Death in EMS

[Emergency Laughter]

EMTcoastie, a couple of things you said are important. One was that you decided to use those two calls as good experiences and learn from them. The other was that you built upon your level of experience and learned more about interacting with survivors / family of patients.

You're going to see a lot of death on this job. Some will bother you, some won't. You need to remain the calmest, most level-headed person in the room, able to make the decisions that need to be made. You're there because people need help. Sometimes that's as simple as being compassionate.

The ones that have bothered me...the old lady that backed over a kid in a church parking lot-head injuries not consistent with life, I lost two little twin girls in a pool drowning, two little babies intentionally drowned in a bath tub, when I worked trauma surgery-little girl from an MVA, massive chest/abd trauma-she died on the table and the doctors disapeared leaving me to close girls chest and belly-what do you do? Crank the music, do your job and choke back tears.

Some calls you just lock away in a double padlock box deep down in the cellar of your mind. But I use these calls in everyday life. I'm a lot more safety conscious in my own life and I make other people aware of what can happen. I educate people whenever the opportunity presents itself.....

That's all I have to say about thaa-aat. Momma always told me.....

[jsd67]

Isn't it the Doctors who need to tell family when someone dies? That has to be rough...

I like to look at doctors a lot of times to see how they manage, and interact with patients and the patients family.

[island emt]

only if the patient dies in the hospital.

We don't transport bodies to the hospital so the doctors can pronounce them.

Death is something we deal with on a regular basis, and it's part of our job to help the survivors .

[Emergency Laughter]

Death in EMS....here's a short story I wrote way back when about two young girls I lost in a drowning. http://home.earthlink.net/~medicalhumor/mikecyra/id21.html Get used to death, it's never very far away.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Death in EMS....here's a short story I wrote way back when about two young girls I lost in a drowning. http://home.earthlink.net/~medicalhumor/mikecyra/id21.html Get used to death, it's never very far away.

That article hit home very very close, I have two daughters. But on a side note, that article took forever to load. And it was a beautiful article but very very sad and really tough to read.

Remember, death happens, it comes quickly, you have no control over it and all you can do is be there. If you try to fight it, you will not win.

And then theres the Cottage Cheese story on the same page as the story on death. I urge you to read that story after you read the story about the kids. It will make you cry even more. http://home.earthlink.net/~medicalhumor/mikecyra/id20.html

Edited February 6, 2013 by Captain ToHellWithItAll

[Trm90]

Strangers dying have no affect on me whatsoever.

[paramedicmike]

Strangers dying have no affect on me whatsoever.

None? None at all?

Perhaps it's time for you to consider another line of work.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Strangers dying have no affect on me whatsoever.

seriously, I call BS on that line. Remind me not to invite you to any of my parties.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Captain ToHellWithItAll

[DFIB]

Strangers dying have no affect on me whatsoever.

Every patient contact changes me, in particular when they die.

[ClutzyEMT]

I think everyone handles death differently according to their experiences with it...I'd like to think I handle each death I am present at in the way that is appropriate for that person/family at that time.

For example, years ago we (my squad and I) were called to the home of an older man who had been sick for quite some time and was now having SOB with periods of non-responsiveness. Upon our arrival he was drooped over in the wheelchair that home health had assisted him into earlier that morning and his whole being was telling me it wouldn't be long now. I spoke with his wife and his daughter and found that he had a DNR and that they were comfortable with it and understood it. I then spoke with him. I don't remember the entire conversation, but I remember telling him that we couldn't do anything for him at home and finding out if he wanted to go to the hospital. At some point in our conversation he squeezed my hand with all his might and told me that he just wanted to "go to bed and die at home." After radioing in to dispatch that we would be on scene but available if another emergency happened to come in, my crew and I assisted his wife and daughter with getting the man back into his bed and comfortable. Knowing that he wasn't long for the world I relayed to his wife and daughter that I thought they should say their goodbyes and at their request, we remained on scene for approximately another half hour or so. I don't remember exactly how much time we spent there, but before we had left I had done all the proper listening to the heart and lungs, run a flat strip and notified medical control and the coroner...it is a death that always stays in my mind and not only is it a good memory, it is also a teaching point in some of my classes that we aren't always there to "save a life" but sometimes, we are there just to preserve some sort of dignity for our patient and their family because beyond that, there isn't anything else that we can do.......