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.