Holiday advice???

Tada411

Forum Ride Along
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Hi all....brand new here. Im a student and will have rotations the week of Christmas. I have the option to do ER first and ambulance 24's on Christmas/Eve, or vice-versa. Im looking for thoughts and experiences from those who have been there. Which should I choose? Where would I learn the most or will the holiday have any impact at all?
 

akflightmedic

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I have worked many holidays...some I never turned a wheel, some I had mega trauma or critical medical, and some I had just an average day.

Ironically, what I have experienced on holidays has been no different than any other shift on any other normal day...except I was paid slightly more for working the holiday.

In short, other than the weather, posting on a corner (if this occurs), and potluck...it really does not matter which you do.
 

CALEMT

The Other Guy/ Paramaybe?
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6 of one half dozen of the other.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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I've worked many many holidays over the past two decades. When I first started, Christmas almost always involved at least one fatality. ped struck, grandparent won't wake up, etc. happened for 6 years straight.

If I had to pick, I would do Christmas eve/day in the ER, and the 24 hour ambulance shift beforehand. Make sure you wear your santa hat
 

johnrsemt

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I don't have kids; so I always volunteer to work the major holidays to give someone with kids the day to be with their kids; but only trade or work with someone that will trade with me for my wife's birthday or our anniversary.

Holiday's can be interesting. get dumb people dumb runs or nothing.
 

johnrsemt

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Be willing to do the odd things at Holiday time: working at a Private Service I was asked by a manager if I would drive a WC van, pick up his mother from the nursing home she was in, and drive her to the manager's home for Family Christmas Activity and Dinner. Took the Van home, spent 6 hours with my wife on call, and took her back. On the way back she asked me to drive down a couple of different streets, stopping at different places, (childhood neighborhood, and 1st house she lived in after she got married).

OT for the 8 hour day, even though I only put 2 hours on time card. $500 from assistant manager (who told me not to tell anyone), and $500 from the owner (who told me not to tell anyone). They had asked all 8 WC van drivers to do it, and about 7 other people who were trained in driving them.

She died 5 days later. I went to the viewing, and got hugs from the entire family. A week later I got another $400 in an envelope mailed to me from the different members of the family because of how nice I was to her on the trip there, and picking her up.
Nothing different than a normal day.
 

Tigger

Dodges Pucks
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I love having students. However I am not sure I would love having a single rotation student (ie not a medic student on their internship) on Christmas. We are probably not going to train, might have family in the station, guys on the phone all day. Might be a bit awkward in the station is all.
 

StCEMT

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If you have the option, stay home. I'd rather the time with family. That being said, it doesn't matter. On the ambulance, you deliver the bad day, in the ED you receive it.

As far as trying to get the most educational call, its a gamble either way. I've had double homicides on Christmas and I've not turned a wheel for a shift besides food. Pick one and roll with it, you'll get your calls in time one way or the other.
 

luke_31

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If you have the option, stay home. I'd rather the time with family. That being said, it doesn't matter. On the ambulance, you deliver the bad day, in the ED you receive it.

As far as trying to get the most educational call, its a gamble either way. I've had double homicides on Christmas and I've not turned a wheel for a shift besides food. Pick one and roll with it, you'll get your calls in time one way or the other.
I’ll echo this one. Stay home the holidays is either nothing at all except having a good meal at the station and lots of down time or you get a little busy. Either way I’d prefer to honestly not have a third rider with me on those days anyway. Talk to your program director and see if you can’t reschedule your clinical time to after the holiday. I’ve been working this career for 17 years now and the only days of the year where a student would get almost nothing from being on the ambulance is thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Rest of the year I’d spend all the down time at the station talking with a student and helping them be better prepared to do their job. I’ve helped many 68w medics to get a better understanding of what they need to do while they work the FLA stateside and interact with a ambulance crew that is meeting them out on a range. Lots of advice is given by preceptors when not on calls, but for me when it’s the holidays I’d honestly park the student in our office or in the day room and have them read their book or play on their phone for all I care, while I try and just relax and enjoy my downtime doing something for me.
 
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