Relationships, work, and responsibilities.

[LucidResq]

The purpose of this thread is not to discuss whether or not romantic relationships are appropriate in EMS.

I work summers at an amusement park for an ALS first aid service. Last year, I became friends with a group of coworkers. In the off-season, one of these friends and I developed a relationship. We are now living together and happy as could be... ring is soon to come. Men are bad at keeping secrets.

We are both rehired for this season. Last year was no big deal since things were completely platonic until the end of the season. We are kind of avoiding scheduling shifts together, but because we are both broke, self-supporting full-time college students... I'm sure we're going to have to pick up a few shifts together at some point.

Leaving the grab-*** and PDA at home is painfully obvious and being professional is something we are both completely capable of. The good thing is, we would also never even have the opportunity to be alone together on shift. There's 4-5 people on a day, and when there's fewer it's always an EMT/medic pair. Our coworkers and supervisors are completely aware that we are dating, but our supervisor hasn't said anything about it. There are also 2 married couple pairs working for the park... one of them does great, the other has infidelity drama issues.

I'm wondering if there's anything we're overlooking... as far as how being in a relationship affects work and how working together affects a relationship. It's just a summer job anyways... and although it's still EMS, being in a first aid office with several other EMTs/medics is vastly different from being with one other person on a rig. I know some people are of the camp that relationships born out of EMS are the devil... but this is our situation and we're happy with it. We want to keep it that way. Any tips or wisdom?

 

[Shishkabob]

Well, you know my situation, so I won't comment there <_<

BUT;

My family owns a business. My mom and dad work there. My sister and her husband work there. Both couples try to schedule in a way that they never work with their spouse. The goal for them is to not spend TOO much time with eachother as they are there at home AND at work. They all also have their own hobbies that they do.


My parents have been together for 22 years and are as happy now as they were the first year, and my sister and her husband are 10 years in themselves.




Knowing you and Rusty, I have no doubt you'll be fine.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

Hey congratulations.

I don't see anything wrong with either dating or being married to a co-worker. Happens all the time. We have several husband-wife and live together guy-girl teams on my service.

The only job related issue I can see you have already brought up. Leaving the whole thing behind and acting as professional emergency medical personnel while at work. There is plenty of time for goofyness and time together when you are both off. (I'm sure there are more issues that could come up in you two's relationship as a result of the job. You get promoted and are suddenly his supe. and so on and so fifth.)

I am not part of the EMS realtionship = devils involvment group by any streach of the imagination. Anyone can make a relationship work. (Within reason of course.) You just have to be willing to give what it takes. Plus, you can't control who you are attracted to. (Granted, you can shove that attraction under the carpet, but if you have to work with that person day in and day out, it will be tough.)

Good luck.

 

[TransportJockey]

Me and my ex-fiance worked together at the same service for most of our relationship. We found out after a few shifts that working regular shifts together was no fun. Now out of town IFTs (which for us to get called in meant at least 5 hours of driving one way) were awesome.

Towards the end though it sucked cause I was a night monkey while she was a day-walker. Our shifts actually overlapped by an hour each way so for 4 days/nights a week we weren't even sure if we'd see each other at all other than maybe for 5 minutes at base or a facility.


BTW: Work wasn't the main reason we split.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

I use to work race track response with a married EMT couple. Everything was fine. Just keep work and private life separate IMO

 

[Hal9000]

Both my girlfriend and I worked at the same organization. I left for academics, though she moved up to ops manager. There was never any problem. There were also four other couples employed amongst our employees, and there were never any problems.

I used to believe in blanket rules, but now I simply believe that it comes down to whether one is professional or not. It would have worked less well had my girlfriend been an incompetent stooge.

 

[CAOX3]

The problem isnt when your together, its after you break up when the problems start

 

[Saywhat]

The problem isnt when your together, its after you break up when the problems start

+1 and thumbs up! agreed

 

[MonkeySquasher]

The problem isnt when your together, its after you break up when the problems start

+1 again.


As others said... Just realize that spending TOO much time together can stiffle the magic, and working opposite shifts means not spending ENOUGH time together. Just find that happy medium. =)

 

[medic417]

she moved up to ops manager.

Wow sorry to hear that she left you for an ops manager.

As long as the the relationship is left at home, and I mean the physical and emotional, no problem. To many couples though can't do that. They either come in all lovey dovey or pissed and complaining. Then if they split everyone is put in a difficult spot.

 

[DrParasite]

as long as you don't post a sign on the ambulance saying "if the ambulance is rockin, don't come knocking" I don't see a problem.

back in the day, I started dating a new emt at a former agency. she apparently had an issue with the fact that I treated her just like any other EMT when we were on the ambulance. Apparently another person was always super nice, but I never let our relationship get in the way of her training. She took issue with that, oh well.

As long as your relationship doesn't interfere with the job, don't worry. As long as your relationship is solid, don't worry. its if the relationship crashes and people start picking sides, thats when problems start.