All the bells and whistles...REALLY?

[the_negro_puppy]

We wear black pants and a white shirt that has our Practice Level (EMT, Paramedic or Intensive Care Paramedic) and green epaulettes with "Ambulance" on them attached

Who's idea was it to have a white shirt as part of the uniform? Bodily fluids show up great on a white shirt

we wear teal uniforms, great for camouflaging fast food stains etfc

 

[Handsome Robb]

Who's idea was it to have a white shirt as part of the uniform? Bodily fluids show up great on a white shirt

we wear teal uniforms, great for camouflaging fast food stains etfc

That was the same question I asked. We wear white shirts as students, employed crew wears navy.

When i asked they told me it was easiest to page "White shirt to Red/Blue/Green ## in the ED or on a floor for clinicals or on scene the white shirt made it clear who we were.

 

[Akulahawk]

Aside from the assigned uniform, I wore a belt with a radio holster and pager holster. Later when I got a cell phone, I added that holster too. I'd have tucked in a cargo pocket (or worn around the neck) my steth. I'd have a pen light somewhere, some gloves, and usually a couple pens handy. Depending upon the specific call, I'd bring just the above, a waist pack with some extra supplies, or a well stocked jump kit in with me. Just walking around though, I'd just have the minimum of stuff, and I was always tweaking my gear for the minimum on me.

The average security guard wears more stuff (patches, badges, crap on belt) than I ever did.

 

[dmc2007]

I have a very strict policy on EMS and badges.

The only difference between whether it's company issued or not is who to blame for the wacker stupidity.

My company doesn't issue badges (thankfully). What drives me nuts though is that our issued shirts (I believe they're Blauer) come with holes above the left breast pocket to pin a badge through. Either give us the badge or give us a shirt that's not designed for the badge (preferably the latter).

 

[abckidsmom]

These days I travel as heavy as I ever have: belt with leatherman/light, shears tucked in the back loop, nametag on the belt loop, phone in my pocket. I use every one of these tools many times each day.

Why does your stethoscope not stay in the bag, for those who carry it on you the whole time? I get the stethoscope out of the bag at the beginning of a call, and if I'll need it repeatedly, I just keep it around my neck until we're done, then I put it back in the bag.

 

[MrBrown]

Lots of our ambo's have belts with various bits and pieces dangling off them; pagers, phones, hip pouches, shears, gloves, clamps, clinical procedure flip books etc

Brown honestly finds little use for any of those items on a belt; phone in pocket, clamps and shears in the Thomas Pack, gloves in box on ambulance, clinical procedures in head and might look at printed version once in a year.

The only things needed on a belt is the portable radio and hip pouch for morphine, ketamine and RSI drugs

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

These days I travel as heavy as I ever have: belt with leatherman/light, shears tucked in the back loop, nametag on the belt loop, phone in my pocket. I use every one of these tools many times each day.

Why does your stethoscope not stay in the bag, for those who carry it on you the whole time? I get the stethoscope out of the bag at the beginning of a call, and if I'll need it repeatedly, I just keep it around my neck until we're done, then I put it back in the bag.

Some people use their own personal steth either for preference or hygienic reasons. Those are usually the ones that keep them on their necks!

 

[abckidsmom]

Some people use their own personal steth either for preference or hygienic reasons. Those are usually the ones that keep them on their necks!

Even when I'm organized or hygenic enough for remembering my personal steth, I still put it in the bag, cause I don't want to carry it around. That's just me. I can spend hours and hours not on a call, or I can do 5 calls in a row. I don't love having stuff on me all the time, but I find that when I'm puttering around the station doing whatever, I use my leatherman the most. Heck, I even used it at Walmart the other day.

 

[Sasha]

What exactly are you hoping to accomplish with this rant??

If you have a problem with your coworker, don't you think it would be more productive to talk to them directly instead of complaining about them on an internet forum?

 

[Leafmealone]

My company doesn't issue badges (thankfully). What drives me nuts though is that our issued shirts (I believe they're Blauer) come with holes above the left breast pocket to pin a badge through. Either give us the badge or give us a shirt that's not designed for the badge (preferably the latter).

Oh that is what that's for? I've always just stuck a pen there thinking that was its purpose. Either way, it works great.

 

[mcdonl]

I care because, no matter what we do while in uniform and operating in an EMS capacity, we still represent each other in the EMS system. If someone is wearing all of the ornamental asthetic things on their uniform (when it is not required of them of course) it may reflect unfavorably upon all of us. Yes, I understand that they're just extra things to wear, but in excess it can be construed as unprofessional. Patient care SHOULD be the sole determining factor in what provides for the image the public has of us. But what SHOULD be is not always what IS. The average joe will not distinguish what was done right/wrong in regards to their care when most of the time they don't have an idea of what right/wrong is (other than whether they feel ok or not). SO they go on looks alone, and if an EMT can be interpreted as looking unprofessional the ignorance of the common person will dictate that they ARE unprofessional.

Consider this... I was working a day shift (I volunteer and work perdiem) the perdiem crew needs to wear a uniform. Name and FF/EMT-I enbroidered on shirt, service on one shoulder and EMT-I patch on other. I was the provider on a two man crew with a basic as a driver. I needed a medic for a call, put out a tone for intown ALS and got a medic. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt... he was clearly the higher level given that he took over, and directed me how to assist him.

The entire call, and ride to the hospital the patient looked at me, asked me questions and assumed BECAUSE OF THE UNIFORM that I was incharge.

I am not sure about you, but I care what the PATIENT thinks of how I present myself... not my peers. Those patches, radios and badges may seem silly to you but they represent training, authority and safety to the patient... right wrong or otherwise.

 

[Tigger]

Why does your stethoscope not stay in the bag, for those who carry it on you the whole time? I get the stethoscope out of the bag at the beginning of a call, and if I'll need it repeatedly, I just keep it around my neck until we're done, then I put it back in the bag.

We have sealed bags at my service (talk about silly) so I couldn't even put my steth in there if I wanted to. Most of the time scope stays on the bench since we do mostly IFT, but if we get a 911 call it goes around my neck so I can't lose it on scene. I would be very sad if that happened.


Sent from my out of area communications device.

 

[DrParasite]

I care because, no matter what we do while in uniform and operating in an EMS capacity, we still represent each other in the EMS system.

sure....

If someone is wearing all of the ornamental asthetic things on their uniform (when it is not required of them of course) it may reflect unfavorably upon all of us. Yes, I understand that they're just extra things to wear, but in excess it can be construed as unprofessional.

sure... but who says the extra stuff is unprofessional? I have NEVER heard a patient say "don't treat me, you have too many patches on your shirt" or "i don't trust you, you have a a wacker belt and EMT badge that aren't issued by your department." in fact the biggest complainers are other providers who have a subjective view of what is the appropriate level of equipment.

Patient care SHOULD be the sole determining factor in what provides for the image the public has of us.

sure...

But what SHOULD be is not always what IS. The average joe will not distinguish what was done right/wrong in regards to their care when most of the time they don't have an idea of what right/wrong is (other than whether they feel ok or not). SO they go on looks alone, and if an EMT can be interpreted as looking unprofessional the ignorance of the common person will dictate that they ARE unprofessional.

I stand by my initial statement. most of the public don't think all the extra equipment is or looks unprofessional. they see someone show up, IN UNIFORM, and are comforted. if the person has extra bells and whistles, the public doesn't care. if the person wants to carry extra stuff on their person, I bet 99% of the public wouldn't even notice, as long as they were treated nicely (not even appropriately, since studies show fewer complaints occur when the practictioners are nicer, even if not clinically correct).

I might be in the minority, but I do my job, and I'm not going to care if someone else wants to wear some supplemental stuff on their uniform. Then again, I've been around long enough to know not to judge people by the number of extra stuff on their uniform.

 

[NomadicMedic]

It all depends on what your service deems acceptable. Where I work, we wear a flight suit and carry our radios on either a New York strap or a whacker belt. Where I worked perviously, either a strap or super hero belt would get you laughed off the truck.

Here, my class A uniform is a white shirt with badge, tie, hat, blazer, pants and dress shoes. Most privates don't have that, but as a county service we do. Do I wear a badge every day? Nope. Do I wear it with pride on my class A? Sure do.

I wear the uniform my service dictates and then add the tools I need to do my job, like shears, light, knife, iPhone and radio strap. If you don't like what I'm wearing or carrying, don't look.

Who really cares what we wear, as long as we treat the patient appropriately.

 

[Sasha]

It all depends on what your service deems acceptable. Where I work, we wear a flight suit and carry our radios on either a New York strap or a whacker belt. Where I worked perviously, either a strap or super hero belt would get you laughed off the truck.

Here, my class A uniform is a white shirt with badge, tie, hat, blazer, pants and dress shoes. Most privates don't have that, but as a county service we do. Do I wear a badge every day? Nope. Do I wear it with pride on my class A? Sure do.

I wear the uniform my service dictates and then add the tools I need to do my job, like shears, light, knife, iPhone and radio strap. If you don't like what I'm wearing or carrying, don't look.

Who really cares what we wear, as long as we treat the patient appropriately.

The fashion police cares. Its a most grevious offense.

Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk

 

[Cup of Joe]

If someone is wearing all of the ornamental asthetic things on their uniform (when it is not required of them of course) it may reflect unfavorably upon all of us. Yes, I understand that they're just extra things to wear, but in excess it can be construed as unprofessional.

:rofl:

 

[Martyn]

cops wear badges, firefighter wear badges, heck, even security guards wear badges. ever think about why they do that?

What you need to do is have a friend who he doesn't know approach him and with a completely serious face say, "So what do you do for a living, are you a security guard?"

The average security guard wears more stuff (patches, badges, crap on belt) than I ever did.

Oh come on, leave us security officers alone...puhlease!!!

And I think this sums it up quite adequately: :lol:

I am not sure about you, but I care what the PATIENT thinks of how I present myself... not my peers. Those patches, radios and badges may seem silly to you but they represent training, authority and safety to the patient... right wrong or otherwise.

 

[MrBrown]

I am not sure about you, but I care what the PATIENT thinks of how I present myself... not my peers. Those patches, radios and badges may seem silly to you but they represent training, authority and safety to the patient... right wrong or otherwise.

Never mind that it may infact be detrimental to the profession to dress like a whacker ... that's not important right you know who needs professional advancement? :unsure:

 

[ArcticKat]

That was the same question I asked. We wear white shirts as students, employed crew wears navy.

When i asked they told me it was easiest to page "White shirt to Red/Blue/Green ## in the ED or on a floor for clinicals or on scene the white shirt made it clear who we were.

My staff wear white shirts exactly because they are easiest to see blood and other body fluids on. It's a biohazard issue and occupational health issue to be walking around in contaminated clothing. White shirts that get dirty get changed. Wearing a shirt specifically so that it will hide the blood stains is just gross.

 

[94H]

I think the idea of the OP. With the EMT with a badge, radio holster, etc. We all see that as a wacker, as long as their skills are sufficient it shouldn't be a problem.

The problem arises when we meet our psych pt, who has been harassed by PD. Do we want to look like a police officer? Or do we want to look like a different type of civil servant?

In my experience, not being the police leads to better results.

Maybe the OP (and many people on this forum) feel that by wearing all the extra gear the "wacker" is trying to emulate a police officer or someone in a position of higher power.