Color blind in EMS?

[MrSmall]

Hello, I just began EMT classes and have a serious question. I am slightly color blind. In the first chapter of our book they explained that good color vision is needed...

I believe i'm what you call Protanomaly color blind, where red is slightly weaker for me to see... although I still can see red... example of difficulty is blue and purple look similar if there is only a little bit of red used in the mix.

Anyway, my question is.. will I be able to compensate for this? Or are the color variations that I need to see so slight that I will miss them?

 

[medicdan]

um... I am also Colorblind. I am still in the middle of my course, and nobody has said anything. I know (think) that my colorblindness is severe (maybe we see the world the right way, and everyone else the wrong way!). I really dont anticipate it being a problem-- and I will figure something out if it is a problem.

(in Little Miss Sunshine, did you sympathize with the son who was told he couldnt be a pilot because he is colorblind?)

 

[MrSmall]

um... I am also Colorblind. I am still in the middle of my course, and nobody has said anything. I know (think) that my colorblindness is severe (maybe we see the world the right way, and everyone else the wrong way!). I really dont anticipate it being a problem-- and I will figure something out if it is a problem.

(in Little Miss Sunshine, did you sympathize with the son who was told he couldnt be a pilot because he is colorblind?)

never seen/read little miss sunshine..

Since you're in the middle, have you done any skin diagnostics? or done any clinicals where color was needed?

I've looked at pictures where skin diagnostics were used, I could see the difference. however.. I was reading that there may be differences in lip color that I worry about.

 

[MMiz]

I am verryyy colorblind. In fact the nurse six months ago said she'd never seen someone so bad as me. I took that as a badge of honor. Not a problem in EMS. Put it on my app and my doctor and service knew about it.

 

[MrSmall]

I am verryyy colorblind. In fact the nurse six months ago said she'd never seen someone so bad as me. I took that as a badge of honor. Not a problem in EMS. Put it on my app and my doctor and service knew about it.

Very Re-assuring.. right now I work at a resterant, I have to use the squishy test for meats and I actually am better than average at finding temps... I'm hoping it will be the same way for EMS, where other signs and symptoms I can use for a diagnosis...

btw just out of curiosity, do you folks know what type of color blind you are?

http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/c/colorblind.html

explains the types..

 

[medicdan]

Yeah, I have been able to identity cyanosis and other differences in skin color. I am really not worried about it-- I always have a second set of eyes/hands with me.
After taking a quick look at that site, it seems that I am suffer from Dicromasy-- although I also have a lot of trouble with blue/purple/pink/red.

 

[MMiz]

As I explain to people, I have yet to find a single obstacle with being colorblind. I did have to sit out for some experiments in high school chemistry though.

The usage sounds totally incorrect, but I'm Protanomaly? My blue and your blue aren't the same blue. That whole red/green thing just isn't working for me.

 

[Ridryder911]

Apparently, you never heard of hemoccult test.. and glucose and urine sticks... etc. that are based strictly on color. That is why ER nurses should be tested for colorblindness, as other reasons as for documenting body excretions color.. (yes, it matters).

I had a RN/ Paramedic that worked with me, and I was not aware she was colored blind. JCAHO now asks all employers test those that work in critical care areas to be tested for color blindness .I had a nurse that was color blind and hid it by asking others if the test was + or not....okay until the poop hits the fan...

R/r 911

 

[MMiz]

Rid,

How does that impact my ability to work as an EMT-Basic?

 

[MrSmall]

Update:

I've spoken to my instructor today, he informed me that as an EMT it doesn't matter.. as a paramedic, on the truck it's really not a big deal, any color I need to see I can trust my partner. even if my partner is an EMT I can still let him tell me what color something is. He did however say that I will never be a flight medic.