So true. Got a call the other day "3yoF fell from chair, bleeding from mouth. PD restraining mother. PD backup en route for rest of family. Possible weapons on scene. Hold short for PD clear." (Uh, oh no.) Cancelled en route. (Yes!)
When we get posted near a park or some other pretty secluded place on a nice day out where it's not too hot or cold. I like to sit on the back of the ambulance and kick my boots off, sometimes my socks as well.
I like little notes from prior crews. Had a good run of that for a few months. Little happy notes written on a 4x4, or a glove inflated with a face drawn on it, stuff like that. It was cute and sweet.
Personally I like when the gas tank is just about half. Gives me enough gas to do calls but if we get posted out to a more undesirable station we can ask dispatch to send us to get gas nearby then sometimes they forget about the previous posting and send us back home
Playing cards with my crew. This one game we play is fast paced and competitive, and we usually end up yelling at each other. We get so worked up, we start laughing and tell each other how idiotic each other are and it just makes my day. Those are the days I really love being at work.
It goes by several names, but we call it Nertz. It's like a group speed solitaire. You can find the rules online and you only need several decks of regular playing cards.
For as much as everyone hates it I adore doing the community outreach stuff. Open houses of the station, flowing water for the kids, letting the kids play in our bus during homedays. So stupid but I love doing that stuff
When dispatch says you're late to a discharge, you get on scene and the nurses are shocked you're 90 min early, then you get to play on your phone for an hour while you wait for the pt to get ready.
Best part is when dispatch calls to bitch at you and you tell them if you hadn't been sent early you probably could have squeezed in an extra run.
Community outreach and public education. Idk why most people hate it, nothing makes me happier than letting kids hop up in the truck and ask a bunch of questions, and giving them coloring books and tattoos. That's how I fell in love with EMS, and I never grew out of it!
When I’m driving in a neighborhood and there are kids outside watching us, and I flick on the lights for a sec and chirp the siren. Instant happiness for them
When you work with someone who isn’t going to be pissed off all day, pouting and trying to calculate that some other rig is .2 miles closer then we are to a call and screaming at dispatch all day.
When your actually at the station long enough for Netflix to ask “are you still watching”
Happened to me twice one day
When you get a call that’s totally going to hold you over, but then everything goes right and you get out on time.
That happened to me today really made me smile
When there's sherbert in the hospital freezer
Green or orange
Yellow
The yellow sherbet in the round clear plastic cups are the best.
subpar but not bad
Getting canceled en route
After you’re on air so you get the callback OT. Rural things man!
People ask me what's my favorite kind of call? I answer "Canceled by fire"
So true. Got a call the other day "3yoF fell from chair, bleeding from mouth. PD restraining mother. PD backup en route for rest of family. Possible weapons on scene. Hold short for PD clear." (Uh, oh no.) Cancelled en route. (Yes!)
Good Spo2 pleth and when the 12 lead prints a clean 12 lead the first try without an excessive noise alert. Maybe it’s just my lifepak
Oh man this is a good one
I've never seen a clean 12 with a Zoll. Be thankful you got a LP.
When we get posted near a park or some other pretty secluded place on a nice day out where it's not too hot or cold. I like to sit on the back of the ambulance and kick my boots off, sometimes my socks as well.
I like little notes from prior crews. Had a good run of that for a few months. Little happy notes written on a 4x4, or a glove inflated with a face drawn on it, stuff like that. It was cute and sweet.
Gas tank is full
Personally I like when the gas tank is just about half. Gives me enough gas to do calls but if we get posted out to a more undesirable station we can ask dispatch to send us to get gas nearby then sometimes they forget about the previous posting and send us back home
Playing cards with my crew. This one game we play is fast paced and competitive, and we usually end up yelling at each other. We get so worked up, we start laughing and tell each other how idiotic each other are and it just makes my day. Those are the days I really love being at work.
Ok I gotta know what this card game is!
It goes by several names, but we call it Nertz. It's like a group speed solitaire. You can find the rules online and you only need several decks of regular playing cards.
I’d guess Uno, they must be arguing over if you can or can’t not play a +2 on a +2.
I'm in the camp that you absolutely can.
“Caller advises they are going pov, you can cancel”
For as much as everyone hates it I adore doing the community outreach stuff. Open houses of the station, flowing water for the kids, letting the kids play in our bus during homedays. So stupid but I love doing that stuff
I love community outreach too. We’ve done so much more since I took over the responsibility on my department.
When dispatch says you're late to a discharge, you get on scene and the nurses are shocked you're 90 min early, then you get to play on your phone for an hour while you wait for the pt to get ready. Best part is when dispatch calls to bitch at you and you tell them if you hadn't been sent early you probably could have squeezed in an extra run.
It can never be the fault of dispatch, they never do anything wrong! /s
When everyone eats dinner together. That’s always a good shift
When the VA actually buzzes us in on time when we pull up to the ER entrance
when the truck’s ac works
Community outreach and public education. Idk why most people hate it, nothing makes me happier than letting kids hop up in the truck and ask a bunch of questions, and giving them coloring books and tattoos. That's how I fell in love with EMS, and I never grew out of it!
"Patient going in police custody."
Getting a high five from a kid is always a good day.
When I see our local stray cat at station. He cruises the local businesses but lives in our lot.
Reading protocols
When the linens on the truck are folded neatly and not just thrown in higgledy-piggledy.
When I don’t have to write and incident report I get happy.
When I’m driving in a neighborhood and there are kids outside watching us, and I flick on the lights for a sec and chirp the siren. Instant happiness for them
When you work with someone who isn’t going to be pissed off all day, pouting and trying to calculate that some other rig is .2 miles closer then we are to a call and screaming at dispatch all day.
The shift that only had one call and it was a refusal when normal call volume is 8-12, plus several standbys around the county, and at least one LDT.
Ripping high acuity load and go calls in a BLS van. Something about it just feels right
Using a Lifepack instead of a Zoll makes me really happy.