Racist

[Britt207]

In my opinion racism is completely unacceptable, in this field of work, and well in every field of work. Emt's are here for one reason, and that is to help the people in the community, when they need us. There are people out there that are rasicst yes! But in my opinion they dont belong in EMS.

[MeekoBB]

I've been called a racist by drunks plenty - and in my city we have enough homeless polish so it's interesting because i'm polish (although i do not speak it).

I've also been called a racist bitch before, way back when i worked at mcdonalds. we were in the process of doing the closing duties and a black couple came in, i was busy with the ice cream machine draining the tubes and couldn't leave the machine. the lady still standing several feet from the register said rather loudly and rudely "I want a fishhh sandwich"...i told her she needed to wait at the register and someone will be with her in a moment. she got even more bitchy and said she "been standing at the register for 10 minutes" ...uhh no she just walked in .... i took a deep breath and trying to keep my cool because i was also frustrated with the ice cream machine that she struck a nerve and i just politely snapped back "and the registered says CLOSED" and grabbed my buckets of creme and went to the back and yanked the manager out of the storage to tell hm of the couple in the front. on their way out she called me a racist bitch....i just stayed int he back helping the grill people clean up til they left...

[Medic2588]

I believe the race card gets thrown around way too much too easily as well. A lot of times its thrown around by scared white people when most blacks could really care less.

I was hauled into the boss' office because of a chart my partner wrote. In the chief complaint box, as many people do, he had written the patient's exact words. They were "N**ga done hit me with a 40oz." The boss (a white gentleman) sat us down and proceeded to tear us apart, calling the remarks "racially inflammatory" and that we're lucky we don't get sued.

My partner calmly asked "Are you finished?" then stated the obvious point that seemed lost on our boss... my partner was black.

Devin

[Lone Star]

Ok, that post is just wrong on more than a couple levels, so I have no choice but to respond. I'm thinking it's about time you pulled your head out of the sand and REALLY took a good look around......you might be suprized to learn that your little dream world is nowhere near reality!

I believe the race card gets thrown around way too much too easily as well. A lot of times its thrown around by scared white people when most blacks could really care less.

With most discrimination lawsuits being filed by blacks, err, african americans, tell Me again how most 'could care less'....

With people who follow Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Ray Nagin et al, those that tried to get 'ebonics' as a 'second language', and those that tried to sue colleges because the ACT/SAT tests were written in ENGLISH, therefore, 'slanted' against black....african american students, tell me again how 'most blacks could care less'.....

When most racial profiling lawsuits, racial discrimination lawsuits, 'exclusive groups' for blacks only, tell me again how 'blacks could care less....

the list goes on and on, but I'll stop here, I have another comment to deal with.

I was hauled into the boss' office because of a chart my partner wrote. In the chief complaint box, as many people do, he had written the patient's exact words. They were "N**ga done hit me with a 40oz." The boss (a white gentleman) sat us down and proceeded to tear us apart, calling the remarks "racially inflammatory" and that we're lucky we don't get sued.

My partner calmly asked "Are you finished?" then stated the obvious point that seemed lost on our boss... my partner was black.

Devin

First off, the 'chief complaint' on any PCR should be medically accepted term, acronym, or abbreviation, not a 'direct quote' from the patient. For example when transporting someone for a stomach ache, you should have written as the chief complaint, abdominal pain or abd pain, instead of belly ache; if the patient presents with his intestines escaping from his abdomen, they've been 'eviscerated'...not 'gutted like a fish'! This is a sign of PROFESSIONALISM!

Yes, your boss was right, the whole chief complaint listed WAS inflamatory, racially insensitive and you and your partner are lucky as hell if you don't get sued for it. If I had been the boss in this situation, I would have fired you both on the spot!

[Eydawn]

There's better ways to document on that PCR. I don't think this is intentionally "racially inflammatory" or "insensitive"; I think it's just plain stupid, and probably due to misguided PCR education. We're supposed to HELP our employer play "dodge the lawyer," not give said lawyer more ammunition, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Here's how I would have documented it:

Chief complaint: Head laceration approximately 4cm in length with depth of 1/2cm secondary to blow from bottle per patient's description of "[someone] done hit me in the head with a 40oz."

See what I did? Professionally described the injury, as well as including the patient's description of MOI, without including vernacular and clearly indicating that I've slightly altered the patient's statement. If I were to be questioned about this alteration, I would indicate that the patient's statement contained language that might be found offensive and elected to exclude it from my report.

Here's another example of something I might censor: 21 y/o male patient w/ possible ETOH involvement, victim of "2 dudes syndrome." If I were to document his words exactly when I questioned him about the incident, I might get in trouble. "Well, I was minding my own business havin' a coupla drinks when these 2 motherf$%*N sonsabi^%$ jumped my $h!^ and beat the F$*%&N $h!^ out of me. What the F(#& man, my junk is trashed and I can't breathe so good!"

Let's see how we could translate that...

"Patient is complaining of shortness of breath and pain to the groinal region secondary to a described assault by two perpetrators. Patient states that he was ambushed and physically assaulted. Patient is verbally agitated with possible ETOH on board; physical findings are as follows...."

Now tell me that you wouldn't do the same? No reason to write out profanity verbatim; we're not the PD and this isn't a criminal case for us. It's just a patient we need to treat and document accordingly.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[AnthonyM83]

Your partner's reply to the boss was stupid.

Asking "are you finished" then pointing out he was black. I wouldn't have fired you for the incident itself, but likely for that comment. It implies you weren't even really paying attention to what he was saying.

You can be black and be racist, without doubt. And the other issue is how the PCR is perceived regardless of who wrote it. There's no box to checkoff what race the author is. It's about the comment not about whether he was racist or not.

[spenac]

Your partner's reply to the boss was stupid.

Asking "are you finished" then pointing out he was black. I wouldn't have fired you for the incident itself, but likely for that comment. It implies you weren't even really paying attention to what he was saying.

You can be black and be racist, without doubt. And the other issue is how the PCR is perceived regardless of who wrote it. There's no box to checkoff what race the author is. It's about the comment not about whether he was racist or not.

It doesn't matter what color the author was he was quoting the patient. An accurate PCR should contain direct pertinent quotes, such as this that could help show patients state of mind. If he quoted minus the n..ga it would have been inaccurate. I have written many a PCR with profanity and even profanity in spanish so it was accurate.

[AnthonyM83]

That wasn't the issue being addressed in my post or in the reply the PCR author, though.

The issue was that he was brought in for something the boss disagreed with and after being lectured he told his boss "Are you finished" and then pointed out he was black, as if that was going to be the final word and boss would feel stupid and it'd be over.

THAT is what I'd issue disciplinary action for.

[AnthonyM83]

Separate post b/c I don't want to mix topics:

On the topic of the PCR itself, why is it necessary to say it was a "nigga" that assaulted him. I don't think the point of the PCR is to include all quotes from beginning to end, rather to include pertinent information to better assist in patient's medical assessment and treatment. Quote help greatly, but you also don't include all the "uhh's," "ummms" etc etc

Not saying you can't include that direct quote, but I can understand why a supervisor might have a problem with it. I would have written:

Pt states assailant "hit me with a 40oz"

AND that would have added less confusion for doctor reading the chart.

[Lone Star]

It doesn't matter what color the author was he was quoting the patient. An accurate PCR should contain direct pertinent quotes, such as this that could help show patients state of mind. If he quoted minus the n..ga it would have been inaccurate. I have written many a PCR with profanity and even profanity in spanish so it was accurate.

It's really simple here folks, we're writing a medical record of patient medical complaints, our assessments of the situation/injuries....not writing a news article or a best seller.

To directly quote the patients comments have no bearing on the care required or rendered. Our PCR's are to be informative (relating the observations/assessments as well as the treatments rendered). Any changes in patient condition during assessment/treatment/transport should be noted, as they could have direct bearing on the continuance of patient care at the recieving facility. Above and beyond that (specifically all the 'direct patient quotes'), should be omitted, as they have no bearing on patient care. Save all your 'cute' acronyms, ramblings and the like for your memoirs!

A PERTINENT direct quote would be something along the lines of: patient states that after climbing 50 flights of stairs, he experienced 'shortness of breath and became dizzy'. Patient further states that the last thing he remembers is sitting down on the top step, but 'cant remember a thing after that'.

"I was sittin' my ass in da club, peepin on some shorty, when this motha fucka done busted me in the back of my coconut." is NOT a pertinent quote!