# Guilty Pleasures on Duty.



## burnsmh (Jun 21, 2014)

I admit, I am not an EMT yet, my clinicals start at the end of next week, I hope. 

I am curious though, when you are on shift, what are some guilty pleasures you engage in?

Do you, while waiting for a call, listen to Bubba Sparxxx - Ms. New Booty? 

Do you read a steamy romance novel?

Do you put off maintenance for an extra five minutes because you are busy playing flappy bird?

Do you blow hot air on the window and draw dirty words then giggle like a 12 year old?

This is a thread about those guilty pleasures that no one really knows you partake in during your time between calls, assuming you have any time between calls.

Let us know your dirty secret.


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## DocHolliday (Jul 4, 2014)

messing with other crews rigs is a no go. Other than that I tend to like leaving random notes on white boards, putting funny pics on the laptop backgrounds, just little childish things like that. Oh and the egg in the boot trick on the probie is always fun.


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## planetmike (Jul 5, 2014)

> Oh and the egg in the boot trick on the probie is always fun.



Ugh, I never heard of that one, but I know I would be hot if someone did that to me, or to a probie on my duty team. Teasing and joking around is one thing, but there is a line.


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## exodus (Jul 5, 2014)

DocHolliday said:


> messing with other crews rigs is a no go. Other than that I tend to like leaving random notes on white boards, putting funny pics on the laptop backgrounds, just little childish things like that. Oh and the egg in the boot trick on the probie is always fun.



Out here, if we see one of our units parked in the ER parking lot, and they forgot to lock it.  we turn the heater all the way to max in the cab.


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## titmouse (Jul 6, 2014)

I enjoy taking a power nap between the calls and reading. The next books I am waiting to get now are "rescue 471" and"none braver"


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## titmouse (Jul 6, 2014)

Also checking the forum. Lol


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## DesertMedic66 (Jul 6, 2014)

exodus said:


> Out here, if we see one of our units parked in the ER parking lot, and they forgot to lock it.  we turn the heater all the way to max in the cab.



Did that to a crew the other day haha. Heater on all the way, turned their radio to a Spanish channel turned it all the way up, and then turned the dispatch radio all the way up.


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## UnkiEMT (Jul 6, 2014)

I have no guilty pleasures while I'm working.

I have no guilt, it makes life more fun.


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## exodus (Jul 6, 2014)

DesertEMT66 said:


> Did that to a crew the other day haha. Heater on all the way, turned their radio to a Spanish channel turned it all the way up, and then turned the dispatch radio all the way up.



It only happens to you once, but you learn real quick that your unit needs to always be locked if you're not right next to it.  We have keyless entry for a reason!


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## TheLocalMedic (Jul 6, 2014)

Guilty pleasures?  In engage in them all!  Snacks, smokes and games!


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## 9D4 (Jul 6, 2014)

titmouse said:


> I enjoy taking a power nap between the calls and reading. The next books I am waiting to get now are "rescue 471" and"none braver"



None Braver is amazing. Some of the stuff in that book is just beyond belief.
If you get the chance I highly recommend "That Others May Live" by Jack Brehm, as well.


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## titmouse (Jul 6, 2014)

9D4 said:


> None Braver is amazing. Some of the stuff in that book is just beyond belief.
> If you get the chance I highly recommend "That Others May Live" by Jack Brehm, as well.



Will do!


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## VA Transport EMT (Jul 7, 2014)

I will concur that none braver book is badass! It was neat to follow up with Bill Sine in Guardian Angel.


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## Underoath87 (Jul 13, 2014)

I like torturing students with A&P/pathophysiology questions.


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## rugbyguy (Jul 15, 2014)

Lol, so I work 48's and usually it's fine, but sometimes we get absolutely hammered, and the jokes get crazy, here are some very common things.

My main partner loves it when I do what he calls my "Chocolate Bear" voice. Basically I put on my deepest, smoothest voice and sound very flirty with dispatch. Basically Ving Rhames in bringing out the dead. 

Depending what time of night and if I know who is in the ED, and my pt, we enjoy famous person impressions for radio reports. Mainly done with dementia pt's when nurses just want to ship em off at 4am. My Christopher Walken report was a hit with the ED staff. Also playing the meow game with reports is fun.

We have drunk bingo. Basically just bingo with things like "Only 2 beers" and other common phrases of drunks.

My partner and I love pop music. I mean we bump katy perry, iggy azalea, lady gaga, all of that, and usually sing along. 


Working 48's you really get to know the people you work with, good and bad, and you got to find joy in all the little things.


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## Handsome Robb (Jul 15, 2014)

If I ever found an egg in my boot and figured out who put it there they'd meet my boot with my foot in it. Don't mess with other people's gear. End of story. Same goes for rigs. I've had crews mess with my rig and I had to deny I P1 cardiac arrest because we couldn't respond due to what they did and the mess we were dealing with. I'm all for fun and games but I agree that there's a line. 

I sleep, drink Slurpees, chew Copenhagen and talk with my partner. Conversation seems to be a lost art. Also good tunes are a must as well as a tablet or phone to doink around on.


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## rugbyguy (Jul 15, 2014)

Handsome Robb said:


> If I ever found an egg in my boot and figured out who put it there they'd meet my boot with my foot in it. Don't mess with other people's gear. End of story. Same goes for rigs. I've had crews mess with my rig and I had to deny I P1 cardiac arrest because we couldn't respond due to what they did and the mess we were dealing with. I'm all for fun and games but I agree that there's a line.
> 
> I sleep, drink Slurpees, chew Copenhagen and talk with my partner. Conversation seems to be a lost art. Also good tunes are a must as well as a tablet or phone to doink around on.



Messing with a rig to where you can't respond is messed up. The most we do is put in a cd of something weird and turn up the volume.


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## Carlos Danger (Jul 15, 2014)

Fill the AC vents with baby powder

Turn the sirens and lights on and put the radio at full blast

Suspend the stretcher from the ambulance ceiling with straps

Rub the forehead area of the flight helmet with black shoe polish

Remove their (XL) flight helmet from their bag and replace it with a small one

Remove their (XL) flight suit from its hanger and replace it with a small one

Wake them up at 2am, tell them "we have a flight, I'll be right out there" 

Give your partner's phone number to everyone you meet

Cover the steering wheel with KY

Put a note in the drug pack where the sux is supposed to be, telling them where else in the pack to find it. When they look there, make sure they find another note giving them another location to look.

Replace the 10cc and 20cc syringes in the RSI kit with 3cc syringes.

I could go on and on, but I've probly already said too much.


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## rugbyguy (Jul 15, 2014)

Oh man you are mean, his number to everyone?!


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## Carlos Danger (Jul 15, 2014)

rugbyguy said:


> Oh man you are mean, his number to everyone?!



Everyone.

Nurses, patients, people on the street corner.


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## rugbyguy (Jul 15, 2014)

Haha, my buddy will give my number to cute nurses, so I don't mind that


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## Handsome Robb (Jul 15, 2014)

Remi said:


> Fill the AC vents with baby powder
> 
> Turn the sirens and lights on and put the radio at full blast
> 
> ...




I hope to god you're not serious.


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## Carlos Danger (Jul 15, 2014)

Handsome Robb said:


> I hope to god you're not serious.



Well, these certainly aren't all everyday occurrences. 

But if we're talking about pranks, sure, you only live once.


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## NomadicMedic (Jul 15, 2014)

Back in the day, defib gel on the windshield wipers was a common occurrence, along with powder in the vents.


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## Carlos Danger (Jul 15, 2014)

DEmedic said:


> Back in the day, *defib gel on the windshield wipers was a common occurrence*, along with powder in the vents.



Ha ha, forgot about that one....


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## Handsome Robb (Jul 15, 2014)

Before they got all tight because of the shortage a liter bag taped to the top of the wheel with the tubing running up into the cab and pointed at one of the seats. Free shower!!


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## Carlos Danger (Jul 15, 2014)

Handsome Robb said:


> Before they got all tight because of the shortage a liter bag taped to the top of the wheel with the tubing running up into the cab and pointed at one of the seats. Free shower!!



I used to rig it up on the bunk bed so that when they laid on the mattress, they would get a little squirt on their head


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## Chimpie (Jul 15, 2014)

Remi said:


> Fill the AC vents with baby powder
> 
> Turn the sirens and lights on and put the radio at full blast
> 
> ...





Handsome Robb said:


> I hope to god you're not serious.



I concur w/ Robb. If any of these resulted in a delayed response, corrective action would be issued, harshly.


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## Handsome Robb (Jul 15, 2014)

I will say I'm guilty of hanging the stretcher. We always left the back doors and side doors open so the "open compartment" light with flash in the cab and they'd usually notice on their way out and it's about a 10 second fix. 

If someone put shoe polish in my extrication helmet I'd be an angry panda. The KY jelly is what caused me to turn down the arrest. It was literally everywhere. Steering wheel, gear shift, radio, switches, monitor, radio handset in the back, every door handle. 

I had someone tape smelling salts to my brake pedal and color the tape black. I wasn't amused by that either seeing as they didn't pop until we were coming off the freeway code.


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## DieselBolus (Jul 15, 2014)

Remi said:


> RSI kit



I've seen countless stupid posts on this forum, but never felt like breaking lurkerhood.

But :censored::censored::censored::censored:.

Really?


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## Tigger (Jul 16, 2014)

I thought sux was supposed to be kept refrigerated?

Deep poopoo would happen here if you messed with meds. Otherwise not so much.

We had a spate of jellying when I drove the detox van, people would take jelly packets from the hospital, open em, and then stick them subtly under the windshield wipers.


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## avdrummerboy (Jul 16, 2014)

We do the lights and sirens on trick. Also when we used to use the foam head beads, we'd stick them on tires, all quick and easy fixes. KY can be fun, but only one one thing, not F****** everywhere!!!


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## UnkiEMT (Jul 16, 2014)

I once went to Goodwill and bought the creepiest looking portrait I could find, then spent a few weeks entertaining myself by hiding in various places around the base where people would look at it unexpectedly.


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## Rin (Jul 17, 2014)

KY on the locking bar handle is good. They take in a patient, come back to load their up their empty cot, then freeze in horror..."I don't remember that patient leaking, do you?"

I've had someone turn on my lights without me noticing. Start the truck up, drive off, then wonder why everyone is pulling over. "Gee, they're polite in this town!"


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## Rin (Jul 17, 2014)

KY on the locking bar handle is good. They take in a patient, come back to load their up their empty cot, then freeze in horror..."I don't remember that patient leaking, do you?"

I've had someone turn on my lights without me noticing. Start the truck up, drive off, then wonder why everyone is pulling over. "Gee, they're polite in this town!"


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## FiremanMike (Jul 19, 2014)

Remi said:


> Fill the AC vents with baby powder
> 
> Turn the sirens and lights on and put the radio at full blast
> 
> ...



Gear has always been off limits, always.  I'm concerned for the safety culture of your flight program where messing with someone's helmet is considered funny.

Your RSI kit antics aren't funny at all and can result in harm to the patient.


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## EMDispatch (Jul 19, 2014)

In the center we all have a few guilty pleasures:
-Books and TV
-Playing Cards Against Humanity in down periods.
-Throwing Paper Airplanes, foam balls, sauce packets
-Learning how to discreetly repeat everything in the ridiculous call you're taking out loud, so everyone in the room can hear it and enjoy.


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## Flight-LP (Jul 25, 2014)

I'll take a nap and go play "big spoon / little spoon " with my nurses.


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## Burritomedic1127 (Aug 14, 2014)

A coworker used to put the supervisors truck on sale online and leave his phone number and told everyone to call after midnight


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## CFal (Sep 4, 2014)

I use the Chive app on my phone


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## AtlasFlyer (Sep 6, 2014)

If you're messing with someone else's gear or truck such that they're unable to respond to a call, you deserve to be fired.  An egg in my boot would ruin a pair of $300 Danner boots. That's not a "prank", that's ruining someone else's stuff that they paid good money for. Not cool. 

Getting in a rig with a stretcher hung, crap smeared everywhere, radios blaring... yeah, we're going to be able to respond quickly to that 0200 cardiac arrest. Not.  Taking someone's flight suit and helmet?! In what world is that funny?


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## drl (Sep 6, 2014)

I'm usually pretty chill, but some of the things in this thread would definitely make me livid. The only one that happens with any regularity at my company is the lights-and-sirens-on trick if coworkers catch you leaving the rig unlocked.

There was a time someone left a bedpan full of apple juice on someone's seat though haha...


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## Rick Tresnak (Sep 9, 2014)

A lot of internet surfing


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