# Ambulance Vouyerism?



## masquedxangel (Jun 5, 2009)

So today I was driving back to work from lunch and I saw an ambulance running hot back to the hospital. In my area you don't touch the lights/sirens on the way to the hospital unless there's someone either coding or about to in the back, not sure it's the same everywhere.

Well my first thought was "!!! AMBULANCE! PERSON inside? Lights! Sirens! Person inside doing something interesting! MUST SEE!" and I swung into a nearby parking lot and tried to find a spot that let me see. There was a darn bush in my way so I couldn't -grumble- but darned if I didn't try.

So. Um... did anyone else ever...well, do that? While taking your first EMT classes? >.> Do you suppose this means I'm well-suited for being an EMT, or I'm just a creepy person? XD


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## RDUNNE (Jun 5, 2009)

cant say ive ever done that, nor have i know anyone to do that.....im voting creepy person.:wacko: lol


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## rmellish (Jun 5, 2009)

It's a normal urge until you have a card and the slightest bit of street experience I'd say.

The curiosity part I mean. I never actually followed an ambulance, that seems a bit ridiculous.


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## masquedxangel (Jun 5, 2009)

Oh thank goodness that urge fades? Lol. I'm dying to get started on my clinicals, I'm a very "just toss me in, coach!" sort of person lol.


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## BLSBoy (Jun 5, 2009)

Are you sure this is the career path for you?


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## Shishkabob (Jun 5, 2009)

How do you know they were driving to the hospital?

And SOP, atleast here, is if a code happens inside of the truck, you pull over and work it... unless you're one of "those" people.


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## masquedxangel (Jun 5, 2009)

I know because I was at the hospital parking lot when they pulled into the hospital unloading zone. O_O; We are a very small town lol. I work about 5min away from the hospital.

What're "those" people? My instructors said in class the other night that if someone starts coding the driver flips the lights on to get them to the hospital ASAP.

(and dumb question ... what's SOP? I'm not up on all of the acronyms yet)


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## Sasha (Jun 5, 2009)

Uh no. I've never had the urge to invade a patient's privacy by trying to peek into the back of an ambulance. 

I'm glad you couldn't see, you shouldn't have. People like you are the reason one of my old partners would hang a sheet over the back window at the start of a shift. 

I'm always sad to read about rubbernecking behavior from a person entering or in EMS. It's a shame.


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## masquedxangel (Jun 5, 2009)

I wasn't exactly ninja'ing up the ramp to hover, I was just fascinated by it I suppose, so I wanted to see what was going on. I got out of traffic to do so, so I didn't put anyone in danger.

Wasn't aware being curious was a disqualification for being in EMS. ;

I was more interested in seeing what happened as they took the patient out and headed inside since I've never seen it first hand.


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## Shishkabob (Jun 5, 2009)

"Those" people are the ones that drive to an ED during a code just so the pt wouldn't "die" in their truck, but at the ED.

SOP = standard operating procedure.


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## JustMarti (Jun 5, 2009)

Curiosity is normal.  Thankfully you got out of traffic and watched from a safe distance.

SOP= Standard Operating Procedure

Good Luck in class!


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## masquedxangel (Jun 5, 2009)

Ooooooh. I think the protocol here is to try to get the Pt to the ER to increase quality of care but I could be wrong, maybe we are "Those" people here lol.

Aha, SOP. That makes sense now.

ETA: Thanks Marti. I thought it was normal too...kinda thought most people did it... but I was doubting myself for a moment there.


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## Shishkabob (Jun 5, 2009)

Don't get me wrong, there are times to drive code to the hospital, but in reality, driving code to the hospital just increases you risk of an accident.


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## masquedxangel (Jun 5, 2009)

True. One of our instructors really wishes they could take the lights and sirens off all of the ambulances so the newbies will stop running hot for everything and driving like maniacs.


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## Shishkabob (Jun 5, 2009)

That's a problem that has to be corrected at the instructor level, not the manufacturer.  

I don't want to risk my safety on the side of the road because some idiot who likes to drive code got the lights taken off.


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## masquedxangel (Jun 5, 2009)

I just was passing on the joke... o.o


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## mikie (Jun 5, 2009)

*We all were whackers once...*

I think at the beginning, at least for me, we all got a little 'rush' by the fancy lights & sirens.  

It fades.

Now, if I hear a lot of sirens outside, I might have a looksee out the window.  But I don't plan on following the noise (unless it is within walking distance ).


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## masquedxangel (Jun 5, 2009)

Lol yeah it was just happenstance that I was there, I didn't follow the ambulance I just pulled into the nearby parking lot. I really wish I'd been able to see, I was eager to see what it looks like when a real EMT team pulls the stretcher out and heads in 'cause I suspect it doesn't exactly mimic TV lol.


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## mikie (Jun 5, 2009)

*In time young Jedi...*



masquedxangel said:


> Lol yeah it was just happenstance that I was there, I didn't follow the ambulance I just pulled into the nearby parking lot. I really wish I'd been able to see, I was eager to see what it looks like when a real EMT team pulls the stretcher out and heads in 'cause I suspect it doesn't exactly mimic TV lol.



I see that you're a student.  Have you not started your clinical/'ride-alongs' ?  ...save the voyerism or whatever you called it and just wait till you actually get out there and see it for yourself.  It's way cooler 

Last thing you want to do is cause an accident just cause you wanted to see an ambulance go to pick up grandpa down the road.


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## masquedxangel (Jun 5, 2009)

No, Clinical ride-alongs aren't for another month. Bah.

And like I said, I pulled into a parking lot and parked, so I wasn't creating any danger, I was just eager to get a look at what I'd be involved in soon. I really can't wait to get started lol. I'm such a dork.


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## NomadicMedic (Jun 5, 2009)

LOL. I was doing a routine IFT the other day, on the ferry from Seattle bringing a patient home. While the PT and I were in the back, a very curious "lookie loo" came up, cupped her hands around her face and tried to peer through the back window into the truck. I thought the gawker was going to pass out when I flung the door open and said, "May I help you?" The patient laughed and laughed... It was a fun trip.


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## Hal9000 (Jun 5, 2009)

*Abode.*

I live near one post. When I am off duty I can watch out my window as units go by responding to calls.  I don't care for the sound of sirens at all hours of the day, although my summer place has much less of a problem with that.  When they get Rumblers I'll be pretty much screwed.  I also have trains to listen to, oh joy. 

Sometimes I do watch the units go by and guess what the call might be.  Most of the time I keep the doors and windows shut to cut down on the sound.

I've never had anyone rubbing at the windows.  That's kind of Salem's-Lot-ish.


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## silver (Jun 5, 2009)

masquedxangel said:


> Ooooooh. I think the protocol here is to try to get the Pt to the ER to increase quality of care but I could be wrong, maybe we are "Those" people here lol.
> 
> Aha, SOP. That makes sense now.
> 
> ETA: Thanks Marti. I thought it was normal too...kinda thought most people did it... but I was doubting myself for a moment there.



Hmm well a paramedic can work a code really well so they try to get as much done in the field as possible. Because many ERs just aren't ready and time it takes time to get to work.

Never followed an ambulance, but I have with PD. It was interesting, because it turned out that the suspect was fleeing so the PD made a U-turn, so we did too but once they pulled them over we kept driving (not to sketch them out).


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## JustMarti (Jun 5, 2009)

I really can't wait to get started lol. I'm such a dork.[/QUOTE]

No, you aren't a dork.  Perfectly normal.  
Have a great time with your ride-a-longs.  Just remember to back out
of the way when the patient pukes.  :unsure:


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## masquedxangel (Jun 6, 2009)

Oh, I'm not supposed to try to catch it? 

I can't IMAGINE just...peering into an ambulance. I was amazed by my own boldness at such a distance that I wouldn't have seen more than some figures moving around. What sort of person just has the nerve to stroll up to an ambulance and be like "Oh, hey, sup? No I don't have a cert or anything, just curious!"? ...actually, don't answer that. I suspect the number is higher than I want to know.


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## Buzz (Jun 6, 2009)

If I see another ambulance out on the road, I typically glance at it, more or less to see if it is from the service I work for, and if it is, who's working in it. Never really cared enough to see what was going on in back, though as it's usually nothing interesting.


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## Tiberius (Jun 6, 2009)

Yes, curiosity is normal. You want to get a first hand look at what you'll be doing every day once you finish class. You'll have plenty of time to see everything first hand once you start your ride time.

As for the 'running hot' during a code or similar: It is preferable to pull over and work the code.  If you work with a medic, for example, then you'd do compressions while intubation is done, epi and atropine are pushed, etc., and backup can be called for extra sets of hands so you or someone else can drive in nice and easy to the E/R while CPR is being done. If this is done right, this does increase pt. care quality.


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## daedalus (Jun 6, 2009)

a little passion is nothing to get worked up about.
I admit to driving by an call on my way home, when I could have taken another street, a long time before I became an EMT.

Now, psh, I go out of my way to avoid seeing ambulances on my days off.


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## Rob123 (Jun 11, 2009)

As time goes on, you are going to care less about "other" patients.
Rather you will care about your own.

To be honest...
I live minutes away from two major hospitals and I'll still watch the "buses" fly by.  At this point in my (volunteer) career, I typically care more about identifying the service or if I know the crew members. I don't want to sound callous, but I really don't want to know what's happening in the back.

To address your "voyeurism" question....
I am mildly curious when one of my neighbors calls an ambulance. However, other neighbors will likely give my wife all the gossipy details with significantly more information that I would be able to gather by rubbernecking.


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## Hockey (Jun 11, 2009)

I flip off passing ambulances going code






Just kidding of course 


I look to see what company but I just keep going, one day I may find a new company 


My give a damn has busted already


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## Meursault (Jun 11, 2009)

This will pass, but it may be prognostic for whackerism.

I admit, I do look up/out the window when sirens pass, mostly to see the company and how they're driving.


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## Seaglass (Jun 11, 2009)

I live on the same block as a firehouse, so I often don't even notice sirens anymore. But if there's an ambulance or engine right in front of me, I'll glance up to see if I know anyone.

The only time I'll get curious is if there way more sirens than usual. If there's enough to make me seriously wonder, I just need to turn on the news to find out.


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## karaya (Jun 11, 2009)

masquedxangel said:


> MUST SEE!" and I swung into a nearby parking lot and tried to find a spot that let me see. There was a darn bush in my way so I couldn't -grumble- but darned if I didn't try.


 
You have all the makings for an EMS Paparazzi. See me for an application!


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## fortsmithman (Jun 11, 2009)

rmellish said:


> It's a normal urge until you have a card and the slightest bit of street experience I'd say.
> 
> The curiosity part I mean. I never actually followed an ambulance, that seems a bit ridiculous.



I live in a town approx 2500 people and if a ambulance or fire truck goes by then people will follow it to the scene and watch.  This has happened in the towns that  lived in.


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## DV_EMT (Jun 11, 2009)

if im on the free way at night and i come upon a rig with the lights on in back i'll have a short look... then pass them.

I do however love the sound and lights of an ambulance... but like everyone says... it passes in exhileration


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## MGary (Jun 11, 2009)

The whole "voyeurism" thing is completely normal. However, it does wear off. 

I remember as a kid I was so interested in accidents that would happen on this intersection behind my house that I would get out binoculars to more accurately see what the victims looked like and what the FFs were doing.

When I enrolled in EMT-Basic, my parents got me a scanner for Christmas. I used to sleep with that thing on. I would wake up to the tone-out and listen to what was going on and where before I could go back to sleep. Other EMTs I've talked to have done this as well, but as you get more experience actually working the calls, you care less about the ones that you aren't on anymore. It is no longer worth interrupting my sleep just to be nosy and listen to what/where before dozing off again.

The scanner is now a nearly permanent fixture in my car. I do "Scanner chase" on occasion, but this isn't seen at all as a nuisance, as almost every Medic, Intermediate, and fellow Basic around here knows me personally and has ridden with me, and is more than happy to have another trained set of hands on-scene who is able to either work on the patient(s) or drive. I usually don't go in my POV unless I'm either closer to the scene than the ambulance or they have multiple patients and are stuck on scene and in obvious need of some help. 

So yes, this curiosity is completely normal and a good sign as far as I'm concerned. Shows you have some passion for the science/art of EMS. I'd be more than happy to have you as a ride-along with me. 

Welcome to EMS.


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