RocketMedic
Californian, Lost in Texas
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The Arrogance of High Expectations
On a perfect day, I would be an IV-starting, bag-carrying narc mule of a paramedic for a high-speed EMT. Odd statement, I know, but hear me out. I don’t want a partner who is trained and conditioned to be a driver, a subordinate and an assistant. I want a partner who is trained in the mission of a paramedic, believes in it and is of the mindset that we are there to help people. I want a partner who is knowledgeable enough to confidently and correctly assess a patient- any patient, a master of their scope of practice and its correct application and treats every part of their job, to include driving the ambulance, with the same attention to detail and import that I do. I want someone who has at least a working knowledge of the medications we carry, protocols we work under and operational policies we have. I want a partner who can treat a patient to the limits of their scope of practice and is able and willing to formulate a treatment plan and involve me in it for the ‘advanced’ paramedic stuff. I want a partner who can review calls with me and see where we can both improve our practices. I want a partner that’s receptive to learning. That’s what I want in an EMT. That’s what I want in a partner, regardless of their patch, time served or title. I want a partner who is every bit as good a paramedic as I am. That’s a really, really arrogant thing to say, requesting excellence and all. Maybe I should just hand out some trophies for showing up and accept that we’ve peaked in our quality of service the day we graduated our academies and FTO rides. Remember, it’s arrogant to ask for more, it'll hurt feelings and question paradigms.
If it is arrogant and alienates my peers to actually help people and do my job to both the letter and the spirit of the directives of the doctor(s) whom I practice under, then I suppose I should accept that and the title "Paragod". If it is unpopular to have this attitude, then so be it. I would rather be a proud, unapologetic Paragod than I would a substandard fear and myth-driven provider who can do little more than drive a big, inefficient taxi that runs on a broken payment system and borrowed time. If it makes me a “sucker”, “dangerous”, “incompetent” or “douchy” to hold myself to those standards that the rest of medicine aspires to, then I guess I’m that guy. Better that then the popular "good" guy.
We don’t have to fight, though, if you don't want to live in my dream world. I’ll do me, you do you. And when you’re still being treated like an ambulance driver by your employer thanks to your attitude, I’ll be pondering whether or not I gave that patient the best, most appropriate service possible and how to spend the extra pay that comes from the responsibility I’ve earned. If you’re really lucky, you might get to drive the ambulance while I wonder if I’ve given enough fentanyl or whether I should try something different. If you’re a partner, you’ll be an active part of that decision and we’ll both do it together. If you’re not, driving does take a lot of attention. And because a true Paragod never passes up a chance for more followers, I'll keep preaching and remain willing to help you be me. Take that as you will.
-The Paragods
On a perfect day, I would be an IV-starting, bag-carrying narc mule of a paramedic for a high-speed EMT. Odd statement, I know, but hear me out. I don’t want a partner who is trained and conditioned to be a driver, a subordinate and an assistant. I want a partner who is trained in the mission of a paramedic, believes in it and is of the mindset that we are there to help people. I want a partner who is knowledgeable enough to confidently and correctly assess a patient- any patient, a master of their scope of practice and its correct application and treats every part of their job, to include driving the ambulance, with the same attention to detail and import that I do. I want someone who has at least a working knowledge of the medications we carry, protocols we work under and operational policies we have. I want a partner who can treat a patient to the limits of their scope of practice and is able and willing to formulate a treatment plan and involve me in it for the ‘advanced’ paramedic stuff. I want a partner who can review calls with me and see where we can both improve our practices. I want a partner that’s receptive to learning. That’s what I want in an EMT. That’s what I want in a partner, regardless of their patch, time served or title. I want a partner who is every bit as good a paramedic as I am. That’s a really, really arrogant thing to say, requesting excellence and all. Maybe I should just hand out some trophies for showing up and accept that we’ve peaked in our quality of service the day we graduated our academies and FTO rides. Remember, it’s arrogant to ask for more, it'll hurt feelings and question paradigms.
If it is arrogant and alienates my peers to actually help people and do my job to both the letter and the spirit of the directives of the doctor(s) whom I practice under, then I suppose I should accept that and the title "Paragod". If it is unpopular to have this attitude, then so be it. I would rather be a proud, unapologetic Paragod than I would a substandard fear and myth-driven provider who can do little more than drive a big, inefficient taxi that runs on a broken payment system and borrowed time. If it makes me a “sucker”, “dangerous”, “incompetent” or “douchy” to hold myself to those standards that the rest of medicine aspires to, then I guess I’m that guy. Better that then the popular "good" guy.
We don’t have to fight, though, if you don't want to live in my dream world. I’ll do me, you do you. And when you’re still being treated like an ambulance driver by your employer thanks to your attitude, I’ll be pondering whether or not I gave that patient the best, most appropriate service possible and how to spend the extra pay that comes from the responsibility I’ve earned. If you’re really lucky, you might get to drive the ambulance while I wonder if I’ve given enough fentanyl or whether I should try something different. If you’re a partner, you’ll be an active part of that decision and we’ll both do it together. If you’re not, driving does take a lot of attention. And because a true Paragod never passes up a chance for more followers, I'll keep preaching and remain willing to help you be me. Take that as you will.
-The Paragods
