Tips for BLS transports.

its not a question of expecting, or changing the quality or care, its a question of taking when offered.
 
I think its unethical as it could be seen as favoritism or that I will do more for a person if i know he will tip. (We run on the same people at lot of the time, sometimes emergent, sometimes not). Company policy is that we do not accept tips or gifts or any other things from our patients (except peds if they send us some arts and crafts project) but that we will also make the patient come first, and if they insist on it, the managers are ok with us taking it as along as we report it. Nothing says we have to use it toward the company but i've only heard of them taking the gift card or whatever and buying food their shift.

I personally would not take a tip even if company policy said it was ok to. While sometimes it seems like i'm driving a taxi, I'M NOT AN AMBULABCE DRIVER!!! I'M A PROFESSIONAL EMT D**NIT!!!
 
hmmm

even coming from working in the restaurant industry, as an EMT i think it is also ridiculous to accept a tip. In healthcare, as healthcare providers we are always supposed to achieve a standard of going above and beyond. If we don't, we have failed at our jobs. By accepting a tip, your just lowering the standards of our profession to say this time i actually did my job. I would much rather receive a thank you for my kindness and professionalism then take money from people already charged too much in this industry.:blush:
 
goidf said:
I don't necessarily disagree with most of the negative reaction I am seeing here (like I said, I expected more outrage,but anyway) I am curious if any of you nay Sayers work (or have worked) at a privet company that does transports? I wonder how many of you really relate to what its like spending hours doing transports that any taxi could have done (only they wont carry a patient down on a stair chair) and not the long distance transports for the lack of closer medical facility, I mean the transports from home to the beach!
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why driving to a beach?who are we transferring care to?i do transports to but only to another medical facility,or, from the facility to home but not with out the medical necessity form.if they want to go to the beach give them the number for the taxi,maybe we can stop for a pizza on the way
 
When someone offers a tip, I see it as their way of trying convey their gratitude for what we have done for them. I would never accept one, but you have to be careful that you refuse properly. Saying "I'm not allowed to accept tips" can be heard as.... "I really wish I could, but I can't let anyone know, so lets just keep this between us". Its important to me to let the pt or family member know that I sincerely appreciate the intent behind the offer, but that it truly isn't necessary.

If you feel that tipping should be allowed, I would suggest you rethink your role as a transport.
 
Thank you Volff! That is exactly what I am trying to harp on, how we are NOT talking about some emergency medical situation. You have good questions, and my only answer is: You obviously don't own a ambulance company. (don't feel too bad about that, I don't own one either ;)) The point is that the family called, and we hauled. we transferred care right back to the family (who came alone with us). The transport was somewhat necessary (pt being not very ambulatory) but far from an emergency.
So in what way where we different from the bellboy who carried this families luggage up to their room at the hotel?
Just a few quick I do not (contrary to what this writing might convey) resent what I do, or people who call us for such transports. they call because they deem it necessary, and I haul because its my job. Secondly, I obviously am being vague as to what exactly the transport was from-to, privacy and all that, so the "beach" is just an example (you can interchange it with "spa, hotel, casino, whatever..." point being, it was not to a medical facility.
 
The point is that the family called, and we hauled.
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I understand that there is a tendency to depersonalize the pt in those agencies that run frequent transports.. but you did not 'haul' you transported a pt, who due to their impaired health, needed to be cared for, not simply loaded into a truck and moved like a piece of furniture.

So in what way where we different from the bellboy who carried this families luggage up to their room at the hotel?
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Um.. right off hand.. Samsonite doesn't make grandmas. And if you see yourself no different from a luggage toter, than perhaps you need to rethink your career choice. I hear that in a good hotel, during tourist season the tips are awesome.

Just a few quick I do not (contrary to what this writing might convey) resent what I do, or people who call us for such transports. they call because they deem it necessary, and I haul because its my job.
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Well there ya go.. It's your job! I still have an issue with the term 'haul'. I would suggest that if your writing conveys a certain resentment, perhaps you should review what you have written and determine if there is some resentment in there that only needs another year or so of transporting before it does flare up into full blown resentment.

Secondly, I obviously am being vague as to what exactly the transport was from-to, privacy and all that, so the "beach" is just an example (you can interchange it with "spa, hotel, casino, whatever..." point being, it was not to a medical facility
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All calls need to be treated with deference to human dignity and respect. We all either die young or get old. Now, if the agency you work for has what we term 'paratransit' service and you are being used to ferry people to the grocery store, social events or other non-medical appointments, then perhaps a change to an agency that does more emergency response is in order. But I still say no tips. Its too easy to assume that you are being treated like a taxi driver, and we have all had the occasional abuser in the back of our rigs, but are you certain that the family didn't pay to have Aunt Martha taken to the 'spa, hotel, casino, whatever' because she had a relatively short time ahead of her and they wanted her to have a day out? Where's the shame in that?

I really think you are trying very hard to justify collecting tips. It's not working!
 
That is a tip all by it's self.......

What ever happened to having pride in our job and being proud of a job well done........ What about being the patient's advocate? -_-
 
wow... three pages about accepting tips in EMS?

and EMT's trying to defend it?

it's making the "what lights do you use" threads look pretty appealing...lol

think we are hitting a new low.

a bellhop dressed as an EMT is still a bellhop...
 
skyemt said:
wow... three pages about accepting tips in EMS?

and EMT's trying to defend it?

it's making the "what lights do you use" threads look pretty appealing...lol

think we are hitting a new low.

a bellhop dressed as an EMT is still a bellhop...
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Ya know, a post about how lame a thread is, is still a post to that thread!
 
BossyCow said:
...In the service industry, perfunctory delivery of service is the standard. When we get more than that, we tip. To imply that this would in anyway translate into healthcare is ridiculous.
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To play devils' advocate - here we get to the root of the question - is routine transport healthcare, or is it a service industry?

-Public Transit is a service industry
-Taxis are a service industry
-The local paratransit system is a service industry
-The wheelchair vans my service runs - aren't they about the same as the local paratransit - making them a service industry?
-I don't do anything more for most of my patients than our chair car drivers do for their clients... so I'm not really providing healthcare, am I?


The point of a tip, in circumstances other than a restaurant or similar environment (where it is pretty much expected) - is to reward exceptional service. If I take my job seriously, and give exceptional service - why shouldn't I be noticed and rewarded for it occasionally?

When I used to work transport full-time, we would occasionally get tips... Corporate policy didn't prohibit tipping. I NEVER expected one... but if the person insisted, I'd usually accept. It was never outside the $5-$10 range. We always shared between partners. I also usually worked with old-school City Firefighters who picked up part time transport EMS shifts for beer money and an excuse to not be home. They wouldn’t expect it… but they did almost seems to have an attitude of entitlement about tips, and never hd any problems accepting.

When I was working security - I received some odd gratuities - I once got a voucher for a free oil change when I coordinated the rescue of a visiting auto-body shop owner's cell Phone from a 8-foot-deep storm drain. Took 5 of us to get the grate up... Me and the other S/O with me said that the best thing he could do would be to write a letter to our boss (we were occasionally getting in trouble for stupid things... he did better, and called my boss's boss). I also received a couple of meal vouchers for helping out folks who locked their keys in their cars... I refused to accept cash (against policy) and usually just asked for them to send an email of appreciation... usually worked.


Now that I’m working 911.. and I've grown up… No. No reason to. I'm in a medical job.

I guess I'm explaining why I did it... and also pointing out some other thoughts.
 
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skyemt said:
wow... three pages about accepting tips in EMS?

and EMT's trying to defend it?

it's making the "what lights do you use" threads look pretty appealing...lol

think we are hitting a new low.

a bellhop dressed as an EMT is still a bellhop...
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That's because after the patient sees the bill from the medics, they can't afford to tip anymore. :P

Seriously, I've worked private transport and vollied 911. I've been offered tips at both but have always refused them. For the private transport, I said it was against company policy. From the 911 side, I've declined and asked that they instead make a donation to the department if they really wanted to do so.
 
OK, so you just did this transport for this filthy rich Saudi Prince's mother. and you see him (the Saudi prince) handing your partner a $100, then he turns to you and offers you one as well. What would you do? How would you turn it down without making your partner look like.... and without creating animosity between yourself and your partner? What if your partner (who does not have a problem taking tips) sees you turning down a big tip that should have gone to both of you? Are you so sure that tips are wrong that you would be willing to create an issue between yourself and your partner over it?
 
Patient care and interactions.......

If this is causing you so much grief I would suggest getting a new partner. On a personal note, I would have a very hard time working with a partner that had that kind of "attitude" about tips. What kind of a image does that portray to all of EMS? Heaven forbid if the media should ever get a hold of that "information" and consider how the public would react. Your partner needs to take a good hard look at what he considers right and wrong, and also needs to remember he is misrepresenting EMS. Poor judgment affects all of us ......... -_-
 
I don't have a steady partner, but this (being offered tips) did happen to me more then once (OK I admit, it only happened twice). with different guys, both of whom are (to the best of my knowledge) great guys. honestly it don't make that much of a difference to me, somehow I will deal with it.
I do still think that its a interesting topic, how to balance your own morals and getting along with other people. and lets remember, we are not talking about abusing a patient (even one who deserves it). As for those who don't agree, and cant understand what there is to talk about, (wink wink skyemt) does it really bother you so much that there is a thread you find stupid? personally, when I see a thread I don't like, I use the Ridryder technique, JUST IGNORE IT! don't read it, and DEFINITELY don't add to it. but every man to his own...
 
When I worked transports, I, too, recieved some offers for tips. My partner and I would only accept if, like another poster said, would greatly insult the patient, and the dollar amount would take care of a simple lunch. Most times we would tell the patient to call the office and/or write a commendation letter. I NEVER expect tips (if you expect tips, then wait tables or drive a cab) since we are here to provide medical care and (or, at least) comfort to our patients. I'm happy with simple thank-yous for all we do out here.
 
When I was doing transports throughout The Bronx we would have some pts who would try and tip us at the end. We would always pertinaciously refuse the money. One time we had an EDP of a pt that yelled and yelled at us and start freaking out and called us very rude. We kind of just walked out of the house thinking she'd get the idea, and then she tried chasing us (her beiing legally blind, we didn't think it would be the best idea.) There was that case and also another time where we had to drive a good twenty minutes (Code 3) (not normal response time for our area) mutual aid to another town at 2am. We took the pt and the mother was in the front. It was another good 30 minutes transport (Code 1) to the hospital. The mother ended up giving my driver $5 so we could buy ourselves some coffee. Besides those two instances (second one not being involved in) I've never accepted a tip.
 
goidf said:
OK, so you just did this transport for this filthy rich Saudi Prince's mother. and you see him (the Saudi prince) handing your partner a $100, then he turns to you and offers you one as well. What would you do? How would you turn it down without making your partner look like.... and without creating animosity between yourself and your partner? What if your partner (who does not have a problem taking tips) sees you turning down a big tip that should have gone to both of you? Are you so sure that tips are wrong that you would be willing to create an issue between yourself and your partner over it?
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If your moral compass has a declination that varies based on who's watching and what they would do in your place, then you have other issues besides whether or not to take tips.

Does the company you work for have a policy on taking tips? If they forbid it, and you have co-workers who are taking them, they will certainly have issues with your non-compliance with what they see as business as usual. If the company has a 'don't ask, don't tell' sort of blind eye tolerance for this sort of thing, then I would suggest you decide if this is the type of agency you want to continue working for.

It's these little decisions that determine who we are and who we become in our careers and in our lives. We make them one at a time, often not seeing how they impact our progress in life until we're looking back on it 30 years later wondering.. "How did I get here?"
 
My partner & I was offered $100 tips each for an AMA call involving a domestic abuse by a wealthy businessman. We both needed the money, but realize that it is unprofessional and unethical.

I informed him that confidentiality was a given and did not have to be purchased, and he persisted. I informed to contact the business office in the morning, and if he still wanted to donate we had a charitable cause we take such money for and donate it.

I have had patients bake me cookies, pies, even given me gifts in appreciation. This is not unusual as a nurse and sometimes as a Paramedic. Yes, I accept them because it given as a "thank you" and "appreciation" and is not usually at the time of the incident or occurrence.

R/r 911
 
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