The Little Ambulance that Couldn't

On December 7th, 2008 I took a job with a little ambulance service in my hometown. The town where I grew up–where my parents still live. My wife and I moved back home this spring.

The Little Ambulance that Couldn’t has one hell of a reputation. When I was hired on I thought most of it was BS. I was HOPING it was all BS. They said the owner was crazy. They said he was unprofessional, unqualified, unstable…. They said the medics were out of practice, that they were just stretcher jockies.

I tried. I really, honestly tried to make the best of it. I needed an out, and this was it. I took what I had and ran with it… But the breaking point was always on the horizon.

Every time someone went wrong at the Little Ambulance that Couldn’t it was always the end of the world. Out of soap… the sky is falling. Missed an IV… the apocalypse is near! Had a patient get pissed…. OMG… The dinosaurs are coming!!!

The LCTCn’t was more concerned with LOOKING like a real ambulance service than BEING a real ambulance service. We spent more time sweeping, washing trucks, and mopping floors than we did running calls. Since January 1st I was ON 46 calls. I was lead on 26. On 12 of those calls there were 3 or more staff members on the call(any time we had an “exciting” call, every damn staff member in town showed up cause they thought we NEEDED the help. I’m sorry, but I don’t need 27 people vying for control of MY call.).

The owner at the LCTCn’t had a hair trigger. Any time something tiny happened he went off half cocked. When business was bad he wouldn’t hesitate to let us all know how we were all replaceable and he was willing to work 24/7(I raise you this and challenge you to actually do this now!).

I am a paramedic. I want to run calls, restock my truck, and run some more. I’ll wash my rig when it is dirty. I’ll mop a floor when it NEEDS it. I won’t do busy work for the sake of doing busy work. I’ll also take a nap when time permits.

When you treat me like I am disposable, I will do everything my power to prove you otherwise. Step one, walk out. Step two, fight back. Step three…. Win.

Do not try to intimidate me with reminder mailings of my confidentiality agreement. My complaint with the department of labor is well within my rights. You have failed to realize everything I did for you during the last 7 months. I wrote your protocols, designed your website(which you are now unable to update without me), implemented your EPCR program(which you are clueless on) and set up and maintained your internal network. You have no one who can do these tasks. Enjoy finding a medic/maid/IT guy to replace me.

When you are working back to back to back 24 hr shifts with your medics who can’t even spell succinocholine let alone provide you dosages. Enjoy your CPAP device I researched that you aren’t even sure when to use. Enjoy back to back 8 hour transfers. Enjoy continuous turnover because you aren’t willing to take the tools we gave you to succeed.

You’ve proven all you care about is LOOKING like a real ambulance service. When you’re ready to BE a real ambulance service… don’t call me. I have moved on. Gone. Done. Finished.

Good Bye.