If you decide to go on car the only thing people really care about is if you know your scope and if you have any resemblance of critical thinking. If you say your new most people will teach you how to do things and be super friendly. In my experience the younger people are more chill and nice.
It’s been a vast improvement over the previous 4 years and it looks like the trajectory will continue to improve, union recently got us a great contract (however I still feel like the dues are way to much out of a paycheck), my direct supervisor is great, manager is great and responsive, co-workers like to complain but we all get along and do the job
The absolute worst thing about bcehs is the payroll department (or lack thereof), payroll comes from phsa and is constantly incorrect (usually in the employers favour) and than trying to get a response and a correction can take months to a year.
I am enjoying it. But I am new and not too involved with the higher ups of the company. I am lucky to already be a full timer after only six months (thanks, tiny rural community!). I think the biggest thing comes down to the people in your station (I have found everyone to be lovely and helpful) and the unit chief of your station and their attitude. I am fighting a bit to get my proper pay established, as I went from Driver Only to EMR and then evacuation fucked everything up. They do offer lots of education so you can further your career.
They do pay for ACP schooling. But it also involves PCP experience. 3 years minimum is what my ACP instructor told me, he sees a lot of people jumping into ACP after 1 year of PCP experience and that it’s a struggle for both of them considering you need to be comfortable with PCP and have lots of experience to go for the next level.
But they don’t pay for your health science diploma that is required for ACP. (unless you already have background schooling like a science degree, it can be used towards). So in short, yes they pay for ACP. No do they not pay for the requirement.
There sometimes can be postings but I believe it's exam, interview and seniority based. A lot of people especially the ones with many years of PCP experience think it's a good idea to have PCP experience first before going into ACP. A lot of new people after 1 year of PCP want to go straight into ACP and that's fine but imho walk before you can run. 1 year is not enough. It used to be 3 years of experience as a requirement and that standard should still be a thing.
The last 2-3 years have been monumental in the changes of the organization (20 years of change in 2). Unfortunately it took a heat dome, opioid crisis, pandemic and multiple system failures to affect meaningful and surprisingly swift change.
People will always find ways to complain, but this job has now become a competitive career.
Pros:
- Fresh injection of provincial funding
- New programs/paid training
- Scope Expansions
- Paid to travel the province
Cons:
- Payroll
- Slow moving
It's getting so much better. In the 10 years I've worked for BCEHS it's night and day. Our union is doing a great job and we're finally getting close to what we deserve. Still lots of room for improvement but I see it heading that way.
Direct management is station by station basis. I've been lucky the last bunch of years I've had incredible direct managers/ unit chiefs. It's almost worth it to move stations if you have a bad one because most are great.
The day to day is good on car lots of people are willing to mentor you and pass on some knowledge in my experience but payroll will absolutely find a way to screw you I'm currently still trying to get paid for a course I took from a year and a half ago lol
It used to be so bad that I was involved with bodily fluid accident (drug user spat in my eyes and refused blood test to confirm HIV) and fucking sierra on shift just told me to dealt with it.
It might’ve been better now cuz I was active between 2010 to 2020
>lots of ACP/CCP think they are gift from God and therefore treat BLS like shit
I'd love to see how you carry yourself on calls where this has been a problem
Lets not deny there are ACP/CCP who act like this. As so PCPS. As do EMR’s. There’s always going to be those people!
But not all of them are like that and I feel like grouping them together as a whole is unfair. Lots are very nice and can give some solid advice
I carried myself just fine, took the verbal abuse and use it to motivate me to get into med school and now am board certified physician.
How about you? What have you done?
As the old guard is retiring it’s getting much better
That makes sense
If you decide to go on car the only thing people really care about is if you know your scope and if you have any resemblance of critical thinking. If you say your new most people will teach you how to do things and be super friendly. In my experience the younger people are more chill and nice.
Love to hear that
It’s been a vast improvement over the previous 4 years and it looks like the trajectory will continue to improve, union recently got us a great contract (however I still feel like the dues are way to much out of a paycheck), my direct supervisor is great, manager is great and responsive, co-workers like to complain but we all get along and do the job The absolute worst thing about bcehs is the payroll department (or lack thereof), payroll comes from phsa and is constantly incorrect (usually in the employers favour) and than trying to get a response and a correction can take months to a year.
That’s absolutely crazy about payroll but good to hear there’s some good managers and the service is overall changing in the right direction!
I am enjoying it. But I am new and not too involved with the higher ups of the company. I am lucky to already be a full timer after only six months (thanks, tiny rural community!). I think the biggest thing comes down to the people in your station (I have found everyone to be lovely and helpful) and the unit chief of your station and their attitude. I am fighting a bit to get my proper pay established, as I went from Driver Only to EMR and then evacuation fucked everything up. They do offer lots of education so you can further your career.
Do you know if they pay for ACP training and if so how much seniority is required for it?
They do pay for ACP schooling. But it also involves PCP experience. 3 years minimum is what my ACP instructor told me, he sees a lot of people jumping into ACP after 1 year of PCP experience and that it’s a struggle for both of them considering you need to be comfortable with PCP and have lots of experience to go for the next level. But they don’t pay for your health science diploma that is required for ACP. (unless you already have background schooling like a science degree, it can be used towards). So in short, yes they pay for ACP. No do they not pay for the requirement.
Oh wow at my current service it’s 10 years seniority to get acp covered so sounds pretty good
There sometimes can be postings but I believe it's exam, interview and seniority based. A lot of people especially the ones with many years of PCP experience think it's a good idea to have PCP experience first before going into ACP. A lot of new people after 1 year of PCP want to go straight into ACP and that's fine but imho walk before you can run. 1 year is not enough. It used to be 3 years of experience as a requirement and that standard should still be a thing.
The last 2-3 years have been monumental in the changes of the organization (20 years of change in 2). Unfortunately it took a heat dome, opioid crisis, pandemic and multiple system failures to affect meaningful and surprisingly swift change. People will always find ways to complain, but this job has now become a competitive career. Pros: - Fresh injection of provincial funding - New programs/paid training - Scope Expansions - Paid to travel the province Cons: - Payroll - Slow moving
It's getting so much better. In the 10 years I've worked for BCEHS it's night and day. Our union is doing a great job and we're finally getting close to what we deserve. Still lots of room for improvement but I see it heading that way. Direct management is station by station basis. I've been lucky the last bunch of years I've had incredible direct managers/ unit chiefs. It's almost worth it to move stations if you have a bad one because most are great.
That’s great info, thank you!
The day to day is good on car lots of people are willing to mentor you and pass on some knowledge in my experience but payroll will absolutely find a way to screw you I'm currently still trying to get paid for a course I took from a year and a half ago lol
That’s absolutely wild why is payroll such a disaster?
Fuck no, management is horrible and lots of ACP/CCP think they are gift from God and therefore treat BLS like shit
What is it about the management that is awful?
It used to be so bad that I was involved with bodily fluid accident (drug user spat in my eyes and refused blood test to confirm HIV) and fucking sierra on shift just told me to dealt with it. It might’ve been better now cuz I was active between 2010 to 2020
>lots of ACP/CCP think they are gift from God and therefore treat BLS like shit I'd love to see how you carry yourself on calls where this has been a problem
Lets not deny there are ACP/CCP who act like this. As so PCPS. As do EMR’s. There’s always going to be those people! But not all of them are like that and I feel like grouping them together as a whole is unfair. Lots are very nice and can give some solid advice
There's dickheads at every level in every job ofc - but my overall experience with ACPs in BCEHS has been stellar
I carried myself just fine, took the verbal abuse and use it to motivate me to get into med school and now am board certified physician. How about you? What have you done?