# EMS/Medical Superstitions.



## RESQ_5_1 (Jan 7, 2009)

So, many of us in EMS/Medical fields know the old standbys; Never say the "Q" word. Full moon efects on psych pts. Tones dropping just as your food gets to the table. 

What I'm looking for is a little different. Are there things you do to bring on a good call. Or possibly prevent the bad one. When I worked LTC, we would tie knots in the bedsheets our near death pts had on their bed to postpone it to the next shift. And, recently, it turns out my Super Cool, all black, stealth stethoscope has a tendency to prevent us from having ANY emerg calls whatsoever.

So, post any superstitions/rituals/magic words that are sure to bring or prevent a particular response.


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## marineman (Jan 7, 2009)

calling in sick has been proven 100% effective in preventing all calls


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## oneluv79 (Jan 7, 2009)

RESQ_5_1 said:


> So, many of us in EMS/Medical fields know the old standbys; Never say the "Q" word. Full moon efects on psych pts. Tones dropping just as your food gets to the table.
> 
> What I'm looking for is a little different. Are there things you do to bring on a good call. Or possibly prevent the bad one. When I worked LTC, we would tie knots in the bedsheets our near death pts had on their bed to postpone it to the next shift. And, recently, it turns out my Super Cool, all black, stealth stethoscope has a tendency to prevent us from having ANY emerg calls whatsoever.
> 
> So, post any superstitions/rituals/magic words that are sure to bring or prevent a particular response.



Funny, myself and several of my co-workers were just talking and laughing about this kinda stuff last night....I always stop a co-worker from saying "It's a quite night..." or "It's slow tonight..." when talking to them before I clock in... The one that gets me is every time we're like 5 minutes from going/taking lunch you get a call and you are the only one that can take it.....lol


oneluv79


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## RESQ_5_1 (Jan 7, 2009)

Just this morning, as we were watching the waitress approach our table with breakfast, tones go off. As it turns out, today was the first day in 2 weeks I left my tubes in my truck.


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## Sapphyre (Jan 7, 2009)

The one thing we never say is what kind of call we want.... We always get it, in the worst way.


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## RESQ_5_1 (Jan 7, 2009)

So far, that hasn't worked for us at all. We have been looking for a decent MVC for quite some time and have heard every other station around us do them almost daily.


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## RESQ_5_1 (Jan 7, 2009)

A little off topic Sapphyre, but where in the inland Empire. I originally hail from Covina in the San Gabriel Valley.


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## ffemt8978 (Jan 7, 2009)

Every time we train on something, we get that type of call within two weeks.


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## firecoins (Jan 7, 2009)

> So its a quiet night!


Wait for the tones to go off.



> Ahh! The pasta is done. Lets eat!



Wait for the tones to go off.


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## medicdan (Jan 7, 2009)

ffemt8978 said:


> Every time we train on something, we get that type of call within two weeks.



Thats interesting. I always end up with a variation on that. We will be scheduled to train on a new piece of equipment, or a reminder of a certain skill or assesment, and without fail have a call that requires it a few days before the training. 

Other interesting patterns:

One the days I bring reading or stuff I need to work on with me on the truck, I end up with no time to do it, we run calls non stop. The days that I bring nothing to distract myself, we get nothing. It's the same with my cellphone. The days I'm bored at work, and play on my phone all day, it dies, and I never have a charger when I need it. 

One last pattern/superstition. Whenever the crew that has our truck before us leaves us with any less then 7/8 of a tank, we end up driving all day, and nearly kill the tank. The days the tank is full, it seems we barely turn a wheel.


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## Sasha (Jan 7, 2009)

RESQ_5_1 said:


> So far, that hasn't worked for us at all. We have been looking for a decent MVC for quite some time and have heard every other station around us do them almost daily.



I hate when people say that. It's like standing in a hospital wishing for a code. People get HURT in these things, don't wish for them.


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## KEVD18 (Jan 7, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I hate when people say that. It's like standing in a hospital wishing for a code. People get HURT in these things, don't wish for them.


 

someone needs a vacation........


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## Sasha (Jan 7, 2009)

KEVD18 said:


> someone needs a vacation........



Someone needs rehab.


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## RESQ_5_1 (Jan 7, 2009)

Genrally, the MVC's in our area rarely result in injuries. More often than not, they are single vehicle rollovers with one occupant and minor injuries. Or, they are vehicle vs Moose. Again, minor injuries at best. We haven`t had an MVC fatality in over a year. When I say decent MVC, these are the ones I`m referring to. 

As it turns out, my partner and I are usually the ones sent on the CVA call. And, we actually have an excellent track record. 80% of the CVA calls that we diagnose are actually CVAs. Also, every actual CVA we have transported and treated has had no less than a 93% recovery.


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## KEVD18 (Jan 8, 2009)

Sasha said:


> Someone needs rehab.


 

rehab is for quitters. how many times do i have to tell you that?


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## mycrofft (Jan 8, 2009)

*I don't know if these are superstitious but they seem to have worked...*

1. If you can sleep on the job during the night, do it in a uniform because if you're in sweats or your 'jammies you are going to be rung OUT repeatedly. (Ditto BDU's in the field).
2.  I sit near the door but facing it if I'm "on call", and at a table near the back facing the door if I'm not. Has come in useful a couple times...
3.  I carry and use an eight pound jump kit of my own when I have a twenty-bag, four advanced-level kit, trauma system to support me. Couple days I failed to bring it everywhere, I got sent to a fight or fall and the materials were not there.


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## rogersam5 (Jan 8, 2009)

mycrofft said:


> 1. If you can sleep on the job during the night, do it in a uniform because if you're in sweats or your 'jammies you are going to be rung OUT repeatedly. (Ditto BDU's in the field).



That one is true, the more I have to put on the more likely it is I get a call.

1. Any time I forget MY BP cuff (Squad has junk) I am sure to get a call.
2. The instant I can't find the card that lets me into all the campus buildings and Res halls, I get a call
3. The colder it is outside, the more likely my call will be the furthest possible location from where I currently am.
4. I take a shift I get a call (the squad has a relatively small response area, so our call volume is about 3000 a year, but yet I get one per shift I take)
5. I sign on before my shift officially starts to avoid having to walk over to the squad room at midnight, I will get a call and be in the squad room at midnight.


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## mikie (Jan 8, 2009)

Sasha said:


> I hate when people say that. It's like standing in a hospital wishing for a code. People get HURT in these things, don't wish for them.



What's the ol'e saying?  "It's not that I want you to get hurt, I just want to be there when you do."  Nobody [hopefully] WANTS people to be injured but hey...it's job security.


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## Veneficus (Jan 8, 2009)

If you want an uneventful shift, never work with me. I have a little black cloud that follows me sending bolts at everythng near by. Especially 5-10 minutes before the next shift shows up.


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## Jon (Jan 8, 2009)

Tell me about it. We were a little busy yesterday, and everytime I'd start to think about getting food, we'd get a call. I finally drive right over to get food after clearing a call, and as we pull into the parking lot, the tones drop.

I didn't eat breakfast until 1530 yesterday.


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## Sapphyre (Jan 8, 2009)

Sorry Resq, Didn't see this one.  I live in western San Bernardino County, but, I work in SGV


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## BossyCow (Jan 8, 2009)

Every time a new vollie gets their EMT cert, there is an immediate cluster of calls around their house. seriously... like a vcrtex that draws the calls in... 

Calls come in threes....

If I wear girl shoes to my day job, we will be toned out for a SAR.


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## Airwaygoddess (Jan 8, 2009)

*Well he are mine.......*

When I had soeone expire in the rig I do the decon routine, but I open up all of the windows and doors so "everything has a chance to move on and out"
  It it was on the night shift I would go somewhere and see the sun rise, I guess this is my way of starting a new day.

  I also will not sleep in the back of an ambulance......  I still get the "Willies"


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## RESQ_5_1 (Jan 8, 2009)

There seems to be a correlation here between students and call volume. Our Paramedic is usually a black cloud. Unless, he gets a student. Or, if we have to do any kind of Orientation.


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## Epi-do (Jan 8, 2009)

New medic = crap magnet around here.  

Everytime we have tacos for dinner, we get a run.

And, on a side note, throughout medic class I felt as if I was working part-time for the grim reaper.  I have never had that many cardiac arrests/DOAs in such a short time span as I did in that year.  Well, instead of getting one every shift for several shifts in a row, I am now getting them in pairs.  Lovely....


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## artman17847 (Jan 8, 2009)

RESQ_5_1 said:


> So far, that hasn't worked for us at all. We have been looking for a decent MVC for quite some time and have heard every other station around us do them almost daily.



That means some bad juju is building up for you guys!


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## traumateam1 (Jan 9, 2009)

Everytime I sit down for a Timmys! :sad:


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## EMTinNEPA (Jan 9, 2009)

- Codes come in threes.
- I will not use our service's GPS, stethoscopes, or clipboards.  I always use my own.
- I have a little white cloud that once, every few weeks, likes to paint itself black, then immediately take a bath.
- I wear a glove pounch, a phone case, my pager, and a mag-light on my belt.  I will not put them on my belt before entering the station for my shift, because bad things will happen.
- I pity anybody who happens to be working or is coming into work at the same time a certain medic arrives, because he loves to have codes RIGHT at shift change when everybody is there and is morally obligated to go and help, giving him an EMS Army at his command.
- If the paid service I work for gets a bad call when I am not on duty, I will not come from home and help, unless it's a code (since it's hard to make dead worse) and I know for a fact that I am physically the closest EMT.  Any time I've come from home to help without meeting this criteria, bad, BAD things have happened to me.


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## Dobby (Jan 9, 2009)

Well here are some typical superstitions that the Emts believe in here in South Africa:

1. NEVER but NEVER take off your boots whether it may be to sleep rest or whatever.....NEVER take them off..you will garunteed get a call.

2. NEVER ever check the maternity packs ( we keep them sealed up so that we know all the stock present what needs be) if you open the sealed maternity pack and check it .....you will get a maternity call .

3. Never wish for a certain type of call, never wish you dont get a certain type of call, never wish to be busy, or the Q word, it will always back fire on you.

and one of my own personal "rituals" whenever it comes to putting on my boots before going to work the right foot always goes on first then the left....silly I know. :wacko:


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## KEVD18 (Jan 9, 2009)

Dobby said:


> 1. NEVER but NEVER take off your boots whether it may be to sleep rest or whatever.....NEVER take them off..you will garunteed get a call.


 

this is probably the most common ems myth/superstition and maybe it rings true for some of you but its been my experience that its crap.

everybody thats ever worked with me or heard me talk about when i was working knows that im a professional paid sleeper on the job. it makes me feel exceptional to get paid to snooze, so i do as much of it as possible while on duty. meal/bathroom/cigarette/videogame breaks aside, if we're not on a call, i'll be snoring away and the very first thing i do is kick off my boots.

about a year ago, i was working for a company that wasnt incredibly busy to begin with, but on sundays was dead. i had a sunday 24. my goal was to sleep at least 18hr's of that shift(a goal i met on more than one occasion) and got close many others. all bootless. nope, i think its crap but hey, maybe im the exception to the rule.


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## Sasha (Jan 9, 2009)

KEVD18 said:


> this is probably the most common ems myth/superstition and maybe it rings true for some of you but its been my experience that its crap.
> 
> everybody thats ever worked with me or heard me talk about when i was working knows that im a professional paid sleeper on the job. it makes me feel exceptional to get paid to snooze, so i do as much of it as possible while on duty. meal/bathroom/cigarette/videogame breaks aside, if we're not on a call, i'll be snoring away and the very first thing i do is kick off my boots.
> 
> about a year ago, i was working for a company that wasnt incredibly busy to begin with, but on sundays was dead. i had a sunday 24. my goal was to sleep at least 18hr's of that shift(a goal i met on more than one occasion) and got close many others. all bootless. nope, i think its crap but hey, maybe im the exception to the rule.




I sleep with my boots on! But not to avoid a call when I'm working overnights, but because my feet don't smell pretty in my work boots and taking them off exposes the partner! 

Sleeping with the boots on is not very comfortable...


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## pumper12fireman (Jan 10, 2009)

Sapphyre said:


> The one thing we never say is what kind of call we want.... We always get it, in the worst way.




This is true of our department as well (unless we're hoping for a fire). Last week one of the guys said that he "wished for a good MVC". Two hours later, we're cutting a DOA out while putting the deceased's mother on a LSB getting ready to run her hot to a trauma center. 

So, we don't wish for a kind of a call any longer.


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## daemonicusxx (Jan 15, 2009)

we rely on the trauma god. although i think i got a broke one, it only brings us interfacility transfers or alpha sick persons, or "flu like symptoms"


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## LucidResq (Jan 15, 2009)

I have 3 friends that, when combined and hanging out just the 3 of them or any 2 of them, form THE ultimate :censored::censored::censored::censored: magnet. They have driven by some astounding things. Their names all start with the same letter. The :censored::censored::censored::censored: magnet effect is lost when you add anyone else to the equation.


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## lightsandsirens5 (Jan 19, 2009)

ffemt8978 said:


> Every time we train on something, we get that type of call within two weeks.


 
HA! Every time we get a good call, we train *for* it in two weeks!


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## lizhiniatsos (Jan 19, 2009)

....everything said here rings true...or false...depending on day, time weather, availability of unavailability of necessary equipment, adequate training, or lack thereof, availability of food or hunger or people or animals or moon phase or star alignment or clothing worn (or not)....
 only one thing is for sure,
           expect the unexpected....


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## Meursault (Jan 19, 2009)

If the outgoing crew tells me their shift was hellish, and all signs point to my shift being as bad, and I plan my night accordingly, nothing will happen.

Most recent example: It's the first full weekend back on a college campus, and frats are having spring rush parties. The crew I'm replacing had 3 simultaneous calls at one point, on a campus that averages about 2 calls/24 hours. The bag I'm checking out looks as if someone took the dividers out, unzipped it, and shook it violently, then replaced the dividers. There's 5" of snow on the ground in places and another 6" is falling. 
Not a single call.


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