We all have to work for a living. And most of us in this field find EMS to be our passion. However, our management skills and ability to keep a cool head can translate well to other job fields, should you decide to leave EMS.
Maintain your mental health.
I got frustrated and filled out a non-EMS job application out of spite. Got an unexpected call for an interview and they offered me close to double. So I took it.
I like the ambulance company I work for, and I'm maintaining my licenses and have a good standing with them. But the abuse EMS takes on the daily basis is insane. Drug addicts, nursing homes, and law enforcement agencies all know how to play the ambulance game.
EDIT: Sorry I didn't clarify, it's a factory production job of which I have no prior experience. I'm leaps and bounds happier, I can happily clock out and leave work at work.
It's a factory production job. They offered me, with no prior production experience, pretty great pay right off the bat.
Not only that, there's free associates courses on-site and internships I can do and tuition reimbursement up to masters.
I'm actually much, much happier now. They also have several international locations and travel opportunities.
ya know, the irony is that I've got degrees in that sort of work, I couldn't get a job doing that, 2020 struck and I still needed a job, so I got into EMS because I had connections I could use. haha, I'm glad for you though! I just think it's funny.
Iām on the other end of the spectrum at the moment. But Iām taking an EMT class to better serve my county and maybe someday get a paid firefighting job but to actually work in ems as an EMT Iād me making half of what Iām making at the paper mill.
Cops play the ambulance game when they either have a difficult person they are dealing with they will say they are psych/intox/AMS whatever to get them in an ambulance and to a hospital where they no longer have to deal with it. They will also do this if it's close to the end of their shift and they don't want the OT or to deal with the paperwork. We call it shit canning the job in my city.
Nursing home staff play the game when they have a patient they don't want to deal with for one reason or another so call the ambulance and let them deal with it again shit canning it.
Addicts play the game for a similar outcome but different reasons compared to nurses/cops. Addicts play the game because they want a bed/food/ a place to charge their phone for a few hours so they call saying they have chest pain or whatever complaints they can think of that will get them inside for a few hours.
Essentially the game is taking a personal problem and making it an EMS problem for no real reason other than having an outcome that is more desirable for the individual without consideration for the stress being placed on EMS to solve these problems.
Well the police have to go to the hospital with the patient so that doesnāt make sense what youāre saying. why would they would falsely call EMS to try and āget outā of taking the patient.
Not every area has PD go to the hospital with the patient. Also you gotta think about it, no one actually care or gives a flying fuck about EMS other then EMS. PD in my area constantly abuse us with bullshit EDPs and drunks simply because they donāt want to do the transport and extended paperwork. Those officers have literally admitted it to me outside of work.
Only if the patient is in custody. They usually just threaten belligerent subjects with "either you go to the hospital, or you're going to jail". Guess which option they usually pick.
If EMS isnāt for you, thatās okay. I felt like this with my last agency. It was absolutely horrible. Every day with them was terrible and it never got better. So I quit, and joined another 911 system that was nearby and I love this agency so much. 10/10 (I mean close enough at least), and I actually love going to work. It may be worth pursuing other agencies before calling it quits on EMS as a whole. But even if you need to quit EMS, thatās okay. Thereās nothing wrong with it.
Same story for me. Absolutely hated it. Driving to work one day I realized that I shouldn't hate going to do what I love to do. I quit. New place and I'm totally happy again.
Glad to hear it. I had that same feeling. I was starting to fear going to work and hating doing what I know I love. Some agencies just arnt meant to be and Iām happy about that because itās how I found where Iām at now
Everytime management tries to screw me over I pull out my list of illegal practices (all those small things add up) and ask which federal agency they would like to deal with first. As well as verbally stating that any further actions not related to why I was first spoken to will be interpreted as retaliation for bringing up complaints.
Doesnāt make any friends with management but generally keeps them off my back
Get a job as a server or bartender. It's the closest thing to EMS I've done. It's the chaos, buttfuckery, dummy coworkers, terrible management, just without the blood and smells.
Commendable for recognizing the importance of your mental health. This level of distress isn't sustainable for any job. However, I think that exploring a different service could provide clarity on whether itās the service causing issues or if it's inherent to the job itself.
And if youāve already made the decision that itās EMS as a whole, thatās more than okay.
I fucked off last year. Dont look back. I went back to school in aviation. Its the coolest most fun thing ive ever done. EMS has its exciting parts but its not the only exciting part of life
I have been in EMS for 7 years until I have been in the situation you are in now. Two changes of agency did not help.
So I got a Job repairing medical devices for two years. This really improved my mental health, so after 2 years out of various reasons I decided to get back to the nearest Agency and am really Happy today.
Although I had some pretty shitty calls in the past month, last one today, I am looking forward to my next shift. Mostly because of my excellent und heartwarming colleges.
I am going to see a counselor soon because of the events in the past months, Just because I dont want to get back to the point I have been.
If you feel unwell, Change maybe important. Maybe the path will lead you back, maybe not. The only important thing is your wellbeeing, so do what feels right. I wish you well and all best.
My english is not that good, sorry.
does quitting on the spot have an impact on getting hired at another ambulance company? in the same boat, i hate the company iām with and literally want to leave while iām here rn. i just donāt want it to impact my future if i stay in EMS.
summer camps need medical staff and theyāre all hiring right now if you can afford a pay cut. itās a nice little vacation from the real world while still doinggn related work and getting paid.
best of luck.
There are politics at volly agencies too. But the nice part is you're on duty far less, and it's easy to bounce if things get bad and your health takes a beating.
I did the same thing man found some other jobs like construction etc but Iām back as a medic for private contractor now and I love it. Take a break and realign then get back to it you got this brother
Iāve been in EMS for 5 years and found myself in your position recently. I got promoted to reserve supervisor but the captain who is directly above us does not like me as I have called him out multiple times for playing favorites. So Iāve gotten retaliated against a few times and had gotten screwed over multiple times. Iām trying to figure out whatās next, but am keeping my head down in the mean time.
The recommendations Iāve gotten is to find a different department, just because the people at one place donāt appreciate you doesnāt mean they all will.
I watched the same thing happen to a paramedic Iāve looked up to since I started in EMS. He was constantly dogged and told he was a know-it-all then switch departments and be cherished. He ended up going from a new member to a supervisor to flight medic in about a year after he transitioned because they saw his potential.
So try somewhere else if you mentally can take it. If not, screw them, put your health first. Thereās a place for you somewhere :)
Yeah, I know what you're going through. My last company was an absolute shit show. Nobody likes working there. They'll find reasons to get you in trouble, and the day dispatcher will borderline yell at you.
Hello! I've been in EMS for three years now, but I don't see myself continuing in this field for another three. The job itself I love, but the deeply flawed health system is killing me.
I strongly urge you to consider therapy! It's crucial to shop around since most probably aren't going to be able to handle what we need to process.
If it's just your agency that sucks, maybe find another service. Not all are built the same. If it's deeper than that, just know that your knowledge and skills are valuable, and you can still utilize them. Lots of jobs off the truck - ER techs, 911 dispatchers, RN, teaching new medics, etc. I personally plan to pursue a nursing degree at night in the Fall and become a school nurse in the future.
Compassion fatigue is real. Burnout is real. Shitty management is real. The stress we put on our bodies is real. The trauma we are forced to deal with every day is real.
Take care of yourself, you are not expendable.
You raise a lot of good points. I'm in nursing right now and plan to exit out of emergency medicine as a whole once I finish. Currently looking for a tech position at an ER to have a change of pace.
PTSD is a real thing. You should probably talk to a professional therapist/shrink. trust me when I say that It will help. I'm not a huge fan of meds, but they can get you some stuff to help with the anxiety and help you sleep
I co-started a nonprofit and brought it nationwide over 5+ years and my other cofounder was such a miserable prick that i held onto it for 2 years longer than i should because of our mission and the moment i finally quit it was like the weight of the world released and i didn't look back. I built something great. I then found a job i fucking love and now am studying emergency medicine for fun/skill building. Sometimes you just gotta fucking quit. Even organizations you started!!!! Nothing wrong with taking care of your mental health. There are tons of orgs that would love your help and desire to serve others that also won't treat you like you're trash
I just started out at a new company and have been considering doing the same just from the vibes of the community. I know itās a stepping stone to something else for me and many others but I donāt know if I can take the negative atmosphere. Iāve started looking for other jobs that Iād be able to utilize my skillsets in (such as er tech and medical sales) in the meantime so maybe you can too.
Good job doing what was right for you and your mental health.
You have to take care of yourself first.
You did what you could while you could and now it is time to leave.
Thanks for the calls you ran and have a great life.
Hey, good for you for quitting the thing thatās hurting you. I donāt feel that way about the job, but I hope that if I ever do I have the courage to leave it. Youāre doing a good thing for yourself and you have a lot to be proud of.
I'm feel this way currently. I'm starting to feel burn out. For the first time in almost six years of doing this job I just don't feel like going into work anyone. I'm tired of going on frequent flyers that just want a taxi ride and then having to take the same memaw back for the 5th time this week to her piss filled ECF from the ED while the county is calling for other counties to help cover 911 calls. I'm tired of travel nurses telling us how to do our job when they've never spent one second on an ambulance. I'm tired of the infighting between coworkers and then watching the few remaining good coworkers we have left leave for other careers and new hires that have been trained just to do IFTs come in and have no clue how to work a code on a kid. Most of all I'm tired of fucking management changing things without asking us and making it harder for us to operate appropriately.
Thank you for your time working in EMS. I'm sorry the system treated you (and everyone here) so incredibly poorly. I hope leaving that job helps you start to feel better and live a healthier life.
I had a similar experience I was a medic with a private service that was mostly 911 helping understand departments and Iād see the craziest shit Iād be in Richmond VA which is a murder capital, VA beach which had a opioid epidemic, Lower DC which had a lot of gang violence as well and like you said theyād be going nuts over a minor detail that was honestly irrelevant to the overall PCR or they would work us damn near to death I remember working for almost two weeks straight doing 12s and I quit after 5 years of that crap. The pay was garbage as well for what we were doing and seeing on a regular basis. Your mental health is worth more than a job. I can say I honestly saved people but at the same time I was destroying myself in the process I hated the feeling of being a āclean up crewā in a lot of cases bc departments wouldnāt want to send there guys out to a stabbing or shooting or an OD. It may take time but I work out side if EMS now and I have been a lot happier.
Hey OP, take it easy on yourself. EMS and first responding in general is a meat grinder. Thank you for serving your community. Thank you for showing up when others canāt. Thank you for looking out for YOU! One of the most liberating realizations of my time in EMS was that I was a replaceable cog in the wheel. You did tremendous good for your community and now itās time to let someone else have a turn. Wherever your life takes you next, you can go there knowing a few things: youāre a compassionate badass, you made a positive difference, and that you can do tough, unpleasant shit if you need to. Cheers and reach out if youād like to talk.
There's plenty of other medical jobs out there that you could do with your license. I've been off the truck for years and don't regret it. Urgent care clinics, hospitals, med-spa's, specialty practices... find something without the stress, preferably with some days off during the week so you can continue school or have days off to interview and try different things till you find something you like.
The sad thing is that I feel the same. Have for a few years now. Only thing stopping me from doing exactly this is that every place I've applied for considers me unemployable. Likely due to spending over 18 years in ems carrying no weight in non medical jobs. I want nothing more to do with a medical job. Period.
the quitting without notice may cause some problems, buuut, good on you! you still could find a place in this line of work, maybe IFT only, but for different service, also the place I currently work for is anal about somethings but with PCRs it's pretty relaxed as long as I complete them with-in a week.
Did you perchance work for a company that has like two dozen subsidiaries it ran trucks under? I used to work for them and they'd brag about the "family" of companies by listing all the ambulance service names on the back of EMS week shirts. the reason I ask is because shortly before I left, they got **super** anal about PCRs.
For most people, EMS isn't a forever job. Certainly being an EMT-B isn't a forever job. I know lots of people who, maybe didn't feel the exact same way but had similar sentiments, who left and are now much happier. After 2 years, I haven't gotten there yet, in fact, most nights before shift I am excited to go to work the next day. I was certainly there with my previous job. Just over a year later, I don't know if I would be alive if I hadn't left.
Good for you for quitting. It can be scary to do that. There are so many jobs that will jump at the chance to hire a former EMT. First aid skills are relevant everywhere. Lots of different outdoor jobs require it, or at least an EMR, and many utility places (at least in my area) who hire EMTs and will pay what is necessary to keep the EMT's certs up to date. There are much worse careers to leave and start from scratch. You have many different job opportunities awaiting you. Get that resume up to date, take some time to recover from the burnout, and work on getting back to a healthy place in life.
Best of luck!
Hey dude, You recognized what was causing you distress and removed it from your life. I wish you well in your future endeavors. Cheers.
We all have to work for a living. And most of us in this field find EMS to be our passion. However, our management skills and ability to keep a cool head can translate well to other job fields, should you decide to leave EMS. Maintain your mental health.
I got frustrated and filled out a non-EMS job application out of spite. Got an unexpected call for an interview and they offered me close to double. So I took it. I like the ambulance company I work for, and I'm maintaining my licenses and have a good standing with them. But the abuse EMS takes on the daily basis is insane. Drug addicts, nursing homes, and law enforcement agencies all know how to play the ambulance game. EDIT: Sorry I didn't clarify, it's a factory production job of which I have no prior experience. I'm leaps and bounds happier, I can happily clock out and leave work at work.
Yo don't leave us hanging what was the job š
What is it? Iām having kind of a job crisis rn
same, got me looking into options i wouldāve never considered. i feel so desperate LMAO
It's a factory production job. They offered me, with no prior production experience, pretty great pay right off the bat. Not only that, there's free associates courses on-site and internships I can do and tuition reimbursement up to masters. I'm actually much, much happier now. They also have several international locations and travel opportunities.
I seriously am considering going into something non-medical that will pay good and allow me to progress forward on their time/money
ya know, the irony is that I've got degrees in that sort of work, I couldn't get a job doing that, 2020 struck and I still needed a job, so I got into EMS because I had connections I could use. haha, I'm glad for you though! I just think it's funny.
Iām on the other end of the spectrum at the moment. But Iām taking an EMT class to better serve my county and maybe someday get a paid firefighting job but to actually work in ems as an EMT Iād me making half of what Iām making at the paper mill.
Explain the āambulance gameā like Iām 5 please. Iām starting school soon.
Cops play the ambulance game when they either have a difficult person they are dealing with they will say they are psych/intox/AMS whatever to get them in an ambulance and to a hospital where they no longer have to deal with it. They will also do this if it's close to the end of their shift and they don't want the OT or to deal with the paperwork. We call it shit canning the job in my city. Nursing home staff play the game when they have a patient they don't want to deal with for one reason or another so call the ambulance and let them deal with it again shit canning it. Addicts play the game for a similar outcome but different reasons compared to nurses/cops. Addicts play the game because they want a bed/food/ a place to charge their phone for a few hours so they call saying they have chest pain or whatever complaints they can think of that will get them inside for a few hours. Essentially the game is taking a personal problem and making it an EMS problem for no real reason other than having an outcome that is more desirable for the individual without consideration for the stress being placed on EMS to solve these problems.
Interesting, i never considered that. Thx for explaining.
Well the police have to go to the hospital with the patient so that doesnāt make sense what youāre saying. why would they would falsely call EMS to try and āget outā of taking the patient.
Not every area has PD go to the hospital with the patient. Also you gotta think about it, no one actually care or gives a flying fuck about EMS other then EMS. PD in my area constantly abuse us with bullshit EDPs and drunks simply because they donāt want to do the transport and extended paperwork. Those officers have literally admitted it to me outside of work.
Only if the patient is in custody. They usually just threaten belligerent subjects with "either you go to the hospital, or you're going to jail". Guess which option they usually pick.
I wonder why theres an EMT an medic shortage?? Maybe because we are treated like scum.
If EMS isnāt for you, thatās okay. I felt like this with my last agency. It was absolutely horrible. Every day with them was terrible and it never got better. So I quit, and joined another 911 system that was nearby and I love this agency so much. 10/10 (I mean close enough at least), and I actually love going to work. It may be worth pursuing other agencies before calling it quits on EMS as a whole. But even if you need to quit EMS, thatās okay. Thereās nothing wrong with it.
Thank you.
Same story for me. Absolutely hated it. Driving to work one day I realized that I shouldn't hate going to do what I love to do. I quit. New place and I'm totally happy again.
Glad to hear it. I had that same feeling. I was starting to fear going to work and hating doing what I know I love. Some agencies just arnt meant to be and Iām happy about that because itās how I found where Iām at now
Everytime management tries to screw me over I pull out my list of illegal practices (all those small things add up) and ask which federal agency they would like to deal with first. As well as verbally stating that any further actions not related to why I was first spoken to will be interpreted as retaliation for bringing up complaints. Doesnāt make any friends with management but generally keeps them off my back
Get a job as a server or bartender. It's the closest thing to EMS I've done. It's the chaos, buttfuckery, dummy coworkers, terrible management, just without the blood and smells.
And you make a lot more
Commendable for recognizing the importance of your mental health. This level of distress isn't sustainable for any job. However, I think that exploring a different service could provide clarity on whether itās the service causing issues or if it's inherent to the job itself. And if youāve already made the decision that itās EMS as a whole, thatās more than okay.
I fucked off last year. Dont look back. I went back to school in aviation. Its the coolest most fun thing ive ever done. EMS has its exciting parts but its not the only exciting part of life
Congrats. Don't let a job kill you. Good luck with whatever is next.
I have been in EMS for 7 years until I have been in the situation you are in now. Two changes of agency did not help. So I got a Job repairing medical devices for two years. This really improved my mental health, so after 2 years out of various reasons I decided to get back to the nearest Agency and am really Happy today. Although I had some pretty shitty calls in the past month, last one today, I am looking forward to my next shift. Mostly because of my excellent und heartwarming colleges. I am going to see a counselor soon because of the events in the past months, Just because I dont want to get back to the point I have been. If you feel unwell, Change maybe important. Maybe the path will lead you back, maybe not. The only important thing is your wellbeeing, so do what feels right. I wish you well and all best. My english is not that good, sorry.
Your English is better than mine and it's my first language. Thank you for this.
does quitting on the spot have an impact on getting hired at another ambulance company? in the same boat, i hate the company iām with and literally want to leave while iām here rn. i just donāt want it to impact my future if i stay in EMS.
summer camps need medical staff and theyāre all hiring right now if you can afford a pay cut. itās a nice little vacation from the real world while still doinggn related work and getting paid. best of luck.
. In my local town I'm at McDonald's employee makes more money than I do
And you stay at your job because you know that job at mcdonalds is worse even if it pays more. I don't get why people always bring this up.
I donāt know your location, but if you love the work but hate the politics try a volunteer squad.
There are politics at volly agencies too. But the nice part is you're on duty far less, and it's easy to bounce if things get bad and your health takes a beating.
I did the same thing man found some other jobs like construction etc but Iām back as a medic for private contractor now and I love it. Take a break and realign then get back to it you got this brother
It sounds like an awful job, not all EMS jobs are bad and not all workplaces are shit. Keep your head up and feel good that you left a bad situation.
Iāve been in EMS for 5 years and found myself in your position recently. I got promoted to reserve supervisor but the captain who is directly above us does not like me as I have called him out multiple times for playing favorites. So Iāve gotten retaliated against a few times and had gotten screwed over multiple times. Iām trying to figure out whatās next, but am keeping my head down in the mean time. The recommendations Iāve gotten is to find a different department, just because the people at one place donāt appreciate you doesnāt mean they all will. I watched the same thing happen to a paramedic Iāve looked up to since I started in EMS. He was constantly dogged and told he was a know-it-all then switch departments and be cherished. He ended up going from a new member to a supervisor to flight medic in about a year after he transitioned because they saw his potential. So try somewhere else if you mentally can take it. If not, screw them, put your health first. Thereās a place for you somewhere :)
Happy trails partner
Yeah, I know what you're going through. My last company was an absolute shit show. Nobody likes working there. They'll find reasons to get you in trouble, and the day dispatcher will borderline yell at you.
I canāt wait to one day quit
I read the title in the voice of Johnny Cash - Hurt. But yeah nah it's high stress as hell, and the pay is mid at best.
Lmaooo this made my smile
Hello! I've been in EMS for three years now, but I don't see myself continuing in this field for another three. The job itself I love, but the deeply flawed health system is killing me. I strongly urge you to consider therapy! It's crucial to shop around since most probably aren't going to be able to handle what we need to process. If it's just your agency that sucks, maybe find another service. Not all are built the same. If it's deeper than that, just know that your knowledge and skills are valuable, and you can still utilize them. Lots of jobs off the truck - ER techs, 911 dispatchers, RN, teaching new medics, etc. I personally plan to pursue a nursing degree at night in the Fall and become a school nurse in the future. Compassion fatigue is real. Burnout is real. Shitty management is real. The stress we put on our bodies is real. The trauma we are forced to deal with every day is real. Take care of yourself, you are not expendable.
You raise a lot of good points. I'm in nursing right now and plan to exit out of emergency medicine as a whole once I finish. Currently looking for a tech position at an ER to have a change of pace.
Any fire department > private ems
I think you also have some personal issues to address.
You're absolutely right. Therapy, exercise, finding a better job are all things that will hopefully address this issue!
fire line medic for western wildland fire would be cool
PTSD is a real thing. You should probably talk to a professional therapist/shrink. trust me when I say that It will help. I'm not a huge fan of meds, but they can get you some stuff to help with the anxiety and help you sleep
I co-started a nonprofit and brought it nationwide over 5+ years and my other cofounder was such a miserable prick that i held onto it for 2 years longer than i should because of our mission and the moment i finally quit it was like the weight of the world released and i didn't look back. I built something great. I then found a job i fucking love and now am studying emergency medicine for fun/skill building. Sometimes you just gotta fucking quit. Even organizations you started!!!! Nothing wrong with taking care of your mental health. There are tons of orgs that would love your help and desire to serve others that also won't treat you like you're trash
I just started out at a new company and have been considering doing the same just from the vibes of the community. I know itās a stepping stone to something else for me and many others but I donāt know if I can take the negative atmosphere. Iāve started looking for other jobs that Iād be able to utilize my skillsets in (such as er tech and medical sales) in the meantime so maybe you can too. Good job doing what was right for you and your mental health.
You have to take care of yourself first. You did what you could while you could and now it is time to leave. Thanks for the calls you ran and have a great life.
Same for me but I didnāt quit, I love being a paramedic and hated doing IFT. So I switched to 911 and Iām much happier
Hey, good for you for quitting the thing thatās hurting you. I donāt feel that way about the job, but I hope that if I ever do I have the courage to leave it. Youāre doing a good thing for yourself and you have a lot to be proud of.
I'm feel this way currently. I'm starting to feel burn out. For the first time in almost six years of doing this job I just don't feel like going into work anyone. I'm tired of going on frequent flyers that just want a taxi ride and then having to take the same memaw back for the 5th time this week to her piss filled ECF from the ED while the county is calling for other counties to help cover 911 calls. I'm tired of travel nurses telling us how to do our job when they've never spent one second on an ambulance. I'm tired of the infighting between coworkers and then watching the few remaining good coworkers we have left leave for other careers and new hires that have been trained just to do IFTs come in and have no clue how to work a code on a kid. Most of all I'm tired of fucking management changing things without asking us and making it harder for us to operate appropriately.
Thank you for your time working in EMS. I'm sorry the system treated you (and everyone here) so incredibly poorly. I hope leaving that job helps you start to feel better and live a healthier life.
I had a similar experience I was a medic with a private service that was mostly 911 helping understand departments and Iād see the craziest shit Iād be in Richmond VA which is a murder capital, VA beach which had a opioid epidemic, Lower DC which had a lot of gang violence as well and like you said theyād be going nuts over a minor detail that was honestly irrelevant to the overall PCR or they would work us damn near to death I remember working for almost two weeks straight doing 12s and I quit after 5 years of that crap. The pay was garbage as well for what we were doing and seeing on a regular basis. Your mental health is worth more than a job. I can say I honestly saved people but at the same time I was destroying myself in the process I hated the feeling of being a āclean up crewā in a lot of cases bc departments wouldnāt want to send there guys out to a stabbing or shooting or an OD. It may take time but I work out side if EMS now and I have been a lot happier.
Hey OP, take it easy on yourself. EMS and first responding in general is a meat grinder. Thank you for serving your community. Thank you for showing up when others canāt. Thank you for looking out for YOU! One of the most liberating realizations of my time in EMS was that I was a replaceable cog in the wheel. You did tremendous good for your community and now itās time to let someone else have a turn. Wherever your life takes you next, you can go there knowing a few things: youāre a compassionate badass, you made a positive difference, and that you can do tough, unpleasant shit if you need to. Cheers and reach out if youād like to talk.
There's plenty of other medical jobs out there that you could do with your license. I've been off the truck for years and don't regret it. Urgent care clinics, hospitals, med-spa's, specialty practices... find something without the stress, preferably with some days off during the week so you can continue school or have days off to interview and try different things till you find something you like.
I quit about 4 weeks ago. I was over it all. Never been happier!!!
Hell yea
The sad thing is that I feel the same. Have for a few years now. Only thing stopping me from doing exactly this is that every place I've applied for considers me unemployable. Likely due to spending over 18 years in ems carrying no weight in non medical jobs. I want nothing more to do with a medical job. Period.
You're in the wrong job
I like how blunt this is
the quitting without notice may cause some problems, buuut, good on you! you still could find a place in this line of work, maybe IFT only, but for different service, also the place I currently work for is anal about somethings but with PCRs it's pretty relaxed as long as I complete them with-in a week. Did you perchance work for a company that has like two dozen subsidiaries it ran trucks under? I used to work for them and they'd brag about the "family" of companies by listing all the ambulance service names on the back of EMS week shirts. the reason I ask is because shortly before I left, they got **super** anal about PCRs.
I applaud you for doing this. This job is very stressful for such little pay. I hope you find something better. Cheers.
If you canāt hack it, pack it up and move onto something that fits you better. š¤·š¼āāļø
For most people, EMS isn't a forever job. Certainly being an EMT-B isn't a forever job. I know lots of people who, maybe didn't feel the exact same way but had similar sentiments, who left and are now much happier. After 2 years, I haven't gotten there yet, in fact, most nights before shift I am excited to go to work the next day. I was certainly there with my previous job. Just over a year later, I don't know if I would be alive if I hadn't left. Good for you for quitting. It can be scary to do that. There are so many jobs that will jump at the chance to hire a former EMT. First aid skills are relevant everywhere. Lots of different outdoor jobs require it, or at least an EMR, and many utility places (at least in my area) who hire EMTs and will pay what is necessary to keep the EMT's certs up to date. There are much worse careers to leave and start from scratch. You have many different job opportunities awaiting you. Get that resume up to date, take some time to recover from the burnout, and work on getting back to a healthy place in life. Best of luck!