# So much blood...



## chet (Jun 29, 2013)

Hi!!

I plan on working as an EMT-B, once I pass my exams and hopefully get hired. My question today is, have you ever gone on a call where there was so much blood and or chaos you thought you would just run away right there and then? I read the local paper and there was an incident where a guy bashed in his ex girlfriends and her new boyfriends head with a bat, in the news story,law enforcement commented on the large amounts of blood. This happened in the city I did third ride time, those EMTS are kick *** and so cool headed (at least the ones I rode with, and we didn't have gore and blood that day) I was out walking the other night and an old lady was cutting her hedges with an electric hedge trimmer, I imagined her cutting off her arm (I know a hedge trimmer can't do that just imagining) and I tried to picture it, you know if I had to administer care. I don't think the blood would get me as much as the screaming and crying from her and the relatives. When you are called to a serious injury does law enforcement always show up? Do they control the bystanders? And has anyone ever felt the urge to just get the hell outta the scene?? Thanks for reading this!


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## DesertMedic66 (Jun 29, 2013)

I've had a couple of calls with serious amounts of blood (arterial bleeds). I have never once had the feeling that I wanted or needed to run away. We got off scene quickly because the patient needed blood products and not saline to survive. 

You have to control the scene. It needed to be in a sort of controlled chaos if you will. 

It depends on your area if PD will automatically respond or not. For my area they do not always respond. We can call them if needed to help control the scene.


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## RocketMedic (Jun 29, 2013)

Google Khorne for my attitude towards gore.


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## chet (Jun 29, 2013)

Oh I don't play video games (does Ms. Pac Man count?) maybe I should start...

You guys kill me, and I am so glad I have the opportunity to ask you these questions. Thanks!!!!


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## Craig Alan Evans (Jun 29, 2013)

I've been on some pretty gory and creepy scenes and not once did I ever consider running. My only thoughts were what needed to be done next. Just take every call one step at a time and you will be fine. Another thing to consider is maybe this isn't the line of work for you which is nothing to be ashamed of. My father was a Marine and served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. When my mom got a nose bleed he would practically feint. I asked him how he could ever be a Marine in three wars if he got so queasy. He said he never stopped and looked at any of that. He was a great Marine, and a wonderful father, he wouldn't have made it a week as an EMT.


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## Akulahawk (Jun 29, 2013)

I have never felt like I had to leave a scene purely because of the blood/gore that was present. I have wanted to leave quickly because the patient needed blood... and a surgeon. I prefer a bit of chaos myself... and can control it to enough of a degree that I can work with it. Part of our job really _is_ bringing some control to chaos. 

Frankly, I've felt more uneasy working traffic collisions than crime scenes.


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## Mariemt (Jun 29, 2013)

No, my instinct to help takes over, I never once thought of running away.


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## DesertMedic66 (Jun 29, 2013)

Akulahawk said:


> Frankly, I've felt more uneasy working traffic collisions than crime scenes.



Same here


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## chet (Jun 29, 2013)

Thanks to all who replied, I truly appreciate it! As I stated in my post, the blood and gore wouldn't bug me as much as the emotions from the pt and bystanders. I have already decided I will be like Johnny Gage and say, ok settle down now just settle down.  I am sure there have been countless people who attempted a career in EMS who failed. I think some seasoned EMS workers would eat people like me up, therefore I am reconsidering this decision. BUT I made it through my training (you are probably thinking big deal, but it was for me) and now I can continue in another direction in the health care field. Some of the stinkin comments I have read on this site have helped me a lot. PEACE!


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## Mariemt (Jun 29, 2013)

roxy said:


> Thanks to all who replied, I truly appreciate it! As I stated in my post, the blood and gore wouldn't bug me as much as the emotions from the pt and bystanders. I have already decided I will be like Johnny Gage and say, ok settle down now just settle down.  I am sure there have been countless people who attempted a career in EMS who failed. I think some seasoned EMS workers would eat people like me up, therefore I am reconsidering this decision. BUT I made it through my training (you are probably thinking big deal, but it was for me) and now I can continue in another direction in the health care field. Some of the stinkin comments I have read on this site have helped me a lot. PEACE!


I think what helped me a lot was being a mother before ems, poop, blood, puke etc.


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## Akulahawk (Jun 29, 2013)

Yeah, parenthood prior to going into healthcare is good training for exposure to blood, poop, puke, people screaming at the top of their lungs because they stubbed their toe... Yep. Great training!


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## Mariemt (Jun 29, 2013)

Akulahawk said:


> Yeah, parenthood prior to going into healthcare is good training for exposure to blood, poop, puke, people screaming at the top of their lungs because they stubbed their toe... Yep. Great training!



Believe me, it helps


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## sir.shocksalot (Jun 29, 2013)

Rocketmedic40 said:


> Google Khorne for my attitude towards gore.



More blood for the blood god?


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## RocketMedic (Jun 29, 2013)

sir.shocksalot said:


> More blood for the blood god?



And skulls for the skull throne.


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## jefftherealmccoy (Jun 29, 2013)

We just had a plane crash call, 2 dead, 1 survivor.  Coolest call I've ever been on.  One of our medic units had a medic student with them.  The girl was traumatized.  She broke down sobbing after the call, went home early, may quit her program.  
This is how you know you're cut out for this or not.  Do you have the attitude of, "that was the coolest thing ever." Or do you get stuck on the fact that this was a very traumatic scene.  When you think about it, it was very sad.  Two people died, one (a 12 year old btw) seriously injured.  Do you have the ability to look past all the blood, see what needs to be done and do it?  If not, a new career path would be worth exploring.


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## MySandie (Jun 29, 2013)

*I almost passed-out while watching an endoscopy*



roxy said:


> Hi!!
> ... And has anyone ever felt the urge to just get the hell outta the scene?? Thanks for reading this!



Hope you all don't mind a non-EMT posting here, since I'm trained to be an RN...but during my 2nd semester of nursing school, I watched an endoscopy done by an MD who was about 30 minutes late arriving to do the procedure.  By that time, the patient was already "coming out of" the light sedation that had been administered at the correct time.

The patient kept gagging, and pulling at the tubing, etc.  They decided to use restraints instead of administering more meds.  

I felt so bad for the patient, and angry at the MD.  He just didn't want to "do the right thing" by stopping...only because, IMHO, it would have just added to his degree of being tardy for subsequent procedures.

So, yeah...I wanted to just get the hell outta scene!


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## Akulahawk (Jun 29, 2013)

jefftherealmccoy said:


> We just had a plane crash call, 2 dead, 1 survivor. Coolest call I've ever been on. One of our medic units had a medic student with them. The girl was traumatized. She broke down sobbing after the call, went home early, may quit her program.
> This is how you know you're cut out for this or not. Do you have the attitude of, "that was the coolest thing ever." Or do you get stuck on the fact that this was a very traumatic scene. When you think about it, it was very sad. Two people died, one (a 12 year old btw) seriously injured. Do you have the ability to look past all the blood, see what needs to be done and do it? If not, a new career path would be worth exploring.


You don't necessarily have to have an attitude of "that was the coolest thing ever" but you do have to have the ability to look beyond the obviously scary looking stuff and just cultivate the ability to "just get it done" and do your thinking about it later. I guess in a way it's kind of like the old Nike saying of "Just do it" or Larry the Cable Guy: "getter done!"

One of the things that really does make us different is that where the ones that have a personality type that makes us go toward problems instead of waiting for a problem to be brought to us or trying to avoid a problem altogether.

Where the kind of people that tend to look at something and go "wow that was totally messed up" or "man that really sucks" and continue having lunch afterward. I guess it is not so much that we are kind of sick and depraved people, it's that we are just more desensitized to some of the stuff that happens to other people.

Here is kind of a personal story about that. Quite a number of years ago, my partner and I were returning from a long-distance transport and we ended up seeing a very freshly dead deer on the road. Or, more correctly, the front half of the deer in the road. Pretty much our first thought was something along the lines of "man, that really sucks for the deer, now where's the other half…" About 100 yards later we saw the other half "...there it is," and then we saw the car that hit the deer. Amazingly enough, the car did not seem to have much damage at all, and clearly no one was injured. It probably wasn't so much that we didn't feel bad for the deer, it was that we had already triaged the deer as non-salvageable so we just went on, because there were potentially others that might have needed us more.


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## VFlutter (Jun 30, 2013)

"When I go home people'll ask me, "Hey Hoot, why do you do it man? What, you some kinda war junkie?" You know what I'll say? I won't say a goddamn word. Why? They won't understand. They won't understand why we do it."

That "This is the coolest thing ever" attitude will fade with time. 

 I used to be all Gung-ho and jump right in with the blood and guts. Now I nonchalantly put my shoe covers on and hope the family calls the code before I torture the poor patient too much


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## Mariemt (Jun 30, 2013)

jefftherealmccoy said:


> We just had a plane crash call, 2 dead, 1 survivor.  Coolest call I've ever been on.  One of our medic units had a medic student with them.  The girl was traumatized.  She broke down sobbing after the call, went home early, may quit her program.
> This is how you know you're cut out for this or not.  Do you have the attitude of, "that was the coolest thing ever." Or do you get stuck on the fact that this was a very traumatic scene.  When you think about it, it was very sad.  Two people died, one (a 12 year old btw) seriously injured.  Do you have the ability to look past all the blood, see what needs to be done and do it?  If not, a new career path would be worth exploring.


It took me about a week to be OK after my first death. I remember breaking down in class trying to put in an advanced airway. I remember crying in my sleep etc.  The second death was a little easier than my first etc. I still "feel " the deaths. But it doesn't affect me like the first few did. Hopefully the student will come back. My director saw the need to step in and get me help.
I didn't want to admit I needed help. I didn't want anyone to think I wasn't cut out for this. But learning emotiom was normal etc got me back in the saddle.


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## hogdweeb (Jun 30, 2013)

Heat of the moment with your adrenaline, you will not noticed things such as the the bystanders or the excessive blood and gore. After the fact, probably when youre looking back on things.


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## hogwiley (Jun 30, 2013)

Mariemt said:


> It took me about a week to be OK after my first death. I remember breaking down in class trying to put in an advanced airway. I remember crying in my sleep etc.  The second death was a little easier than my first etc. I still "feel " the deaths. But it doesn't affect me like the first few did. Hopefully the student will come back. My director saw the need to step in and get me help.
> I didn't want to admit I needed help. I didn't want anyone to think I wasn't cut out for this. But learning emotiom was normal etc got me back in the saddle.



I don't mean to sound callous, but deaths I've encountered in EMS haven't really affected me greatly. I don't know the people and im with them for such a short time. Yes if its someone younger, especially a suicide, I do feel sadness, but its not someone I knew. If its a cardiac arrest its just a lifeless body and you're also too busy and focused on doing your job to be really affected by it.

I find working in a hospital much harder in respect to death, because you are with the people for a lot longer and see them struggling or in pain as they die. You can try to keep them as comfortable and pain free as possible, but some deaths are just really difficult and drag on and on. The first time I took care of a cystic fibrosis patient at the end I nearly quit. It doesn't really get easier with time either, I still have shifts where I dread going into work when a younger patient is dying.

I've developed a huge amount of respect for RNs who deal with that almost every day.


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## Mariemt (Jun 30, 2013)

hogwiley said:


> I don't mean to sound callous, but deaths I've encountered in EMS haven't really affected me greatly. I don't know the people and im with them for such a short time. Yes if its someone younger, especially a suicide, I do feel sadness, but its not someone I knew. If its a cardiac arrest its just a lifeless body and you're also too busy and focused on doing your job to be really affected by it.
> 
> I find working in a hospital much harder in respect to death, because you are with the people for a lot longer and see them struggling or in pain as they die. You can try to keep them as comfortable and pain free as possible, but some deaths are just really difficult and drag on and on. The first time I took care of a cystic fibrosis patient at the end I nearly quit. It doesn't really get easier with time either, I still have shifts where I dread going into work when a younger patient is dying.
> 
> I've developed a huge amount of respect for RNs who deal with that almost every day.


I'm sure my situation is different than yours. I'm in a small town and know most the people I pick up


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## hogwiley (Jul 1, 2013)

I hate to say it, but the blood and gore probably is what attracts some people to EMS, at least until they find out how little of that we typically encounter.

I have to work with a guy who almost acts giddy every time we're dispatched to a call that has the potential to be a bloody mess, and acts jealous whenever someone else is dispatched to a similar call. Its a little disturbing.


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## chaz90 (Jul 1, 2013)

hogwiley said:


> I hate to say it, but the blood and gore probably is what attracts some people to EMS, at least until they find out how little of that we typically encounter.
> 
> I have to work with a guy who almost acts giddy every time we're dispatched to a call that has the potential to be a bloody mess, and acts jealous whenever someone else is dispatched to a similar call. Its a little disturbing.



I don't think he's the only one that started out that way. Like you mentioned, it's a common reason people get into EMS. Reality does a pretty good job of filtering these people out or changing their mindset over time.


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## Wheel (Jul 1, 2013)

chaz90 said:


> I don't think he's the only one that started out that way. Like you mentioned, it's a common reason people get into EMS. Reality does a pretty good job of filtering these people out or changing their mindset over time.



Meh, people like to ask about "good calls" from time to time. Shootings are kind of cool, but really it's just a mess to clean up to me most of the time.


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## chet (Jul 2, 2013)

Hey Wheel, George is my favorite beatle... Thanks to everybody who replied to my post. I did Hospice care and know a lot about death draggin on. I also deeply appreciate all of the intelligent replies that didn't make me feel like an *** for being concerned about human emotion. I find injuries very interesting, it's amazing that health care professionals can control and treat trauma. But I don't think I could ever get off on a severe injury or "good call". I am feeling very depressed waiting for the results of my practical exam, I am growing doubtful and second guessing my decision to try EMS. But I'm sure something will come out of all of this, even if I don't succeed I've met a lot of interesting people and got a glimpse into the world of EMS. Most people don't know the first thing about it, they only think of you when they need you. I have so much respect for you all, thanks...


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## NomadicMedic (Jul 2, 2013)

chaz90 said:


> I don't think he's the only one that started out that way. Like you mentioned, it's a common reason people get into EMS. Reality does a pretty good job of filtering these people out or changing their mindset over time.



Come on Chaz, after the last couple of weeks with the calls we ran … A good shooting or stabbing would've been most excellent! (I'm actually hoping for a good one during these next couple of overtime shifts. Does that make me a bad person?)


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## chaz90 (Jul 2, 2013)

DEmedic said:


> Come on Chaz, after the last couple of weeks with the calls we ran … A good shooting or stabbing would've been most excellent! (I'm actually hoping for a good one during these next couple of overtime shifts. Does that make me a bad person?)



Oh, I would have happily taken that stabbing last night. Don't get me wrong on that one.


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## AnthonyM83 (Jul 2, 2013)

A lot of new EMTs often have the same worry about being able to handle the gore (which isn't that often). Almost always when you show up on scene it's not an issue. You concentrate on what needs to get done. 

I think most lay people get grossed out because they don't know what to do and thus can only watch in horror. For most EMTs they tend to get an excitement not at the injury but that they'll get to practice what they've practiced. 

Having said that, there might be some extreme cases here and there that'll seem overwhelming but just push through.


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## ArkansasEMT (Jul 2, 2013)

When I first got into EMS I worried about how I'd handle the gore we sometimes have to deal with, but like so many have posted it seems that instinct and training kick in when I need it the most.

Concentrate on the job at hand and doing the absolute best you can for the patient and it makes it a lot easier to handle.


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## slewy (Jul 3, 2013)

There is a story I heard of a guy who worked at my company who fainted on scene. The EMT was new and the call was a serious GSW. I guess the guy fainted on scene immediately once he saw all the blood. He quit that day.
If you're worried about seeing copious amounts of blood just remember, once you're in the zone of pt care you forget about all the blood. Thinking about a hectic situation might get you thinking you might not be able to handle it, but once your in the zone the knowledge you've acquired takes control.


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## hogwiley (Jul 3, 2013)

An experienced EMT nearly passed out in the ER where I work while doing his Paramedic clinicals. He was helping a doc suture up a patient and went wobbly. 

A nurse wheeled him out of the trauma room in a wheel chair and had him lie down and had me get a set of vitals and get him some orange juice. Was all that necessary? No, I think the Nurse just wanted to mess with him lol.


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## firefighter4life (Jul 6, 2013)

The only thing that makes cringe is major open head trauma. In my life, I've only seen it once and unfortunately, I can still remember the face.


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## abckidsmom (Jul 6, 2013)

firefighter4life said:


> The only thing that makes cringe is major open head trauma. In my life, I've only seen it once and unfortunately, I can still remember the face.



Yep. Eyeballs and fingernail/toenail injuries get me. 

Had a guy slip and bisect his index finger on a table saw down to his second joint. Eww.


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## chet (Jul 6, 2013)

Or how about a degloving injury? The picture in the book made me woozy, ha I'll bet the first day on the job I will witness one of them. I'd rather see an avulsed penis, but don't think I am Lorena Bobbitt or anything!


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## Mariemt (Jul 6, 2013)

I haven't seen a degloving incident yet aand I'm in a farming community . Don't worry, you probably won't throw up until after!  Lol


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## Mariemt (Jul 6, 2013)

The only thing that ever got the me was my first code. I made the mistake of sitting in the captains chair. Eyes were open, looking at me ( OK they weren't but you know)  it was a messy code also.


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## chet (Jul 6, 2013)

:wacko:


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## Anjel (Jul 6, 2013)

Our book had a pic of a degloved penis. Not pleasant looking.

And I've had a call with a guy with a degloved finger. That call still gets to me, but for other reasons besides just that.


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## firefighter4life (Jul 7, 2013)

roxy said:


> I'd rather see an avulsed penis, but don't think I am Lorena Bobbitt or anything!



I think this is sig worthy.


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## mycrofft (Jul 7, 2013)

cancel


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## mycrofft (Jul 7, 2013)

Craig Alan Evans said:


> I've been on some pretty gory and creepy scenes and not once did I ever consider running. My only thoughts were what needed to be done next. Just take every call one step at a time and you will be fine. Another thing to consider is maybe this isn't the line of work for you which is nothing to be ashamed of. My father was a Marine and served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. When my mom got a nose bleed he would practically feint. I asked him how he could ever be a Marine in three wars if he got so queasy. He said he never stopped and looked at any of that. He was a great Marine, and a wonderful father, he wouldn't have made it a week as an EMT.



Hear-hear!
Smells are worse I think than visual.


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## mycrofft (Jul 7, 2013)

Also there is delayed reaction/PTSD. In my case, a 12 y/o post-Russian Roulette with about 1/8 his head missing; in the poor light we were walking and kneeling on bone and brains. Only when I was much older and had a second kid did I realize how much it affected me. But for a couple decades it was just another sad story from a trailer park.


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## abckidsmom (Jul 7, 2013)

mycrofft said:


> Also there is delayed reaction/PTSD. In my case, a 12 y/o post-Russian Roulette with about 1/8 his head missing; in the poor light we were walking and kneeling on bone and brains. Only when I was much older and had a second kid did I realize how much it affected me. But for a couple decades it was just another sad story from a trailer park.



I had that once where I was walking on bone and brains. It definitely hits you hard when you realize what you're walking on.


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## firetender (Jul 7, 2013)

Looking back at my experiences I'd have to say that in the moment, unless "there's work to be done" overrides the blood and gore, you're not going to be able to function and that's what you're there to do; function in situations where no one else can or will.

If you find you can't do that, there's no shame whatsoever in leaving the field to find something that you CAN do without carrying a major trauma every time something miserable or gross happens.

Miserable and gross is part of the job description.


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## mycrofft (Jul 9, 2013)

firetender said:


> Looking back at my experiences I'd have to say that in the moment, unless "there's work to be done" overrides the blood and gore, you're not going to be able to function and that's what you're there to do; function in situations where no one else can or will.
> 
> If you find you can't do that, there's no shame whatsoever in leaving the field to find something that you CAN do without carrying a major trauma every time something miserable or gross happens.
> 
> Miserable and gross is part of the job description.



That's my wife's nickname for me every morning! (kidding):rofl:


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