Level of care change for FF, addicts, drunks?

WannaBEMT

WannaBEMT

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OK, had a heated discussion in a chat room tonight about level of care for any of the above. While I agree that stupidity doesn't deserve reward,but there has to be a level of compassion for people that are harming their lives so. Don't you feel that maybe you can have an impact by treating the person with respect and compassion, or am I just naive?

Jenn
 
Every patient should be treated with the same respect, compassion, and sense of urgency. If a provider can't do that, they need to find a job where they don't interact with the public.
 
rescuecpt said:
Every patient should be treated with the same respect, compassion, and sense of urgency. If a provider can't do that, they need to find a job where they don't interact with the public.
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I agree, but I'm a little more sympathetic to grandma with the broken hip, or fireman with chest pain than I am to 3am drunk who creamed a family in another car.
 
All of these are valid points, but I also know from first hand experience that you tend to "kick it up a notch" for certain people such as babies, fellow FF/EMT's, and law enforcement.

I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying that's the way it is.
 
You don't drive just a bit faster when you get a call for a ped? Don't drive a bit faster when you get the "medic down" call?

Everyone deserves the highest level of care, but in my experience, we cut the BS and haul *** when treating certain patients.
 
MMiz said:
You don't drive just a bit faster when you get a call for a ped? Don't drive a bit faster when you get the "medic down" call?

Everyone deserves the highest level of care, but in my experience, we cut the BS and haul *** when treating certain patients.
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Amen, Matt.

I'll have to find the Steve Berry cartoon to post...

As you may, or may not know... my regular shift at the squad is Saturday evening. Our rule of thumb- if you get called after 1am, and you don't find a drunk, keep looking, you haven't found your patient yet.

I find myself having to stifle laughter when I hear "I only had a couple of beers and ONE bowl of pot - I shouldn't feel like this..."

And yes.... I'm probably a little less "caring, compassionate, etc" towards the drunk driver who just creamed a pedistrian than I am to the intoxicated pedestrian. I'll treat him, but I won't hold his hand and cry with him over getting his license taken away because this is his 3rd DUI.....

Yes - if I am responding to a Officer, FF/EMT/Medic down, I might just drive a little more crazier.... and work a little harder.... because it is someone I KNOW.

Yes.... I've seen what happens when a call comes in as a pediatric Arrest (I was first crew..... supervisor, 2nd crew, and BOTH medics all went in on the call).


Will I ever refuse to transport or assess a patient? I'll take patients the same way the ER does - in order of severity.... so long as the pedestrian struck is being taken care of - I'll bandage and transport the drunk who hit him...

I still show up for calls involving human stupidity and Beer Bongs.... I just won't get all emotional with the patient - and hold their hand and cry how "its not fair that they might get kicked out of school"....


Jon
 
GaEMT said:
A professional acts as he must; not as he feels
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Bull sh*t...

You gotta tell these drunks on the street, it's gonna cost you (the tax payers) much less to call a taxi.
 
I guess I should have specified I meant FF as frequent flyer, of course the level of care would be kicked up a notch for a fellow employee, but I am so glad to here that you all feel that way as well that everyone should get the same level of care, I am not so sure about the same level of compassion in certain circumstances, thanks for your replies! This board rocks!

Jenn
 
I like the way you said that, "SAme level of care but not necesarily the same level of compassion. We are human after all, we can't feel the same way about every pt, but we can provide the same care to all.




Btw, Rescue, I love your sig. I've been saying "bite me" for years, I'm going to have to have a bumpersticker made with your phrase on it.
 
Wingnut said:
I like the way you said that, "SAme level of care but not necesarily the same level of compassion. We are human after all, we can't feel the same way about every pt, but we can provide the same care to all.
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Great Point.

As for Frequent Flyers - well... I rember hearing about a cheer when the "Cardiac Arrest" dispatch came through at a frequent flyers' house (this woman called 911 for "respiratory distress" when her O2 tank ran low). Unfortunatly... it was a relative that had the nerve to visit her and die...... Well, she went to the big Old Folk's Home in the sky a year later.

I don't have a problem with someone who needs to go to the hospital because they are actually sick.... but if they are BS'ing......



Btw, Rescue, I love your sig. I've been saying "bite me" for years, I'm going to have to have a bumpersticker made with your phrase on it.
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It isn't even hers - www.lessstress.com....
 
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ffemt8978 said:
All of these are valid points, but I also know from first hand experience that you tend to "kick it up a notch" for certain people such as babies, fellow FF/EMT's, and law enforcement.

I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying that's the way it is.
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Thats exactly right
 
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