I hate my job...

[Chelle]

Reaper, I get what you are saying. I just don't get hammering on people when they say they are having a tough time.

It's not the message that I have a hard time with, it's the delivery.

I was going to post in this last week that I was having an unexpected hard time with a call for a 51 yo f who OD'd. I thought better of it because I knew that I would get the "you may want to consider doing something else" posts.

I don't think it's too hard to understand that sometimes a person just needs a "man, that sucked- Hang in there" post. Just a little support, please. Maybe it's not a process for everyone, but I'm thinking it will be a process for me. The first hard calls are going to hurt and then the threshold is raised. It's a process I plan to hang in there for.

 

[medic417]

As an EMT(P) you should be lucky to say "the doctor will explain everything to you".

Would be nice if we could just let the doctor break the news. I do hate telling people nothing we can do. But I would rather do that than do a courtesy code to the hospital giving family and friends false hope.

If a person is to last in medicine they have to show compassion but at same time learn to distance themselves. A wise old doctor once told me that with education comes the understanding that the human body is a fine tuned machine. When it breaks we attempt to fix it. If unrepairable we inform the owner ( family ) that it is unrepairable. This allows you to focus on providing care w/o allowing emotions to overwhelm you.

 

[medic417]

It's not the message that I have a hard time with, it's the delivery.

I apologize for my blunt direct honest answers. But I also understand some people can not distance themselves enough and staying in this career will harm them in the long run, so for some leaving is advise for their benefit, not a way of calling them weak.

 

[Chelle]

Medic, I really appreciate your last two responses. Thank you.

I completely understand the need to not wallow in sorrow over things that we ultimately have no control over.

 

[DV_EMT]

I do hate telling people nothing we can do. But I would rather do that than do a courtesy code to the hospital giving family and friends false hope.

If a person is to last in medicine they have to show compassion but at same time learn to distance themselves.

amen to that!

 

[Ridryder911]

Actually, if death bothers you, you may want to consider that you are a compassionate human being who has not yet become totally jaded, ground down and burned-out.

If the death of a 1 mo old does not bother you, you may want to consider another field.

Sorry, death does not bother me at all. Two weeks old, 3 years old or 97 years old. Actually, the 80 year old with their spouse of 65 years does more than the incident itself. I am empathetic, and realize it is a tragedy to the loved ones. I am compassionate to them, and empathizes NOT sympathize. I have to have a clear head. My next patient needs and deserves my full attention, as well it is just part of life and the business of health care.

this is true... i tell my fiancee this, but she doesn't understand (as she is a nurse). More often than not, the "team" of doctors successfully resuscitate someone... In EMS, thats not always the case... plus, 2 people Vs a team of doctors. lets look at it logically

Sorry because, well that's not really true Actually, according to AHA & ECC; prehospital providers has a higher success rate than those within the hospital systems. It could be many of their patient load is higher acuity and have greater or more illnesses.

Should we be jaded no. Should we be upset, at first maybe but unfortunately it is part of life and yes, it will go on as we must do for our next run.

R/r 911

 

[Hockey]

Mom put kid down to sleep, checked on in 15 minutes, not breathing takes kid to Doctor office 10 minutes away we found out into the call. (Didn't really know how long till later but still)


Doctors office put kid on non rebreather at 8l/min. Seriously, some people are idiots


Anyway thanks to all who responded. I overall like my job, just dislike crappy days like that. It happens though

 

[Freddy_NYC]

Hang in there

Hang in there!

 

[downunderwunda]

Hockey,

we have all been there, all I ask is please dont let it get too bad. Tell your family to keep an eye on you, they will know, if it isnt getting better in a few days, go see someone, get it off your chest.

You still need to grieve the loss of that infant as much as the family.

Remember, there are those more than happy to help.

 

[B.K.]

Hang in there!

 

[ClarkKent]

Doctors office put kid on non rebreather at 8l/min. Seriously, some people are idiots

Ok I am just an EMT-B (not even an NREMT-B ), I know not to use a NRB but use a BVM at 15 L/min. That is just sad.

Hockey9019, hang in there man.

 

[ResTech]

I feel ya.... I was doing field clinical's today for Paramedic and we got alerted for a 5 month old in cardiac arrest at a daycare center. The staff put the child down for its nap and upon waking they found he was not breathing. Mom says child was at pediatricians yesterday for a well baby check and all was good... just one of those cases that makes ya wonder.

I have three kids with the youngest being 3 and always felt a special attachment to kids and it really pulls at me to see children hurt and in that condition. Especially when mom arrived and broke down while the ED was still providing care. I'll be the first to admit tears well up in my eyes.

It sucks! but gonna keep pushing forward. Nothing wrong with being human.

 

[EMTrainer]

Kid calls are tough

A few years back we had a run of three pediatric codes within a month, two were within 24 hours of each other. Not long after that we had another critical pediatric case that died within 48 hours in critical care. It was incredibly hard on the crew and I believe it contributed to at least one person leaving the profession.

The greatest philosophy I have ever found for situations such as these is the Serenity Prayer:

Lord, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Here is something else that I have found helpful:

There once was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore, as he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day and he began to walk faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man, and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something, and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

The wise man called out,
“Good morning, what are you doing?”

The young man paused, looked up and replied,
“Throwing starfish into the ocean.”

“I guess I should have asked;
why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?”

“The sun is up and the tide is going out.
And if I don’t throw them then they’ll die.”

“But, young man, don’t you realize that there are
miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it.
You can’t possibly make a difference!”

The young man listened politely, then bent down,
picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea,
past the breaking waves and said,
“It made a difference for that one.”

The wise man spent the rest of the morning helping the
young man throw starfish into the ocean.

-Author Unknown-

 

[Ridryder911]

I had an ER manager once that gave us that poem. Thought it was stupid and unrealstic then and still do. It's our job, it has times that it sucks, but we knew that when we entered it (or should had). Can't deal appropriately with parts of the job (good or bad) get a new career.

R/r 911

 

[Ped101]

We here have the philosophy of

When it's your turn, even if you run away

When it's not your turn, even you if you put yourself in harm's way



It was that baby's turn to die, and im sure you did your very best, don't spend time going over that hellish situation

look forward to the next live you'll be saving

 

[ResTech]

Rid, your being a bit sub-human... almost bordering on portraying a not caring attitude... least thats how your posts sounds. Just because a provider takes a particular call hard, doesn't make them have a problem with doing their job. If you can provide care to a baby or other small child in arrest and go home and not let it effect you emotionally, great. Good for you.... I for one am compassionate as are most other EMS providers. I have kids and can only imagine the pain that mom was feeling from losing her son.... who just hours before was alive and vibrant and now is cold with no heartbeat. There is nothing wrong with being sympathetic and allowing yourself to feel... thats called being human.

Honestly, I would want a provider to care for my kids who truly cares and immerses themselves in my child's care on a personal level. I dont care how smart you are or how many years of experience you have.... patients are not clinical objects. They require caring on a personal level.

 

[Chelle]

get a new career.

I'm so tired of this comment.

 

[Ped101]

I'm so tired of this comment.

So am I.....

 

[reaper]

Truth is hard to handle!

 

[ResTech]

Whats the truth?