Why would I admit that I screwed up on something when I didn't even do anything wrong in the first place?
Uh.....because you did do something wrong? Actually you did something wrong (overreacted) and did it in a manner that pretty much guarantees that nurse, that doc and anyone they talk to about you is never going to take your word at even face value ever again.
The blood pressure was taken on both arms multiple times, and also on his thigh. All 3 limbs had same results.
No, by your own posts, they did not:
134/78 in one arm, and 142/82 in the other and increasing with each remeasurement.....
He starts to tear up because he thinks something could be really bad going on with him when he feel's perfectly fine.
This would be because of you and/or your partner repeatedly asking him if he's OK when he thinks he is. Trust me, if I reversed the scenario, you'd become a little tachycardic and your BP would rise if you were being interrogated more or less. After the second or third time of someone going "Are you SURE you're not having chest pain?", most people are going to start worrying that the "medical professional" is picking up on something they are not. Welcome to the wonderful world of playing mind games with people, even though it was done inadvertently.
I almost had to argue with her that if it went up one more time, I'm taking him Code 3 to the ER
You're extremely lucky you walked away with your job. I've fired people for copping an attitude and/or picking a fight over something stupid. You'd be amazed how much hell a nurse can unleash upon EMTs if she decides to take it to her director of nursing who in turn calls your boss and reports you for basically acting wholely unprofessionally. When the saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned", I'm pretty sure the woman they were talking about was a nurse. You'd be amazed how little your boss values your continued presence as an employee of his company when the phrase "He goes or we barr your service from ever bringing someone to our dialysis center again" gets uttered by a facility administrator. Trust me, I've heard it come out of the mouth of a director of nursing myself.
btw his normal BP is 115/72 and pulse 84.
The thing you have to remember about hypertension is that it is only significant- in the short term at least- if it is causing end-organ symptoms (chest pain, neurologic issues, headache, shortness of breath, etc). Also define "normal": are we talking his "normal" before his treatment, during or afterwards? Laying down, seated, standing? I also suggest you google "white coat hypertension" and see why the very presence of a freaked out health care worker may have been a good reason for the "elevated BP".
One of the tricks to develop in health care is the ability to read or see something and go "Oh ****" inside your head but not show it on your face, in your tone of voice or your mannerisms. This also comes in handy should you ever decide to join the World Poker Tour.
I don't care what anyone says to me, whether a Paramedic, RN, Doctor, whoever...if I feel something is better for the patient that's going to help them, I'm going to do it, plus that's what our company is strongly advising us to do, is to argue and do what's best interest for the patient.
Then may I recommend you learn the phrase, "Hi, welcome to Burger King, would you like to try the new Angry Whopper?" because with that attitude- and an apparent inability to know when/how/why to pick your battles, you're not going to last long in this field or any branch of medicine.
It's one thing if you can prove to the person- especially docs and nurses- that you have a damn good reason for standing up and telling them "I may only have 150 hours of training under my belt, but you're wrong!" (because that is exactly how they are going to view that attitude, not as some righteous savior out for the good of the patient) and an entirely different beast to freak out over something paltry and make yourself look like Chicken Little every time you see something that isn't spot on perfect and you can't reason through figuring it out.
I am not saying this to be mean- trust me, I've got better things to do with my time than to be sitting at 0730 trying to think of a good way to make you cry by crushing your soul and breaking your spirit- but rather to try to keep you from further screwing up your job by continuing with this attitude. If I didn't think there was some value inherent in you, I would just let Ridryder continue to feast upon your entrails until you decide that this forum isn't for you and migrate over to EMTCity.
I know this patient since he's a regular and I've taken him a couple times
You "know" him about as well as I know one of my wife's friends: we talk, I know she's an bleeding heart who thinks she's going to save the world by doing missionary work as an RN, and is an insulin-dependent diabetic with a weight issue, but beyond that....
Chances are the nurse you paint as a bumbling, uncaring piece of work and the doc who didn't respond to your concerns with "
Ja wohl mein Herr!" probably know this patient a HECK of a lot better than you do.
just to see him start to tear up and almost start crying every time the machine beeped stating he wasn't in good condition, it kinda killed me after I got off work and I started to feel really bad for him because he's a good guy, really nice, really cooperative, really grateful.
Not to add salt to the wound man, but you and/or your partner pretty much caused most of that because of the way you handled the case. This is why HOW something is said is usually more important than WHAT is said. That said, I know I'm going to hear from the mods on this one about how I need to follow my own advice since I'm know around here as a total raging a**hole who occasionally shows his softer side (like I'm trying to do now).
I know I will get better to not let it bother me or anything but can anyone help me or tell me things they've done to help cope with emotional calls that you feel really bad for the patient or even family members?
It should bother you. That's called having a conscience and there's absolutely nothing wrong with having one. If what you did and the results of it didn't bother you, you would pretty much be a sociopath. Actually if seeing another person in pain, discomfort or fear didn't make you feel for them, I would be very afraid of you.
The problem here is that you're misreading the cues of the scenario and assuming that the problem lay with the patient - for whom you feel badly-and his perceived medical issues but failing to see that your actions made the situation worse. They may not have caused the initial slight elevation in BP and HR but it sure didn't seem to help much.
It's not an uncommon problem in emotionally immature or socially/professionally inexperienced persons (not meant as an insult or degradation and I'm not speaking specifically about you either....these are general statements) to lack the ability to analytically pick apart their actions, to be introspective and to admit fault in a socially or professionally unpleasant situation but these are vital things you have to have to excel in medicine in any way shape or form. The sooner someone lacking these traits works on developing them and not taking constructive criticism- such as is being offered (for the most part) here- without becoming defensive or changing the story to avoid the criticism, the better for everyone involved.
As I said, there's nothing wrong with screwing up in a small way once in a while through plain old fashioned ignorance (we all do it, myself included). What is a problem is when ignorance (simply not knowing any better because you've never been told any different) ends and stupidity (you've been corrected and still persist in your belief that you're right and everyone else is wrong) begins. As the saying goes, stupidity kills, but it tends to kill the wrong people in far too great of numbers and the right people in far too small of numbers.
I sincerely wish you the best in your career.
