stories letters thank you notes from the public

[Lifeguards For Life]

I was just reading a post by jamiek regarding our views of the public. I know we as a profession get to see the very worst people have to offer, but we all know every once in a while we get a call that lets us know we are appreciated and have made a difference in someones life and they noticed it. So i thought it may be interesting to start a thread where people could post thankyou notes, letters or stories where a patient or member of the community has decided to reach out and let us know they appreciate what we do for them.

 

[usafmedic45]

I've had multiple people bring myself and my colleagues thank you cards and letters and even small trinkets. Several bottles of wine, a wheel of cheese (the patient and I had a discussion about our shared love for good quality artisan cheese during a long ride to the hospital), deer sausage, jerky, and some really good cigars are the ones that come to mind at the moment. One farmer who was trampled and gored by his bull brought each of us who took care of him a large section (as in over a hundred pounds) of the bull in question after he got out of the hospital. That was some of the best steak I've ever had.

I am also the godfather of the first child I delivered (*insert Marlon Brando impression here*) and the last one I delivered is named after me as they were expecting a girl and had not picked out a boy's name.

 

[Ridryder911]

Even though I agree with the original posts we need to think more in customer service as we should provide more than a trip or care. They do pay..(albeit paid or volunteer) for our services.

I have implemented sympathy and get well cards. Amazing the responses we get form the public, especially if this is sent before the bill is recieved.

R/r 911

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

We occassionally get thank you letters in SAR... not often, but it is greatly appreciated when they do since we are all volunteers and spend a great deal of time, energy, and money just to be cold, wet, hungrey, tired, and miserable.

For instance, we ran a 3 day mission that is highlighted in my albums. It was a draining call where we did everything in our power, but still ended up having to recover the remains in the wilderness. We allowed a friend of the family to remain at the ICP, and he saw just how much we were doing and relayed that to the family. In the end, we recieved several letters from family and friends, along with some $2,200... which is always helpful for an orgination that is always cash strapped. While we don;t do it for the recogniztion, it is always nice to get those Thank Yous instead of the "You didn't do enough" complaints and occasional lawsuits.

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

I agree with rid that EMS is a customer service and should that "clients" should comfortably be accommodated, receiving more than an ambulance ride to the hospital. In my experience alot of thank you notes have been written in regards to small acts of kindness and common courtesies that should be extended to all patients. I once had an instructor that told us she didn't care if you were the strongest smartest or bravest, you were not going to be a good medic if you didnt have some heart to combine those traits.

 

[Sasha]

I got a little trinket cross from the daughter of one of my patients after I transported her mother for the fourth time. I'm not religious or anything, but I thought that was super cool, I still have it on my night stand. She also mailed a letter to my old employer about how kindly I treated her mother, how personable I was, etc. It was pretty cool. I kinda consider that a thank you note.

 

[medicdan]

I have implemented sympathy and get well cards. Amazing the responses we get form the public, especially if this is sent before the bill is recieved.

Thats a really great idea-- following up on our services rendered. Wow. Wish I had thought of that.

At one of the privates I work for, we have a wall made of (cork) message board, with cards and letters from patients. Some of them are Christmas cards from regular dialysis patients, some neatly handwritten thank you notes. Employee names mentioned are highlighted and thus publicly congratulated. If a facility of patient calls a supervisor to compliment an employee, it is typed up and posted, and the employee usually gets a letter in their file and sometimes a box of chocolates or the like (from the company).

We have a corner of the board dedicated to obituaries-- of frequent patients and friends of the company. We try to make sure that we have a respectful presence at all memorial services. We were indeed a part of their lives-- and sometimes their dying days. If we can be as supportive to the grieving family and friends as were while the patient was alive, we try to. Not only were we a part of the patient's life, but they were a part of ours. Some patients have had the same crew pick them up every tuesday morning for several years-- and employees mourn alongside family and friends.

I'll make one addition: The company I talk about prides itself on being a member of the community (actually, both of the privats I work for do this... humm...). The owners live nearby the station, supervisors not much further, and much of the staff dotted around our response and coverage areas. Our patients are quite literally, sometimes, neighbors. And that is the difference between us and our competitors. Humm...

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

EMTDan- I truly feel thats is the way it should be. kudos to your and your department

 

[JesseM515]

Thats a really great idea-- following up on our services rendered. Wow. Wish I had thought of that.

At one of the privates I work for, we have a wall made of (cork) message board, with cards and letters from patients. Some of them are Christmas cards from regular dialysis patients, some neatly handwritten thank you notes. Employee names mentioned are highlighted and thus publicly congratulated. If a facility of patient calls a supervisor to compliment an employee, it is typed up and posted, and the employee usually gets a letter in their file and sometimes a box of chocolates or the like (from the company).

We have a corner of the board dedicated to obituaries-- of frequent patients and friends of the company. We try to make sure that we have a respectful presence at all memorial services. We were indeed a part of their lives-- and sometimes their dying days. If we can be as supportive to the grieving family and friends as were while the patient was alive, we try to. Not only were we a part of the patient's life, but they were a part of ours. Some patients have had the same crew pick them up every tuesday morning for several years-- and employees mourn alongside family and friends.

I'll make one addition: The company I talk about prides itself on being a member of the community (actually, both of the privats I work for do this... humm...). The owners live nearby the station, supervisors not much further, and much of the staff dotted around our response and coverage areas. Our patients are quite literally, sometimes, neighbors. And that is the difference between us and our competitors. Humm...

that is outstanding. sounds like you work for a great company

 

[usafmedic45]

We try to make sure that we have a respectful presence at all memorial services.

There is one call that haunts me- besides the wreck that killed my friends- which consisted of a 9 y/o boy who was accidentally shot in the chest by his friend with a 20 gauge shotgun. He was dead before he hit the floor but we still tried to resuscitate him. My partner and I went to the memorial service (we were both ordered to take a week off after the call) and the boy's uncle told us both to leave immediately. As we turned to do so, the boy's mother came up and said we were as welcome as any member of the family. We sat and cried with the family, listened to them share stories and finally the mother took me aside (I was the one in the back of the ambulance) and asked if her son suffered. It still ranks as one of the most gut wrenching moments of my life.

The boy's family moved away a year or so after the call and it has become sort of a personal ritual for me to tend to his grave which is in the small cemetery in my hometown. I figure if I could not save him, the least I can do is offer some small measure of dignity in death. On his birthday several years ago, his family had come back into town and I ran into them as they came to pay their respects and I was leaving.

His mother recognized me, hugged me and asked what I was doing there. I told her what I had been doing and she expressed surprise but finally realized who it was who had been leaving flowers and cleaning the tombstone for the preceding few years. She thought it odd that I went to such lengths for someone I never knew, but she came to understand as I explained that my life changed that day. Before it, I was a wet behind the ears kid who was too big for his britches (pardon the colloquialism). After it, I was a more mature and compassionate provider. My only wish is that the change had come at a far less extreme cost to her family.

Sorry for going a little off-topic, but I felt the desire to share that....

 

[artman17847]

There is one call that haunts me- besides the wreck that killed my friends- which consisted of a 9 y/o boy who was accidentally shot in the chest by his friend with a 20 gauge shotgun. He was dead before he hit the floor but we still tried to resuscitate him. My partner and I went to the memorial service (we were both ordered to take a week off after the call) and the boy's uncle told us both to leave immediately. As we turned to do so, the boy's mother came up and said we were as welcome as any member of the family. We sat and cried with the family, listened to them share stories and finally the mother took me aside (I was the one in the back of the ambulance) and asked if her son suffered. It still ranks as one of the most gut wrenching moments of my life.

The boy's family moved away a year or so after the call and it has become sort of a personal ritual for me to tend to his grave which is in the small cemetery in my hometown. I figure if I could not save him, the least I can do is offer some small measure of dignity in death. On his birthday several years ago, his family had come back into town and I ran into them as they came to pay their respects and I was leaving.

His mother recognized me, hugged me and asked what I was doing there. I told her what I had been doing and she expressed surprise but finally realized who it was who had been leaving flowers and cleaning the tombstone for the preceding few years. She thought it odd that I went to such lengths for someone I never knew, but she came to understand as I explained that my life changed that day. Before it, I was a wet behind the ears kid who was too big for his britches (pardon the colloquialism). After it, I was a more mature and compassionate provider. My only wish is that the change had come at a far less extreme cost to her family.

Sorry for going a little off-topic, but I felt the desire to share that....

I too had a very similar call. My partner and I were dispatched to a nosebleed call. When we arrived on scene we were greeted by a frantic mother screaming that her son was shot. PD was at the door waving, yelling for us to come in. My partner was grabbing the gear as i ran up to the house. The kid was lying on the floor taking aganol respirations. We quickly immobilized and moved him to the rig where we tubed him, got an IV and called for the helo....later that night a car pulls into the station, a man gets out and brings in flowers and asks if we were the medics that treated his son. We said yes and asked how he was. He said he wanted to thank us for keeping his son alive long enough for him to be able to say goodbye. He told us that the Dr.'s said his son was brain dead and would not recover and that they decided to cease his life support and donate his organs......one of the most gut wrenching calls of my career also.
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