TurboMedic
02-23-2009, 05:29 PM
As some of you know, I'm a Paramedic working here in Calgary. My job is dynamic, dangerous, stressful and rewarding. I'm currently going through the most uncertain time in my (so far) 11 year career; the Provincial EMS takeover. This transition has been long in the making, but only recent in the execution. We currently stand to be taken over on April 1 of THIS YEAR, and still have not heard anything about the following:
Where will I work?
How will my duties be affected (no, its not just "driving an ambulance")
Who are my superiors?
Will I be laid off and re-hired (at a significantly reduced rate of pay)?
Will our responsibilites suddenly include "hallway paramedicine"?
I know this may not mean very much to many of you, I also know many of you are not supportive of Unions in any form. I grew up knowing what the provincial government could do to any of their employees at any time, my mother is a nurse, and was laid off no less than 5 times through government "restructuring", the SAME government that has placed Calgarians in the position they currently suffer with the lack of hospitals, long waits, and Doctor/Nurse shortage. Unfortunately, we NEED a union to provide us a voice, and the power to be able look out for the interests of MYSELF, and the PUBLIC.
Currently we stand to likely be lumped into one of the following 4 unions, UNA (nurses), UNA (auxiliary nursing), HSAA (RT's, physiotherapy, radiology, housekeeping, etc), or AUPE (general support staff).
Why is this a problem you ask? Well, Paramedics don't fit into any of those particular groups, my job borders between 1. Healthcare, and 2. Public Safety. As a Paramedic I can do any of the following:
- perform a surgical airway in the field
- perform rapid sequence intubation in the field
- electronically and chemically stop and restart your heart
- administer over 100 critical and symptomatic relief medications at any time (without physician orders....this ain't no hospital!)
- deliver baby's in your living room, and alternatively pronounce death in the same space :sad:
- work on the side of icy roads in any weather, light, and for any length of time
- step into crack houses, domestics, shootings, stabbings. deal with animals, psychiatric crisis, any number of communicable diseases DAILY
- work entire 14 hour shifts with no break, no food, and still get overtime (yes, it happens often)
- the list goes on.....
So what am I saying? We are unique, our environment is unique, our training is unique, our responsibilities are unique, and as such we NEED to be able to represent ourselves when across the table from the Government/Alberta Health Services, not somebody who could be a Recreational Therapist, or Food Service Technician.
Please, check out this website, read the print, watch the ads, and forward the letter to your MLA showing your support for Paramedics representing Paramedics with a 5th bargaining unit, it would mean the world to me.
http://www.ourparamedics.ca/
Thanks for reading, and please please ask anything if you've misunderstood something, or I've been a poor communicator...:) Remember, we're here to help YOU
Where will I work?
How will my duties be affected (no, its not just "driving an ambulance")
Who are my superiors?
Will I be laid off and re-hired (at a significantly reduced rate of pay)?
Will our responsibilites suddenly include "hallway paramedicine"?
I know this may not mean very much to many of you, I also know many of you are not supportive of Unions in any form. I grew up knowing what the provincial government could do to any of their employees at any time, my mother is a nurse, and was laid off no less than 5 times through government "restructuring", the SAME government that has placed Calgarians in the position they currently suffer with the lack of hospitals, long waits, and Doctor/Nurse shortage. Unfortunately, we NEED a union to provide us a voice, and the power to be able look out for the interests of MYSELF, and the PUBLIC.
Currently we stand to likely be lumped into one of the following 4 unions, UNA (nurses), UNA (auxiliary nursing), HSAA (RT's, physiotherapy, radiology, housekeeping, etc), or AUPE (general support staff).
Why is this a problem you ask? Well, Paramedics don't fit into any of those particular groups, my job borders between 1. Healthcare, and 2. Public Safety. As a Paramedic I can do any of the following:
- perform a surgical airway in the field
- perform rapid sequence intubation in the field
- electronically and chemically stop and restart your heart
- administer over 100 critical and symptomatic relief medications at any time (without physician orders....this ain't no hospital!)
- deliver baby's in your living room, and alternatively pronounce death in the same space :sad:
- work on the side of icy roads in any weather, light, and for any length of time
- step into crack houses, domestics, shootings, stabbings. deal with animals, psychiatric crisis, any number of communicable diseases DAILY
- work entire 14 hour shifts with no break, no food, and still get overtime (yes, it happens often)
- the list goes on.....
So what am I saying? We are unique, our environment is unique, our training is unique, our responsibilities are unique, and as such we NEED to be able to represent ourselves when across the table from the Government/Alberta Health Services, not somebody who could be a Recreational Therapist, or Food Service Technician.
Please, check out this website, read the print, watch the ads, and forward the letter to your MLA showing your support for Paramedics representing Paramedics with a 5th bargaining unit, it would mean the world to me.
http://www.ourparamedics.ca/
Thanks for reading, and please please ask anything if you've misunderstood something, or I've been a poor communicator...:) Remember, we're here to help YOU