Has being an EMT changed how you look at life?

[Veneficus]

thought you all would appreciate this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoXZ-t_3KnY&feature=related

this one too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPMIQv6JmEI&feature=related

 

[Sasha]

It seems there is nothing anyone can say to get you to explore some of the many factors for why people react as they do. It is attitudes like yours which don't consider any other possibilities for the way things are the way they are that keep this US against THEM crap alive. Thus, with this attitude, why would you expect the staff to jump real high when called by you each time? Your attitude probably projects loud and clear.

Don't even speculate about my on scene demenaor. I've already stated that I am chipper, upbeat, and pleasent to each and every staff member on scene, until given a reason not to be. I understand they have a difficult job, that does not give them the right to neglect their patients. They get NO sympathy from me when they complain about how hard their job is, when they're all sitting at the nurses station, or at a table in the cafeteria, or the activity room, or anywhere else while there is patient care to be done.

Oh vent, you are right. CNAs and LPNs are never slackers who get lazy and sit down on the job, that is strictly reserved for big bad nasty EMTs and Paramedics. They're perfect. We should all bow to them, praise them, and bring them cookies when we come to take a patient who has been ignored for three days.

 

[VentMedic]

Oh vent, you are right. CNAs and LPNs are never slackers who get lazy and sit down on the job, that is strictly reserved for big bad nasty EMTs and Paramedics. They're perfect. We should all bow to them, praise them, and bring them cookies when we come to take a patient who has been ignored for three days.

Again with the attitude! I can't imagine you putting that mess aside and walking into any situation with a nurse or CNA and being civil.

All I have done in my posts is explain the duties of nurses and CNAs since you can't possibly see why anyone would ever sit down to chart if you stand.

I have told you how to report abuse if you think that is warranted. File the paperwork and be prepared to backup what you say. Just giving attitude may not be enough.

I have also not callled EMTs big bad and nasty as you have. Where do you get that from? Is that how you think of EMTs?

when they're all sitting at the nurses station, or at a table in the cafeteria, or the activity room, or anywhere else while there is patient care to be done.

Aren't you allowed to eat? Drive around until you find a good restaurant? Sleep? It is too bad that you think they must be constantly at the bedside for the entire 12 hours. Those that do try to be burn out real fast. And what is done on these forums? There are people complaining about their jobs or that of others? Are you really that much different?

 

[Sasha]

Again with the attitude! I can't imagine you putting that mess aside and walking into any situation with a nurse or CNA and being civil.

All I have done in my posts is explain the duties of nurses and CNAs since youcan't possibly see why anyone would ever sit down to chart if you stand.

I have told you how to report abuse if you think that is warranted. File the paperwork and be prepared to backup what you say. Just giving attitude may not be enough.

I have also not callled EMTs big bad and nasty as you have. Where do you get that from? Is that how you think of EMTs?

Aren't you allowed to eat? Drive around until you find a good restaurant? Sleep? It is too bad that you think they must be constantly at the bedside for the entire 12 hours. Those that do try to be burn out real fast. And what is done on these forums? There are people complaining about their jobs or that of others? Are you really that much different?

Is there patient care to be done? If there is patient care to be done then we are not sitting, eating or browsing forums. At least not on my truck. I have no problem with them sitting to chart. I have a problem with them sitting to do not a damn thing while there is patient care to be done. They get lunch breaks, smoke breaks and still have time to sit and do nothing.

You insinuated earlier that the poor cnas and lpns are only nasty to emts and paramedics because of past crews.

If you have doubts about my on scene professionalism you are welcome to do a ride along on my truck.

God forbid I voice my frustration over the poor condition and staff of nursing homes and their patients.

 

[JPINFV]

As far as someone's comment about Stage IV decubs,

Trying to find where I blamed a SNF for stage 4s. I called stage 4s a part of medicine that is nasty (and it, by far, isn't the only part), but I fail to see where I made any comment in regard to quality of nursing home care. The patient I was directly thinking of was, gasp, a non-compliant and rude patient in a hospital that the hospital couldn't discharge because no facility would take her.

 

[VentMedic]

Trying to find where I blamed a SNF for stage 4s. I called stage 4s a part of medicine that is nasty (and it, by far, isn't the only part), but I fail to see where I made any comment in regard to quality of nursing home care. The patient I was directly thinking of was, gasp, a non-compliant and rude patient in a hospital that the hospital couldn't discharge because no facility would take her.

I would like to know how you think I directly blamed you for Stage 4 decubs?

Just because I state a Stage 1 could happen on an ambulance cot does NOT me I blamed you or SNFs or anything else. I merely told you how a decubitus is easy to get started and out of control and I even STATED IN AN ICU ON AN EXPENSIVE BED!

For you to read again:

As far as someone's comment about Stage IV decubs, it is very difficult to maintain any bedridden patient. The patient might come in as a Stage 1 just from the ambulance cot ride and develop overnight to a Stage 2. It then doesn't take much to progress to a Stage 4. If the RN tries to get the patient transferred to initiate wound care, that routine transfer might take awhile. If they call EMS or for an emergent transfer when the patient finally spikes a temp which can be a delayed response, they may be ridiculed by EMTs for "a temp and a bedsore" and will also have to respond to their employer why they waited or why they sent the patient. Either way, it is a no win situation for them or the patient. Too early and they face scrutiny and too late they jeopardize the patient and more scrutiny. It is a no win situation for staff. We even get patients with bad decubs start in the ICUs even with the beds that cost around $80k and low RNatient ratios. Long term patients break easily and we try everything we can to get the patients moving off the technology, out of the ICUs and throughout the system to hopefully a decent facility and much stronger. Unfortunately patients are being moved very rapidly and sometimes to rapidly out of the acute care facilities to make space. That puts an additional burden on SNF staff as they are now asked to do more with less.

Do you see anything specific in that quote where I called you out on this? There are alot of people here who probably have only heard the term decubitus and may not know what it means although it has been discussed in threads about LSBs.

 

[VentMedic]

Is there patient care to be done? If there is patient care to be done then we are not sitting, eating or browsing forums. At least not on my truck. I have no problem with them sitting to chart. I have a problem with them sitting to do not a damn thing while there is patient care to be done. They get lunch breaks, smoke breaks and still have time to sit and do nothing.

So in your opinion there should be no breaks for any nurses or CNA because you believe them to be lazy good for nothings?

You insinuated earlier that the poor cnas and lpns are only nasty to emts and paramedics because of past crews.

My quote is below. I also want you to look through all of my posts and find the words "poor" and "nasty". Right now you are the only one that called EMTs nasty in your post.

Everybody in healthcare has a rough job to do. If you go into a SNF or nursing home with a crap attitude, don't expect to be greeted well. You also don't know what type of crap the staff had to put up with from the previous IFT or EMS crews.

If you have doubts about my on scene professionalism you are welcome to do a ride along on my truck.

God forbid I voice my frustration over the poor condition and staff of nursing homes and their patients.

Your dislike towards nurses, CNAs and nursing homes is pretty extreme.

But again, what have you done about any of the situations that you believe are abusive? You know how to report them and I don't mean just "telling your supervisor". Have you ever followed through with something you believe is harmful to a patient?

I'm sure you would put on a good show if someone was with you. The person that does ride with you may not share your same dislike for other health care professionals and will try to make the best of even a bad situation or understand what must be done.

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

your service does ride alongs? because I have serious doubts about your on scene professionalism...

I want to go for a ride along, and you can teach me all about being a pair-a-medic

 

[TransportJockey]

your service does ride alongs? because I have serious doubts about your on scene professionalism...

I want to go for a ride along, and you can teach me all about being a pair-a-medic

You lie. Anyways, remember not to drool too much

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

You lie. Anyways, remember not to drool too much

drool?

 

[iamjeff171]

yet another thread hi-jacked. with that said, i will continue the hi-jacking.
A comment was made earlier concerning speaking negativly about a facility. i once had a IFT from the hospital for a patient who had recently became ill and needed more extended care at a SNF. the particular facility we were taking him to is well known for having some of the most understaffed and overworked dedicated healthcare workers in the city.while transporting, the patient asks me if the facility we are taking him to is a nice place. i forget exactly what i said, i skated around the subject and never actually answered him(that didnt exactly put him at ease). how would you answer this patient?

i will say like in any other profession there are bad apples, and these are the people who stand out. i know if i was forced to work in the above facility, i would very likely become a bad apple myself(in reality, i would find other employment before letting it get that bad). i dont think anyone is saying that all of these workers are evil people just waiting to inflict pain and suffering on grandma/grandpa. blaming all healthcare workers would definitely be blaming the victim. you cant really blame someone for being tired, over worked, and burned out, when they are...tired and overworked to that point.

 

[TransportJockey]

drool?

From the hotness that is Sasha

 

[Sasha]

So in your opinion there should be no breaks for any nurses or CNA because you believe them to be lazy good for nothings?

Good lord woman! Read!

I have never once stated all CNAs and nurses are lazy or bad, I said there are bad ones in the profession just as you will find a bad EMT, Paramedic, Dr, even a bad RT. However you seem to be unable to grasp the fact that there may such a thing as a bad CNA or bad nurse, or even a bad nursing home.

If there is patient care to be done, you should not get a break until the patient is taken care of, plain and simple. If an EMT/Paramedic sat down on scene, busted out the coffee and donuts, and chilled out for 10-30 minutes while the patient waited for care, you'd be in outrage! That is essentially what the nurse or CNA is doing IF THERE IS PATIENT CARE LEFT TO BE DONE WHILE THEY ARE ON THEIR BREAK

Your dislike towards nurses, CNAs and nursing homes is pretty extreme.

I don't dislike nurses, I plan to pursue a career in nursing, I don't dislike CNAs, if they do their job. Nor do I dislike a nursing home, if they provide quality care. I have nothing but praise for the one my grandmother recieved her hospice care at, and there are several nursing homes in the area I would recommend should a relative or friend need one, because they take care of their patients and don't sit around while the call bells are going off, and the call bells are answered in LESS than 30 minutes. Imagine that!

But again, what have you done about any of the situations that you believe are abusive? You know how to report them and I don't mean just "telling your supervisor". Have you ever followed through with something you believe is harmful to a patient?

I document it, report it to supervisors, nurses and also place a call to the abuse hotlines. I've previously stated that I have made calls on nursing homes for abuse and neglect.

I'm sure you would put on a good show if someone was with you. The person that does ride with you may not share your same dislike for other health care professionals and will try to make the best of even a bad situation or understand what must be done.

I have had an EMT student LPN, and an EMT student home health aid CNA who have both found themselves disgusted at the quality of staff at some nursing homes at the end of their ride time at my old job, without us saying two words about the substandard care the CNAs had been providing.

 

[CAOX3]

Good lord woman! Read!

I have never once stated all CNAs and nurses are lazy or bad, I said there are bad ones in the profession just as you will find a bad EMT, Paramedic, Dr, even a bad RT. However you seem to be unable to grasp the fact that there may such a thing as a bad CNA or bad nurse, or even a bad nursing home.

+ 1

There are substandard providers in every profession.

Ask a nurse who works in one and you'll find out how truly bad some can really be.

 

[VentMedic]

Good lord woman! Read!

I have never once stated all CNAs and nurses are lazy or bad, I said there are bad ones in the profession just as you will find a bad EMT, Paramedic, Dr, even a bad RT. However you seem to be unable to grasp the fact that there may such a thing as a bad CNA or bad nurse, or even a bad nursing home.

Why should I waste anymore time reading your posts? You obviously have not read any of my posts and keep coming back with what you think they say. Youi are so hell bent on believing all of my posts are about praising nurses and CNAs that you missed the entire subject of each post. You are only reading into them what you want and fail to see that most of them are neutral with explanations of their jobs such as charting, paperwork and medications as well as some comments about insurance and decubitus ulcers.

I will say this ONE MORE TIME.

If you believe the patients are being abandoned or abused by the awful nurses and CNAs as you believe them to be:

DO THE PAPERWORK AND FILE IT WITH THE STATE! HOW MUCH PLAINER DO YOU WANT ME TO WRITE IT? FOLLOW UP ON IT. JUST WRITING IT ON A PERSONAL PAD OR TELLING A SUPERVISOR IS NOT THE SAME. DOCUMENT WITH YOUR NAME AND SEE THAT IT GETS TO THE STATE FOR THE PROPER REPORTING.

And of course make sure you can back up everything you say about every staff member being on break with a copy of their schedule and an accurate listing all the people you saw in that cafeteria.

Your company will not do that for you since it will mean good-bye to that contract.

 

[Sasha]

DO THE PAPERWORK AND FILE IT WITH THE STATE! HOW MUCH PLAINER DO YOU WANT ME TO WRITE IT? FOLLOW UP ON IT. JUST WRITING IT ON A PERSONAL PAD OR TELLING A SUPERVISOR IS NOT THE SAME. DOCUMENT WITH YOUR NAME AND SEE THAT IT GETS TO THE STATE FOR THE PROPER REPORTING.

I am not asking how to report abuse. I have stated that I have called the abuse hotlines to report abuse. I am not asking you how to do that. How much plainer do I need to explain this to you? Such a shame. All those degrees and that this still escapes you.

I don't know what happened to you, you used to be such a well respected member of this community. It's sad to see you result to such tactics to make your argument anymore.

I can't argue with you anymore, it's like banging my head against the wall. You continue to see what you want to see and twist it to fit your own argument and take it completely out of context.

 

[JPINFV]

I am not asking how to report abuse. I have stated that I have called the abuse hotlines to report abuse. I am not asking you how to do that. How much plainer do I need to explain this to you?

It doesn't matter how much you repeat that line, she'll just keep saying the same thing over and over again. What's really fun is when the personal attacks come out. I'm still waiting for the evidence that I'm a racist, homophobic, xenophobic, classist bigot. However I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Bloom-IUEMT]

Good lord woman! Read!

Holy crap Vent is a woman? :blush:

Maybe some (probably most) of the blame belongs with management of those particular substandard nursing homes as opposed to the staff. I'm sure that there are people in healthcare who feel equally bad towards ems workers without knowing the nature of our job.
Probably shouldn't get too bent out of shape over it; it's not worth getting kicked off the forums for. Perhaps someone could post a link to Department of Health or Center for medicaid and medicare services report on nursing homes that could shed light on the true state of nursing homes. I'm actually kind of curious myself.....

 

[Bloom-IUEMT]

It doesn't matter how much you repeat that line, she'll just keep saying the same thing over and over again. What's really fun is when the personal attacks come out. I'm still waiting for the evidence that I'm a racist, homophobic, xenophobic, classist bigot. However I'm not holding my breath.

Lol you are kind of a Republican so it's not much of a leap Lol j/k!
And how do have all this time to spend on different forums being in med school and such?

 

[JPINFV]

Lol you are kind of a Republican so it's not much of a leap Lol j/k!
And how do have all this time to spend on different forums being in med school and such?

To steal a quote from a talk show host that used to have a show out here, I'm more conservative than liberal, libertarian than conservative, and cynical and skeptical than anything else.

Procrastination. Besides, Facebook is hilarious right now because after 6 exams in 7 weeks (including the exam on Friday right before Spring Break), the entire class seems to have hit the wall and have burned out. This weekend has, by far, been the least productive for me this year (excluding breaks).