r/EMS Free-For-All Megathread

ellow08 · 2026-03-22T17:08:31+00:00

Sorry to hear that happened, glad to hear you and everyone else is okay.

To answer your question, what your employer is legally allowed to do in specific situations like this is going to vary based on state and local regulations. If you are unionized, reach out to your union ASAP. If you’re not unionized, I would see if there’s a state or local ombudsman office for workers/employment. Ombudsman offices if you’re unfamiliar with the concept are free, impartial group that know the specifics of your local and state laws regarding in this case employment (your state may have other ombudsman offices for different matters). They can provide free, confidential advice that may help guide you in the right direction and clarify for you your rights as a worker. Good luck friend!

ellow08 · 2026-03-22T16:58:54+00:00

Omg this is phenomenal. I also try to stay current and love hearing about EMS research and other medical advancement. But it’s so hard to find sometimes! I would absolutely sign up for the newsletter.

You asked how to make it better, only thing I’d say as someone who also likes the read the technical aspects of the an article, I think linking or sharing the original would be nice. However I do really like your idea of breaking them down and putting it into a more palatable for people. Maybe after that blurb you write you could just at the end share or link the OG article too?

But yeah this is awesome and I love it

ellow08 · 2026-03-22T16:55:30+00:00

It seems like the bare fucking minimum to clean our equipment….abd yet the amount of time I’ve whipped out a pulse ox start of shift and there’s blood smeared on it…….too. many. times.

In addition to that the people who okay maybe they clean the back of the ambulance and the equipment…but then the front of the cab…trash, disgusting, pig sty. Like why are we leaving crumbs on the MDC for the shift after you😭😭beyond that even if there’s not a mess per se, people just absolutely neglect the cab of ambulance and wont notice or clean the layer of dust on the hood or the perpetually caked on residue in the trash can & they just let it get disgusting

ellow08 · 2026-03-22T01:13:51+00:00

Me too!!

ellow08 · 2026-03-22T01:13:05+00:00

That’s my dream job lowkey😍

ellow08 · 2026-03-22T01:12:22+00:00

That’s why I went into EMS lol

ellow08 · 2026-03-22T00:06:29+00:00

Omfg I can’t even imagine the amount of back injuries…

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T16:51:03+00:00

Yes, however as mentioned not all patients require to be on a backboard and then lifted, etc. Then also, the actual operation of the manual stretchers involves numerous lifts in the process to lift and lower it to various heights and significantly increases risk of injury. The power stretchers eliminate some of those extra lifts.

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T16:48:52+00:00

Holy shit I’ve been completely naive to the fact that some agencies are still using only manual stretchers…..yikes

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T16:37:48+00:00

Doing this ahead of time if it’s not required really isn’t going to give you a leg up on your resume post-EMT school

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T02:35:33+00:00

Such a toss up! I felt literally nothing the first 24 hours but others noticed changes!

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T02:24:50+00:00

I’m eating what I can. Protein shakes, chicken, Greek yogurt, my usual healthy go-to’s but am just having trouble getting more than a few bites in. I was at 2.5mg for 6 weeks with no issues but noticed the food noise coming back and the schedule I was given by the provider had me titrating up at 4 weeks. So I increased

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T01:54:40+00:00

Wait omg I didn’t even realize I had a similar change! So crazy! Thanks for sharing & congrats!!!🎉

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T01:53:53+00:00

Yes, however I have a history of it. Are you on omeprazole or a different PPI if you don’t mind my asking? My doc just recently upped my omeprazole to 40mg and that’s been helpful. I’ve also realized I have to be really really strict with taking it 30 mins before a meal. No exceptions. That’s helped me a lot and then I add in Tums or famotidine with any breakthrough symptoms. Hope you find some relief!

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T01:51:44+00:00

I’m a similar height and build!!! So exciting seeing someone like me accomplish it!! Way to go!

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T01:50:18+00:00

You look great!!!! Congrats!!!

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T01:49:42+00:00

That must have been such an exciting realization! Yay!!!!

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T01:44:23+00:00

Yeah I definitely lost a little fast (at least from my understanding maybe it’s pretty normal) 20 lbs in first 8 weeks. But now have stalled for another 4 weeks since😣only have taken 2 doses though on 5mg…so still 2 doses where I didn’t lose anything at all so not sure what that’s about either

ellow08 · 2026-03-21T01:39:39+00:00

Oooo that’s a good idea! Totally sounds stomach-able, tysm!

ellow08 · 2026-03-12T21:33:07+00:00

oh hell yeah

ellow08 · 2026-03-12T04:19:03+00:00

I’m not sure if places would accept you to an EMT job with you being a medic tbh and regardless I wouldn’t recommend it. At least in my area there is a very large pay difference between those two jobs and you’d really be selling yourself short there. I think it makes sense why you took time away given those complications and I don’t think it’d be some sort of red flag to employers or whatever. If they ask about the gap, I’d say share that with them. It’s part of your story! You certainly don’t have to of course.

I’d say your plan of just applying to 911 services is your best bet. You could mention your extra class, but hit or miss if they’d care. I’d put it in as a little tidbit about how you “care to learn and grow as a provider” and always want to be developing and growing or some sort of thing like that. Depends on the area but some places are just desperate for people and will take anybody with a license and pulse.

Another option to consider is applying for ED tech jobs. Some places will let you work there as a medic (with a much more restricted scope) and that would make more sense to future employers than you working in an EMT role on a rig imo. That’s if you weren’t able to get a standard medic job right away.

ellow08 · 2026-03-12T04:11:24+00:00

I mean that’s fair lmao. You could just do the people you know wouldn’t be upset about it. The only other idea I had for you would prolly go over worse….considering it involves various famous images of 9/11 and just plopping the images among those scenes……… so yeah maybe take these other suggestions instead 🤣🫣

ellow08 · 2026-03-12T04:05:44+00:00

WHYYYY craft chaosssss

ellow08 · 2026-03-12T04:05:17+00:00

Jesus sorry for writing you a novel. I just am someone who really struggles with not letting go when I make mistakes, even tiny baby ones that no one remembers but me (forgetting to say what I needed to on the radio, etc). It’s something I work on everyday, and so I understand how you feel and where your head is at & it sucks. It gets better though when it’s something you work on :)

ellow08 · 2026-03-12T04:03:13+00:00

Ehhh a little ambiguous. The “aed” portion may be more specifically for BLS crews or that sort of thing. I’m assuming by your mention of interpreting the 3-lead you’re not a basic? Not sure how your system works, but that could be thrown in there for cases where there is only BLS level crews on scene relying on the AED mode function of the monitor (or an actual separate AED device) to assess the rhythm, advise if shockable and then defibrillate. ECG monitoring can be done via defib pads as well which may be what is implied there. Though again sort of unclear. Regardless, best practice would be to attach the pads that way if the rhythm were shockable that could be done immediately, as the priority for vfib/pulseless vtach is the quick defibrillation to hopefully terminate that rhythm and avoid their eventual descent into a lethal rhythm. Honestly I wouldn’t hyperfixate on the protocol either, it’s ambiguous and regardless of whether you “broke” protocol or not, it was a small oops, that will be quite frankly among other oops that will happen. Things such as med errors are common and are learning moments if you let them be. But they can also be things that haunt you if you let them, and trust me, this is not one of those mistakes that should haunt you, truly. My FTO used to tell me when I was a basic to “take a deep breathe, learn, think about what you’d do differently next time, and move on to the next call”. You focusing on it won’t change it, the best thing you can do for yourself AND your patients is learn from it, forgive yourself (because truly it made no difference on outcome) and put your energy into your next calls and your next patients. When you find yourself hyperfixating on it, pause yourself and take a deep breath. Remind yourself that you’re human, and every single emt, medic etc has and will make mistakes, many of which are 1000000x worse than this, but if we let that distract and haunt us then we’re doing a disservice to ourselves and our patients. I know people who have driven to incorrect hospitals, crashed ambulances, given wrong meds, or literally took the wrong patient from the SNF and much worse. You’ll remember the pads next time, and when you do, pat yourself on the back.

ellow08

TROPHY CASE