Partners

I've had too many partners. I've had ones I love, I've had ones I hate, and I have ones I refused to work with. I'm not hostile by nature, I just dislike incompetence. I hate sense of entitlement and people who refuse to work hard. I normally work with Princess, he's a young medic but very good at his job. He's not yet jaded by the system, loves people, and even jumps BLS runs when he's bored or sees something he wants to talk about with the patient. He never complains about runs even when we get slammed, and he is always willing to talk. We have many in depth conversations on things we want to change. We both believe the education system at our company is wrong, and he's working on changing it. His drive and motivation is both a curse, and an inspiration. He always asks questions, listens to my suggestions, and works damn hard. He's not too proud to listen to what a lonely EMT-B has to say. Princess, I love you dude.

I used to work with a guy that I nicknamed Entitlement Almost Medic, EAM for short. He had just entered medic school, we both worked on a BLS unit for another company. This was a dialasys transfer day truck. He was a greedy asshole, my first day he told me he was the senior on the truck, and the senior doesn't wash the truck. I laughed, told him to eat it and left with the truck unwashed. I am not unreasonable, I will wash the truck solo if you're feeling sick, tired, or have to leave. However, saying you won't wash it because I'm new to this company, when I've been an EMT for 4 years and you've been one for all of 2 months? Piss off. This same guy is the one who took a BP on a patient that looked like a bag full of death. Her BP according to him was 120/80. Hmm, I'm sniffin' some BS. I take it and it's 68/P. Oh shit! I hit up for a medic unit to start my way, the patient is confused, low BP and vomitting bright red blood now. I know this is bad, while EAM flips out on me, yelling that he won't get to drive emergent now and how I suck as a partner. Medic crew arrives, I help package her. We get to their truck, medic asks EAM to spike a bag, and start bagging her. EAM looks bewildered. He has no idea what to say/do. Medic kicks him off the truck as I spike a bag, and start bagging the patient. I smile as we start emergent for ER.

I hate people like EAM and this seems to be the majority not the rarity. Attitudes are contagious, some are like anthrax. I'm lucky, my current partner is absolutely amazing. However I've worked with some true shitheads. And the point is, I love this job. But sometimes, it's not worth it to come to work because of who you work with.

First Day.

So it's my first day blogging, and I'd like to tell you a little story.

I work for a private EMS company, we do critical care transports, and 911. I'm a EMT-B, formerly an EMT-I, but the state I work in doesn't recognize it, and I've been in EMS for 5 years. I've thought about going to paramedic school, but decided to put it on hold until my children(Age 2 and 1) are a little older. I am not with my ex, but I do see my children around 3 nights a week. Pretty much every waking moment is spent either working, or with my children. I work nights at my company, although I usually throw in a few 24 hour shifts per month as well. I spend most of my time on a critical care transport truck, which functions as a CCT truck as well as a back-up 911 truck, most of our runs are of the critical variation, save for the fun BLS stuff I get to do. My partner, nicknamed Princess, even though he's a guy, is a 22 year old paramedic, he's wonderful to work with and I love him to death. How's that for a detailed backround?

We just ordered pizza, and our BLS unit we are stationed with went to pick it up. I hear our pager beeping, and laugh. We never order pizza, when we do..it's always interrupted with a run. I check our pager and mouth the words "Oh shit" Princess stares at me "What is it D?" "Post cardiac arrest, going to the big city cath lab from our small non-interventional sneak and peak lab" we grab the radio and clear it, head to the truck. We start emergent for the hospital. I'm not a fan of running emergent, ever. I hate sirens and I repeat this to Princess in route "You're such a weird EMT, you hate going emergent, and love medicine..." I nod as we pass a big intersection. Radio crackles to life "CCT 14, your patient is in arrest, advise ETA" "ETA of 2 minutes" We arrive on scene, grab our backboard throw it on the cot, throw epi, atro and the monitor on as well, pull out a BVM. We have a vent, but won't be using it this run I don't think.

We head for cath lab, greeted by a group of nurses covered in sweat, they've been coding this guy for some time. Princess nods to me, and I make my way into position to take over CPR, the nurses look to me thankfully, and smile. I'm 6' 220, none of the nurses in here weight over 140lb and the patient weighs 300 easily. Compressions are taking more effort on this guy, I can feel his cartilidge straining agianst my hands, and one or two ribs break. Doc has effortlessly tubed this guy, and Princess is recieving report. I look at the monitor, a male nurse takes over compressions for me and I notice during this that he is asystole. The doc decides to call it.

I sigh, covered in sweat and go outside the room to ask the nurses what happened. There in the corner is an EMT Student, a cute little thing, maybe 18 or 19. She is crying. "I've never done CPR before, and I was doing clinicals when the code team was called, I was so scared" she repeats like a mantra. I feel sad for her, "I know it's rough darlin" We head back to the truck, pack our equipment up, and Princess says "Let's go to Dairy Queen", we head that way, get us 14 dillybars and head back to cath lab, giving each person a dilly bar. The young EMT smiles and hugs us, her tears have long sense dried, and she's cracking jokes. I think to myself "She'll make it"