Life in EMS

I have been in EMS for almost 7 years now.  I have seen things nobody should ever see.  I have saved lives.  I have been used as a taxi service.  I have been someones hand to hold.  I have been a shoulder to cry on.  I've been spat on.  I've been called every name in the book.  My years in EMS have been interesting to say the least.  The best part of my job, is that every call is different.  You never know what to expect, from a dialysis transport or a shooting.  The spectrum is very broad.

                           
             
Everyone has their different reasons for going into EMS.  I just wanted to do something fun and I am a trauma junkie, so it worked out perfectly!  I was a stay at home mom, had been for 12 years.  When our youngest child went into Kindergarten, I wanted a career. I knew what I wanted to do.  I signed up for classes through a local hospital's EMS education.
                             

                         

  I remember my first day.  I was doing my third rides with a local company in Flint, Mi.  Third rides are when they put you on an ambulance with a crew so you can learn hands on what your job is and what is expected out of you.  Unfortunately, the need for bodies in the seats is greater that a new employee to learn his job properly.  Someone fresh out of EMT school, with the ink still drying on their brand new EMT license will only do two ride alongs until he is cleared for the road.  Even if you are not sure about protocols, how to properly use equipment and not feeling too competent about your EMT skills, it is a sink or swim situation,  Frightening, to say the least.  Even though most of our call volume is doing basic transfers, which consists of  discharges from the hospitals, doctor appointments or dialysis patients,  you still have to know how to deal with the true emergencies like cardiac arrests, O.D's and patients with trouble breathing.   Anyways, back to my first day, we had just brought this very nice gentleman to dialysis.  We had a very nice conversation in the back of the ambulance.  He told me all the highlights of his life in the 20 minute drive.  His wife, his dogs, his house, everything.  We clear that call and go relax at our base for a while.  About an hour passes and we get a call for a cardiac arrest at the same facility.   My heart dropped when we walked in and found it was the gentleman we had taken earlier.  It was very sad scene for myself and my coworkers.   I did chest compression's

the entire way to Hurley while Flint Fire drove our ambulance.  There was four of us in the back trying to save this mans life.  In the end, Hurley pronounced him dead less than 10 minutes after we turned over patient care.  The one very important lesson I learned that day is, no matter what, our dialysis patients are very sick people.  Healthy people do not go to dialysis.  I will never forget his name.  I will never forget that day.
           

              
 
I love my job.  I have worked at several agencies over the years.  There isn't one that was better than the other.  Each company had something valuable to offer.  I walked away with great experiences from all the companies I have worked for.  Usually the best part of my day is my  partner.  You have to have a good relationship with your partner.  If you don't like that person, your day will be miserable.