First time as a third rider..

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krusevitche

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Hey Everyone,
Thanks so much for the invaluable advice you gave me for my first ride. I loved it!!!! The EMT's and medics were all awesome and I worried for nuttin! I was sent to a tough city north of Boston (where I was born and raised) and one of our calls was to a homeless shelter. The poor SOB was a homeless male who had aids and cancer and hadn't been taking his meds because they were stolen at the shelter, he was the nicest guy and I felt so sorry for him. He was burning up with a fever and had a hacking and very painful cough. I figured it was pnemonia. Anyway the EMT's I was riding with transported him to an area hospital which would be more equipped to treat a patient with his issues. When we arrived with the pt the nurses in the ED were horrible. They *****ed and complained to the EMT's that they shouldn't have brought him there. I had his suitcase (he is homeless that was all his possesions) and Nurse Ratchet said to me what's that?? I said he is homeless and she said well this isn't his home. Then she went and got some warm blankets and said these are nice and warm too bad we have to use them on him. Whoa! How can that broad sleep at night?? I hope all nurses aren't that mean, there I was worrying the EMT's were going to be jerks and they were like angles to that guy. I also went on a few pysch calls and the cops were terrific with the mentally ill person we had to transport. That was the best call cuz we had the sirens on and the EMT was a kick-*** driver. Well that's it. I am going to go on as many rides as I can. Thank you to all the EMT's out there that are so kind to the underdogs of this world!
 
I think you'll find nurses in general and ER nurses in particular can be a little more jaded than your typical EMT or Paramedic, but they also have a harder job most of the time, certainly harder than EMTs anyway.

Its one thing to take care of one patient at a time, but its a totally different ballgame to juggle half a dozen or more patients at once for 12 hours straight, some of whom are really sick and possibly dying, and many of whom are time consuming drug seekers, alcoholics and patients with psychiatric issues the ER isnt really the best place for.

Hopefully youll get a chance to do some ER clinicals which will open up your eyes a little bit.
 
Well my eyes will never be open to cruelty to a member of the human race, and if you think that is medicine then you are sadly mistaken. I pity anyone who uses their medical experience to demean a person. Thanks for enlightening me, I will continue to treat every person with dignity, God Bless you
 
krusevitche said:
Well my eyes will never be open to cruelty to a member of the human race, and if you think that is medicine then you are sadly mistaken. I pity anyone who uses their medical experience to demean a person. Thanks for enlightening me, I will continue to treat every person with dignity, God Bless you
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And one more thing, where do you think in your great wisdom should the undesirables go? Is there some special hole in the ground for all those who don't meet the expectations of you and the others in the healthcare system who seem to know who deserves treatment and those who do not?? Some day you may have a family member or even you who may meet the outcast requirments. How will you handle it then? But I am sure that would never happen to you would it? I HAVE worked with the poor and lowly, I HAVE been exposed to them 16 hour shifts in group homes. I don't care how long those nurses shifts are if the can't be kind get the hell out of the buisness
 
Either I'm tired and my reading interpretation has gone down, or I'm sensing a lot of hostility in your last two posts. May I ask what sparked said hostility?
 
I dont think the OP understands the emergency medical system.
 
PoeticInjustice said:
Either I'm tired and my reading interpretation has gone down, or I'm sensing a lot of hostility in your last two posts. May I ask what sparked said hostility?
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yeah I was hostile, sorry. It just bugged me the way the nurses treated that guy. I know that they are over-worked my best friend is an RN, but the guy was dying and it astounds me that some people lack even a tiny bit of compassion. I'll just live by my own values and try to accept this world for what it is. Thank you
 
Just keep your values and treat them with respect. Ignore all those that think this is how the system is, so you should accept it.

Those that accept that kind of treatment just keep the system failing. Just remember to not judge and do your job to the best of your abilities.
 
krusevitche said:
Hey Everyone,
Thanks so much for the invaluable advice you gave me for my first ride. I loved it!!!! The EMT's and medics were all awesome and I worried for nuttin! I was sent to a tough city north of Boston (where I was born and raised) and one of our calls was to a homeless shelter. The poor SOB was a homeless male who had aids and cancer and hadn't been taking his meds because they were stolen at the shelter, he was the nicest guy and I felt so sorry for him. He was burning up with a fever and had a hacking and very painful cough. I figured it was pnemonia. Anyway the EMT's I was riding with transported him to an area hospital which would be more equipped to treat a patient with his issues. When we arrived with the pt the nurses in the ED were horrible. They *****ed and complained to the EMT's that they shouldn't have brought him there. I had his suitcase (he is homeless that was all his possesions) and Nurse Ratchet said to me what's that?? I said he is homeless and she said well this isn't his home. Then she went and got some warm blankets and said these are nice and warm too bad we have to use them on him. Whoa! How can that broad sleep at night?? I hope all nurses aren't that mean, there I was worrying the EMT's were going to be jerks and they were like angles to that guy. I also went on a few pysch calls and the cops were terrific with the mentally ill person we had to transport. That was the best call cuz we had the sirens on and the EMT was a kick-*** driver. Well that's it. I am going to go on as many rides as I can. Thank you to all the EMT's out there that are so kind to the underdogs of this world!
Click to expand...

Sadly, the attitude displayed here is not unique to nurses. All manner of healthcare providers suffer from it.

The root cause is not really understanding what healthcare is an who needs it. Many get into healthcare with the idea everyone they will be helping is a socially desirable citizen who does their best to take care of themselves with the resources and knowledge of an educated western populous.

The reality is that people who need the most healthcare and the most often, are basically the underclasses of society. The bright side to it is that these people benefit the most from it.

I started my career in a middle class suburb, with a decent call volume and a patient population that was largely people who had a very good standard of living, even if they were alcoholic, burried in debt, etc.

But, seeking "real action" I later sought out rough neighborhoods and poor neighborhoods. (I hate the word ghetto, especially since I understand where that word comes from and what it really means)

After my first day I was hooked.(now more than a decade ago) I wouldn't dream of going to work in a middle or upper class institution again. The socially undesirable is my favorite patient population. With all of their problems, noncompliance, and behavioral/environmental factors.

I have found the career providers who work this environment are the most skilled, dedicated, and passionate. They are the hardcore/real deal. I am honored to be in their company. In my time though, I have seen many providers think this is what they wanted. They come with great intentions, looking up to those who work there. Wanting to be one. But few make it. Most don't last 6 months. Those forced to be there (residents, providers desperate for any job, etc) generally act like you describe and leave as soon as they are able, never to return. These groups make up the majority.

Not everyone can do it. Even fewer can make a career there. The ones who do form a very tight group within the already tight group of emergency and acute care. I know a few who have worked such places for 40+ years and everywhere I go in the world, those who are part of the group find an instant comraderie and even kinship.

Try not to judge the ones who can't do it too harshly. Not everyone can or wants to. It doesn't make them bad people.

You will likely only ever meet a few of the people who work in such an environment who espouse the virtues you are looking for. You will know their names, you will often find they are mentors and highly respected by all. (but even they are not immune from bad days.)

Be the provider you hope to be. But don't judge too quickly. You are still new. Anyone can be successful early or handle a few critical patients. 5 years, 10 years, 20 years later is another matter entirely.
 
A good family friend once told me that "the only place life's really real is on the ocean" (he was a sailor, lived on his own teak sailboat and sailed it around the globe). I find that that applies to the poor too, not necessarily the welfare abusing 'wealthy based on loopholes' people but the working poor. Life's real when a missed day of work equals homelessness or hunger.
 
Why did you have the sirens on for a psych patient?
 
Anjel said:
Why did you have the sirens on for a psych patient?
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It's cool, the EMT was a good driver. He was able to fly through traffic and get to the hospital really fast :ph34r:
 
Anjel said:
Why did you have the sirens on for a psych patient?
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Hadn't eaten all day, wanted to raid the snacks in the EMS lounge because blood sugar was low and really needed to use the restroom since 2 calls prior.

:)
 
Medic Tim said:
In Boston they run code to all calls and like 99% of the time to the Ed
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I thought Boston EMS was supposed to be pretty good, though. Why would they be so silly as to run code all the time?
 
Veneficus said:
Sadly, the attitude displayed here is not unique to nurses. All manner of healthcare providers suffer from it.

The root cause is not really understanding what healthcare is an who needs it. Many get into healthcare with the idea everyone they will be helping is a socially desirable citizen who does their best to take care of themselves with the resources and knowledge of an educated western populous.

The reality is that people who need the most healthcare and the most often, are basically the underclasses of society. The bright side to it is that these people benefit the most from it.

I started my career in a middle class suburb, with a decent call volume and a patient population that was largely people who had a very good standard of living, even if they were alcoholic, burried in debt, etc.

But, seeking "real action" I later sought out rough neighborhoods and poor neighborhoods. (I hate the word ghetto, especially since I understand where that word comes from and what it really means)

After my first day I was hooked.(now more than a decade ago) I wouldn't dream of going to work in a middle or upper class institution again. The socially undesirable is my favorite patient population. With all of their problems, noncompliance, and behavioral/environmental factors.

I have found the career providers who work this environment are the most skilled, dedicated, and passionate. They are the hardcore/real deal. I am honored to be in their company. In my time though, I have seen many providers think this is what they wanted. They come with great intentions, looking up to those who work there. Wanting to be one. But few make it. Most don't last 6 months. Those forced to be there (residents, providers desperate for any job, etc) generally act like you describe and leave as soon as they are able, never to return. These groups make up the majority.

Not everyone can do it. Even fewer can make a career there. The ones who do form a very tight group within the already tight group of emergency and acute care. I know a few who have worked such places for 40+ years and everywhere I go in the world, those who are part of the group find an instant comraderie and even kinship.

Try not to judge the ones who can't do it too harshly. Not everyone can or wants to. It doesn't make them bad people.

You will likely only ever meet a few of the people who work in such an environment who espouse the virtues you are looking for. You will know their names, you will often find they are mentors and highly respected by all. (but even they are not immune from bad days.)

Be the provider you hope to be. But don't judge too quickly. You are still new. Anyone can be successful early or handle a few critical patients. 5 years, 10 years, 20 years later is another matter entirely.
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Thank you, you are a very kind and decent person. Thank you so much and I will take your advice to heart
 
Epi - they use call volume as an excuse.

"We need to get there so we can go available for the next call"

krusevitche said:
yeah I was hostile, sorry. It just bugged me the way the nurses treated that guy. I know that they are over-worked my best friend is an RN, but the guy was dying and it astounds me that some people lack even a tiny bit of compassion. I'll just live by my own values and try to accept this world for what it is. Thank you
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You're probably not going to like this...

I've got no sympathy for someone that made poor life decisions and is now terminally ill because of it, especially if they're non-compliant with their medications. I might be jaded as well seeing as I work in a city with a massive vagrant population but many of them are professional con artists and extremely manipulative. They have to be to survive...you just have to be able to read through their bull:censored::censored::censored::censored: sometimes.

The HIV monster didn't just randomly bite this guy. Cancer...well maybe his actions predisposed him to it or maybe he just has bad luck.

With that said, if they're nice to me ill be nice right back. If you're an :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: to me, I'm not going to blow sunshine up your *** all the way to the ER.

With that said, the nurses sounded like they were out of line, sorry you had to see that. Very possible they were very familiar with the patient and that's why they said that.

Unfortunately, even EMS crews can and do make the same comments the nurses did. Is it right? No. Is it limited to nursing? Absolutely not. Like I said though, it does happen.
 
Im not implying that the homeless should be treated poorly. They should be treated like any other patient, and the sad reality is that a hospital or ambulance is one of the few places they can be in a warm clean environment.

As for poor life choices and what results in people being homeless, it really does vary greatly. They arent all drug addicts and alcoholics, and for those that are, sometimes you have to ask which came first, the homelessness or the alcoholism and drug use, its not always so cut and dry.

I had the misfortune of going through a period of homelessness for a time many years ago, which didnt involve substance abuse(which almost made it more humiliating). I was young and lucky enough to be able to claw my way out of the situation, but it was extremely difficult and involved some good fortune. Many dont make it out, and if you arent young and in good health or have family and friends willing to help, its next to impossible, so id be the last one to judge these people harshly.
 
Anjel said:
Why did you have the sirens on for a psych patient?
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Well, it took the police about 45 minutes to convince her to get in the ambulance, she was highly agitated in a psychotic state and the driver must have been concerned for his partner and myself. She was a section 12. It was difficult to get her in the ER as well as she was attempting to flee from the stretcher.
 
krusevitche said:
she was highly agitated in a psychotic state and the driver must have been concerned for his partner and myself. She was a section 12. It was difficult to get her in the ER as well as she was attempting to flee from the stretcher.
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If you're concerned, and you have the authority to force transport, sedate them or restrain them. Shouldn't take someone 45 minutes to be put in the ambulance if they have a psych hold.
 
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