How many times have you been flipping through JEMS or EMS Magazine looking at the latest gizmos and gadgets and wished you Department or Company would invest in just some of these?
Have you ever caught your self reading protocols of other EMS Entities wondering why your medical director was still stuck in the 1990′s?
I have spent 19 years in EMS. I have served in field operations, communications, training and management positions. I have worked in some good systems and some not so good systems. In the back of my mind I always knew there was something more out there. A company that respected the feild providers. A company that truly cared about the safety and well being of there employees and provide them with the training and tolls to do the job safetly. A company with agressive evidence based protocols that trusts there paramedic to be paremedics.
I had to move 1,300 miles away from home but I have found such a company. The high standards are evident during the hiring process. Two interviews, pre hire written testing, Physical Assesment Testing (Lift Test) performed by a physical therapist.
Following the hiring process I was sent to a week-long live in orientation. Four days of classroom instruction on company policies and procedures, information systems, CORE Protocol and safety and wellness. The last day was the driving range and on road driving assessment. During the orientation we were houses in the dorms and fed 3 square (and tasty) meals a day.
During orientation we were measured for uniforms. (Yep measured for uniforms not going through the closet in the back room to find some the close to fit). Uniforms arrived the third day of orientation and fit perfectly.
After orientation it was back to Texas to begin Orientation shifts. Six shifts running third person. Doing a majority of the driving and functioning as a Basic EMT. At the end of the orientation rides we met with our FTO for Protocol Boot camp, 8 hours of protocol and skill review.
After all of that you would think you were raring and ready to go right? No so fast. Still need to do 12 shifts as a Conditionally Cleared Paramedic working with a Senior Paramedic/Preceptor. If everything goes okay in these twelve shifts the you are clear to run as a paramedic on your own truck.
Sounds like a lot? This company expects a lot from their Paramedics and they give them the tools and training needed to perform.
I am working with equipment and capabilities I had only read about in the magazines. My starting pay rate is equal to my overtime rate at my last job. Health insurance was made available to me starting one day one of employment.
I know I am not getting any younger. Someday I know I will have to get out of the box (It may well be kicking and screaming..) This company offers a multitude of career paths options.
The environment at my last job was borderline toxic. Most of my co-workers divided their time up evenly between explaining why they hated their jobs and looking for new jobs. A pulse and a P card and you had yourself a job.
Everybody I have met here has gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. I am blessed to have found this job. I owe a huge thank you to Dawn and Chris for helping me land this job. Without all of there help I wouldn’t be here. (I was there dispatcher at the Big Green and they still like me… Imagine that…)
