egg on your face

I am so happy I am not a rookie anymore. You tend to get the brunt of the 'dirty work' at calls and in station. It is a right of passage and a way to earn not only the respect of your colleagues, but it's also a way to earn your stripes and pay your dues. We've all gone through it. As a rookie you're the first one up and the last one to sit down. Anything that needs cleaning or overhauling is done quickly and without complaint (ha..... if only I could have carried that attitude about chores at home).

Or, you can be a human shield.

When I was a rookie we responded to a med call classified as 'difficulty breathing'. The patient had a stoma with a breathing tube where a tracheotomy had been performed and he had trouble clearing it due to congestion. When we arrived he was coughing through this hole in his throat to try and get the phlegm to clear. Cough and cough he did until the 'muck' was launched and airborne. My Captain decided to grab me and use me as a human shield to stop to phlegm from hitting him. Except I was faster and ducked at the last second and my Captain got a little gift in the face.

I have to admit, I was never great at following rookie rules but in some instances like this it pays to be a bit of a rebel. Saved me from getting 'egg' on my face... lol. ;)