H
Harpoon
So I don't recommend this course of action for just anyone. You have to be smart, quick on the draw, somewhat fearless, and slightly insane to be successful.
As if being a volunteer firefighter and EMT was good enough, I applied for a job wiht the local ambulance service as an EMT.
In the fire department, the extent of my participation in EMS calls is generally helping to fill out patient care reports (jotting down patient information and vital signs) an occassional carrying bags of equipment around. I've only ran two calls by myself and in both those cases I had help coming that took over a few minutes after I started.
I figured wiht all the effort I went through to get certified as an EMT, I should do more with it so I turned in an application with the ambulance service.
SEVERAL (eight maybe?) months later I got a call to go in for an interview. Four months after that I got a call for a second interview and then went through some hoops including a pre-hire physical and a ton of bloodwork including a drug test.
Oh yeah, I'm on LOTS of drugs baby....
Anyways, Saturday, March 30 I actually started my new job with an eight hour shift in the company's precepting program.
I spent the shift playing shadow to various ambulance crews as they went out on calls. I'm an EMT, but I can only assist in patient care until I am field certified by the company and only if the crew I am with needs it.
Less than an hour into my first shift with my new job I was on one knee beside the stretcher in the back of the ambulance holding a few towels as a patient puked into them...
Yup, I'm QUITE insane.
But my heart surgeon would be proud!
I'm working as an "occassional" which means, once I'm field certified, I can set up shifts for myself that work within my other "day job" schedule at the newspaper. I can also work "on-call" hours where I don't have to do anyhting except be available to get called in and still get paid. If I decide that this job is better than the newspaper gig (it already pays more by the hour) and a full-time position opens up, I get first dibs.
I've ben investigating other allied healthcare type jobs recently and might consider a CNA credentialling at some point. As an EMT, I've been spending a lot of time in the local ER and I could really see myself doing something there too.
Four years and two months ago I was sucking air through a straw following surgery for a condition that damned near killed me.
This valve thing is pretty cool if you ask me, though I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that didn't need it!
As if being a volunteer firefighter and EMT was good enough, I applied for a job wiht the local ambulance service as an EMT.
In the fire department, the extent of my participation in EMS calls is generally helping to fill out patient care reports (jotting down patient information and vital signs) an occassional carrying bags of equipment around. I've only ran two calls by myself and in both those cases I had help coming that took over a few minutes after I started.
I figured wiht all the effort I went through to get certified as an EMT, I should do more with it so I turned in an application with the ambulance service.
SEVERAL (eight maybe?) months later I got a call to go in for an interview. Four months after that I got a call for a second interview and then went through some hoops including a pre-hire physical and a ton of bloodwork including a drug test.
Oh yeah, I'm on LOTS of drugs baby....
Anyways, Saturday, March 30 I actually started my new job with an eight hour shift in the company's precepting program.
I spent the shift playing shadow to various ambulance crews as they went out on calls. I'm an EMT, but I can only assist in patient care until I am field certified by the company and only if the crew I am with needs it.
Less than an hour into my first shift with my new job I was on one knee beside the stretcher in the back of the ambulance holding a few towels as a patient puked into them...
Yup, I'm QUITE insane.
But my heart surgeon would be proud!
I'm working as an "occassional" which means, once I'm field certified, I can set up shifts for myself that work within my other "day job" schedule at the newspaper. I can also work "on-call" hours where I don't have to do anyhting except be available to get called in and still get paid. If I decide that this job is better than the newspaper gig (it already pays more by the hour) and a full-time position opens up, I get first dibs.
I've ben investigating other allied healthcare type jobs recently and might consider a CNA credentialling at some point. As an EMT, I've been spending a lot of time in the local ER and I could really see myself doing something there too.
Four years and two months ago I was sucking air through a straw following surgery for a condition that damned near killed me.
This valve thing is pretty cool if you ask me, though I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that didn't need it!
