Charting New Territory

Mark has been involved in healthcare and EMS for more than a decade. He started his career as a first responder and subsequently obtained his paramedic certification. Mark was considered to be diligent when providing care and never hesitated to lend a helping hand.

Throughout his career the EMS industry seemed to be undergoing significant change. Equipment designs were being modified and new technology was being introduced on a frequent basis. During these times of change Mark was able to successfully learn about the new products. While some products required additional effort for Mark to master, he was eventually able master the new devices.

Mark transitioned into a supervisor role. He was responsible for overseeing a majority of the training for his EMS agency. A majority of the administrative tools, such as spreadsheets, software, computers, and training equipment, were in place before he assumed his new role. His transition appeared to be seamless and the training programs continued.

At the same time that Mark transitioned into his new role, the EMS system where Mark worked was undergoing significant change. Budget cuts and administrative reductions were taking place. The leadership of the EMS system recognized that the staff and team members might be requested to do more with less. The leadership team held several meetings with the staff, updating them on the developments. Everyone appeared to understand the potential changes.

Following these meetings, a senior manager approached Mark to review how these changes might impact Mark's role in the system. Based on the information that was reviewed, Mark realized that his scope of responsibility had the potential to increase significantly. There were also areas of new responsibility that he had never performed before. The meeting between Mark and the senior leader concluded and Mark felt overwhelmed. He immediately began to ask himself, "How am I going to pull this off? I've never even done some of these things before?"

After pondering this for a few days, Mark contacted a close colleague, Susan. The two met for coffee and Mark explained his situation. Susan had been through a similar transition several years earlier and could relate to Mark's situation. She offered him some basic but useful insight and suggestions.

Create a list

Mark's workload was about to increase. Several of his new tasks were almost foreign to him. In an effort to determine where he may have challenges, he was going to make a list of his responsibilities. Next to each item he would make a note indicating whether he had performed the task before. Susan made the analogy to an EMS skill check off sheet that Mark had used in the past. Once the list was created, Mark could review its status and begin to plan how to tackle the items that were new to him.

Find resources

Creating the list was a good first step. Susan then asked Mark who he knew that could help him with the items that were new to him. In essence, Mark would list the potential resources that could help. Mark was able to list several people that might be able to assist him. A majority were colleagues from the same EMS system.

New skill development

The list contained several items that involved technical skills, including computers and software. This was an area where Mark was not comfortable. Susan made a comparison to an EMT basic that was advancing to paramedic level. To become a paramedic, EMT's had to learn new skills. EMT's receive training so that they are able to perform the new skills. In this situation, she recommended that Mark either locate a mentor to assist him or enroll in a class. For Mark to be successful with his new responsibilities, the use of the technical skills was going to be important.

Practice

In addition to learning the basics of the new technical skills, Mark and Susan agreed that Mark would need to use the new skills on a fairly regular basis. Taking a course or being mentored would provide a starting point. To reinforce the new skills, and to help increase Mark's comfort level with the new skills, practice and experience would be key. This is also similar to EMT's that are learning paramedic skills. It is good to learn the basics; expertise is accomplished through use and experience.

Talk to your supervisor

Susan suggested that Mark share his list and ideas with his supervisor. While some people might consider such a step as "risky," Susan offered the perspective that Mark's boss might appreciate the fact that Mark is taking a pro-active approach. This could also create an opportunity for Mark's growth and advancement within the company.

Be flexible

Mark's list is exactly that -- a list. Susan pointed out that during a time of significant change, the ability to be flexible is key. As such, his list may, and most likely will, look different in a month, 6 months, and even in a year. Part of Mark's success could be reflected by how he responds to the possible changes that are encountered. EMS scene dynamics can change numerous times. Instead of being on the street for the changes, Mark was experiencing changes from an administrative perspective.

Give it 100 percent

As Susan and Mark continued to talk, Susan noticed that Mark appeared more confident than he had been earlier. Susan pointed this out to Mark. Mark commented that while his plate was rather full and he had a lot to accomplish in a short period of time, he would give it 100 % effort. He also noted that giving it "his all" would be essential for his success.

Follow-up & track progress

As they ended their discussion, Susan asked Mark to keep her updated on his progress. He agreed and asked if they could meet on a regular basis to review things. By having future meetings, Susan would not only serve as a mentor, Mark would be motivated to continue working on his list. He could use his list to track his progress and follow-up with Susan. This would help to keep him "on task."

Mark's situation is not uncommon. Many individuals, including EMS providers, are finding that the initial training they received provided a good starting point to perform their jobs. However, as organizations change, individuals may find it necessary to learn new skills to continue their employment. For some, this can be overwhelming. And, depending on the person, this may prove to be extremely challenging. The individual that is able to take a pro-active approach may not only learn new skills, they may also find that their performance excels. This can create a win-win situation and may lead to opportunities that did not previously exist.

Paul has been involved in healthcare for more than a decade. During this time has held clinical and administrative roles and has functioned as a Paramedic and Flight Paramedic. Paul has Master degrees in Computer Resources/Information Management and Healthcare Administration.