I am sadened by your lack of character. What you may perceive as being educated is only your lack of understanding. Nothing in your life will run as smoothly as you may think it should. Working in the EMS field you should know that every second is unpredictable. What works in this moment won't work for the next. I read these posts over and over. I understand you're frustration. I get what you're saying. What I don't understand is why you have decided that the company you work for has failed you. Have you failed them? Have you performed every moment of your on duty time to being the best EMT and patient care taker as you possibly could? Really. You must be the EMT that shows up for work on time everyday. Shows up to all calls on time with out an issue. You're that EMT who never complains that he got to many calls today, or too little. Definatly not the EMT who's tummy hurts and wants to go home, You're not that guy right? No I got you!! You're the guy who wants control. Who says, 'Hey I am union I don't have to run that call. Make me!!' 'I had to work overtime cuz a patient needed transport, This job sucks!!'.. You're that guy! Did you show up for work on time today? Did you remember to take your freakin gurney with you? Oh, you didn't? Well shoot lets delay patient care so you can take a minute to get your head out of your rear and get your gurney... Did you know that you delayed a patients care, and the next patient in line? No?, Well you did. Not only that you took time from everyone else so they can reroute, call facilites, make up an excuse why you're late, Make up? yes make up, God forbid if they told the hospital you were late because you forgot you're gurney... PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY>... Grow up! It'a JoB!! you make as much money as you are willing to.. Stop being a baby and quit working for this company you hate so much. Take pride in what you do. If you don't love EMS then get out!... I'm not an owner, not a manager, I'm a hard worker who takes the good with the bad. Because as bad as I think it is for me it's worse, so much worse for people who have to rely on ambulance transport as a means of sustaining what little life they have. You will never work for an EMS company that doesn't have issues. If you can't take care of you're own problems I guess you better Get NEMSA to do it for you. Wuss.... Stop Being part of the problem and work for a solution. If you're not part of the solution you ARE the problem.
Whew... Had to say something... after all you're posts I couldn't help myself.
I apologize if you were offended... You're a big boy right!!!???
Yep, I'm a big boy who understands the reality that as long as there is a system in place where some people make money off of the debilitating health issues of others, there will be serious problems in every level of care provided. Period.
I have never been late to work. That means signing in at 6:29 for my 6:30 shift everyday I have ever worked. No lie. I am not an exceptional employee, I am average. I am never late for calls - our company policy dictates that if we have a 2000 pickup, we should be BEDSIDE at 2000 so we go on scene at 1955. None of this is exceptional, or relevant.
What is important is that the shareholders and the management of my company are making much more money than I am, even though it is me who does the compressions on the old ladies, and me who holds c-spine, and me puts my own life in danger driving through intersections.
My company cannot afford to pay its employees a decent, appropriate wage AND afford to buy sufficient supplies and working equipment. That is a failure. But for them, that is totally acceptable because less overhead, menas more profits. That is an easily understandable formula.
As a union rep I want to work for the fair, equal, and beneficial treatment of all my coworkers and fellow EMS workers. Anybody who badmouths the union doesn't understand that simple fact. Fair treatment means stocked ambulances, working supplies, fair compensation, and no dirty managerial behavior. Half of my job is policing mgmt about things that they know are illegal, but easy enough to get away with in a non-informed workforce. F that.
I work for the largest private ambulance company in the country and we have cut 4 positions in the last 4 months. That is 4 providers, 4 earners, 4 family members. Anyone who cries that the union is useless or dated or detrimental is totally - and dangerously so - ignorant to reality.
EMS workers provide a service more crucial, more useful, and more dangerous than every other industry with the exceptions of in-hospital care, fire, and PD. Period. We deserve fair compensation.
Unions solidify worker power. For everyone on this days-old thread, if you don't understand that then no amount of education will benefit you. Because as amazingly smart as you think you are, you are nothing solitarily. You are only something special when you a part of a strong, unified, and moving group. period.
If you are a worker, EDUCATE YOURSELF to the reality of labor in this country. Unions are the only way to stand up to the corruption, the power, and the thriftiness of big business (health care, the biggest). You want the best for your patient, stop being a follower and realize that your help is greatly needed, for both your patient AND YOU COWORKER.
Take pride in what you do. If you don't love EMS then get out!
I am extremely proud of what I do and I would do it for free I the world worked that way (see my previous posts on volunteerism). And I DO love EMS, so much so that I am going to work to improve it, and realistically that means starting with my immediate surroundings: my workplace. If you love a person but they are difficult to get along with do you leave them, or get out, like you said. No, you put effort into making your relationship better. Unions work to make the relationship between their work and their compensation better.
Lastly, I have never went on a call without a gurney, or called out in the middle of my shift because "my tummy hurt". Things like that must happen in your county, not mine.
Unions Work