The “B” Word.
You know… The word that shall not be used while at work. It ranks right up there with the “Q” word, the “S” word, and the other “B” word.
You know the word.
Bored.
I guess I can say it since I’m not at work right now.
Today was one of those days where you actually hope the phone rings at the station. It was that bad. I typically have enough packed into my laptop bag to keep me preoccupied, but due to a last minute clean out of said bag I left a few things behind.
So, how boring was it, Epi?
Here’s how I spent my day.
1040: Arrive at the station. Start the truck inspection. Realize that we have no towel rolls. Consider that a win since we do have fuel, oxygen, backboards, run reports, linen, and n/c’s.
1100: Clock in with dispatch, no runs are on the board. Start washing the truck.
1102: Get called to the main station. Knock the bubbles off the truck and with the hose and jump in the truck.
1115: Go to main station, have a delightful talk with the Supervisor, get dispatched for a private run.
1122: Head to the address with Tall Irish Partner driving. We talk about the weather and the lack of radio in the truck.
1145 – 1230ish: The patients house is not set up with the dimensions of a stryker stretcher in mind. One long narrow hallway that leads to the patients bedroom means that we’re going to have to hammock carry her from her bed to the stretcher. In 100 degree heat. I’ve soaked through my uniform by the time we’re back in the truck. She’s cold, so I turn the a/c off. By the time we get to our destination I’ve melted into a pile of goo that sticks to the vinyl seat I’ve been planted in for half an hour. I briefly consider running through the sprinklers at the nursing home.
1240ish: We put ourselves back in service and are ordered to return to the station. The station with no books, or TV. At least it has central air.
1432: We’re already b-b-b-bored. I stare at my netbook and ponder what job I should do on Mafia Wars. I run a biker gang out of town and snuff out two snitches.
1455: I give up on Mafia Wars and head outside. I consider washing my car.
1501: The clouds open up and dump some of the wet stuff on us. I shake my fist at Mother Nature, pull the car back into it’s spot, and put away the bucket, brush and hose.
1640: Are you SERIOUS? I still have 2.5 more hours? What can I do to keep myself busy? I look to my right and see a stack of towels.
Oh, yeah, we need towel rolls. I forgot about that.
1643: BAM. Towel rolls. And they are quite lovely I must say.
1646: Watch my partner pick up stones that he plans to throw into the pond.
1650: File my nails.
1700: Thank God that there are only two hours. Head back to the couch and play Mafia Wars again.
1705: I think I might be addicted to Mafia Wars. Decide to do something productive and read up on Huntington’s disease.
1720ish: Partner discovers a bamboo stick. We are infinitely amused by it. I wish to Gawd I had a picture of this.
1739: We’re sitting outside of the station making fun of the drunks coming out of the bar across the street.
1742: Is it 1900 yet?
1745: Seriously? Is it?
1749: While Partner retreats to his couch, I go to check on my happy place. I’m on the phone with Trauma Junkie, who keeps telling me that he can’t hear me with all the wind. I abandon my “happy place” and to talk to him instead. Here’s a view of the “happy place”.
1800: One more hour!!!
1801: We pick up the trash.
Okay, I didn’t, but Tall Irish Partner did. He put gloves on to do it. Can’t blame him.
1830: I construct my version of a pugil stick. I entertain myself for a good ten minutes this time.
1845: Dare Tall Irish Partner to say that he’s bored. He refuses based on the fact that he believes a plane will crash across the street exactly one minute before we’re due to get off work.
1900: We clock out, sprinting towards our cars.
If you have any ideas on how to pass the time during a slow day, let me know. The more creative the better.
Comments
the alphabet game: select 4 items from somewhere within the rig, and find each and every letter of the alphabet from those 4 things. Look out for q!!! that can be a doozy!
tetris on your cell phone: addictive!!
read the blogs on the blog listings of those you list, and comment on as many as possible in a 1 hour period…get your readership up, maybe learn something, maybe have a laugh and maybe make a new friend.
are you allowed to sleep?? cause it’s totally sleep without worries about FC and SWR!! now that’s priceless in and of itself!
good luck!!!
Your day sounds way more eventful than mine. On slow days at work I sleep and smoke alot. I also read and spend a great deal of time playing with my iPhone. Js
Damn it I don’t know what the “S” word is. I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut, not that saying the “Q” word actually does makes the place get busier. So anyways what’s the “S” word?
I had this problem on a paramedic ride along a few weeks back. Nothing happened in the first three hours. After going to Starbucks I helped wash a car then just watched TV while trying not to fall asleep.
Now I’m kind of depressed. The ambulance company I want to work for doesn’t have internet at their stations and TV is usually lame. I might resort to playing with fire.
Play Pirates on FB as well, I’m currently addicted.
Without the well stocked bag, a nap always comes in handy.
Hey Happy Medic,
I would have gladly taken a nap, but every time I fall asleep in this station I wake up with a sinus headache. Not really sure why. Figured out that it’s best to not sleep there anymore.
Timothy
The S word is S-L-O-W. As in, “Good Gawd it’s slow today…” It’s a sure way to end up stacked three deep in runs.
JS, Heeey
Normally I do bring a book or two. And since I’m not cool enough to have one of those fancy shmancy iPhones…. 
Hey Ambulance Mommy!
I’m going to have to try the alphabet game, that would have kept me occupied for awhile
Sleep, but you can’t; I’d read- But I’m on computers all @#&* day, so I really don’t want to fool with them off work… Other choices, play practical jokes on partner/trainee
My days normally include a few rounds of Mafia Wars myself. Love that game.
We play “Ambulance Game” with the rookies by asking them where different equipment is, giving multiple locations or tasks if possible.
We used to play Monopoly but that was taken away from us. We got a little violent.
Wish my day was as uneventful. I work at a rinky-dink service where I *MIGHT* get two runs in 24 hours. I had 7 just during the daylight hours…WTH?
Ok, my first suggestion would be for those of us who are in school- take every textbook you own- The first two third rides I did- we had a total of 4 runs- 3 BS and one actually not quite BS in two 12 hour shifts- we were actually walking around the station saying every “S”, “Q” and “B” word we could think of to maybe get a run. However, all 4 calls did occur as we were sitting down to eat either breakfast or lunch!
Maybe you should’ve tried lunch?
However, on my last third ride I came prepared to do my powerpoints and presentation for a class project and we ran all day long- they were ready to throw me to the wolves by 5pm.
The fates are EMS are quite contrary!
What, no surgical tubing slingshots? Especially with a target rich environment across the street?
You could at least practice playing “Mary had a little lamb” with the ambulance sirens (It can be done. Knew an ambulance driver in Syracuse, NY that could tap it out by turning on and off various sirens. I didn’t know whether to be amazed or disturbed).
I didn’t realize you were at the location. I drove by the other day and I thought it looked like you sitting outside, but wasn’t sure. Next time I’ll stop, we can share stories.
Hi there
I came across your blog via a link from Medic7’s blog, and how I got there is anyone’s guess. One of those click something interesting and find 7 more interesting links.
My suggestions: FarmTown on Facebook. It’s every bit as silly as Mafia, and just as addicting. Feel free to add me to your Mafia! http://www.facebook.com/julesagain
And here’s a game that is portable, easy to play, and easy to stop and start if you get a call. You need 6 dice, and some pen and paper, and a flat surface. I learned it while tending bar years ago as “Greedy”, but I’ve seen a version on Facebook called Farkle (?!) that is almost exactly the same.
Scoring:
5 – 50 points
1 – 100
3 of a kind (rolled all at once):
3 x 2 = 200
3 x 3 = 300
3 x 4 = 400
3 x 5 = 500
3 x 6 = 600
3 x 1 = 1000
3 pairs = 1250 (rolled all at once)
straight – all 6 dice = 1500 (rolled all at once)
So, you can’t roll a 5, then a 1, then two more 5’s and count them as 500. They would count as 150 though, at 50 points each.
If you have points on all 6 dice, you MUST roll them all again, and add the new points to the prev. total (write it down, its hard to remember).
You must get points on at least one die to keep rolling.
You must score 750 to open.
If you have a roll with no points, you lose all accumulated points on that turn, including points accumulated in a first round, such as a straight. (thus the name, Greedy).
The way I learned it was, if you rolled a 5 (50 points), and then a 1 (100 points), you could pick up all the dice except the 1, including the previously rolled 5, and roll again. The online version doesn’t allow that … so maybe that’s a bastardized version. But it’s more fun that way
As long as you score a 1 or a 5, or one of the points options listed above, you can keep rolling. The initial hurdle of 750 can be surprisingly hard to get, although sometimes we’d up it to 1000 just to be contrary. We’d play to 10,000, 50,000 – really you can set it at whatever you want. Speed rounds could be just 10 turns, and you’re done, like the online version.
Enjoy,
Jules
These days are few and far between. You know this as well as I do. Enjoy them while you can!
It could be worse. You could always be at Bigger EMS service (you know the one I’m talking about,) on back-to-back runs.
I work in a town with three large, well stocked lakes. Even though the roads around there are well-marked with “No Parking” signs, the cops won’t ticket an ambulance or an ALS vehicle. I bring my fishin poles and drown worms between calls.
The only hitch in the giddyap is when I have a good fight goin on the end of the line and the tones go off. Haven’t lost a fish yet… cuz hey, there’s a BLS ambulance heading that way and BLS before ALS, right? Guys? Anyone?
Stryker bowling is my fav. Great way to waste a few grand too.
never use the b word or the q word(quiet)
now shhhhhhh
and dont wake the evil ones LOL
I’ve become addicted to “SAS: Zombie Assault 2″ on http://www.ninjakiwi.com. I can’t kill enough of ‘em.
Usually, depending on where I’m working, I’ll be at level 15 or 16 and have just purchased a G3 assault rifle when we get a call. Almost always like clockwork….
Try youdagames.com – ample material for killing many, many hours. I like Sushi Chef and Farmer the best…
Maybe you should start learning whatever the highest-census non English language in your locality is. Or get into Sudoku?
Ambulance service staff in the UK never stop. Ever. Perhaps long enough for tea and a pee at 5am but apart from that – no chance. My nursing home (lived there for 9 months, am now cared for in my own home again) used to make tea when they called a ‘bolance so that the guys/gals could at least get a coupla swigs in while they took the pt’s details.+