Get "Ambulance Workers" to take you seriously

[daedalus]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/21/ep.911.women.heart/index.html#cnnSTCText?iref=werecommend

The time it took for ambulances to arrive on the scene was similar for men and women, according to researchers at the Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, who published the study in the journal, Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Watch more on women and emergency care »

The article is well written for women, but it perpetuates two common EMS myths:

1. Response times. The public is always up in arms if we take one or two minutes longer to get there. We now know it does not make a difference to save these one or two minutes, and its much safer not to elicit a code 3 response to every call (I still strongly believe in emergency response in some instances).

2. We are "ambulance workers". We are responsible for this one. Its time to get some better PR. If you have the chance to talk to the media, take it, because if you do not the fire department will. People need to understand Paramedics are not on the job trained workers.

At the end of the article, it almost suggests telling the "emergency workers" that you feel pressure in your chest when you do not. Last time I checked, even EMTs can take a SAMPLE and OPQRST history and properly reveal signs and symptoms.

 

[Sasha]

At the end of the article, it almost suggests telling the "emergency workers" that you feel pressure in your chest when you do not. Last time I checked, even EMTs can take a SAMPLE and OPQRST history and properly reveal signs and symptoms.

Where? It's not telling people to say they have chest pressure, they're saying describe your symptoms. Which is a good suggestion. "I feel sick" Well, there are a lot of sicks. Good EMT/Medics will be able to ellicit a good history of present illness. But how many EMTs/Medics do you work with and wonder how they got their cert?

 

[daedalus]

Where? It's not telling people to say they have chest pressure, they're saying describe your symptoms. Which is a good suggestion. "I feel sick" Well, there are a lot of sicks. Good EMT/Medics will be able to ellicit a good history of present illness. But how many EMTs/Medics do you work with and wonder how they got their cert?

Tis true!

(this sentence added for the sake of the minimum character requirement to post)

 

[VentMedic]

This article is NOT about "ambulance workers". It is about women who are having a serious cardiac condition occuring but don't always present as the textbook describes.

This is a very serious problem especially for the women. How about calling this thread "Recognizing a Cardiac Problem in Women"?

Women are difficult to recognize as having a heart attack. Read this article carefully. I know myself since I am at a vulnerable age for women and have lost several female co-workers and friends between the ages of 35 - 50 y/o to an MI. Only one of them had the classic signs of an MI. The others just "didn't feel good" or mistook the symptoms for being fatiqued or run down. They are now finding that women previously given the dx of Chronic Fatique Syndrome actually have serious cardiac problems. However, since the symptoms were so vague, their PCPs did not do a cardiac work up.

This is also one of the reasons why I jump all over the person who posts a woman as "hyperventilating". (BossyCow are you reading this.) Hypoxia is the leading cause of hyperventilation which can also be caused by a heart that is starting to fail. Not that long ago and it still happens today, women having cardiac problems were treated for "anxiety" because their signs and symptoms did not fit the textbook.

And, too bad if the article is distracting for those in EMS by using the term ambulance workers but if one looks at JPINFV's web link, at this time we really don't have a good term to fit all. Rather we have 50+ different titles that seem to change every few months in some states.

 

[daedalus]

VentMedic, as you can see I stated it is a great article for women. Take a look at the title of the article-per CNN.com. It is titled "How to get ambulance workers to take you seriously".

Although we are patient advocates and this article is a great public service for women, we cannot be passive and let the title of "ambulance workers" slide.

 

[Shishkabob]

You know what... I won't even go there.

 

[VentMedic]

Although we are patient advocates and this article is a great public service for women, we cannot be passive and let the title of "ambulance workers" slide.

Great article for women who may die from an unrecognized heart attack but what to call an EMT is more of an issue?

You would rather this be about what to call someone who works on an ambulance (when even those in EMS can agree on what to be called) instead of learning something very vital about the assessment of a woman with vague symptoms that might become fatal?

THIS ARTICLE IS NOT A PR FOR EMS PROVIDERS! Its intent is save the lives of women. That is by far a more pressing issue than bruising the egos of EMS providers who are suffering an identity crisis by their own doing.

I doubt if the authors even took into consideration what to call "ambulance workers" since that is not the issue. The term "ambulance" is used since that is what someone usually calls for medical help and the people who work on the ambulance are "workers". This is national or international article and it would be very difficult to be "politicially correct" for all the people in different countries that do work on an ambulance. One could not even use the term "ambulance employee" because the volunteers would feel left out. If one said EMT, the Paramedics or MICTs or EMT-A-B-C-D etc would get ruffled. And then there are all the terms used in the other countries. I do however believe the FireMedics can complain since they may not associate themselves as being part of an ambulance.

Can you come up with a better term to recognize every level of EMS provider that is easily recognizable in all countries? Right now something with the word ambulance seems to be fairly universal. "EMS" may not be universally understood even in this country and not because of the ignorance of the public but because of the various services that provide ambulances and EMS.

 

[Shishkabob]

Can you come up with a better term to recognize every level of EMS provider that is easily recognizable in all countries?

Oh, I don't know, EMT?



We don't go around wearing "Ambulance" on our jackets, let alone "ecnalubmA" on the front.

Fact is, every level of EMT's in the US begins with EMT, then the 4th letter is another designation. All are EMT's. Kinda like all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares.

EMT is recognized by the majority of the people in this country. I don't care what another country calls their EMS personnel, because it has no effect on what we're called here.

 

[VentMedic]

You know what... I won't even go there.

How serious would you take a 40 y/o African American woman whose only complaint was "she just didn't feel well" but felt she should call for help even though she can not really describe her symptoms.

How about a hispanic woman?

Would a cardiac problem cross your mind immediately or would you blow if off as just another BS call?

What if she felt a little anxious? Vitals are normal as far as you can tell as an EMT-B.

Try to talk them out of their anxiety? Paper bag or O2?

 

[Shishkabob]

How serious would you take a 40 y/o African American woman whose only complaint was "she just didn't feel well" but felt she should call for help even though she can not really describe her symptoms.

How about a hispanic woman?

Would a cardiac problem cross your mind immediately or would you blow if off as just another BS call?

What if she felt a little anxious? Vitals are normal as far as you can tell as an EMT-B.

Try to talk them out of their anxiety? Paper bag or O2?

Thanks for assuming you know what I was commenting on, when in fact, you don't

 

[VentMedic]

Thanks for assuming you know what I was commenting on, when in fact, you don't

You and daedalus just seem to be more concerned about what someone might call you than what issues the article is trying to address.

But if you want to go there;

Just because you don't have the word ambulance on your jacket doesn't mean there isn't a service that does use "ambulance" on their jacket. Ambulance attendant is also a statute definition as well as a level for some states in this country.

The vanity of this profession sometimes amazes me. Has the whole concept of patient care been lost because EMS can not establish an identity for itself? Do the patient issues have to take a backseat while EMS tries to figure out who and what it is?

I would love to see the public response on an international article such as this if someone from EMS made their comments known that the offensive use of the word "ambulance worker" was more of an issue than women dying from heart disease.

Pick and choose your battles carefully. Trying to over ride an international health issue because you don't like what you were called in the news may not be the appropriate time to gain points from the public.

 

[mikeN]

I'm fine with ambulance worker. The article doesn't downplay what we do. I don't like being called an ambulance driver, but I don't lose sleep over this stuff.

 

[daedalus]

Great article for women who may die from an unrecognized heart attack but what to call an EMT is more of an issue?

You would rather this be about what to call someone who works on an ambulance (when even those in EMS can agree on what to be called) instead of learning something very vital about the assessment of a woman with vague symptoms that might become fatal?

THIS ARTICLE IS NOT A PR FOR EMS PROVIDERS! Its intent is save the lives of women. That is by far a more pressing issue than bruising the egos of EMS providers who are suffering an identity crisis by their own doing.

I doubt if the authors even took into consideration what to call "ambulance workers" since that is not the issue. The term "ambulance" is used since that is what someone usually calls for medical help and the people who work on the ambulance are "workers". This is national or international article and it would be very difficult to be "politicially correct" for all the people in different countries that do work on an ambulance. One could not even use the term "ambulance employee" because the volunteers would feel left out. If one said EMT, the Paramedics or MICTs or EMT-A-B-C-D etc would get ruffled. And then there are all the terms used in the other countries. I do however believe the FireMedics can complain since they may not associate themselves as being part of an ambulance.

Can you come up with a better term to recognize every level of EMS provider that is easily recognizable in all countries? Right now something with the word ambulance seems to be fairly universal. "EMS" may not be universally understood even in this country and not because of the ignorance of the public but because of the various services that provide ambulances and EMS.

Yes, in the face of unrecognized heart attacks in women, I am still concerned with what the public calls us. I still do not believe it is acceptable to write an article and include ambulance workers in the title.

So if we write a article about spousal abuse in the name of protecting women, but include "police car drivers to take you seriously" in the title, do you think that is acceptable? I do not care about the nature of the article, because it exposes a deep misunderstanding of what we do. The author had to have come up with the title from his/her own background knowledge and did not obviously understand what a Paramedic is.

By the way Vent, the "vanity" of EMS is not a issue here. We deserve to be called by our titles that we have earned. If you want to see vanity issues, go over and listen in on an American Medical Association meeting. They spend days thinking up ways to keep their vanity by introducing legislation to prevent nurses from calling themselves "residents" and trying to shoot down the "Doctor of Nurse Practitioner". They do this all in the face of a Primary Care crisis in the United States. Everyone else fights their own selfish battles and its time we do as well.

Vanity issues would be myself going around as Daedalus, NREMT-B, AS, AMLS, ACLS, PHTLS, FEMA ICS, etc. This is not a vanity issue.

 

[daedalus]

I'm fine with ambulance worker. The article doesn't downplay what we do. I don't like being called an ambulance driver, but I don't lose sleep over this stuff.

And there lies the problem. You just do not care.

 

[VentMedic]

Yes, in the face of unrecognized heart attacks in women, I am still concerned with what the public calls us. I still do not believe it is acceptable to write an article and include ambulance workers in the title.

So what do you want the article, that reaches many countries, to call people who work on an ambulance to be polictically correct in every part of the world?

What title would you have suggested to still get the SAME message across for calling an AMBULANCE and the people who WORK on the ambulance that is EASILY recognized around the world?

Because you are an American, do you want only one of the 50 different titles from this country to be used?

This article had a very important message which could have been used as a discussion for those that may see patients like this. Instead, the ego of American EMTs must be thought of first. I hope all those that ever want to write a worthy article concerning an important health issue realize the American EMT must have their recognition first. Maybe an American EMT should have been in that photo instead of a woman who survived a heart attack.

Vanity issues would be myself going around as Daedalus, NREMT-B,

Vanity includes making sure YOUR name and/or title gets mentioned for recognition. YOU want everyone to know who YOU are regardless of what else is going on.

And there lies the problem. You just do not care.

Could it be he cares more about the patient care aspect of his job? Those who are also secure with who they are and what they do can still function regardless of what someone calls them. Regardless of what you call an EMS provider in this country, you will offend some group because there is no consistency across the map. It is not like we have the word "nurse". Do you think the many professionals in a hospital get bent out of shape when they aren't individually recognized but rather lumped into the terms "hospital workers or hospital staff"? Yes, each would like their day in the headlines but NOT if the story to be told takes precedence.

If this was an article about American EMTs specifically, then you could have something to complain about.

I guess it doesn't matter if I post this article under another category to discuss the real issues of this article since some will only be concerned about the words "ambulance workers" and not about patient care.

 

[medic417]

Won't work. In Texas a Paramedic is either EMT-Paramedic or Licensed Paramedic, not EMT Licensed Paramedic. Sorry to correct you.

Oh, I don't know, EMT?



We don't go around wearing "Ambulance" on our jackets, let alone "ecnalubmA" on the front.

Fact is, every level of EMT's in the US begins with EMT, then the 4th letter is another designation. All are EMT's. Kinda like all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares.

EMT is recognized by the majority of the people in this country. I don't care what another country calls their EMS personnel, because it has no effect on what we're called here.

 

[Sasha]

Oh, I don't know, EMT?

What about the NREMTs?

If you go to a patient's house and they call you "Ambulance driver" or "worker" would correct them? It's not that big of a deal.

EMS has so many problems to work out before being worried about what the public calls them.

 

[medic417]

What about the NREMTs?

If you go to a patient's house and they call you "Ambulance driver" or "worker" would correct them? It's not that big of a deal.

EMS has so many problems to work out before being worried about what the public calls them.

I refuse to transport anyone that calls me ambulance driver.

Yup we have to big a mess to worry about titles.

 

[Sasha]

I refuse to transport anyone that calls me ambulance driver.

Yup we have to big a mess to worry about titles.

I don't care what anyone calls me. I've been ambulance driver, ambulance worker, EMT, Transporter, and "Hey You"

I did a "stand by" at a career day for a elementary school where we presented our job to little kids, as best we could at their level. That day a few students simply called me "Ambulance"

It's not really significant enough, if being called "Ambulance worker" bothers someone THAT much where they miss the whole point of a really great article, you have to wonder, are you in EMS for just the "cool job" title? If not, why are you being so vain?

 

[VentMedic]

If you want to see vanity issues, go over and listen in on an American Medical Association meeting. They spend days thinking up ways to keep their vanity by introducing legislation to prevent nurses from calling themselves "residents" and trying to shoot down the "Doctor of Nurse Practitioner". They do this all in the face of a Primary Care crisis in the United States. Everyone else fights their own selfish battles and its time we do as well.

"Doctor of Nurse Practitioner".
It seems even the educated(?) fail to understand college degrees.

Show me the forum and I'll post the 1998 decision for what "residents" are to be called.

Some "interns" and "residents" get extremely upset when they have to call the other professionals by their correct title and name of respect.

These young doctors will be called a lot worst by the attendings.

They are essentially still students. They are there to learn from the other professionals in that hospital. If they are already having these petty problems, they probably will be of no use to the world of medicine in the future and may get washed from the program anyway.

On some of the anonymous forums you will find a lot of wannabes, could have beens and just dreamers who have no connection to the world of medicine. A few of the EMTs, like yourself, are on those student doc forums. Many will talk it up like they are more than they are because they don't think they get any respect elsewhere. I'm sure there are a few of those on this forum also.