Any advice?

I was an EMT (twice, actually in different phases of my life) and am also a certified firefighter. If your station wants you to certify as a fire fighter also, do it when you are young!! Hardest thing physically I have ever done.

Be calm, be pleasant, be professional, and keep your thoughts to yourself when in hearing distance of the patient or family. Know your ambulance inside out-the quicker you can locate things, the better.

Best of luck--I did enjoy the thrill of the unexpected and the knowledge that you can possibly save a life.

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you for saying "keep your thoughts to yourself when in hearing distance of the patient or family". Idle remarks can really complicate the entire situation for the patient and or the family who is dealing with enough as it is. Remember the patient does have to go home to the family so when you say something they live with it.

I would add keep your attitude in check. You do not live with what patients, or family, have to and you can not know the "history" they may have had to deal with sometimes for years. Many of these patients are not the innocent victims they appear to be or are the families/caregivers; and I use that term loosely. Some of the worst are corporate care homes that will punish families for speaking out or expecting even the minimum of care and stand there an pass the buck. Remember you get to go home to a "normal " living environment and many families have turned their home life into a 24/7/365 day expensive institution with no time off or pay or privacy and then spend years at bedsides doing a lot of the care that should be provided in nursing homes.

Last but not least keep the personal talk out of ear shot of the patient or family. They do not need to listen to your complaints, family problems, or idle chatter like they are drapes hanging on a wall somewhere. You don't calm people down by asking stupid questions or making chit chat. If you don't need to know something don't ask. The patient is stressed out enough by the experience without trying to figure out why you are asking questions you don't need to know.

P.S. Nurture yourself. This is a tough career and you will burn out if you don't get the balance in your life to cope with it. We as families and advocates know it is stressful and you often get lost in the shuffle of praise and gratitude but you are appreciated. Best of luck.

op has deactivated.

I hope he saw star's post, since she put a lot of effort into it and great advice.

he may come back.

Remarkable