Won't Let 2 Females Work Together On Ambulance

[scubanurse]

agreed completely 100% ak...

BUT... from a patients point of view, following sexual assault, they might be more comfortable with a provider of the same sex, or a child with a history of sexual abuse may become frightened, etc.

I agree the care is no different and male and female providers can care for the opposite sex, but sometimes in this job patient comfort needs to play a role when possible. Does that mean not allowing 2 women on the same truck...absolutely not...

Does the company have the policy that no two men can work together? If not then I believe this to be a case of sexism. I have worked with female partners in the past and not had to call for lift-assists, where I have with some male partners.

[akflightmedic]

BUT... from a patients point of view, following sexual assault, they might be more comfortable with a provider of the same sex, or a child with a history of sexual abuse may become frightened, etc

You do realize you are trying to presume every patients point of view with that first line?

Totally inaccurate and there are studies to disprove that myth. There was a long and productive thread on that very subject many years ago in which Rid Rider and other heavy hitters produced the supporting information to support my claim. If anyone can find it, please link it for relevance.

You can not assume every patient will feel comfortable with the same sex, you are projecting your own personal positions on each future possible encounter and thereby discriminating in order to prepare what you suppose will be the case? Make sense?

I have dealt with my fair share of sexual assaults (both men and women) delivered many babies and seen far more child abuse and neglect cases than I would ever wish on anyone...I can not recall a single incident where I did not effectively manage the situation because of my penis and testosterone. There are females who can be just as gruff, rude, uncaring or unprofessional as males; therefore we can not staff crews based on myths and suppositions.

[scubanurse]

Exactly why I stated that they might not that they would. I did not intend to presume anything, but having a co-ed crew allows for the opportunity to read the situation and see if the patient is responding better to one or the other...

I remember the thread well, it was not my intention to presume how a patient would feel just point out that sometimes a co-ed crew can be advantageous.

[Chief1C]

I've been in a situation, as the vehicle operator, where a female crew member refused to respond to a call; because she stated "I won't go on calls with other women". eg. She wouldn't respond, with the other crew member being female. Later that day, same thing, showed up, wouldn't go. Same reason, different female crew member. So, it wasn't just a personality conflict with one member. However, since she was on shift, agreed to the shift knowing who else was on it, and refused to respond.... She was stricken from the service. It would have been a serious problem, since female crew, at that time, out numbered male crew, 3 to 1.

[akflightmedic]

Exactly why I stated that they might not that they would. I did not intend to presume anything, but having a co-ed crew allows for the opportunity to read the situation and see if the patient is responding better to one or the other...

I remember the thread well, it was not my intention to presume how a patient would feel just point out that sometimes a co-ed crew can be advantageous.

My post was not to be an inflammatory "you"...but a general you to whomever. I understood your position and did not clarify to which "you" it was being directed at.

[emt2469]

Ok then i pose another question to everyone in here. what is the difference between ems and fire why does fire have to pass a physical and physical standarts, but EMS does not? Is there an actual reason, if you can't regulate physical aspects of the EMS field then why can they in fire. I also live and work in a rural setting and sometimes we go where we are twenty min to half an hour from lifting assistance ur telling me that in that situation its right to delay pt. care because you are unable to lift a four hundred lbs pt.. I think not i know the city is different than the country but how about some standards at least for physical requirements in ems field, Fire does!!!!

[akflightmedic]

Ok then i pose another question to everyone in here. what is the difference between ems and fire why does fire have to pass a physical and physical standarts, but EMS does not? Is there an actual reason, if you can't regulate physical aspects of the EMS field then why can they in fire. I also live and work in a rural setting and sometimes we go where we are twenty min to half an hour from lifting assistance ur telling me that in that situation its right to delay pt. care because you are unable to lift a four hundred lbs pt.. I think not i know the city is different than the country but how about some standards at least for physical requirements in ems field, Fire does!!!!

You are comparing apples to oranges. Most (and all should) EMS departments conduct pre employment physicals/testings usually consisting of a lift test. The lift test equates to the individual being able to lift 150 lbs pounds which when combined with a partner's lifting power a total of 300 lbs.

This is a reasonable and normal expectation.

A 400 pound patient is not a reasonable or normal expectation, therefore it is entirely acceptable to "delay" medical care until a lift assist arrives. And really you should not be delaying care, only the transport is delayed but that is another topic.

I will tell you right now if it is me (I am not small guy either) on scene with one other guy, I am still NOT picking up a 400 pound patient without assistance. Even if it is an emergency...I am not going to injure myself for the patient's emergency or condition; so your argument is invalid.

Outside of lifting, there is very little in EMS that requires physical prowess. The first 15 minutes on an actual working fire are quite demanding physically and can in no way be compared to the demands of any EMS call...not even a cardiac arrest.

[NYCEMS9115]

Its wrong but discrimination will always be around. She can either accept it or file a complaint.

[akflightmedic]

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

One would think being "close friends" she would have known two things:

1. Her friend works at the service

2. The policy in place cause girls talk way too much

[medicgirl05]

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?

That is absolutely not what I meant. I have had calls where men are uncomfortable explaining there problems to females and vice versa. I'm not saying that 2 females or 2 males should never work together, just that in my opinion having both genders on a truck is more ideal, at least in my location....

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.

I don't think its gender discrimination to have 1 of each gender on a truck.