EMT/Medics as patients

[DesertMedic66]

Over the past couple of months we have had employees get injured on duty and off duty on their drive home (still wearing uniforms). After seeing how our trauma hospital (we have a contract with them for work related injuries) treats our employees, it got me wondering if this is fairly common or very rare with the EMS/ER community.

If they know you are an EMT or Medic are you treated differently from other patients or the same?

Our hospital seems to go above and beyond with fire/EMS/LEO patients. Today was the first day I have ever heard a doctor ask a patient what pain medication they would like followed by a list of all the pain meds the hospital has.

 

[unleashedfury]

I think there is a bit better treatment to people of the proffession when its someone they know.

As far as ala carte pain meds I think thats crossing the line a bit.

Just as I'm sure your frequent flyers tend to be treated a bit less and the moans and groans of them showing up tend to increase.

Do I agree with it No,

 

[Handsome Robb]

My friend blew his shoulder out. Waited in the triage room of the Trauma Center for two hours then the ER room for 4 hours waiting for X-ray then another couple of hours for discharge. Took him like 8 hours.

When I had the traumatic dislocation of my left shoulder I was in and out of the same hospital from door to door in two hours with X-rays. Called the charge desk, came through the ambulance bay, met a doc at the charge desk and went on my merry way.

The pain meds thing is a bit much but I know that the prescription I have is because of who I am and them trusting me to not be an ****** with it.

 

[TransportJockey]

I was seen for an acute gallbladder episode and subsequent removal back in June. I came in on my own gurney after passing out in the bay. I was put in a room quickly, lines and labs done, and heavily medicated very quickly. I know it was so fast because I was still in uniform and had been dealing with these people all day.
They tend to take care of is well.

 

[joshrunkle35]

When I was in medic school I did ride alongs with a particular unit of 3 people. Within 3 months I had emergencies on 2 of the 3 crew members. One had a very low blood sugar issue: <25. He was my preceptor and I was like, "Are you sure you mean that, because that's not what my book says." We transported another crew member for very high blood pressure. He was sitting in station doing nothing and his face got very red. In both cases, medically, they were treated identically to any other patient. On the personal interaction side, it was different, because, obviously we knew them. We made the high blood pressure lie on the cot, etc, but let him tell us a bit more of what stuff he wanted, etc, because he knew what treatment was appropriate and the patient is the customer, etc.