Greatful Patient Leaves Gift - What do you do?

[Katiebug]

Its only happened to me a couple of times. The last time, I was offered ten bucks by a family member after a particularly difficult time with a very heavy patient and a stair chair. Of course I refused and said thank you.

Now let's pose the question a different way. Suppose you make a scene like this:

You make a scene where ambulance is requested but no C/C is given. You arrive on scene to find two DOAs, both victims of the other's GSW.

In the same room is bags upon bags of drugs, several guns and what appears to be millions of dollars in cash. Mountains of one hundred dollar bills.

What do you do? Can you answer honestly?

My answer is I don't know what I would do. That is my honest answer. I like to tell myself I would take the moral high ground. On most levels, I hope that I would. But not having been put to the test, I'm not sure what I would do.

Anyone else?

[WolfmanHarris]

The quicker I leave the room and wait outside the door for PD the more I trust myself to do the right thing. Also if I assume I will get caught (and why not, I rarely got away with anything as a kid) the short term gain is not worth it.

[HERBIE1]

Its only happened to me a couple of times. The last time, I was offered ten bucks by a family member after a particularly difficult time with a very heavy patient and a stair chair. Of course I refused and said thank you.

Now let's pose the question a different way. Suppose you make a scene like this:

You make a scene where ambulance is requested but no C/C is given. You arrive on scene to find two DOAs, both victims of the other's GSW.

In the same room is bags upon bags of drugs, several guns and what appears to be millions of dollars in cash. Mountains of one hundred dollar bills.

What do you do? Can you answer honestly?

My answer is I don't know what I would do. That is my honest answer. I like to tell myself I would take the moral high ground. On most levels, I hope that I would. But not having been put to the test, I'm not sure what I would do.

Anyone else?

Difficult? Maybe, but the bottom line is you have to look at yourself in the mirror every day. I've been in that situation several times- not with millions, but certainly tens of thousands of dollars. All involved gangs and drug deals gone bad. One, the victim had pockets full of cash which we discovered in the back of the rig, when no witnesses were around besides my partner. These days, the paranoid cynic that I am- I assumed it had to be a set up- too easy to take the money without anyone knowing. We joked about a nice vacation, a new car, etc(which alone would arouse suspicion) but we turned it in at the ER and even documented that fact. I had many more instances when I worked at a trauma center, but then again, there were also about 10 people in the trauma suite with me. The thing is, generally the locals(and in the old days, sometimes the cops) will take anything of value long before we show up- guns, money, jewelry, etc so it's not that common to encounter this situation.

The guilt I would have later would tear me up, though.

Not worth it.

[Richard B the EMT]

Perhaps it is because I watch a bit too much television, but if, in the scenario of 2 DOAs from each other's firearms, with a bunch of dinero, dinars, yen, kopeck or dollars laying around, along with other weapons, and drugs, I won't be taking any samples. The money is trouble, as it might be Mafia, Cartel, Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings/Queens, or someone else's, who would kill you, your family, your dog, and even your goldfish, for having taken the money. They'd even dig up the remains of your great grandmother from the graveyard, and shoot her to spite you.

[Neup]

Exactly, NEVER piss off a latin queen.

Room full of money, who cares? Are you going to be able to take enough to start a new life? Nope. If you take enough for a new car? Probably not. No matter what you buy, you will remember how you got the money for it everytime you see it. And it will remind you of what kind of person you are, everyday.

As far as the accepting gifts issue, I think Ruff nailed most of it. Act as if you receipt of the gift were being televised. Some gifts aren't appropriate to take, but I can't see arguing with some old lady who wants to give me a gift certificate for dinner because I helped give her a couple more years with her husband. Dust is right in that some people have no inner voice, but I'm not going to base my decisions on compensating for some other jagoff.

[Jeepluv77]

Should you find yourself in a situation like this, think of the number of 12 year olds out there walking around hooked on these same drugs. Then remind yourself every penny of that money is probably from the sale of said drugs. Any that's not from the sale of the drugs is probably from robberies committed with those guns. I don't know about you, but that makes my decision pretty easy.

[brentoli]

Should you find yourself in a situation like this, think of the number of 12 year olds out there walking around hooked on these same drugs. Then remind yourself every penny of that money is probably from the sale of said drugs. Any that's not from the sale of the drugs is probably from robberies committed with those guns. I don't know about you, but that makes my decision pretty easy.

Yep...

Take the money to get it out of illegal circulation. =)

[Katiebug]

Should you find yourself in a situation like this, think of the number of 12 year olds out there walking around hooked on these same drugs. Then remind yourself every penny of that money is probably from the sale of said drugs. Any that's not from the sale of the drugs is probably from robberies committed with those guns. I don't know about you, but that makes my decision pretty easy.

THAT is what would keep me on the straight and narrow. Those are the best points yet.

[boeingb13]

We have a woman stop by about every other month or so, and gives us a 100-150$ standing rib roast, what are we suposed to do, throw it away. Whenever people drop off money or checks and tell us to go buy lunch or dinner, we turn it in to admin, and they put it in the firefighters for families fund. People are going to show appreciation, its a matter of what it is, and what you know/think is right to do with it.

[Chief1C]

If you can eat it, you can keep it. No evidence left behind.