EMS life: Stuck in an ambulance with your work enemy?

In EMS, where the stress is high and space is tight, conflict is bound to happen. Whether it’s a personality clash with your partner, frustration over unclear responsibilities or a disagreement with leadership, knowing how to navigate workplace tension is a crucial skill.  

In this episode of the Inside EMS podcast, hosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson break down conflict resolution strategies. Whether you’re dealing with an overbearing supervisor, a partner who won’t pull their weight or just the everyday stress of the job, this episode will arm you with the tools to handle conflict effectively. 

Memorable quotes:

• “My way of dealing with these conflicts is, I try to remind myself that they're not so different from me. They want the same things in life. They just differ in how they want to get there.” — Kelly Grayson 

• “We hear all the time that perception is reality, but what does that really mean? It means, if somebody thinks that you've slighted them, you've slighted them.” — Chris Cebollero 

•  “Regardless of how good you are at practicing the art and science of leadership, conflict always happens, right?” — Chris Cebollero 

Additional resources:  

• Toxic partners: The damage they do in EMS 

• EMT partners: ‘The people that really make it happen’ on calls 

• The 3-part EMS assessment: Your patient, your partner and yourself 

• How to tell if your EMS partner is a jerk 

• When crew dynamics disrupt patient care

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