EMS service asking overdose patients for preferred funeral home

[redundantbassist]

What are your thoughts? Great idea or horribly unprofessional?

http://www.cullmantimes.com/cnhi_ne...cle_23f556db-401e-5ba0-9ad2-c0ec7db0709d.html

 

[VentMonkey]

I think their intentions mean well, but the majority of these patients will continue to use.

The harsh reality IMO, is it all too often falls on deaf ears. They're not ready to quit until they're ready to quit.

With that being said, I'd be interested on follow up with their campaign say 6 months to a year from now.

 

[NysEms2117]

As a Parole officer, with drugs involving close to 3/4 of my caseload, i disagree. I have seen hundreds of people change with the right programs, support, and motivation.. YES, there are folks that don't, but I feel like instead of adopting a scared straight program, they can adopt a different type of program. The scared straight style approach has been proven to work better on younger aged people(by younger i mean <16 years old). Especially in my "main" job, this would not fly, there are various ways that we can rehabilitate drug users. YES i get it is different, and you as EMS cannot force them to do S.H.O.C.K rehabilitation, counseling, or whatever else i have at my disposal. I do feel as if there are better ways. But like @VentMonkey said.... "They're not ready to quit until they're ready to quit". Parole, police, jail, prison, family, none of those things matter, until they decide they themselves want to quit.. Sometimes not even death as well.

 

[EpiEMS]

The guy who's proposing this clearly has good intentions. On the other hand, it probably won't do much (if anything at all).
But I can't think of how this would be harmful, so, sure, go for it. "Whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world," and all that.

 

[StCEMT]

Is it really any different than us telling someone they weren't breathing and if X hadn't called, they would be dead right now?

 

[VentMonkey]

Is it really any different than us telling someone they weren't breathing and if X hadn't called, they would be dead right now?

Nope, which goes back to my point of "falling in deaf ears". Admittedly I have told patients this as well, but only after they'd repeatedly asked what happened.

Also, my intentions aren't to "scare them straight", I'm just telling them what happened, similar to a concussed patient. I thought we were supposed to do our best to not judge n' stuff?...

 

[StCEMT]

Nope, which goes back to my point of "falling in deaf ears". Admittedly I have told patients this as well, but only after they'd repeatedly asked what happened.

Also, my intentions aren't to "scare them straight", I'm just telling them what happened, similar to a concussed patient. I thought we were supposed to do our best to not judge n' stuff?...

I mean I don't think saying that means judging. I told that to the 20 year old that was found by her sister who also happened to have a boyfriend that died from this. I wasn't judging, I recognize addictions are tough to beat. Although I guess it depends on who/how it's said.

 

[Flying]

I mean I don't think saying that means judging. I told that to the 20 year old that was found by her sister who also happened to have a boyfriend that died from this. I wasn't judging, I recognize addictions are tough to beat. Although I guess it depends on who/how it's said.

I think the key here is the intent behind what we're saying to these people.

Why try to scare people straight? You already profiled them and think bringing the hammer to them might get them to change.

 

[VentMonkey]

I mean I don't think saying that means judging. I told that to the 20 year old that was found by her sister who also happened to have a boyfriend that died from this. I wasn't judging, I recognize addictions are tough to beat. Although I guess it depends on who/how it's said.

Agreed, and FWIW, my comment to your initial post wasn't directed at you, nor did I take it that way. I was merely trying to further elaborate on what I had meant.

 

[StCEMT]

Agreed, and FWIW, my comment to your initial post wasn't directed at you, nor did I take it that way. I was merely trying to further elaborate on what I had meant.

No worries, I didn't take it that way! Just pulling from my most recent OD call. I realize there are people who can be that way. I do question why people even start something like meth or heroin (before they are addicted), but afterwards I already know why they are using.

With my heroin OD's I am called to I am all for advocating that they seek treatment. Because in her case, this was the first time she had this happen. So drawing the comparison to her dead boyfriend and the need to seek help to avoid that being her seems like a fair way to show the importance of it. She genuinely seemed to want to kick the addiction though.