Partner got mad at me. Was I wrong?

I am simply in class and several of my classmates are already "hard" to the pt's.. They try to tell me that because I am not I am not going to make a good paramedic. If I had a famliy member in an emergency, I would rather YOU take care of them than a "hard" paramedic that was good only at the medical part of their job.. Keep up the good work "noobie" :P
 
Anjel, I just took the time to ask Dr. Cox his thoughts on your partner. According to him, your partner is...

[youtube]WrjwaqZfjIY[/youtube]
 
Queen0Hearts said:
I am simply in class and several of my classmates are already "hard" to the pt's.. They try to tell me that because I am not I am not going to make a good paramedic. If I had a famliy member in an emergency, I would rather YOU take care of them than a "hard" paramedic that was good only at the medical part of their job.. Keep up the good work "noobie" :P
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Aww thanks :-) That actually means a lot. And it was your first post! So welcome lol

And JP...

I admire your skills in GIF's, youtube videos, and other random pictures.

Truly a talent lol

LOVE IT!
 
TY! I was looking for a place other EMT's would be to answer questions and give a word of encouragement..
 
Queen0Hearts said:
TY! I was looking for a place other EMT's would be to answer questions and give a word of encouragement..
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This is a good site. but along with the encouragement people here aren't afraid to tell you how it is and kick your butt if you need it.

I spend way too much time on here but it is very helpful and I have made some good friends on here.
 
On one of my clinicals, I was told "Our job is to be kind to people, with a little medicine thrown in."

You did nothing wrong. Your partner is possibly a jerk.
 
Sometimes the best thing you can do is comfort a patient. The only time I personally run into a problem with holding a patient's hand is when there are medical things that truly need to be done and you are tied up. In those cases it just takes practice balancing between the two. If you have NIBP a 'trick' I've found is to hold their hand while it takes. It puts their arm in the right position (and keeps it there), allows me to evaluate vitals and reassess, and also gives the patient a minute of comfort.
 
You did nothing wrong with the patient.

If someone tells you something just say thank you and let it go.

More experienced people will say things like that.

It is not so much about what they say but how you to react to it.

Dont' complain, explain or apologize.

Just bide your time until you have been there long enough where people will not intervene like that.
 
You did great work. I have done that a time or two, but only for the geriatrics and a few pediatric patients as well.

Of course, on the opposite end of the "appropriateness spectrum", I also had an early 30ish female psych patient touch my leg when I was manually taking a blood pressure, and she also kept telling me how much I look like Brad Pitt (VERY WRONG, I look nothing like him) and how she'd like to take me out with her friend. All this while her husband followed us.

Needless to say, she got some verbal judo, and the rest of her pressures were by palpation.

Point of the story, reassuring touches or hand-holding may be indicated, and as long as used in the appropriate case, you should be just fine.
 
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Touch is Medicine

Your partner wasn't an idiot because an idiot does not choose the box he's stuck in. Your partner is lazy. Were he to truly want to be a good medic he would take the time to learn how human interaction is capable of supercharging every intervention you have in your truck.

Perhaps you are learning that your primary role in the back of an ambulance is to MOBILIZE the defenses of the patient to begin their own healing process.

FIRST, you must stand with your patient -- establish yourself as an agent of healing. After all, the drugs flow through you (as their administrator) AFTER you offer them what you have as a human being. No matter how you cut it, you get called on to help those who believe they can't help themselves.

You win the second you enter the door and provide reassurance (in whatever form). Touch is so THOUGHT ABOUT these days, it's disgusting! It once was (through MOST cultures) a simple sign of "I'm with you, not separate."

When you are near to checking out and you look over your time as a medic, what are you going to be most proud of?

The way you "touched" others' lives. You can't do that with your hands in your pockets.
 
Before I can answer the OP's question, I need to know where she was holding the patients hand...

:blush:

Seriously, you did nothing wrong.
 
Today I took an elderly woman out of her elderly housing complex due to a fall. Obtaining a history, I found she really, really shouldn't be living on her own anymore- it's just not safe. The whole ride to the hospital I just held her hand, because in her words, she was so happy that someone cared about her and showed her kindness. I'd say that's better medication than calling ALS or O2 or whatever.

Your partner is a heartless idiot.
 
Anjel1030 said:
My partner told me I am a newbie and need to learn where to draw the line. He thinks I crossed some line by holding her hand.
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It's firmly established that he's an idiot, but I think you need to get to the WHY.

In your shoes I'd ask WHY he think a line has been crossed - Scared of infection? Scared of attaching to patients in any way in case they die en-route? Something else we're all missing?

I think this is likely my first post or not far off it, but i'm curious...
 
Outbac1 said:
Medicine isn't always about the drugs and procedures. Sometimes the best medicine we have is a sympathetic ear, a kind word and a gentle touch.
You appear to have learned this lesson early and have left your partner behind.
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This +1

You treated your patient. At times this is all I've needed to do in order to calm down anxiety which could lead to the exacerbation of a situation. At times, emotional support will be all that is able to be done.

You haven't made it sound like your partner was saying you were "wrong" due to a physical safety concern. It sounds like your partner is either on the verge of burnout or shouldn't be in the field.
 
Tell your partner to stick with his job of ambulance driving while you take care of the paramedicine in the back, and when he decides to get with the program, you'll be happy to show him the ways.

Like many others, one of my more memorable calls was actually a drug "OD" where the pt. got a bad batch of weed. She was scared and "freaking out" about the ride to the hospital, so after taking care of the "medical" side of things, all I did the rest of the way was hold her hand at her request. Got quite the load of compliments by my preceptor after the call.

Before he preempts me, yes I used a lot of "quotes" in my "post". So, in honor of JP...

dr_evil_laser.jpg
 
Ya i think you were totally in the right on this one. I have had many similar experiences and my only problem with it would be if it interfered with the care you were giving (rechecking vitals, ect...) or in a "BSI scene safety" aspect.
 
"One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are when you don't come home at night".
-Margaret Mead

You did the best and right thing. Strong work.
 
During my ride-time as a student, one assisting paramedic actually took the time for a quick verbal prayer (at the request of the patient) even before the ambulance moved. It comforted the patient to know we were looking after all aspects of her care.
 
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