Dead Bodies

[Sasha]

Yesterday I was having a conversation with my precptors partner about dead people, and I stated I HATE morgue rotations because dead people creep me out. He asked how I was planning to make it in EMS.

I dont think he quite understood what I meant. Maybe it comes from the time I was doing a morgue rotation and the body suddenly contracted or stiffend or whatever they do and sent me screaming to the door. or all the zombie movies I watch, but I always imagine getting in real close to a freshly pronounced person where they still dont look all rigid and ick and they suddenly pop up. Creeps me out!!

Now that would never affect patient care, nor would it bother me to the point where I would go and lose sleep nor would it bother me to the point of quitting.

Anyone else creeped out by recently dead bodies? h34r:

 

[Hastings]

Yesterday I was having a conversation with my precptors partner about dead people, and I stated I HATE morgue rotations because dead people creep me out. He asked how I was planning to make it in EMS.

I dont think he quite understood what I meant. Maybe it comes from the time I was doing a morgue rotation and the body suddenly contracted or stiffend or whatever they do and sent me screaming to the door. or all the zombie movies I watch, but I always imagine getting in real close to a freshly pronounced person where they still dont look all rigid and ick and they suddenly pop up. Creeps me out!!

Now that would never affect patient care, nor would it bother me to the point where I would go and lose sleep nor would it bother me to the point of quitting.

Anyone else creeped out by recently dead bodies? h34r:

Absolutely. You'll make it fine through EMS being creeped out by dead bodies. There's a difference between those bodies just sitting in a morgue, and those out in the field.

 

[imurphy]

Not at all creeped out! Back home we used to do morgue runs at night, but we got 50 each call out so we were pleased!!

On a funny note, one time, (before my time!) a crew were on a stiff run and they forgot the paperwork so EMT 1 (We'll call him Mark to protect the guilty) and told "Dave" to head back to the room with the nurse he was hitting on to get the paperwork.

As soon as they turned the corner, "Mark" took the body out of the truck, had security keep an eye on it, and got back on the cot with a sheet over him. When here heard them come back he jumped up and watched them run away!

Good times!

 

[traumateam1]

I was.. so I solved that problem by working in a funeral home/morgue situation. It creeped me out for a while, until I got enough exposure. There's been quite a few threads on this.. some people get over it, some don't. Some believe you need to get over it, some don't.

I think you will get over it, after you have been around them enough. My first few shifts were creeping me out, being in the room all by myself with them.. but I was soon able to get over it.
Good luck!

Did I ever tell anyone the story where I was re dressing an elderly male for a viewing before the funeral? Well.. I went to roll him on his side and snapped a few of his ribs lol...

 

[BLSBoy]

I hate the morgue.

With a passion.

But I love my job.

 

[Scout]

I always imagine getting in real close to a freshly pronounced person where they still dont look all rigid and ick and they suddenly pop up. Creeps me out!

Would that not be a success? or a bobo on the docs part


There is an old story down here of a funeral director who had locals coming in and placing a cigarette in the mouth of those laid out. As you could imaging it was causing a bit of upset for the family. So one night he lay out in a coffin and waited for those to come, they duly placed the fag in his mouth at which point he requested a light, he never had a revisit????

I would't have a problem if someone was unseasy around dead people, unless you only do body runs its not an issue for most.

 

[Mercuris]

Yesterday I was having a conversation with my preceptors partner about dead people, and I stated I HATE morgue rotations because dead people creep me out. He asked how I was planning to make it in EMS. h34r:

There seems to be this ego in the EMS world, that one should be impervious to all of the gross things that one runs into in this line of work. Well, let me tell you that there is always something that each one of us find disgusting or creepy. I know medics that have been doing this for over twenty years now that are still bothered by dead bodies.

Case in point, there is a supervisor at my work that who has been in EMS since 1975. He says that every time he pronounces someone it makes the hairs stand up on his neck. I have another supervisor who has been in EMS since 1988, and he cannot stomach the smell of vomit. Even I have been an EMT since 2002, and the smell of Gangrene makes me want to puke.

So don't lose heart, trust me, everyone has something that makes them ill. If yours is dead bodies, then so be it. The problem comes when you cannot do your job, because you cannot overcome this issue. B)

 

[Sasha]

Would that not be a success? or a bobo on the docs part

Not if they pop up wanting to eat your brains!!

 

[EMTSteve]

What about the post mortem moan? Decaying flesh producing gas that’s forced out the vocal cords.

 

[ErinCooley]

I don't like dead. AT.ALL. However I LOVE my job and can be successful and professional even in creepy situations.