What Are Some of the Negative Aspects of the job?
EMS is known for it’s long hours; the severe emotional toll it takes on it’s professionals, the lack of fair pay, the lack of funding for decent equipment, the disparity between what the television-educated public expects and what we are able to deliver, and the fact that, most of the time, we do not necessarily make a difference in the way the media teaches the public to expect. Unfortunately, we usually get to try to help people live through a mistake or error in judgment, but we are unable to prevent these events from happening. Also, we seem to have a higher incidence of alcoholism, other drug abuse, eating disorders, divorce, depression and other mental illnesses, and suicide. As with all professions, the best defense against these negatives is practicing good self-care, knowing your limits, being open to seeking professional assistance, learning good assertiveness skills, and keeping the job separate from your personal life, and vice versa.
