Working on an ambulance with a partner can be just as, if not more, challenging than a relationship with a spouse or significant other. After all, you might spend more time with your firefighter-paramedic partner, often in a tight space in the front cab of a truck. At least in your home, you can likely go to a different room to give each other space. Heightening the potential stress is the fact that you often have to work with your firefighter-paramedic partner for long stretches while making some difficult decisions together.
Frustrating moments
Working in EMS can not only be challenging in the streets, but also stressful when it comes to who you work with. Over my career, I have had to mediate more than one difficult working relationship between two firefighter-paramedics. Some simply left the job site and went home “sick,” while others have flat out refused to work with each other anymore.
Some firefighter-paramedics have a reputation that they are difficult to work with or they are just a little strange. Others are just so poor with patient care that you have to verify if they have a paramedic license. And others exhibit such poor customer service skills that they always draw complaints about their attitude. The bottom line: Sometimes we have to work with people whom we may not like or with whom we wouldn’t choose to work.
Some of these difficult relationships boil down to some small quirk that one person does that annoys the other. In one case, I had one firefighter-paramedic lose their mind when the other firefighter-paramedic would clip their fingernails in the front seat of the ambulance when they were returning from the hospital. And the firefighter-paramedic who clipped their fingernails would get irritated when the other firefighter-paramedic smacked their gum. They knew just what to do to push the other one’s buttons.
In other cases, two firefighter-paramedics may have spent years working with each other, but like any marriage, one small issue brings out some larger conflict between the two, and just like they say before some wrestling matches, “Let’s get ready to rumble!”
Pleasant partnerships
If you are assigned a new partner, my first advice is to disregard the rumor mill about someone and draw your own conclusions. Whenever you are assigned with a new partner, you should go into the 24-hour shift with an open mind and no preconceived notions. Be your own judge and come to your own decisions about the firefighter-paramedic you are going to work with after observing them.
It’s like any other relationship—you need to communicate. Have a sit-down discussion at the beginning of the shift and clearly lay out expectations of each other. A good example is deciding amongst the two of you that the firefighter-paramedic riding the right side is responsible for all patient care decisions and patient care plans, and the firefighter-paramedic who is driving the ambulance is responsible for all vital signs, getting the person on oxygen, and supporting the firefighter-paramedic who is running the scene.
Even if you and your partner have worked with each other before and have laid out the ground rules, communication is still important. And if you do have a conflict, talk to each other without yelling and name-calling; this usually resolves some conflict if both parties have an open mind. There may be something you do not like about your partner, but I have never seen anyone persuade someone else by insulting them.
Tolerance is critical in any conflict between firefighter-paramedics. You may have philosophical differences with politics, for example, but not accepting or working with your partner because their opinions differ from yours is not a reason to not to work together.
Further, it’s better to find your commonalities instead of focusing on your differences. The fact that you are both firefighter-paramedics is a strong common bond that should not be discounted. You’ll probably find you have other more things in common if you talk.
Keep it all in perspective
As I have always said, we’re blessed to be in this profession and make a difference in the lives of others every day. Be grateful for the career you have, and don’t allow conflict to make you miserable.
Gary Ludwig
GARY LUDWIG has served in three fire departments over his career: St. Louis, Memphis, and Champaign, IL. His fire, EMS and rescue career spanned a total of 46 years, and he has been a paramedic for over 44 years. Ludwig served as president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 2019-20. He has a Master’s degree in Business and Management, has written over 500 articles for professional fire and EMS publications and is the author of seven books.
Connect with Gary
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Twitter: @ChiefGaryLudwig
Website: garyludwig.com
