Overtime Pay

Eight hour shift. Did three calls. Nothing too serious.

A pregnant woman feeling dizzy who went to her doctor's for an ultrasound. He called because she was dizzy and short of breath. She said she has been dizzy and short of breath during the entire course of her pregnancy. Saw her regular doctor the other day and he said she should just deal with it.

A lady with cancer who had a near syncopal episode on visiting her doctor for a regular appointment.

A nursing home patient with heavyness in her left arm. She said she has had the heaviness for years, and the doctor's haven't been able to figure out why. What was different today? I asked. I had a new nurse she said.

I worked them up. Did I make a difference today? No. But I did my job.

***

I was thinking today when I started I looked around and saw all these other medics working six and seven days a week(in those days there wasn't the overtime available, but there were more companies to work for, so many medics worked for two or three different companies), and told myself I would never get in the position where I had to work overtime or two jobs to make my payments.

Back then I was living in a one bedroom apartment paying $550 a month. I was living on maybe $32,000 a year, working only three days a week.

Now look at me. I make way more than that now, but I've got a morgage and bills to pay. I need to work. Not that I don't like it. I love the work. I was just thinking this morning when I was at the gym. I wouldn't mind spending more time there. I've been studying to be a fitness trainer. It'd be nice to have a part-time job as a trainer. I think I'd be good at that. It doesn't pay what paramedic overtime pays though.