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Protecting EMS and What That Means

Written by Scott McConnell on . Posted in News, Training.

I have been seeing a lot of chatter on social media and reading quite a bit about ambulance services issuing ballistic vests and providers being allowed to arm themselves. Looking at the available data, consider the following:

  • 67% (95% CI = 63.7%–69.5%) of respondents reported that either they or their partner had been cursed at or threatened by a patient;
  • 45% (95% CI = 42.4%–48.3%) had been punched, slapped, or scratched and 41% (95% CI = 37.9%–43.7%) were spat upon;
  • Four percent (95% CI = 2.8%–5.0%) of the respondents reported that they or their partner had even been stabbed or involved in an attempted stabbing; and
  • 4% (95% CI = 2.5%–4.8%) reported being shot or involved in a shooting attempt by a patient.” (Oliver & Levine, 2014, para. 22).

When looking at the survey results, specifically the low percentages of violent activities, it would appear that such protections are not needed. However, I cannot support the notion that a provider feels that where they work this protection is essential to them. I think a closer, more current look with a larger sample will create a better perspective. This study is relatively small and would be better served if the questions were more focused.

When it comes to “arming EMS Providers” I do think we are far from that. To arm EMS Providers would certainly require specific training, educational classes, and buy in from legislators.

Consider what happens if I defend myself. Am I now obligated to treat the person I’ve harmed? Would I, should I, be held to the same standard of trying to deescalate a situation as the police? With the absence of training and ambiguity of the legal system, I do not think arming EMS providers at this point is the answer.

To me, we need better education, better perceptions from the general public, and most of all a unified EMS front at the national level that is tasked with moving our industry toward the 22nd century.

______

Scott F. McConnell is Vice President of EMS Education for OnCourse Learning and one of the Founders of Distance CME. Since its inception in 2010, more than 10,000 learners worldwide have relied on Distance CME to recertify their credentials. Scott is a true believer in sharing not only his perspectives and experiences but also those of other providers in educational settings.

References

Oliver, A., & Levine, R. (2014). Workplace Violence: A Survey of Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Services Professionals

 

Discovering the Meaning of EMS Week

Written by Scott McConnell on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Events, Human Resources.

Being in EMS since 1990 I can certainly tell you I have seen numerous EMS Week celebrations come and go. Did you know EMS week owes its founding to the American College of Emergency Physicians? In 1974, ACEP asked former President Gerald R. Ford to declare November 3-10 as National Emergency Medical Services Week. Since then, ACEP has moved the annual observance numerous times, finally landing on the third week in May. This move provided a distinction between EMS and Fire Prevention week.

EMS has always been a part of my life, from the EMT-M class I took in January 1990 to becoming an RN in 2008.  I have done almost everything in EMS a person could do, volunteer EMT, Paramedic, Critical Care Education, ED RN and now vice president of EMS Education at OnCourse Learning.

Let’s discuss ideally what EMS providers actually want most for EMS Week. This year, let’s dismiss all of the usual tchotchkes, mugs, t-shirts, hot dogs, pens and flash lights. I can honestly say after 25+ years, I’ve gotten it all and am a bit tired of it. The ED sponsored pizza, while a very kind gesture, always seems to go uneaten for a variety of reasons.

Let’s face it, we know we are under paid and over worked. Although I am always grateful for the sentiment people have for us as a profession during EMS week I’d prefer recognition more frequently, even every day. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being ungrateful, the hot dogs and pens are appreciated. But let’s focus on what matters most for pre-hospital professionals – better pay, working conditions, and meaningful education.

Which brings me to the area I can influence most. Not the everyday education, you know card certs PHTLS, ITLS, APLS, PEPP, and EVDT etc. I want something more. I want continuing education that excites me. That embraces my desire to improve EMS and helps us all to change and improve the care we deliver to our patients. To change the protocols that guide us in the care we provide. Basically, what I am asking for is a seat at the table, minus the pens and hots dogs. Let’s start with a better educational foundation, a voice in the care we provide and deliver better care to those who rely on us to care for their loved ones.

About the Author
Scott F. McConnell is Vice President of EMS Education for OnCourse Learning and one of the Founders of Distance CME.  Since its inception in 2010, more than 10,000 learners worldwide have relied on Distance CME to recertify their credentials. Scott is a true believer in sharing not only his perspectives and experiences but also those of other providers in educational settings.

How to Stand Out Using Low-Cost Recruitment, Retention Strategies

Written by Scott McConnell on . Posted in Human Resources, Recruitment & Retention.

Scrolling through Facebook, I regularly notice EMS providers seeking feedback from friends and colleagues. Someone will post, “Hey, I’m moving to this city. Does anybody know some good ambulance services that are hiring?” Plenty of people will respond, “This is a pretty good place.” Others share warnings such as, “Don’t work for Provider X.” Word of mouth can be valuable for any EMS. What current and former employees say about their positive work experience is a major benefit to recruitment and retention. In order to ensure a top-notch service to customers and to attract top-tier employees, recruitment and retention must be at the top of the to-do list. This is important for both public and private EMS departments. With negative word of mouth, unless somebody is desperate to get a job, “Provider X” in the example above won’t receive a second look from applicants. While some services use salary as a major recruitment and retention tool, it’s not the only way to stand out. There are various low-cost strategies to employ when it comes to recruiting and retaining employees.

Moving on up

Opportunities for advancement are one attractive benefit. In a fire service, providers often begin their tenure as a fire service paramedic. They can take a test to become a paramedic lieutenant. If a space opens up, a person can test to be a paramedic captain or eventually paramedic chief. In private ambulance services, the organizational structure is often different. Provide an infrastructure for improvement is of the utmost importance. For many professionals, that upward mobility is gained through education. Offering more knowledge benefits both parties and has an impact across the continuum of care. The advanced education benefit allows providers to offer better care and to communicate better with colleagues in other healthcare disciplines about a patient’s care. This builds loyalty among employees toward a service that continues to invest in their skills.

Some organizations may avoid providing education while on the clock. Advanced planning ensures coverage while expanding the team’s skills. Work with your team to determine the most convenient time and day for the provider and the EMS to obtain educational opportunities.

Learning curve

An EMS department can offer a number of educational opportunities — starting with all the necessary courses to maintain certification — to expand a provider’s knowledge.
Some of the options include the following:

  • Tuition reimbursement for college
  • Flight paramedic, critical care or tactical paramedic certifications
  • Critical care continuing education

These certifications make providers, and the service they work for, stand out above the crowd. Think of the added benefit of saying, “All of my paramedics are critical care paramedics.”

To recruit or to retain

So what comes first – recruitment or retention? That depends on the needs of an individual service. If a service, for example, is 10 people short, filling those spots is paramount. If there aren’t any open spots, concentration turns to keeping the providers you have satisfied and offering the best service possible. These providers are valuable because they are most familiar with your area, contracts and how your service does business. Whether recruitment or retention is the goal, the following perks may help candidates choose your organization over competitors:

  • Free uniforms
  • Recognition awards, dinners, picnics and other company events
  • Colleague referral programs
  • Discounts for services and products, such as gym memberships, travel, etc.
  • Tax breaks for EMS volunteer hours (in some states)

While some services rely on a quick increase in salary as their only tactic, recruitment and retention is impacted by much more. Finding and incorporating multiple ways to value your providers and their contributions is the most beneficial path to follow.

A Novel Approach to Beginning an Injury Prevention Program

Written by Bryan Fass on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Human Resources.

As leaders none of us discounts the importance of fitness and wellness programs for first responders. However from my personal experience I have not seen many leader let alone a coach / personal trainer at the departments I teach at across the country. Instead I see fitness minded first responders, cross fit™ coaches or more often than not a PT academy instructor that gets pushed into the position of coach. This often leads departments with a struggle to design, implementation and buy gain in from crews.

The misdirected pursuit of strength and fitness

What I have seen more times than I can count are that these ‘instructors’ who mean well are pulling from a tool box of outdated and often dangerous exercises hoping to improve employee fitness. There is often no scientifically accurate planning as they do not have the knowledge base to pull from, instead we see ineffective warm up’s, a complete lack of self-care and mobility training coupled with exercises that harm more than they heal.
On top of that we also see departments building a “box” because it’s cost effective and popular. Just my opinion here but I often wonder if the lack of buy in, follow through and behavior change stems from a litany of psychological junk stemming from high school PE through the academy. Are we demotivating responders from exercising by programming them that fitness always has to be hard to be effective?

The unreported prevalence of Pain

“When anomalously surveyed over a 6 month period 57% of EMT’s and paramedics have sustained some type of soft tissue injury that they did not report.” (1) I have repeated this study (unscientifically) in every class I teach and I am seeing this number edging close to 70% of the class, every class. If we have an unreported injury rate above 50% that leads me to believe that pain is a serious demotivator to participation in and follow through with wellness and fitness programs.

Shift work and Stress

The literature is full of studies about the dangers of shift work, chronic stress activation, hormone disruption and the effects on the body. (3,4) As a former Paramedic I can clearly recall the sleep disturbances, stress responses and fatigue so profound that the last thing I wanted to do was train. This is where we often see the drop off; chronic fatigue, stress and pain acting as a demotivating factor to even the most fit of responders. No one wants to train hard after their 4th 12 hour shift in a row, and if you have been on the street those 12’s often turn into 14’s by the time you clock out.
Add to that stress eating, fatigue eating, (2) substance abuse including alcohol (the dirty little secret that no one will talk about) and coaches we have the perfect recipe for exactly what departments are dealing with; a total lack of participation and buy in.

Remove the Barrier

One of the tools that have worked extremely well is the use of a simple practice (pressure less) tennis ball. We spend time teaching responders not only on the how but the why of trigger point massage. Instead of just telling them to massage and trigger point the piriformis we teach them that a tight Piriformis can cause knee pain and it can also cause low back pain. A tight pectoralis minor can contribute to upper crossed pattern which can lead to headaches, neck pain and even rotator cuff disorders. Focus on the calves, hip flexor, lats as well as the afore mentioned. By following this approach we can empower responders to not only treat their symptoms but to apply self-care techniques that can benefit them throughout their career, pain is not normal it’s a symptom so treat it. A final benefit is that this is a very easy and inexpensive home technique that responders can do pre or post shift without the fear of being razzed by their peers; which is a rite of passage and coping mechanism in first responders.

KISS

Movement matters and as the saying goes move well and move often. However in fire and EMS how do you teach responders to lift a 400 lb. patient out of a bath tub, that’s wet, naked and has stopped breathing? As coaches we know that strength will reduce the rate and severity of overexertion soft tissue injury but in many cases the spinal loads responders sustain are more than 5x the NIOSH recommended limit. (5) One PEARL that I personally like because it’s simple, effective and ties into a safety culture is to follow theses 4 steps.

1. Feet flat: To ensure proper balance, firing patterns and stability make sure the feet are always flat and when possible shoulder width apart.
2. Hips hinged: Make sure the hips are hinged to spare the spine; ensure that your crews know the difference between a squat and a hinge.
3. Sternum up: Keeping a neutral spine is of the utmost importance, I like to teach the crews that “if your sternum points into your body you lose, keep your chest up!”
4. Head up: Always lift, move, push, pull and carry with the head up. This holds especially true for confined spaces and awkward lift situations.

Its human nature to make things overly complicated and to fall prey to fads, gimmicks and crowd think; as leaders we need to keep one eye on the science and the other eye on the crews. Fatigue, stress, dehydration, repetitive motion disorders and disease are sadly the norm in most departments; with many responders surviving on overtime shifts to make ends meet further compounding the issue. Keep is simple, actionable and just help them to feel better as it’s all possible from there.


(1) FEASIBILITY FOR AN EMS WORKFORCE SAFETY AND HEALTH SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM,
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, TECHNICAL SUMMARY, CONTRACTOR Bedford Research; The Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation REPORT DATE February 2007
(2) http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/why-stress-causes-people-to-overeat
(3) Stress hormones may increase cardiovascular risks for shift workers
October 3, 2011, The Endocrine Society. Appl Ergon. 1996 Feb;27(1):9-16.Costa G.
(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=MartinGill%20C%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=22023164
(5) Efficacy of the revised NIOSH lifting equation to predict risk of low-back pain associated with manual lifting: a one-year prospective study.Hum Factors 2014 Feb;56(1):73-85 Ming-Lun Lu, Thomas R Waters, Edward Krieg, Dwight Werren

Mental Health Support: Getting Help for Depression

Written by Lifeworks on . Posted in Human Resources.

Many of us struggle to tell the difference between depression and sadness because the primary symptom of depression is pervasive sadness. But it’s important to know that there is a significant difference. Sadness is a normal emotion that is usually triggered by a hurtful, challenging, or disappointing experience, event, or situation. We tend to feel sad about something. When that something changes or when we adjust or accept it, our emotional hurt tends to fade. With depression it’s not the same.

Depression is a mental illness that affects our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a pervasive manner. We feel sad about everything. With depression, sometimes that sadness is present despite the fact that, from the outside looking in, everything is going well. Depression doesn’t require a specific event, situation, or experience as a trigger. Depression infiltrates all aspects of our lives making everything less enjoyable and less important. Depression can be debilitating and significantly impact our daily life function.

The most common symptoms include a persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood; feelings of hopelessness or pessimism; feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness; a loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and once enjoyable activities; sleeping difficulties, including trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or even excessive sleeping; eating difficulties, including eating too much or too little; fatigue, a lack of energy; thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts; a change in your mood, irritability or restlessness; difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions; persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain.

Steps to take if you think you might be depressed: Some research suggests that the longer you wait or try to handle it on your own, the worse it can become. You can start by seeing your general practitioner, a therapist, or any doctor whose care you might be under. They can assess your need and help support connection to the appropriate resource if that’s needed. Other suggestions include increasing your activity or engaging in anything that brings you pleasure or joy. You can also talk to a trusted friend or relative and try definitely to stay active.

If you’re concerned about a loved one who seems depressed: It can be very difficult and challenging to live with someone that might be depressed. If you are concerned about a loved one, please try to take immediate action. Stay engaged with them and encourage them to see a medical professional. And if you suspect that they might be of danger to themselves or another, make sure to dial 911.

It’s important for people who are suffering to know that they are not alone and that they don’t have to suffer. So if they don’t want to seek help, try to keep them encouraged. Check on them and express your concerns and the benefits of getting help. Hopefully your persistence can support them to taking some next steps. Being concerned about a loved one who may be suffering from depression is very difficult. While you are encouraging and supporting your loved one and trying to help them
take the next steps, it’s important for you to know that there are many resources available. Explore your employee assistance program or meet with a therapist and talk with someone to help you navigate helping them.

Depression is the most treatable of all mental illnesses. There are various kinds of therapies that work. Treatment such as psychotherapy, support groups, and medication management are the most common treatments for depression. Don’t give up, find support. If you think you might be depressed, see a professional as soon as possible.
Call LifeWorks at 888-267-8126 or visit www.lifeworks.com (username: theaaa; password: lifeworks).

Maintaining Compliance Within an EMS Service

Written by Scott McConnell on . Posted in Leadership & Management, Operations, Professional Standards, Training, Vehicle Standards.

Maintaining compliance within an EMS service can be a daunting task, especially given the number of regulations that we must follow.

One way to look at EMS is if a trucking company married a hospital.

There are rules and regulations to abide by for an entire fleet of vehicles, from safe operation guidelines all the way down to the use and color of lights. Then there are requirements for a group of healthcare providers, which include necessary certifications such as CPR and knowledge of pertinent life-saving skills.

Not only does maintaining compliance keep vehicles and equipment running smoothly, but it can offer employees valuable peace of mind and keep everyone focused on the same goals of providing the best care possible.

I like to consider compliance an investment in common sense.

Employees know what is expected of them at all times, and they know what type of support their employer will provide to keep their skills sharp. In turn, an EMS service gains from being in good standing with regulators and from an engaged, confident workforce.

The benefits of a strong culture of compliance are immense. An organization that lives and breathes compliance can help ensure a smooth-running operation that features top-notch communication and quality providers who offer excellent care.

Journey to Compliance

These six key ways ensure compliance will serve as a roadmap to a strong culture in your organization:

  1. Start from the top: Backing from leadership ensures a strong culture of compliance. For certification and education compliance to stick, it starts with the attitudes of upper management, such as the board of directors, chiefs, officers, and day-to-day operations staff. Leaders must actively support all compliance efforts, including regular compliance-related reports, approving policies and having a general knowledge of the rules that govern EMS providers. Without the right tone from the top, an EMS service’s compliance efforts are usually undermined and ultimately fail. This results in issues with governing bodies, payers, scheduling and staffing.
  2. Commit to resources: Having the right personnel and systems in place are both vital to creating a strong compliance culture. The organization’s compliance staff should have experience in directing compliance efforts and supporting the evaluation of compliance-related risks. When it comes to certifications and education, compliance is always black and white. Knowing how to evaluate and respond to operational issues is important to maintaining compliance and successfully operating an EMS service. Systems that provide information to assist the service in complying with its obligations are a necessity.
  3. Have the write stuff: Developing written policies and procedures for compliance programs and internal controls is essential to adequately address regulatory requirements and an EMS service’s specific risks. Having these policies and procedures in writing sets the expectation of what is required of both managers and employees. Assessing risks before drafting these programs will help identify key areas where controls are needed. A compliance program should include how a service’s policies can be implemented from an operational perspective. This will include internal controls and standard operating procedures.
  4. Provide education: Providing the training for your EMS employees gives them peace of mind that they will be in compliance and acknowledges that the service values them.
  5. Test the system: Subjecting procedures to an independent review and audit ensures the compliance system is working correctly. This review provides an evaluation of where the EMS service’s compliance efforts stand. It also offers an opportunity to correct deficiencies before an outside regulatory audit is performed.
  6. Communicate more: Communication is vital to all organizations, but it can be the most difficult piece of the puzzle to achieve. With compliance-related responsibilities, sharing information is very helpful and, in some cases, required. Communicating expectations within EMS training programs is imperative. Reporting compliance efforts and noting any deficiencies should be a part of a communication strategy, especially if your state has an active medical director and/or board of EMS.

Lifeworks: Overload at Work

Written by Lifeworks on . Posted in Human Resources.

You aren’t alone if you often feel overloaded at work. More than two-thirds of US workers suffer from work overload, according to Kelton Research/Cornerstone. Overload can increase your stress and make you feel out of control even if you enjoy your job.

Stress and overload can also affect your productivity, work relationships, and performance. If you are working longer hours or feel overwhelmed by all that you have to do, you may be experiencing overload at work. If the fast pace that was once challenging starts instead to leave you feeling drained, that may be a sign of overload. Learning to cope with your workload can reduce your stress and help you stay productive and valuable to your organization.

Gaining understanding and control of your workload

Here are ways to gain control of your workload:

  • Realize that you can reduce overload. There may be parts of your job that you can’t control, such as seasonal variations in workload. But you can control how you prepare for the peak season. Focus on what you can change, not what you can’t.
  • Know your limits. Some people thrive on a heavy workload, while others feel stressed by small increases in their responsibilities. If you’re assigned a project that you know will be very challenging, start looking for help and for solutions before you feel overwhelmed by a task.
  • Review your responsibilities. Has your job changed recently? If you have greater responsibility, you may still be adjusting to new demands.
  • Decide if your workload is likely to ease. Is some of your overload caused by a temporary situation, such as a co-worker on leave? It may help to know there’s relief in sight.
  • Talk about the workload. Rather than complaining to co-workers, talk with a mentor or trusted friend who understands and sympathizes with the pressures you face.
  • Explore solutions to personal concerns that are contributing to your stress. If you have a partner, get his or her ideas on this. Could you hire a house-cleaning service or could your partner take over some of your household chores for a while? If you’re caring for an aging parent, consider using short-term respite care for occasional relief.
  • Consider meeting with your manager or human resources (HR). Your manager or HR may suggest ways to handle the situation or tell you about helpful resources.

Other ways to reduce overload

  • Cut back on other commitments until your workload eases. When you’re overloaded, a good rule of thumb is to drop one old commitment when you take on a new one.
  • Set aside time each day to do something you enjoy. This will help you avoid becoming burned out at work. Make time for friends, family, relaxation, exercise, or spiritual activities that have meaning for you.
  • Focus on leaving work on time. If you tend to work late, start with leaving on time just one or two days a week. A little less time at work may lead to increased focus, energy, and productivity when you’re there.
  • Take vacations. Getting away provides more than a way to relax and unwind. It also gives you psychological distance from your workplace helping you to recharge and return to your job with a new outlook. Employees who don’t take vacations because of work pressures feel even more overworked. And yet, many Americans have days of paid vacation left over at the end of the year.

We all want to feel challenged and excited about our work, and we want to know that it’s manageable and under control. With the right tools and support, you can achieve this goal.

Call LifeWorks at 888-267-8126 or visit www.lifeworks.com (username: theaaa; password: lifeworks).

What is Reddit? (And Why EMS Leaders Should Care)

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in Human Resources, Operations, Press.

If you were asked to name the top 10 most popular websites in the United States today, I’m willing to bet that you could guess most of them: they are, in descending order of Alexa page view rankings, Google, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, Yahoo, Wikipedia, Twitter, Reddit, Ebay, and LinkedIn.

“Wait,” you may be asking, “what is ‘Reddit,’ and how can it be in the top 10 most popular American websites if I’ve never even heard of it?”

As a self-appointed cultural ambassador for the millennial-heavy EMS workforce, I’d love to give you a basic introduction. Seasoned Redditors, feel free to skip this post. But those new to Reddit, or even social media in general, please hang in there—it is increasingly important for ambulance executives of all age groups and technology skill levels to “get” what is going on in influential online communities.

What is Reddit?

Reddit describes itself as “the front page of the internet.” What does that mean?

Reddit (usually styled lowercase as “reddit,” but I’m capping for clarity) is an online community platform allowing users to anonymously share, comment, and vote on links, images, personal stories and more in topic-specific “subreddits.” A user’s self-selected subreddits are merged into a personalized feed, which is often very different than the generic Reddit Front Page generated from the posts voted best across the whole site.

Wildly popular with millennials, Reddit is one of the most engaged and active digital communities in history. Reddit communities’ collective taste-making influence drives modern pop culture and politics in unprecedented ways, and the popularity and sway of the site is only growing.

I am sticking mostly to practicalities in this post, but highly recommend reading a little bit about the history of Reddit (2014 Mashable article, 2016 WSJ CEO interview), if you have a moment. The Wikipedia entry also gives a great overview.

Why should EMS leaders care?

Large swaths of your staff are routinely participating in Reddit communities, likely many times per week. For all that we hear about generational conflict in EMS organizations, wouldn’t it be great to gain some firsthand insight into the candid thoughts of EMTs and Paramedics across the country? Of course this only works if leaders approach Reddit (and the subs and threads of varying merit within) with an open mind—because of its inherently populist and anonymous nature, there is an ever-changing mix of valuable and abhorrent content that sometimes takes a little time to sort through.

Additionally, more and more people are electing to get their news, pop culture, and entertainment first through Reddit or other social media, instead of mainstream news sources. EMS leaders relying solely on information from TV newscasts or even the websites of traditional print journalism outlets are missing the backchannel dialogue and meta commentary that is shaping the way our industry is perceived.

Can Reddit participation help with EMS advocacy?

Many ambulance execs are unfamiliar with the fact that top politicians as diverse as President Obama and Gary Johnson choose to interact directly with Redditors, personally fielding user questions in the r/IamA sub. Reddit’s political commentary subs are also famed for the sometimes prescient, sometimes wacky user analysis of current affairs and election hoopla. Start with r/politics, the largest sub, to get a feel for the Reddit politosphere, then find your niche in some of the more targeted subs below. Not seeing your interest? Search the site for hundreds of other options ranging from radical to reactionary—or start your own.

General Politics

Left Wing

Right Wing

2016 Elections

State-Specific

How can I get started on Reddit?

We all have that kooky relative who doesn’t “get” Facebook, and so posts inappropriate rants or the equivalent of text voice mails on our walls. Don’t be “that guy” (or gal) on Reddit—although most people are nice, not everyone is patient, and some users may report your post to moderators for removal. Also, it is just good manners to follow the norms of any community in which you participate, be it face-to-face or online. Here are some easy steps to ensure that you become a valued contributor to the Reddit community.

  1. Create an account. Note: Do not use a variation of your real name or company name in your username. This is not Facebook, or even Twitter. It is crucial that unless you are a world leader (u/PresidentObama), celebrity (u/GovSchwarzenegger, u/williamshatner), or other very public figure (u/thisisbillgates, u/ColChrisHadfield) that you keep your personal information as private as possible for your own safety.
  2. Curate your subs.
    • Login to reddit, then visit your subscription page to remove yourself from any default subs that don’t interest you. For me, this meant immediately axing everything related to sports (sorry, I mean, “Go Sox!“).
    • Next, find and subscribe to many subs that interest you. There are thousands of subreddits for everything from r/cooking to r/gardening to r/motorcyles to r/parenting to r/books, and that is just scratching the surface. Typically large, general-interest subs will list more niche subs in their sidebars to make them easy to find.
  3. Lurk and get used to voting. Read your feed, or peruse a specific sub in-depth, upvoting posts and comments based on quality, not your level of agreement with the poster’s opinion. Typically, it is best to lurk (read without posting) for a month or two before you leap into the fray to get a sense for how each community interacts.
  4. Start posting and commenting. Now that you have some context for the types of conversations going on in your favorite subs, you’re ready to start submitting new posts and commenting on the posts of others, in addition to voting. It is really important to read Reddit’s content rules and Reddiquette guidelines, as well as the sidebar rules for your particular sub, before posting. Also, it is pretty much universally forbidden to share with the group any personally identifying information, even about yourself. Don’t get overwhelmed—most of the rules are common sense, and the time investment will pay off when you experience the thrill of sharing ideas and news with like-minded people from around the world.

Are there EMS-specific subs?

There are many EMS-focused subreddits, ranging from the (mostly) serious to the ridiculous. Here are just a few:

  • r/EMS – by far the largest, with 21k subscribers as of today. Diverse mix of jokes, personal stories, protocol questions, opinions on employers, and more.
  • r/RealEMS (2k subscribers) and r/TalesFromEMS aka r/TFEMS (3k subscribers) smaller subs focused on the perceived “real” side of EMS.
  • r/911Dispatchers – (2k subscribers) – Sub targeting dispatch professionals.
  • r/EMScringepics, r/LookImAFireFighter, etc – smaller subreddits where some popular EMS sartorial choices are mocked. Very definitely Not Nice, but may strike your funny bone if you have a certain sense of humor.
  • r/firefighting (11k subscribers) – sub serving firefighters, but often touches on EMS topics

Hint: Sort by “TOP” then choose a timeframe to catch up on the best (or at least most popular) posts in a particular sub.

My service is mentioned on Reddit in a negative manner. Should I respond?

If someone posts something negative on Reddit (or Facebook, or Twitter, etc, etc) about the organization to which you’ve dedicated so much time and love, it can be very tempting to fire off your side of the story in response. However, it is almost always inadvisable to go in “guns blazing” on an anonymous message board, particularly if you aren’t very familiar with the norms for the specific sub in which you would respond.

If you really feel you must set the record straight, I suggest asking three other sensible Redditors and your attorney to review before posting, to make sure that you don’t accidentally open your organization up to a lawsuit or media nightmare. You may also want to create a separate “throwaway” username before replying, as anything you’ve previously commented or posted under your usual username is publicly visible. No matter how innocuous your past activity may be, it can and will be used against you in the court of public opinion (see: Ken Bone Reddit controversy).

My service is mentioned on Reddit in a positive manner. Should I respond?

In this case, it is a hard maybe. The tricky thing is that you want your organization to avoid being perceived as “Big Brother,” particularly in response to anything (good or bad) that might have been posted by one of your own employees. Given Reddit’s higher level focus on anonymity than, say, Facebook, even a “thanks so much, so glad to be your favorite employer!” reply can seem creepy or intrusive, depending on context. It may be best to just privately enjoy the knowledge that thousands are reading your unsolicited praises (and likely looking for job openings at your service).

If there are no HIPAA or human resources concerns involved, you can enlist the help of seasoned Redditors in crafting a response that is right in tone for your service.

Can I market my ambulance service on Reddit?

Commercial self-promotion of any kind is very much frowned upon by the Reddit community. Viral marketing, or any post planting or vote manipulation that can be perceived as viral marketing, even more so. For a glimpse at the level of energy around this issue, please see r/HailCorporate, or consider the vitriol directed at users who create alternate “sockpuppet” accounts to upvote their own posts. Any kind of advertising outside of appropriate subs that specifically allow it (or actual Reddit ads) is risky at best, and may completely backfire.

Can I post job listings to Reddit?

Read the sidebar rules of the subreddit you’re considering posting in to see if commercial offers are permitted (for example, counter-intuitively, r/jobs forbids job postings). Your may wish to consider posting to one of the subs dedicated to job seekers, including r/jobopenings, r/youngjobs, and r/jobbit, or your closest local job sub.

Another thing to consider is buying an ad on the Reddit site, then running it in EMS-specific subs, particularly if you’re open to paying relocation for medics from other areas, or if you are willing to train individuals coming from other industries.

Note: recruitment is not yet a primary Reddit focus, so you may or may not have much luck at this point. However, as  more people join Reddit and rely on it new and different ways, this is likely to change.

Glossary

  • Default sub—Default subreddits are subs considered to have the right mix of popularity and quality to be automatically included in new users’ subreddit subscriptions. You can remove default subreddits that you are not interested in following on your subscription page after you create a login.
  • Karma—When a post or comment is submitted, other users can vote it up or down. “Karma,” divided into post karma and comment karma, is a loose indicator of the quality of a thread. You can track your own karma on your profile page, but it has no monetary or other value. In theory, voting is supposed to be based on the quality and relevance of the post or comment, but this doesn’t always play out perfectly. Some users have high overall karma scores because they post very relevant articles or incredibly insightful posts, others because they draw sketches or write poems related to posts, and still others because they are known for submitting posts or comments that the community finds funny.
  • NSFL—an initialism for “Not Safe for Life.” This is used in the title of a post to indicate offensive content that shows or makes reference to gore, death, serious injury, the abuse of animals or people, etc. I would very strongly suggest that even the most hardened EMS folks stay away from most of these posts and the comments sections about them—NSFL posts do not bring out the best in humanity.
  • NSFW—an initialism for “Not Safe for Work.” This is used in the title of a post to potentially sensitive content involving any kind of nudity or sex. Depending on context and the subreddit in which it is posted, this flag can be used for posts covering everything from a news photo of the Janet Jackson Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction to actual pornography. Use your best judgment.
  • OP—like most other internet forums, on Reddit “OP” refers to “original poster,” and is a generic term used in comments to refer to the creator of the thread you’re currently reading.
  • Meme—Most folks have probably heard of memes (pron. “meems”, not “meh-mehs,” “me-mes,” etc), or may even have shared some around the office or on Facebook. Reddit has a variety of inside jokes and memes specific to the community. If someone replies to a post with something that seems like a total non-sequitur, but others seem to find it funny, you may want to Google for inside jokes or check Know Your Meme for answers. Be forewarned: while some are funny or insightful, many memes and Reddit inside jokes are crass, prejudiced, or just stupid.
  • Reddiquette—Reddit’s own set of community manners. Read it here before posting!
  • Sub / Subreddit—Although originally not officially recognized, “sub” or “subreddit” are now almost universally used terms refers to self-moderated community centered around a particular topic. Here are just a few examples of the tens of thousands of subs you can choose to subscribe to, depending on your interests.

 

Have questions about Reddiquette or other social media platforms? Please don’t hesitate to reach out at ariordan@ambulance.org. Please feel free to share your own tips in the comments section below. We would love to hear about your ambulance service’s online successes and foibles.

LifeWorks: Helping AAA Member Employees Make Life Work Better

Written by Aidan Camas on . Posted in Human Resources, Member-Only.

Enhance employee health and engagement by making sure your workforce is aware of the LifeWorks Employee Assistance and Wellness Program. The LifeWorks program is centered around helping your employees achieve work-life balance, improving their productivity and well-being.

We all face challenges in life. From finding answers to parenting questions or managing personal finances, to getting help with a relationship or taking care of health issues, LifeWorks offers around the clock fast, free, confidential help.

AAA understands that your people are your most valuable asset. Make sure your employees are aware of this resource for fast, confidential help with family, work, money, health and work-life balance issues. Share AAA’s EAP with your team.

Share Lifeworks with Your Team Today!

Download a copy of this flyer to share with your employees: AAA 2016 LifeWorks Information Flyer

Most of us find our jobs stressful at times. Often these feelings are temporary, but sometimes negative emotions linger and may begin to affect your job performance, your relations with others, or even your health and well-being. Learning to manage challenging emotions at work takes effort, but the payoff is big. When we deal with problems before they overwhelm us, we can contribute more to our team and gain a greater sense of control and effectiveness — both at work and outside of work. You can take steps to become more aware of your emotions and to manage them more effectively. If you are feeling stressed at work, the following tips can help you cope:

  • Recognize your emotions in their early stages, before they feel out of control. By reviewing your day’s activities and the feelings they caused, you may discover the source of difficult feelings at work. But it may take practice to recognize your real feelings. There’s a strong body of research that shows the ability to be recognize and name your feelings will protect you from having outbursts in the future and will improve your relationships. Ask trusted friends and mentors for help learning to recognize and name your feelings.
  • Learn to express your emotions in healthy ways. Have strategies for dealing with difficult feelings in ways appropriate for work.
  • Think about how you managed a problem in the past. If an event at work — like a conflict with a co-worker or an unusually stressful workload — is triggering an emotional challenge, consider how you overcame a similar problem in the past. What worked? What didn’t?
  • Write it down. This can be especially helpful if a problem is keeping you awake at night. If you are having an ongoing conflict with a co-worker, you might write: “Every time we talk, even about unimportant things, we end up arguing. Maybe I did something to offend him once but don’t know it. Maybe ask him out for lunch and find out.” This can help you come up with strategies and keep the problem from distracting you.
  • Build your emotional resilience.Pay attention to your physical and mental well-being. Eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly. All of these will help you find the energy you need to meet emotional challenges. This will help to keep you emotionally resilient and to feel more in control of your emotions and your life.
  • Use your vacation time.Taking time off helps to buffer job stress, research has found. A vacation can also allow you to pull back and gain a fresh perspective on work stress and possible ways to ease it.
  • Maintain support systems outside of work.Talking about your concerns with close friends or your partner can reduce your anxiety and help you keep problems in perspective. Choose someone you trust who knows you well enough to give you honest feedback.
  • Cultivate interests outside of work, including activities with good friends. Remember, not all satisfaction comes from work accomplishments.

For support and more ideas on managing stress and other emotions at work, get in touch with LifeWorks—call to speak with a caring, professional consultant anytime, 24/7. LifeWorks is completely confidential and it’s provided to you at no cost. You can also go to www.lifeworks.com to explore our online resources—short videos, podcasts, and a wide range of articles including:

Call LifeWorks at 888-267-8126 or visit www.lifeworks.com (username: theaaa; password: lifeworks)

Acadian Ambulance High School Champions Livonia

Acadian’s High School Champions Program Leads the Way

Written by Amanda Riordan on . Posted in Community, Human Resources, Service, Spotlight, Training.

Founded in 1971 in with just eight staff and two vehicles, Acadian Ambulance has grown over the years to more than 4000 employees with a fleet of 400 ground ambulances, helicopters, fixed-wing airplanes, and van and bus transports. Their territory has expanded from Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, to stations spanning large swaths of Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.

How does such a large and varied service feed their talent pipeline? In addition to many other strategies, Acadian is leading the industry in its efforts to engage young adults in EMS through its High School Champions program, a division of their National EMS Academy.

Porter Taylor, Acadian's Director of Operations
Porter Taylor, Acadian’s Director of Operations

To learn more about the ins-and-outs of the program, AAA caught up with Porter Taylor, Acadian’s Director of Operations. Taylor has been in EMS for 29 years, since he joined Acadian Ambulance as a college sophomore. “I love making a difference in people’s lives. When I was working on a unit it was the patient, and now, almost 30 years later, it is the employees that I love helping.”

Establishing High School Champions was not a linear path. Initially, Acadian would send medics to career fairs and school functions to introduce the field and promote its National EMS Academy (NEMSA) as an opportunity after graduation. “There are a lot of technical grants out there, and a critical staffing need for EMS in general. We wanted to create an avenue for educating students about the benefits of becoming EMTs to support our staffing needs long term,” said Taylor.

Although these medic visits were effective, Acadian wanted to expand the fledgling program’s scope and reach. He began visiting area high schools and meeting with school boards and directors more than a year ago to build relationships and explore opportunities. The partnerships he built added another facet to the High School Champion initiative wherein Acadian continues to promote NEMSA, coupled with an effort to get the schools to incorporate an EMT program as an elective prior to graduation. “[I wanted] to introduce them to our company and our support of this technical career path. My goal was to let the teachers and technical program directors know that Acadian has jobs for their students upon the successful completion of the program. Once students turn 18, Acadian will be able to offer them a rewarding  position with good pay and benefits and with continuing education opportunities.”

Acadian Operations Manager Justin Cox was instrumental in the implementation at Livonia High School, a recent addition to the program. In concert with his professional know-how, Cox had a personal connection to the school—his thirteen year old daughter attends Livonia.

Collaborating with the administration, Acadian now works with schools like Livonia to introduce EMS career paths at the end of high school, a time when students are making key choices about their futures. Students can start the EMT training program as an elective prior to graduation and take the national certification exam upon turning 18. Students spend 2-3 hours 3 days a week, during their junior and senior years preparing. “It is a joy to work on this program,” said Taylor, “It is a privilege to help young people make a career choice that is full of rewards.”

Does your service have a great program that is making a difference in your area? Let us know in the comments section below, or email ariordan@ambulance.org.

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