In general, I like the freedom of working on the ambulance. Freedom in the sense that I work: Tuesday night, Thursday day, Friday day, and Saturday night. 48 hours a week. That means that all the days and nights NOT on that list are mine to spend like my last quarters into the snack machine of life, mmmm Reese's. I don't actually succeed in having quite as much entertainment as all that considering I work at the office job and studying my ever-growing behind off, but it is nice to think I have so many days to myself.
There's always a downside. In the case of this ambulance company, it is the current shortage of actual working per diem employees and an extreme shortage of overtime approval. These two things together equal a whole lot of "vacation denied" messages when you want even a single shift off. Unlike the office job, if I stay home sick, someone has to fill my seat. Instead, you find yourself wheeling and dealing for trades. I'll work X day if you'll work X+2 day. People monkey with the schedule to build themselves 24 hour shifts and cut down commutes. People switch around for semesters at a time to get the M-W-F or T-Th time they need to take a class. Some just dislike certain partners or supervisors.
This company has an on-line scheduling program, leading to multiple daily emails on currently available shifts, and multiple telephone calls from people looking to fill shifts. You need a strong disposition to say no but enough flexibility to help people out for an exchange at a later date both individuals and supervisors. Very political, very annoying.
1 comment:
What really sucks (being Per Diem) is that I've been getting no less than 2 calls per day lately from schedulers or the duty sup's to work. Problem is that when they call either I am working for us or for someone else. Then they get bent out of shape when I'm working elsewhere. Very frustrating.....
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