is it really this dangerous as an EMT?

[Kiwiology]

Assaults on Paramedics is quite common in UK and its getting pretty bad in NZ and AU; in fact in UK Paramedics have been issued with stab vests.

Oh and Doc if it makes you feel better, I once heard a Medical School Professor describe an Emergency Physician as a highly trained GP with advanced resuscitation skills, probably not far from the truth ....

[DFIB]

We get to help the best and the worst people in the world at some of the worst times of their life.

Being an EMT can be very dangerous at times/

[BushyFromOz]

We get to help the best and the worst people in the world at some of the worst times of their life.

Being an EMT can be very dangerous at times

Or, we are helping the worst people in life while the best people are walking in the front door of the hospital because they "didn't want to bother us"

[Kiwiology]

True that shit, while a bunch of drunks and vomiting all over themselves and trying to deck you, somewhere, Nana is laying on the kitchen floor having NOF'd herself because she doesn't want to push her medical button ....

I need to get a taser or some shit, be like who in the hell do you think you are talking to me like that and oh oh oh whats this now you want to get it on well now sir, sir, lets not, sir, ha! eat taser bitch! .... now while you flop round like the drunken bitch that you are ima have the cops come get you while we nick off round the corner and pick up Nana mwahahaha!

[BushyFromOz]

Aside form the violent bit... just looking at the rate of career or life altering workplace injuries that ambo's sustain compared to general population is cringeworthy

[jsd67]

True that shit, while a bunch of drunks and vomiting all over themselves and trying to deck you, somewhere

I am pretty sure no EMT is supposed to be going into any kind of situation with drunks or drug users without first waiting for Police to arrive. Isn't that what they teach you about assessing the scene? I would be sitting in the Ambulance not doing a damn thing if I felt it was not safe to be out there. What do I care if some drug user or drunk drops dead before Police arrive.

Edited January 29, 2013 by jsd67

[Kiwiology]

I am pretty sure no EMT is supposed to be going into any kind of situation with drunks or drug users without first waiting for Police to arrive. Isn't that what they teach you about assessing the scene? I would be sitting in the Ambulance not doing a damn thing if I felt it was not safe to be out there. What do I care if some drug user or drunk drops dead before Police arrive.

Um yeah, because its always that obvious and you are always told that such a situation exists, and the Police are always free to come help you and not 20 or 30 minutes away .... um right, sure, thats how it works

I suggest you watch this http://www.3news.co.nz/Ambulance-drivers-suffer-abuse-while-saving-lives/tabid/367/articleID/185871/Default.aspx

Edited January 29, 2013 by Kiwiology

[island emt]

Over the course of 4 decades in EMS, I've been kicked, punched, bit, spit on , puked on , had bullets come down a hallway about a foot over our heads and had shots fired at our ambulance.

It does happen when you least expect it.

The shooting occurred after 4 cops had entered the apartment ahead of us responding for a stabbing.

They cleared us in.

While walking down a long hallway a closet door at the end opened with a gangbanger holding a mac10.

He proceeded to empty the large capacity magazine over our heads . Only thing that saved my partner & I was the fact that the closest cop knocked us down in his scramble to get out of the way. That & the fact that the banger with the gun didn't know how to control the muzzle climb.

So YES it does happen and fairly often.

New years eve , and a couple select ethnic holidays , we would all take cover under the overpasses as the boyz in the hood would randomly fire up into the air. What goes up must come down and lots of folks were struck by bullets returning back to earth.

Still enough force to kill a person if struck in the head.

Boy am I glad to be out of the big city! don't miss it one bit.

spelling correction

Edited January 29, 2013 by island emt

[MikeEMT]

I am pretty sure no EMT is supposed to be going into any kind of situation with drunks or drug users without first waiting for Police to arrive. Isn't that what they teach you about assessing the scene? I would be sitting in the Ambulance not doing a damn thing if I felt it was not safe to be out there. What do I care if some drug user or drunk drops dead before Police arrive.

Seriously? Every call has that potential. If that is your way of thinking then don't bother pursuing this as a career.

There is scene safety and you need to judge the scene for yourself. However, not every scene is going to be perfectly safe and not every "dangerous" patient is a threat to your safety. I see you are a "future EMT Student." When you get to class you will learn that there are legitimate medical conditions that can make a patient "combative."

This field can be dangerous. It is pretty safe if you use common sense. Your given the tools, use them.

For your information I don't call the cops for drunks or druggies. If you can't manage them then your not going to be very successful.

Don't need to be a "hero", keep aware, no where your exits are and manage your patient.

[scubanurse]

I am pretty sure no EMT is supposed to be going into any kind of situation with drunks or drug users without first waiting for Police to arrive. Isn't that what they teach you about assessing the scene? I would be sitting in the Ambulance not doing a damn thing if I felt it was not safe to be out there. What do I care if some drug user or drunk drops dead before Police arrive.

OK so early on in my career, dispatched for the working code in a very nice neighborhood in a multi-million dollar home. Go in with my equipment, and see a guy high as a kite doing CPR on his very much alive wife/gf. I look around and notice there are guns strategically placed throughout the house. I find an excuse to back out, but that very easily could have ended badly.

Point is, not every situation that is dangerous is obvious. You get exposed to a lot even when you have the best scene safety skills.

You should care if a drug user or drunk dies. While I am all for securing a scene first, if the patient died because I was waiting around, I can't lie and say I wouldn't be affected.