[Separated] Give drugs to drug seekers

the_negro_puppy

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Now if you pick up a Migraine or Lower Back pain pt. that presents with N&V, photophobia, facial grimace, trying to find a position of comfort. Why withold pain meds? Mabey it's because you have a "Paragod" complex and you are unsure of the appropriate type of analgesia.

I wouldn't withhold treatment. I would deem them to be genuinely in pain and treat appropriately.
 

Basermedic159

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It seems to me our profession is filled wit a lot of burned out and judgmental medics. It's absolutely embarrassing.

You are exactly right! Those are the medics that are just working a few more years just to draw a pension. Which I cannot completely blame them for, but when someone calls 911 and we show up, how we react, our attitude and demeanor towards pt's makes a big impact on how the pt as well as the family view an entire EMS system. Burnt out medics should work on convalescent trucks (if the agency their with has convalescent and emergency) to finish out their years.
 

Tigger

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You are exactly right! Those are the medics that are just working a few more years just to draw a pension. Which I cannot completely blame them for, but when someone calls 911 and we show up, how we react, our attitude and demeanor towards pt's makes a big impact on how the pt as well as the family view an entire EMS system. Burnt out medics should work on convalescent trucks (if the agency their with has convalescent and emergency) to finish out their years.

So convalescent patients deserve a lower quality of care than the patient who calls 911?
 

Tigger

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Remember that when you are looking at vital signs that you don't know what the patients normal vital signs are:

Case in point: My Normal B/P is 80/50; so if I am telling you (prehospital or Doctor) that I am in extreme pain, and my BP is 120/80 and you are thinking that I am a seeker: My BP is actually more than 50% higher than normal. So you can't go just by vitals.
And as an earlier poster stated; sometimes pain does NOT increase pulse or BP especially if the patient is on meds for HTN

Yesterday I had the misfortune of ending up in the ED after hitting a tree skiing with my left lumbar back. Despite being the worst pain of my life my BP was significantly lower than usual (no bleeds though). Still got 100mcg of fent, Valium IV, toradol IV, 2x 5mg
Percocet po, and 8mg zofran to keep me together. I can take baby steps with a walker now. Barely.
 

paradoqs

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If a pt tells you they are an addict in withdrawal and in 10/10 generalized pain fro[GVIDEO][/GVIDEO]m that withdrawal, can you give narcs for pain or would you be treating their withdrawal symptoms? My medic said that could put his license at stake and he would never do that. Just a hypothetical.
 

Basermedic159

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If a pt tells you they are an addict in withdrawal and in 10/10 generalized pain fro[GVIDEO][/GVIDEO]m that withdrawal, can you give narcs for pain or would you be treating their withdrawal symptoms? My medic said that could put his license at stake and he would never do that. Just a hypothetical.

I believe it depends on what complaint you were called for. Im assuming you mean opiate withdrawl...
If an addict is in withdrawl from opiates they are going to thave pain regardless. If you are being called because of the withdrawl itself then no, I would not give narcotics.

If an addict called for a legitimate pain issue I would treat the pain appropriately, even if that constituted administering narcotics.
In my opinion a drug addict deserves the exact same pain control as someone without an addiction.

I heard someone say before- "Even drug addicts get sick, infact they tend to get sick more than not"
 

ffemt8978

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How in the world did you come to the concusion in the above statement you made, that convalescent pt's deserve a lower quality of care?
From you own post...I highlighted the relevant part in case you forgot.
You are exactly right! Those are the medics that are just working a few more years just to draw a pension. Which I cannot completely blame them for, but when someone calls 911 and we show up, how we react, our attitude and demeanor towards pt's makes a big impact on how the pt as well as the family view an entire EMS system. Burnt out medics should work on convalescent trucks (if the agency their with has convalescent and emergency) to finish out their years.
 

Basermedic159

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Let me add to this post by saying I in no way trying to be rude, offensive or otherwise unpleasant by my previous posts. I just have a different way of saying things, that might be misconstrued as me being arrogant, which is not the case.
 

ffemt8978

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How does a burnt out medic on a convalescent truck mean they are getting a lower quality of care? I don't understand what you mean by that?

I'm not saying that. I'm saying that's what Tigger was probably referring to, in answer to a question you posted about a comment he made.
 

Tigger

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From you own post...I highlighted the relevant part in case you forgot.

I think ffemt88979 pretty much covered it for me. I think it's pretty much assumed by everyone on this forum that a burnt-out medic is not going to provide the same level of quality care as someone who still enjoys their job. Every patient we transport deserves quality care, even if they are dialysis patients going in for their thrice weekly visits. The "convalescent truck" still transports patients right?

I don't think I was the only one that interpreted your commented in such a way.
 

Basermedic159

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I think ffemt88979 pretty much covered it for me. I think it's pretty much assumed by everyone on this forum that a burnt-out medic is not going to provide the same level of quality care as someone who still enjoys their job. Every patient we transport deserves quality care, even if they are dialysis patients going in for their thrice weekly visits. The "convalescent truck" still transports patients right?

I don't think I was the only one that interpreted your commented in such a way.


Yes they still transport patients. I have seen that burnt out medics seem to rather be on a convalescent unit rather than a 24hr emergency truck. They know when they get off, they get a lunch break, where as on the emergency truck thats not the case. Not saying this is true for every burnt out medic but from the ones i've talked to, they would rather work convalescent.
 

Jon

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But is the paramedic CAPABLE of doing the job? If they don't want to care for sick people - they need to step back and do something else. If they still can and WANT to do the job, then whatever.
 

Squad51

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One day the newbies will realize you get paid the same whether you run or you walk. There's a difference between being burned out and just being tired. Myself, I've been there having worked high volume EMS for the better part of two decades. It's great having that young enthusiasm. It sucks getting old. It gets harder to get up 3 or 4 times in the middle of the night for calls. I still work in a busy 911 system, but would gladly give it up for a steady 8-5 and 3 squares a day gig on a transfer truck. It doesn't mean I'm burned out though. I still give excellent patient care and don't take shortcuts, all the time with a smile on my face. I think being burned out is when you don't care anymore and it compromises patient care by taking shortcuts because you're lazy and have a bad attitude. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't assume every medic who wants a quiet little transfer truck is burned out. You'll be there one day too.
 
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