On a recent call, members of Christian Hospital EMS responded to an officer-involved shooting of a teenager in Ferguson, Mo., which shocked the community and quickly deteriorated into riot conditions.
As safe scene broke down, Christian Hospital units were dispatched to stage in anticipation of suspected casualties resulting from an unruly crowd.
At the staging area, there must have been 50 or so law enforcement, fire, and EMS personal ready to respond. The staging area soon became overrun with about 100 protesters shouting “kill the police,” “stop the killings,” and “we want justice.”
In this supposedly safe area, it became apparent very quickly that we might not be safe at all.
As I looked into the faces of my crews on scene, it was obvious they were looking for both leadership and guidance. After sharing my experiences, direction and expectations — which gave some a sense of calm — my finishing comment to the team was: “Right here, right now, you have to be the very best you can be.”
In these situations we do not know who is watching us, recording us, or looking to do us harm. Sometimes, it seems we forget exactly how dangerous our professional responsibilities are. Practicing at our highest level should always bring out the very best in us.
In a scenario like this, here are the skills needed to you should develop in order to achieve greatness, become more effective at work, and be the best EMS provider you can be.
1. Recognize priorities
EMS is full of areas where we need to recognize priorities. This is one of the most vital steps to becoming completely effective at work.
Regardless of the call we are running or the tasks we may have to do in the office, if priorities are not set you are destined to be buried under a continuous ton of tasks.
2. Have a positive attitude
A positive attitude is the cornerstone of becoming the best you can be. Not only does being positive assist you in developing a great reputation, it is also contagious and folks will want to collaborate with you. Developing a positive attitude can be easy.
- You and only you can derail your positive attitude; don’t let the whiners and complainers deter you. Minimize your exposure with these ninjas of negativity.
- Take the initiative whenever you can. Be willing to help a peer in need, and pick up the slack when someone is off sick or falling behind. When striving to be the best, the term “good enough” is not in your vocabulary. Work to complete tasks to the highest standards possible.
- They take pride in setting the standards and expect the same from those around you. The people we meet with positive attitudes seem to earn the most respect.
- Take responsibility for your actions, set the standards for others to follow, make ethical decisions, and always be a person of integrity.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask questions
EMS is a very egotistical business, and this keeps us from asking why when we don’t know something.
One of the big reasons for this is that we don’t want to look like we don’t know what we are doing in front of our peers. This is a very bad place to be. If you know everything there is to know about EMS, raise your hand.
It’s important to know your limitations, understand your weaknesses and develop a plan to turn them into strengths. Regardless of what position you hold in the organization, keep learning and developing through out your career.
4. Manage your time well
To become the most effective in your position, you have to learn this evasive skill. In EMS we seem to live and die by the clock.
From response times, to scene times, to turn-around times, or simply to getting that project done on time, we have meeting certain requirements. Rather than making time an enemy, use it to your advantage. Here are some tips.
- Know your schedule and understand how you spend your time everyday. Use an activity log to assist you in analyzing how much time you devote to your tasks. This can really give you an understanding of how much time you need throughout your day.
- Do not multi-task. Contrary to popular belief, multitasking is a killer of our time management. Focus on one task, set priorities and get one task done at a time. You will find yourself more productive at the end of the day.
5. Communicate clearly
From phone calls and emails, to presentations and plain old talking to our workforce, mastering the skills of communication is essential when your goal is to work more effectively.
Become an active listener. This can be hard at times since EMS providers want to fix problems for people. But if a member of your team is talking to you, and you are formulating a response in your head while she is still talking, this can cause you to miss key facts and meanings. Plus, it’s really disrespectful to your teammate. Make a concerted effort to really hear and understand what folks are saying to you.
Don’t allow yourself to become distracted while listening to someone. If you pay attention to what’s around you instead of the person talking, this will lead to a breakdown in the communication process. Pay attention to the person you are in this conversation with. Don’t look at your phone; don’t look at your computer screen. Always give 100 percent of your attention.
It seems we create and respond to 100 emails and texts a day, so it’s important to be a good writer. You need to communicate in writing you can get your point across accurately, concisely and as clear as possible.
As you develop your professional career, it makes no difference if you are writing a report, taking the fourth transfer of the day, or having your safety threatened by a crowd wanting justice. Simply be the best and most effective professional you can be.
