacted at the receiving hospital refused to let me start a line and give D50 (was in medic school at the time). I also had several patients that were in extreme pain or vomiting everywhere, and the wonderful IFT I was at refused to send intercepts for that. It was extremely frustrating for me. So no, I wouldn't even think about giving up my medic patch.

If this is fairly jumbled and incoherent, bite me. I'm tired. :lol:
 
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Shishkabob

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You're a grown adult, do what you want.


Sure, EMTs have it easier (and I HATE when an EMT says 'I don't want to be a medic because I don't want the responsibility', you're in the wrong field if you don't want responsibility) but with the education comes the money and the fact you are more help to your patient than just a ride.
 

rescue1

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Like others have said, do you want to be a glorified driver or do you want to be a healthcare provider?
As for responsibility, remember that while the paramedic may be responsible for more patient care, you're responsible if you drive through an intersection with the siren going and get hit by a semi-trailer. And I've met basics and medics who ranged from constantly happy to constantly furious, and I don't think it had anything to do with their education.

Also, though you should not base your decision on this, you could be looking at $20,000 or more a year as a medic, depending on where you work.
 
OP
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J

Josh4010

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If you want to be a paramedic, go be a paramedic. If you really hate it that bad, then you can let your cert expire and go back to being a basic again. Some people can handle it, some can't. How your dad handles it has nothing to do with how you will handle it.

As a paramedic, there is considerably more you can do to help your patients. If your content with showing up on scene, taking a blood pressure, doing CPR from time to time, and going back to the station to play Xbox, then stay as a basic. If you want to really help, and you can't stand being with a patient that needs something you can't provide, then go to paramedic school (or further...).

As far as stress, who knows. Try it and see how you handle it. A lot of the stress can be eliminated by working in a good system or having a good partner. Some of my most memorable shifts were shifts that we got completely hammered, but my partner and I had a blast and made it fun. You can also try and find a good, healthy way to take care of your stress. For me, it's running and cycling. There's guys on here that do skiing, or dirt bikes, or collect things, or have other hobbies that help them destress and enjoy their down time.

I have never bought the whole "too much responsibility" crap. Are you responsible for your patient's well-being? Sure. Pay attention in class, learn as much as you can, and do the best you can to be a good, competent provider and the responsibility part will take care of itself.

Me personally... In the very short time I worked as a basic, I had a patient die from prolonged hypoglycemia because we had a long transport time, no intercept available, and the doc I contacted at the receiving hospital refused to let me start a line and give D50 (was in medic school at the time). I also had several patients that were in extreme pain or vomiting everywhere, and the wonderful IFT I was at refused to send intercepts for that. It was extremely frustrating for me. So no, I wouldn't even think about giving up my medic patch.

If this is fairly jumbled and incoherent, bite me. I'm tired. :lol:

Yeah i know what you mean. I would much rather help people than being a driver. But I guess I will work somewhere as a basic first and see how I like it. I've been applying everywhere. How long does it typically take to get hired on as an emt-b somewhere?
 

Medic Tim

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Yeah i know what you mean. I would much rather help people than being a driver. But I guess I will work somewhere as a basic first and see how I like it. I've been applying everywhere. How long does it typically take to get hired on as an emt-b somewhere?

It depends on your area. Some are really saturated with emts so it can take a little longer .
 

Household6

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If you get a job as a medic, and decide you don't like it, you can always go back to EMT.. Just because you have a degree for something doesn't mean that's what's you HAVE to do.

I feel for you, my husband is less-than supportive of my future career choice too..
 

Veneficus

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Some people like responsibility, others don't.

It sounds like your dad and his friends are just people who don't like to be decison makers.

You may find the fire service is full of those people, just like any military or paramilitary oganization.

As a paramedic is is easy to feel overwhelmed and thus stressed. You will not have enough education, you may be the most senior patient care decision maker the day you start, things will not look the way they do in books. Your head will be filled with information and you will have to learn how to prioritize it and use it in an orderly and applicable way.

You will find that you will be making hard decisions based on incomplete or otherwise imperfect information. Sometime you will be right, sometimes you will be wrong.

(Some may argue that is not true, but choosing to do nothing or the same thing for every patient is a decision)

I have found there are 2 things that generally lead to burnout in EMS and by extention all emergency environments.

In EMS it is lack of upward mobility.

Many emergency providers get burned out providing care for people they see as not socially valuable. So you will know every drunk in town. Every crack head. Every person on the low end of the IQ spectrum.

You will have to deal with their problems on their level. From the perspective of their reality. If you don't, you will become jaded that you are not providing care for the familyman, college grad, father and husband who goes to work 9-5 pays his taxes and coaches little league.

Guess what? That guy doesn't get hurt or tragically sick that often. Probably once in life.

Because your education will be based around end stage emergencies and the current evolution of human disease is not that, you will find almost nobody meets the type of patient you were trained for. You may only want to deal with really sick patients. But even emergency medicine has limited contact with really sick people and doesn't do much for them.

Many people don't get that.

The most important thing to prevent burn out is your attitude.

I very much enjoy working with urban poor populations. I know many very capable providers who have worked that environment for 30-40+ years and thrive at it.

But it takes a specific mindset and the knight in shiny armor riding in on a blazing steed, defying death, and saving the day is not it.

It is a seemingly endless repetition of doing simple things for conditions easily predictable and preventable for people who for many reasons are products of their environment.

It is making a small moment in time better for somebody who will need lots of those moments.

Some can do it, some can't. But if you notice, the ones who can are not only usually on top of their game. They are some of the most respected and admired people in the industry.

In the end, you are the one who has to decide if you want to be a rockstar or a cog in the machine. Becomming a medic will not change who you are, but it will certainly show you who you are.
 

Vao

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Am I wrong, or did BLS providers just get bashed over and over and over?

We aren't the highest trained, but that A) doesn't mean we're incompetent or stupid (from a degree carrying EMT), and B) doesn't mean we're all siren happy 'drivers'.

If we want to stop being underpaid/underappreciated/looked down on, we should probably stop beating each other down from within...

Also, ALS providers- no BLS means you run everything. Be grateful.

Just my .02

-Vao
 

RocketMedic

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What did that even mean, Vao?

OP, being a Paramedic is awesome if you like to do a little more than the LifeStare. But it's not for everyone. Ask your dad why he doesn't want you to be a paramedic and consider what he has to say. My dad tries to convince me to do something 'more' than be a paramedic (he's been a PM for 24 years, full-time), but he respects my decision to be a paramedic and mentors me quite a bit. Maybe you are mistaking "don't repeat my mistakes" for "don't be a paramedic." The two are quite different.

You're young, yes? This is probably more a "don't waste your life chasing money and be nearly impoverished" as opposed to a "don't follow me in my career path".
 

Household6

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Many emergency providers get burned out providing care for people they see as not socially valuable. So you will know every drunk in town. Every crack head. Every person on the low end of the IQ spectrum.

That's one of my favorite things.. Really small town living and locals. We went down the VFW for dinner last Saturday, I saw one of our town's frequent flyers on the sidewalk. I stopped, said hello, introduced my husband to him.. He looked alright, he was friendly, he remembered me.

Yea, he's missing teeth, filthy, addicted, alcoholic, scary looking, smelly, usually has spray paint on his mouth and he's not the most dignified person in town. But he still has a valuable life..

Someone has to relate to and look out and care for "those kind" of people. It's something that most people aren't willing to take on.
 

the_negro_puppy

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No offence to the EMT-Bs out there, but how can you make a career out of driving a big taxi with lights and sirens for $7 an hour?
 

Vao

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No offence to the EMT-Bs out there, but how can you make a career out of driving a big taxi with lights and sirens for $7 an hour?

How do you make a career out of driving a taxi without lights and sirens? You work. For the people who make BLS a career, its not about money. And some can handle higher education, some cant. But they sure shouldn't be looked down on for it.
 

Veneficus

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Am I wrong, or did BLS providers just get bashed over and over and over?

We aren't the highest trained, but that A) doesn't mean we're incompetent or stupid (from a degree carrying EMT), and B) doesn't mean we're all siren happy 'drivers'.

If we want to stop being underpaid/underappreciated/looked down on, we should probably stop beating each other down from within...

Also, ALS providers- no BLS means you run everything. Be grateful.

Just my .02

-Vao

I think you may have taken the wrong meaning from it.

For my post, I was demonstrating that not everyone wants to have a leadership position. In ALS systems, the paramedic is the leader of patient care.

Just like all teachers don't want to be the principle.

Just like all sailors don't want to be the captain.

That is not bashing.

I don't like to be the strategic planner working from afar. I like to be the one in the trench doing it so to speak.

Does it make me lesser for not wanting an executive position? I don't think so.

As any good leader will tell you, you don't have to and cannot be good at everything. Surround yourself with people who are great at what they do.

Any medic who has worked in a medic/basic system can tell you, great basics are worth their weight in gold. Probably double. But in those systems the truth is the basic is the supporting actor role. Some people can live with that. Some can't. Some people want to be the support and not the lead.

It is the same thing in the hospital. A doctor can order anything they want, but it is all for nothing if there is not a nurse actually doing it. (except in my case, I just do it myself, but it really pisses off the nurses)
 
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Engineered

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In the end though, Its your life dude, and you should do what makes you the happiest, and live it in a way which gives you no regrets. These decisions are ones that only you can make, and your an adult, so relish them. You get to drive your life in the direction you want it to go and you get to do the things you want to do. If being an EMT is perfect for you, then do that, but if you want to step up another level then do that, and you can keep stepping up until your the head of a hospital if you want.

Point stands, make your own choices, and make them for you and not anyone else. Also, my advice to everyone is, move away from your family for a few years, atleast a few hundred miles, it puts everything into perspective alot and allows you to make your own path.
 

m0nster986

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With great power, comes greater responsibility.

You will certainly have more opportunities with more education...
 
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AtlasFlyer

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Am I wrong, or did BLS providers just get bashed over and over and over?

Yeah, I read several of the posts that way too. :sad:

Whatever a person does for their job, be it an EMT-B, CNA, RN, MD, or cleaning toilets at the airport, do it to the best of your ability and do it with pride. There are no small jobs, just small people, or small people who look down on others...

Not discouraging anyone from moving up and futhering their education and career, just do it because it's WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, not because someone else is telling you to or because you're feeling 'shamed' into it.
 
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milehimedic

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OP, I'm sure that's a very frustrating situation to be in. My best advice would be to volunteer and shadow people in all types of healthcare professions, chat with your father about what you learn, and discuss your choices. If he's anything like my dad, he just wants you to be a happy, productive member of society.

Have you spent much time working on an ambulance? Maybe seek out a paramedic/emt ambulance situation where you can see what it's like working in that role day in, day out. There are emt jobs in clinical settings too where you could work with a wide range of health professionals and make a more informed decision for your long-term career. My .02:p
 
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