Pros
Assisting the patients and making a difference in their day. This was the only part I enjoyed; however, it was limited as I spent more time doing paperwork than I did with the patients.
Cons
Not a pessimist by any means, but working for this company was a complete nightmare. For starters there was a significant lack of professionalism behind the scenes. I never knew how much racism existed in EMS until taking on this position. I'm not referring to the patients, speaking specifically about the staff. I heard all kinds of racial epithets on my first and second day! Unbelievable, but more importantly, unacceptable! The only managers that I considered to be genuine, honest, and worthy were Madison and Juan- they were fair and did things by the book. Not only that, but the seemed to understand the significance of their role and the fact that EMS is a learning experience. The equipment including the trucks/vans were old and needed to be replaced. How these things are allowed to pass safety inspections is beyond me. The shifts were horrible and there were a number of nights where I was responsible for transporting mentally unstable patients by myself, talk about a lack of concern for employee safety! I didn't take this position for the pay; however $9/hr isn't a sustainable wage. There's no way you'll make it working for that kind of money. These people praise the fact that there's so much overtime available, but in my opinion its not worth it. Ultimately you'll end up burning yourself out! Working a 12hr+ shift every 4-6 days a week will make you miserable. It's crazy how the employees that are literally doing the back breaking work are the lowest paid. While certain members of management on the other hand are bragging about pulling in 74k-100k annually. Seriously? I held this position for all of 4weeks and I'm not ashamed of that! I concluded relatively fast that this company cared nothing about its employees in any way, shape, or form. All they care about is personal profit! Which is why I politely resigned. Long story short, I completely understand why the turn-over rate here is so high. Bottom line up front- EMS is a true calling/passion for most of us, but PLEASE know your worth folks. Don't settle for this company! Use it as a stepping stone if you must, but don't invest more time than you have to in this company! Once again, know your worth! Its never to late to go back to school and/or change career paths.
