New EMT-B here in Washington

[Joker83]

Hello everyone. I posted back here a while back when I became a volunteer firefighter in Somers, Wisconsin. Well I took my EMT-Basic course back in Wisconsin and passed. Now I moved out to Washington State one month ago to become a full-time firefighter (I know, good luck). I'm pretty excited now though because I just landed my first job as an EMT. I'll be working for Rural/Metro and am scared to death lol. Their protocols are a little different and I don't know remember exactly what they are. I have a book on it, but being taught one thing and just getting a book to try to "forget" some things and possibly learn others is a bit difficult for me. All I know is that I CAN'T use a Combitube or Glucagon. I still have to get my Washington state EMT license but hopefully I'll get that. It's been over 2 months since I've had anything "EMT" going through my head because of the move and a few deaths so I'm pretty nervous about that. Either way I must have done something right because here I am, with a job lol. I'm working on getting in as a volunteer firefighter as soon as I know where I am moving to (trying to get closer to work).

Anyways I just want to introduce myself again. I'll probably be frequenting these forums now. And also to be honest I'm pretty excited so I had to tell someone lol. Thanks everyone, see ya around.

[yowzer]

I'm pretty excited now though because I just landed my first job as an EMT. I'll be working for Rural/Metro and am scared to death lol.

Are you going to be working in Pierce county, or Sno/King?

[Joker83]

I'll be in Sno/King.

[yowzer]

I'll be in Sno/King.

You'll be doing mostly interfacility transports, hospital to nursing home, hospital to hospital, hospital to mental health facility, nursing home to dialysis or doctor's offices, and so forth. RM has contracts with a bunch of area hospitals and agencies to do their transports, and that's where the money's at for the company. A bunch of fire departments use them for transports from 911 calls as well (Typically alternating between AMR and RM), but the interfacilities are the usually the majority of a day's calls. Such is the world of private ambulances that aren't in a first-response role. Once you've been around for a while, you get what I believe is the best pay scale of the companies in the area -- more than what private medics are paid in much of the country -- and generally decent bennies.

Protocol wise, depending on which shifts you work, you'll have two sets to deal with -- Snohomish County and King. However, the only big difference you might need to worry about is in assisting patients with their own medications (Easier in KC, since they don't require contacting medical control first.) For all practical purposes, following the SC protocols everywhere is fine.

You'll have a higher chance of seeing people who are actually Sick in King County -- there aren't many medics, and they have a rather higher bar for what they consider appropriate for BLS transport than found elsewhere.
Just like anywhere else, though, it's mostly minor stuff that you'll get.

[Joker83]

Yeah the way everyone was talking made it seem like transports are their bread and butter. I'm not one to complain right now being completely new lol. I also heard a few medics that were in orientation say that they came to RM for the better pay. I'm just going to have to study that Snohomish protocol book and probably read my "Emergency Care" book for taking the Washington State test. I still have to take that before I can get on. I have a week off right now and then I begin my field training which I am very much looking forward to.

You seem to know quite a lot about what goes on out here. Are you from this area? How do you like it if you are? Do you have any advice for a brand new EMT? Thanks for responding.

[yowzer]

I'm just going to have to study that Snohomish protocol book and probably read my "Emergency Care" book for taking the Washington State test. I still have to take that before I can get on. I have a week off right now and then I begin my field training which I am very much looking forward to.

Any training rides done before you get the little card from the state saying you're an EMT are wasted. You're not allowed to do any patient care, and thus can't get most of the things signed off that you need. (I learned this the hard way. I didn't know they were still allowing it. Grr.)

You seem to know quite a lot about what goes on out here. Are you from this area? How do you like it if you are? Do you have any advice for a brand new EMT? Thanks for responding.

One guess as to where I work.

If you're brand new to EMS, it's all a tad overwhelming at first -- there's just so much stuff you need to learn, much of it not taught in school. Very frustating, and takes patience. It's really important to learn the general layout of the area you work in - where the hospitals and nursing homes are, how the streets are generally laid out, the major arterials, and so on. Being able to quickly look up addresses, and figure out how to get there from where you're at is vital. Study the Thomas guide, and don't always take the same route -- explore when you're not in a hurry to get somewhere. When you're driving and there's a patient in back, go easy. No hard braking or accelerating, take corners slowly, try to avoid potholes... make it as smooth a ride as you can. Go to the base stations (Where our medical director comes in and gives a talk and reviews select run reports) and other training sessions. Avoid working 24 hour shifts in Everett.

[FutureEMT07]

Any training rides done before you get the little card from the state saying you're an EMT are wasted. You're not allowed to do any patient care, and thus can't get most of the things signed off that you need. (I learned this the hard way. I didn't know they were still allowing it. Grr.)



One guess as to where I work.

If you're brand new to EMS, it's all a tad overwhelming at first -- there's just so much stuff you need to learn, much of it not taught in school. Very frustating, and takes patience. It's really important to learn the general layout of the area you work in - where the hospitals and nursing homes are, how the streets are generally laid out, the major arterials, and so on. Being able to quickly look up addresses, and figure out how to get there from where you're at is vital. Study the Thomas guide, and don't always take the same route -- explore when you're not in a hurry to get somewhere. When you're driving and there's a patient in back, go easy. No hard braking or accelerating, take corners slowly, try to avoid potholes... make it as smooth a ride as you can. Go to the base stations (Where our medical director comes in and gives a talk and reviews select run reports) and other training sessions. Avoid working 24 hour shifts in Everett.


Why avoid working 24 hour shifts in Everett???...just curious :confused:

[yowzer]

Why avoid working 24 hour shifts in Everett???...just curious :confused:

They tend to be really busy, running non stop all day and most of the night, and it's not uncommon to be doing back-to-back ER to nursing home calls at 3 am, especially for the north Everett car. People rarely stay full time on that one for very long before moving to a different shift.

[Joker83]

First training ride today. 8 hours non-stop before we got to stop at a gas station to grab something to eat lol. It was very informative though. Yowzer, do you work for RM?