lady next door is a frequent flyer

[hazegry]

She is in her 30's and normaly isnt to bad has sever keep up with the jonses complex. the ambulance is at ther house at least 3 times a year and I am yet to see anything serious. Last night the lights were going and it woke me up so I go to see whats going on and see her WALK to the ambulance. I thought someone was inside but the wife came in and told me it was just for her. The last time it was for her it was cuse her heart was racing she must have been doing house work lol. Anyways the point is I am going to start class soon and I really dont want to become this ladys personnal EMT any thoughts on how to handle it?

 

[firecoins]

don't tell her your an emt.

Do you know her medical hx? Maybe she has an ongoing problem.

 

[hazegry]

I am not trying to bash on the lady shes a nice lady but I have seen the crews try to tell her she just needed to go to the doc. Its not always for her either but seeing her argue with the crew that whoever needs to go by ambulance kinda makes me wonder what her deal is. shes going to find out eventualy either my wife will slip up lol or she will see my uniform. she lives right across from me. I guess I am asking whats the most tactful way to handle it when she does. I dont want to tic anyone off.

 

[Ridryder911]

Like what was said, don't tell them. hint..hint.. no star of life on your vehicle, no stethoscopes hanging from your mirror, L/S on your vehicle as well. I get tickled when EMT's become disgruntled when people ask them for advice or duties, yet they had placed billboards describing that they are an EMT.

I have found most close neighbors appreciate your privacy, if you act that is what you want (in other words no placards or displaying of whackerism). I have had no problems with neighbors, and they only truly contact me in real emergencies, as well any that do ask for advice I only offer.. "I believe you should seek advice and treatment from your PCP"... each and every time. After a while, they will quit asking if they don't get what they want.

 

[seanm028]

Well if/when she does find out and ask your for assistance, tell her you can't do anything off-duty because of medical control laws, or that you flat-out don't know. Most people I've met ease up a little bit when you tell them you could lose your certification by helping them, and it's pretty hard for them to argue with "I don't know".

 

[hazegry]

I understand what you mean I cant put lights on my car cuse of the base. State allows them but base PD gave a very clear NO. no biggie I dont need them we pull shifts at the stations and I dont like stickers on my car. thanks for all the advise so far I just want to make sure I handle it so she isnt upset. I dont need anymore tension on my street than what we already have.

 

[Ops Paramedic]

Yip, be carefull to whom you anounce your profession to. People come with the strangest things, i.e., "my cardiologist said XYZ about my heart, do you think he is right?" Then he is most likely just looking for attention, in which case they can phone the carebeares when i am off!!

 

[firecoins]

I didn't suggest you were bashing. Just making sure there wasn't some legit reason she may need an ambulance regularly.

Just don't let her know you have medical training. Its not your job specifically to drive her to the hospital. She should be calling those on duty and not bothering off duty neighbors.

 

[hazegry]

fire I dint think you were just wanted to clarify a bit I thought it looked like it was leaning that way a bit after I reread it. She is more than happy to talk about why she or whoever had to go to the hosp in an ambulance these events also seem to center around new nieghbors or people moving in. Every time she tells us what happened I just think for that you called 911? But like I said I do think she belives she needs them when she calls so hopefully I will not be on one of those calls to her house. I do think that rather than vol at the station just up the street I will go to one a few stations over to give me a buffer zone away from her and neighbors in general.

 

[KEVD18]

you consider 3 times a year to be a frequent flier? dude, sorry to burst your bubble but that doesnt even start to get anywhere near frequent flier.

i used t take a lady that called for an ambulance at least once a week, MINIMUM.

 

[hazegry]

wow guess I am glad I dont live next to her

 

[KEVD18]

yeah, it was challenging. the stink of it was, she had a somewhat legitimate complaint. at some point in the last few years, she was in an mva and blew out some vertebrae. a few operations, a million hours of pt and nothing helped. so she was relegated to "pain management". the problem, was they didnt give her enough. now, im sure some of it was addiction, but there was plenty of legitimate pain there. it seemed she'd always be out of percocet either in the middle of my dinner, while i was on the can or sound asleep. so we'd take her to the H(always the same one, where her doc was, her surgeon etc), they'd give her a few perc to get her through till the clinic opened and that was that. it was tough to be really pissed about it because at least some of it was legit. still kinda sucked. i can the call ruining many good naps.

 

[Ops Paramedic]

PS- I bet you can ask any EMS worker in JHB SA about old "Anna" She pops up every now and again in and around a area of approx. 100 mile raduis, and it is always the same chief complaint: "Seizures" next to the side of the road as witnessed by the public. She has become somewhat of a EMS "legend", but brings a suttle smile to our faces whenever we get called out to her!!

We do not have a term frequent flyers this side, but more high flyers. This refers to those who often call the EMS for one thing only (& boy, no matter what you tell them, they alway come with some smart story, but in the end...) & one thing only: They want Pethadine. As bad as it sounds, these people are Blacklisted with the ERs and some EMS services. It kind of makes you think about the phrase: "Don't cry wolf..."

 

[wolfwyndd]

the ambulance is at ther house at least 3 times a year and I am yet to see anything serious.

You call three times a YEAR a frequent flyer? Sheez, we have frequent flyers that'll call three times a DAY.

 

[BossyCow]

I would say your best defense is going to be really strong boundaries. If this neighbor thinks you are an EMT because 'you like to help people' she's going to give you every opportunity to do just that. You will need to answer the casual conversation in the grocery store or the attempt to discuss her medical history at the mail box with a polite but firm, "good to see you're feeling better.. gotta go.. bye"

Those who will suck you dry need for you to become engaged. If you do not engage, she will not bug you. She will find someone else to bother.