"Tricks" of the trade

[Richard B the EMT]

Wow. Where do you work- in communist China?

It is said that some high ranking USSR General, visiting a somewhat isolated village next to an army base, went into a local tavern, where the locals were loudly playing local music. On seeing the general, the music came to an uneven ending. With a scowl on his face, the General said to all, "Moscow doesn't approve of this type music. You must remember that," he dramatically paused, "the next time you might visit Moscow!" He then smiled, and sat at a table, as the music resumed.

[P_Instructor]

Several of the activities mentioned here will most likely involve theft (IV tubing and saline, lidocaine jelly, KY/surgilube)........

Use the items that are outdated and are being tossed out.......no loss.......

[HERBIE1]

Use the items that are outdated and are being tossed out.......no loss.......

Bingo.

I thought that was understood, but I guess not.

[Richard B the EMT]

Use the items that are outdated and are being tossed out.......no loss.......

I just attended a Haz-Mat training, and that is where we got the live auto injectors we used on the training dummies, from expired "Mark One" kits.

Seriously, I try not to get involved with pranks like are being described here. My luck has always been, especially with pranks in "payback" form, to always backfire. Just the way things are with me. I'm the person got beaten to a pulp, but was the one suspended from school for fighting.

Edited May 22, 2010 by Richard B the EMT

[paramedicmike]

Use the items that are outdated and are being tossed out.......no loss.......

Unless you have specific permission from your employer to use the items in question, regardless if the item is outdated or not, it is still theft as the items used do not belong to you.

If your employer gives you permission then your employer assumes responsibility for the potential outcome. If your employer does not give you permission you're stealing. Out of all the places I've worked, both EMS and in my pre EMS life, none of my employers would allow it for fear of condoning what could potentially (however unlikely) become a hostile work environment complaint.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for a good joke so long as it's off duty and away from the station. But on duty and in the station or on the ambulance is not the place for it... especially if it involves stealing from one's employer in order to make it happen.

[Lone Star]

Agreed.

Always did it while the rigs were at hospitals, after they delivered their patients. Never interfered with patients or family members who may be riding with. I may be a smart ass, but I'm not ignorant.

You've never taken a patient out of the ER to another hospital? Better yet, you've never taken a patient out of the hospital?

Even parking rigs at the hospital is no guarantee that it's 'safe to prank' that crew.

I can understand people working on production lines doing stupid pranks (like loading someone's glove with small parts), but in this field; theres far too much room for a bad outcome of the prank.

Besides that, we're supposed to be 'professional', which means that this type of childish behavior (especially in the work place) should have been left at the door of the station.

[tskstorm]

You've never taken a patient out of the ER to another hospital? Better yet, you've never taken a patient out of the hospital?

Nope and its against policy to do so. So no need to worry about that.

How do you feel about using things that have been discarded? Usually our pranks consist of rearranging equipment, we don't usually use any of it except for the occasional syringe water gun.

Posts like this make too many assumptions. Every system is different too hard to compare, if you don't participate or haven't participated in a prank or two good for you, everyone deals with stresses differently.

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Not really a prank but on occasion we will raise the windshield wipers and put a glove on them with the middle finger.. well in the middle if you catch my drift.

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http://www.revengecrabs.com/pricing-packages-purchase-crabs-crab-lice/

Wonder what type of pranks could be played with this ? lol

[HERBIE1]

You've never taken a patient out of the ER to another hospital? Better yet, you've never taken a patient out of the hospital?

Even parking rigs at the hospital is no guarantee that it's 'safe to prank' that crew.

I can understand people working on production lines doing stupid pranks (like loading someone's glove with small parts), but in this field; theres far too much room for a bad outcome of the prank.

Besides that, we're supposed to be 'professional', which means that this type of childish behavior (especially in the work place) should have been left at the door of the station.

I guess I'm a kid, then. I'm also a professional. Time and place for fun, and a time and place for work. I know the difference.