Hello. So where are you a EMT or medic?

[DwayneEMTP]

If you're referring to more than one the plural is physician assistants. A physician's assistant is a tech. Physician assistants are more than techs.

It's not semantics. I'm sure it's simply a misunderstanding.

I knew this was going to get you the grammar Nazi comment, but I actually thought it was really cool. It's been a while since I've read or written anything that'd (:-)) made me think in those terms. Thanks for taking the time to write it, in a productive and kind spirit. Pretty cool...

Busy, I would agree with you if the world had a more well defined definition of "paramedic."

Holding people accountable for their toothache means that everyone involved in the profession will be intelligent, professional and responsible enough to be sure that it is in fact just a toothache, and that the "ache" didn't in fact need professional attention.

This just isn't the case. Too many times people are being misdiagnosed and mistreated, yes, even in Australia. As long as that's the case then the 2am toothache needs to be transported if that's what they choose...right?

[MikeEMT]

To the OP, I am an EMT with AMR in Seattle. I am fairly new (was hired in october) but it has already driven me to further my knowledge. Currently I am teaching myself (with the help of some very awesome Medics at Medic One) EKG interpritation and pharmacology.

Enjoy the field, learn something new everyday. Being an EMT doesn't mean you have to limit what you learn.

[DFIB]

I toothache can be pretty darn serious leading to a host of life threatening situations, cellulitis, sepsis, pericarditis ...

[ERDoc]

I toothache can be pretty darn serious leading to a host of life threatening situations, cellulitis, sepsis, pericarditis ...

Don't say the "P" word. You will get Arctickat excited.

[MariB]

Well, not for me. Sorry but for me, toothaches, skin rashes, "ran out of pain meds" should not be the focus of EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. Before you say it, I know a toothache can be a possible sign of a MI. But our patients have them all day and about 2am they can't stand it anymore and they think a trip to the emergency department in an ambulance is the best course of action.

If I wanted to be a primary care tech I could have become a nurse, an nurse practitioner or a physicians assistant.

Every patient, every call should be treated as a true emergency. Whether or not it is for you, it is for them. Treat them with dignity and respect.

So called "frequent flyers" can call with the same complaint, every week and the one time you let your guard down, have it be something serious.

[paramedicmike]

The 911 system is abused daily. Not every call is an emergency. Nor should every call be treated as a true emergency.

Do not misunderstand me. This is not to say that people shouldn't be treated with dignity and respect. This is not to say that people shouldn't receive as thorough an assessment as possible based on their complaints. This is not to say that people shouldn't receive appropriate and timely care based on their complaint and assessment findings. They absolutely should receive all of those things and more.

Every call should be approached in a professional manner with keen objectivity given to every person we encounter (patient or otherwise). Every call should be fairly assessed based on findings available to us throughout the duration of the call. These particular parts of your statement are not arguable and are fair points.

You touched on why every call shouldn't be treated like an emergency a little. First, it's their emergency. It's not ours. If we make it ours we lose objectivity and the ability to function as professional health care providers. If we make it our emergency we create a situation where we immerse ourselves in countless emergencies every single day thereby increasing our potential to burn out. If we burn out we don't do anyone any good at that point. If we make it our emergency we run the risk of becoming so involved in the call, in the situation, in the people present that we stop functioning as EMS providers and start becoming a liability to ourselves, our safety and can potentially negatively affect the outcome of the call.

The trick, like everything else in EMS, is balance. Learning to balance our required objectivity with our need to be empathetic or even sympathetic to those we encounter is a fundamental lesson in EMS. This is a harder lesson for some than for others. It is an important lesson, however, and the earlier it's learned the better.

[Chief1C]

What was this topic even about?

Hal 9000 should build a virtual wall around EMT City to keep new people out. It's safer; that way nobody's feelings get hurt when they make their first post and everyone says hi, but makes them feel uber unwelcome.

Lets hang up a banner - "We don't wanna get to know you, we don't care about your meaningless existence, everything you're doing is wrong!"

Someone new comes along, posts:

• you spelled something wrong
• bad grammar
• poor word usage
• capitalization
• don't make new posts, what, do you think this is a forum? Search!
• I don't care if you've been an EMT for 25 years, I've been a paramedic for three months, so I'm better than you
• I'm going to show you how big of a prick I am by pouring myself into a bucket and drowning you in my ego

Goddamn back button.. Thank the God that the psycho bitch up the street shoves down my throat every time she see's me trying to get into my car when I see her.... for that auto save feature. Now, I either need:

1. Sleep
2. Alcohol
3. An Rx to help me sleep
4. A bottle of the cherry flavored generic DPH and some Sprite
5. Wow, yanno, I haven't have Sprite in a long time. Huh..
6. A gun
7. To log off
8. I don't have an 8

[MikeEMT]

Every patient, every call should be treated as a true emergency. Whether or not it is for you, it is for them. Treat them with dignity and respect.

So called "frequent flyers" can call with the same complaint, every week and the one time you let your guard down, have it be something serious.

Oh lil grasshopper you have much to learn. I see you are a student. When you get in the field you will see the real world of EMS.

You are right, it may not be an emergency to me but it is an emergency to the patient. That doesn't necessarily mean they need an ambulance. The laws are written so that if you call 911 and say you want to go to the hospital I must take you.

Why should I waste resources on the homeless guy who calls 911 with a fake complaint so he can get a ride up the hill because he can't afford a bus? He even brags about making up ailments. Why should I rush a patient to the ER with insomnia because she is arguing with her neighbors?

These people need some form of help, but they don't need my help. As an EMT my job is to educate the community. That means I need to know what local resources I have at my disposal so that I can get these "patients" to the appropriate level of care.

Remember, the goal of EMS is to get a patient to the appropriate level of care in the appropriate amount of time.

EMS is not for every patient. We do no good for the patient if we codell them and ship them off to the ER. Can a minor complaint be serious? Yes it can. It is up to you to weigh the patient's condition with what they really need. If you think taking frequent fliers to the ER - and that there is nothing wrong with that - then you got a lot to learn.

[seniorcareEMS]

I'm currently an EMT at SeniorCare EMS, which offers New York ambulance services. We began operating about eight years ago, in 2005 and provide medical transportation in NY's five boroughs. If anyone cares to learn more about us, you can do so at www.SeniorCareEMS.com -- are there any other NYC ambulance workers here?

[MariB]

Oh lil grasshopper you have much to learn. I see you are a student. When you get in the field you will see the real world of EMS.

You are right, it may not be an emergency to me but it is an emergency to the patient. Can a minor complaint be serious? Yes it can. It is up to you to weigh the patient's condition with what they really need. If you think taking frequent fliers to the ER - and that there is nothing wrong with that - then you got a lot to learn.

Wow Mike, I don't recall saying every patient needed to go to the ER by ambulance. I stated they deserved dignity and respect. To them it is an emergency, whether or not it is to us.

I have been in the field for a while now, even when you were still a student yourself little grasshopper.. Every patient deserves a complete assessment. We can decide then if it is an emergency. Frequent flyers DO have true emergencies. I've seen it.

The anxiety patient, short of breath every week? Can have a heart attack. You respond as you would any short of breath patient until they are assessed. Even then, you treat them with complete dignity and respect. If you can't treat someone with that, you don't belong in EMS.

Edited February 22, 2013 by MariB