Change
There will always be change in one form or another.
I've changed from being an EMT to being a Paramedic, which means a change in crewmate, and a change in rota - twice in a month, but that is only to be expected when you start working in a new role.
Our ambulances are in the process of change - we're finally starting to see the back of the old LDVs, and the service are buying more Mercedes ambulances.
The Orcon start time has been changed from the time the address and chief complaint were established to being from the moment the call is answered in our control room.
Our standby arrangements have faced change to try and shave a few seconds off us going mobile to a call. This is now known as Active Area Cover, Tom Reynolds has already posted about this. It has been and remains a rather controversial change.
Staff morale has changed from being really quite good when I joined the service to being lower than any other job I've done.
Another change that is contributing to this drop in morale is the pressure being placed on our EOC colleagues and crews by management. It seems to me that we're apparently not allowed to take our time and actually care for our patients anymore. A couple of weeks ago we were attending to a poor lady who'd been visited by her GP who'd arranged for her to be admitted into hospital for being "off her legs". According to the family, the GP had been rather abrupt with her to say the least and it had left her quite upset, so we were taking our time, ensuring that we explained everything we were doing, putting her at ease, whilst making sure she received all the treatment she needed. Because this took just over an hour, we got a message on our MDT asking us what the delay was. I told them the delay was I was treating my patient.
This just seemed to confirm to me that targets are the be all and end all for management now, and that patient care is now second. Of course they'll deny it til they're blue in the face, but it is clear to roadstaff.
I know that Beaker is planning a post about the extra pressure being placed on our control staff by management to hassle crews, with the threat of disciplinary action if they don't. I'll let her explain when she has the time to write the post.
The LAS is not a happy place to work at the moment.
*Update: Beaker's split her post into two parts. Part one here and part two here
I've changed from being an EMT to being a Paramedic, which means a change in crewmate, and a change in rota - twice in a month, but that is only to be expected when you start working in a new role.
Our ambulances are in the process of change - we're finally starting to see the back of the old LDVs, and the service are buying more Mercedes ambulances.
The Orcon start time has been changed from the time the address and chief complaint were established to being from the moment the call is answered in our control room.
Our standby arrangements have faced change to try and shave a few seconds off us going mobile to a call. This is now known as Active Area Cover, Tom Reynolds has already posted about this. It has been and remains a rather controversial change.
Staff morale has changed from being really quite good when I joined the service to being lower than any other job I've done.
Another change that is contributing to this drop in morale is the pressure being placed on our EOC colleagues and crews by management. It seems to me that we're apparently not allowed to take our time and actually care for our patients anymore. A couple of weeks ago we were attending to a poor lady who'd been visited by her GP who'd arranged for her to be admitted into hospital for being "off her legs". According to the family, the GP had been rather abrupt with her to say the least and it had left her quite upset, so we were taking our time, ensuring that we explained everything we were doing, putting her at ease, whilst making sure she received all the treatment she needed. Because this took just over an hour, we got a message on our MDT asking us what the delay was. I told them the delay was I was treating my patient.
This just seemed to confirm to me that targets are the be all and end all for management now, and that patient care is now second. Of course they'll deny it til they're blue in the face, but it is clear to roadstaff.
I know that Beaker is planning a post about the extra pressure being placed on our control staff by management to hassle crews, with the threat of disciplinary action if they don't. I'll let her explain when she has the time to write the post.
The LAS is not a happy place to work at the moment.
*Update: Beaker's split her post into two parts. Part one here and part two here
written on the PRF by Steve at 10:52 pm
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