One Choice that makes a huge impact on success or not…to be or not to be?
Specific ways that managers can encourage ethical behavior is a topic I could discuss in great detail. I currently work for (unnamed) Ambulance service, and I have been there off and on for about 10 years total. I have seen so many changes over the years.
When I first started working at (unnamed ambulance service), it was a hard place to get a job at. You had to know someone important, or be the best employee, that anyone could ever ask for. To work at (ambulance company), you had to jump through so many hoops, have the best resume, best education, and experience really got you brownie points.
Over the past few years, it has went down tremendously. When I first got hired at (unnamed service) in 2014, I had to go through an extensive orientation. I had to sit in a classroom at the ambulance service for 5 days, going over protocols, procedures, and demonstrate my ability to intubate a manequin, under the table, upside down. I’m not exagerating, I’m being completely honest.
I had to be able to tie a string, with one hand to secure my Endotracheal tube, after successful intubation.. This was in a classroom sitting, add this skill to going down the road in the back of an ambulance, or in a less than favorable location, or house, and you have skills. We had to do so many required ambulance ride alongs, and observation hours to be set free. We also had to listen to live radio traffic, with calls being dispatched, and pin point the address that was dispatched on a map.
We had nice button up uniforms, with patches that showed our rank, and certification. We had to have clean, wrinkle free pants, and clean boots, with no scuff marks. We were respected by our peers, and motivated to be the best. We were given rules, and guidelines to make sure the ambulance check off sheet was done before shifts, and fully stocked. When we spoke on the radio, we were to be professional, and do it with pride. In all of these strict guidelines, we were appreciated. The public view of us, was similar to the military. We had supplies we needed, and supported each other. The main kicker was we were supported by our leadership. We were a team with the fire departments, and police officers. We were given our own protocols that were printed off to memorize, and respected by our leadership if we made a decision, and it was seen as unacceptable by anyone else, our opinions were heard before we were chastized so to speak.
All of the respect and intense orientation was what motivated us to be our best, and do our best. Most individuals in emergency medicine, are not there for the money anyway. If you join EMS, genuinely, you are there to help people, and put yourself second. Safety always comes first though, that is drilled in our heads from the beginning of school, or training. Over the years, the ambulance service has went to the dumps. I don’t think it has necessarily been anyone in particular’s fault. We have had some good leaders over the years, that were doing the best with what they had, but I think covid, and burn out from seeing so many deaths, or view of the public’s uneducated opinion has played a huge factor in a lot of EMS’s burnout.
Overworked, by public abuse of the system, and overuse of emergency service, for taxi rides, and Ubers have really caused a huge effect in the loss of funds that has in turn put a strain on the system. Misunderstandings that the ambulance is just a means of transportation, or way to be seen quicker in the ER. Misuse of emergency service by nursing staff, to get imaging, or more diagnostic testing, where the patient is able to walk and tuck themselves in on the stretcher, only to be discharged from the hospital they are transferring them too, a few hours later. Not having enough staff, has become such a problem, that if you can pass a drug test, background check and do some training, you can have a job. Getting a job in a career where you are trusted to make decisions in someone’s lively hood should not be so easy to obtain. Just because you can drive a vehicle, doesn’t mean you should be driving an ambulance.
When did it ever make sense, to pay a float pool more money, to choose when they can and can’t work. If you are paying someone more money to be available when the staffing is low, letting them choose which days and locations they work, doesn’t exactly make sense. If I’m paying you more money than my full-time crews, that are willing to come to work on scheduled days, you should be able to work weekends, and days when I’m low staffed, otherwise why not pay my full-time crews more money, to show appreciation for being at work? It doesn’t make sense. It isn’t ethical. Full-time staff members should never have to pick up extra shifts to make ends meet, when you have a resource pool of employees that are being paid double.
It isn’t ethical. Management should be a job that comes with great responsibility, with some experience that you are able to use to guide rookies, but respect the ones that have been in their position for years longer than some of them have alive. Really, some management positions have been obtained by young staff that didn’t have the background, that some of the older medics had, just because they got the position. I am not saying they aren’t able to perform as managers, but with high responsibility, should come a great understanding, and respect for crews. I feel to be a manager, you must have a strong ethical background, that allows you to relate to your personal experience in the crew that you are leading. When a position to do a job becomes just a number on the list, or roster with a truck number, everything starts going down. The leader shouldn’t sit back with a whip, or commands when they aren’t able to get in and do the dirty work with their crew, on days they are struggling.
Leadership at (unnamed hospital) , from the CEO, to whoever comes next in command, have no idea what the ambulance service does or don’t do, unless they can place some blame somewhere, or find a way to blame the ambulance crew. They don’t know names of employees that have worked their whole life with the company, or crew members that have went above and beyond for the company. They have numbers and names listed by a department title. For months, we have heard rumors of the ambulance service being bought or sold to another company, but when we have asked if it is true, we have been told nothing, or distracted by a vague statement from higher ups. We were told in a group meeting, in a huge auditorium, within the first 60 seconds, that we were transitioning to a new company, with bluntness, that it was the best kept secret, they had for over a year. No regard, in the fact that you just changed so many lives, with no warning that was confirmed, and not only was over 200 crew members not warned, but crew members that have a regular life around an already complicated schedule, that has involved working countless holidays, and sick time, or PTO some of them have built up over the year to use for vacations with their families or surgeries to repair knees, and hips that have been destroyed by putting in hours at their company.
No ethical standpoint, on realizing we are people with kids, and families that we put in hours of work, sometimes more hours in our workplace than with our own families just to make ends meet. Some of my coworkers have put in more than twenty years at our company, to be lied to when we have asked about the rumor of being bought out by another service. While the new service offers us so much more than we have been offered, so many employees are loosing their sick time, and PTO, that they have earned, Absolutely unethical, in my opinion. The new company taken over has came in and offered everyone health benefits that we don’t have to wait the grace period, and recognizing our tenure, on starting to obtain their benefits. We are getting uniforms that are supplied, and respect. I have emailed the new company a few times now, and been able to get a response back quickly, whereas at (ambulance company), I am just a number on a list of employees, sometimes I wait weeks to get a response. I walk in to human resources, to ask questions about benefits and was given a print out of how my benefits will cease. I have already been given more respect with the new company of a personal business card, with email address and phone number should I have concerns or questions. My point in all of this is saying, management and ethical behavior can play a huge impact on your employees, and whether the business with succeed or fail.
Stitches of My Heart 