What changed you?

[Eydawn]

Holy crap, Bushy. I can totally relate. It's why I don't work prehospital transport EMS anymore. Much safer psychologically and emotionally to be working in an old folks place as a shift manager, learning to apply concepts from the nursing education I am now pursuing. I'm still kind of scared to get back on the truck (compounded by the fact that I don't have time right now with work and school and all that). I now only work as an EMT in the wilderness setting.

What changed me? Working in a system where I was exposed to some poor medicine and ethical practices. Being told to withhold information from the police in a peds death taught me to *always* document exactly what happens and to report correctly. Holding my tongue cost me dearly in the form of mental anguish... I am not one who can easily lie. Your ethics are not worth compromising.

Watching patient abuse taught me to stick up for providing compassionate care, even to those who piss you off or don't fit your model of "the kind of patient who deserves my sympathies." Seeing poor charting made me want to chart every day to the point where, if called to the stand in a courtroom, I could state "my documentation is complete as recorded and I have nothing further to add" and be confident in that statement.

What really changed me first, though, and kept me from just falling into the trap of accepting that "this is how things are" in that crappy prehospital job? EMTCity. The amazing thinkers and providers in here have taught me more about medicine and ethical medical practice than I can possibly dissect out; I matured through a variety of life experiences over the last few years and the discussions I engaged with here in this forum.

I learn from every mistake. I seldom make the same mistake twice. That, I think, is one of the biggest lessons I learned here on the City; to take every mistake and treat it as an opportunity to better my practices, rather than a simple failure over which to agonize or turn into a puddle of mush about.

Dwayne. Dust. AK. ParamedicMike. Chbare. Squinty. MedicNorth. RidRyder. RichardB. Kaisu. Anthony. ErDoc. Doczilla. LoneStar. Matty. And others whose names escape me, because it's 3 in the morning. You have all helped to shape my thinking as a provider, and I am proud to count some of you as my friends as well as net-based professional mentors. When I started here, I was a naive kid in many ways... albeit one who could write well. Now, I feel that I am a much more mature medical provider, no matter WHAT particular job description I am working under at the moment...

Dwayne, pass the tequila, wouldja? You named my favorite poison... (well, that and gin martinis...)

Wendy

CO EMT-B