Won't Let 2 Females Work Together On Ambulance

[crotchitymedic1986]

Ok, got an email from a female paramedic who is a long time friend. She went to work for a service about 6 months ago and probably has about 7 years experience in EMS. Low and behold she found that one of her Paramedic School classmates (who is also female) worked on a different shift at the same company. Being close friends, when it came time to do a shift bid, they asked to be assigned as partners, but were denied because the employer does not allow double female crews, citing the probable need for lift assist, and the dangers of going into dangerous neighborhoods. Does anyone here work for a company that has such a policy, do you think its legal ? What would you do if you were her ?

[Bieber]

I think that would classify as discrimination. Surely their employer mandates all employees to be able to lift at least 150 lbs, so the two of them together should be able to handle most any patient and in the times they can't, they should be able to call for lift assistance from other departments. I would bring it up with the boss.

EDIT: Addition. Also, as far as dangerous hoods are concerned, they signed up for the job. And if they feel unsafe, then it's time to stand off and call PD to clear the scene before they move in. Same as at any other EMS service.

Edited March 27, 2011 by Bieber

[crotchitymedic1986]

I am not sure, but i do not think they make them lift 150 at time of hire. I think they have to show proper technique, but I believed they dropped the lift requirement after a lawsuit.

[mobey]

I do think it is discrimination, unfortunatly it is all too common in my experience.

[emt2469]

There are to many problems with this. First of all i am an emt that weighs 300 lbs, i played professional football and i most certainly can lift way over 150 lbs. Also i am a college educated individual that took many womens rights classes. I believe that certain things are not done right in the ems field. In the military if a woman can't do her job because she cannot lift, or a man is overweight and cannot run they must get up to par or wash out. If you are unable to lift then why are you in a job that one half of the job is transportation and to me that includes lifting. Not being bias to men there are def men out there that are unable to perform these tasks as well. I feel as if there should be requirements same as in the fire dept.. To me If you are unable to lift a pt. thats the same as not being able to apply some kind of medical care due to a physical problem. I believe that if any person that is able to do a job and not allowed to do it have the right to rectify the problem by any means necessary. i know my company likes to put a man and a woman together because by doing that it makes it much more difficult for a pt. to claim any kind of bias, assult based on sex, etc. So in conclusion should she be allowed to work with her female friend yes if they are capable to do the lifting requirements, and that goes as well for suing the company. Although i am going to take another stance that of the company. If you want to make sure that you do not have a problem of sexual discrimination put a lifting requirement and test for it yearly its the only thing that makes sense. Not to mention you know that your company has healthy enough employees to do the physical aspect of the job. Part of EMS is Treatment of a pt. the other part is Transportation. If you as a person are incapable of transporting a pt. due to physical limitations then you are hindering your partner and your pt. Make sure that your pt. gets the best care, i know that i am capable to lift well over four hundred pounds from a ground position to my hips as a dead lift, but if i was hindered by an inner ear problem and unable to take a b/p then i could not do this job and i wouldn't press the subject. I know i have gotten off topic although i feel as if in a different light physical tests need to have a place in EMT testing. And in this area it is neccessary i feel to implement testing. Sorry once more for talking so much about something slightly off topic.

[paramedicmike]

Wow. That's hard to read.

Paragraphs, my friend. Using paragraphs will not only help break up your message but will also help readers better follow your thoughts and ideas.

Welcome to the City, by the way.

[medicgirl05]

While I don't know the legal aspect of it I am going to throw in my opinio on a 2 female crew.

I work for a rural 911 service where the norm is a male/female crew. At one time due to personnel shortages I had a female partner. That makes a 2 female crew. Some situations are more easily handled by a man. Also some ethnicities communicate with men better than women. I think ideally a male/female crew is best. Male for male problems and female for female problems. JMO...

[PCP]

At my station we have female partners working together all the time and they never have problems lifting patients and for that to be a rule for a company is just WRONG! Nothing wrong with calling for a lift assist, as I have done this multiple times evern while working with another male partner, due to the patient being over weight or because we have multiple flights of stairs do go down, or because we have lots going on at the call that we feel having those extra set of hands on a call very helpful.

[FireMedic65]

I can see the "reasoning" behind it from a certain point of view, but it is quite sexist to actually implement it.

Being female OR male has nothing to do with your ability to do the job. I know plenty of tiny females that can out lift most of the males where I work.

Shame on the employer!

[akflightmedic]

Male for male problems and female for female problems. JMO...

This is discriminatory thinking just as much as the double female staffing...what exactly constitutes a male or female issue? Are these call outs so common that there is a need to have a male or female depending on the sex of the patient?

Are you saying that as a male I can not effectively treat a female "problem"? Are you trying to say I could not deal with an OB issue/delivery/complication, a sexual assault, bacterial vaginosis, STDs, unusual discharges, lump in the breast? What are you going to do that is any different than me simply because you have a vagina and I don't?

I can talk about and handle any of these issues with professionalism and empathy. Prehospitally or more specifically on an ambulance, the treatments will not change based on the health care provider's sex. On the flip side are you saying as a female that you could not handle ED or penile discharges or male sexual assault?

Because short of sexual organ dysfunctions or OB, there is no difference between male and female EMS issues and there is absolute zero need to have a male for male issues and female for female issues. That is one HUGE step backwards for medicine overall and an extremely narrow minded point of view.