IS ANY ONE ELSE OUT THERE CALLED AN AMBULANCE DRIVER

[akroeze]

Hey, I'm thoroughly impressed that your medias recognize the fact that you're EMT's at least. Up here, most of the time it's the firefighters that get the credit for treating and transporting the patients :shock: (I know that in some places that IS interchangeable, but not here in Ontario...and never has been!)

Brat :wink:

Yeah, a while ago there was a picture on the front page. Car on it's side, roof off and all that. The medics were working on getting her out and immobilizing her (obviously medics with the reflective stripe on the pants, the jackets that say "PARAMEDIC" on them) and the caption read something like "Firefighters work in an attempt to free the patient" :evil:

[CodeMack]

I've been called an "ambulance driver" plenty of times myself, but what I've noticed more often is EMT-B's are often regarded as medic's. Even before I finished my medic class patients and others would call me a paramedic. I usually didn't correct them because I felt I was soon to be a medic anyway. But then it can get touchy because there's that fine line to tread....giving the impression you are something other than you're licensed as. The other title I've heard in reference is "EMS person". We would take turns, one day it would be my turn to tend to the patient, and the next shift I would be the one driving so we would joke when we'd get toned out to a trauma and say something like "Don't look at me, I'm just the dumb driver!" LOL. Seriously tho, none of it ever bothered me, but I know that some of my partners would get torqued over being referred to as the ambulance driver.

What I'm having a hard time with now is that I was forced to resign my position with EMS. I'd been off on injury (non-comp, naturally) since June and my neurosurgeon still won't clear me to lift over 25 pounds, so I finally had to let go of my slot on the roster to enable the county to hire someone else to take my place. Was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. When you wake up in the morning and can't wait to get to work, then you know you've found your niche. I love EMS and everything it entails, so for me to have to walk away, it really really is quite depressing. What I wouldn't give to play "ambulance driver" again...

As I always say...don't fret it. Life's too short to let the petty stuff get to ya, especially when others lives are in your hands. What we do is nothing short of acting as angels. The outcome of our patients is ultimately in God's hands. We do what He gave us the ability to do which in turn helps carry out His intention for our patients. Sometimes that means, driving the ambulance. No different than the police officer driving the patrol car or the FF driving the engine. Next time someone refers to you as the driver...just look at them, smile and say "Why thank you, and I'm damn good at it too I might add!" *grins* (I do admit, I like the suggestions some of you gave to call the RN the aide in return....funny!) [/font:1ae905612c]

[bandaidpatrol]

If you are literally driving an ambulance, reguardless of your training, then you are an ambulance driver. I liked the old days better. We had an MVO and an EMT. The MVO always drove, and didn't treat the patient.. and the EMT never drove and was in charge of patient care. Pre-Paramedic era.

If a brain surgeon is driving a Taxi... He's a Taxi Driver.

[pmedic73]

The last time I was called and ambulance driver was by a registration clerk. I promply told her that I was a paramedic and didn't go to 2 years of evil-paramedic school to be called an ambulance driver. Needless to say, when I refered to her as a secretary, she no longer refered to me as an ambulance driver. I know it's just a little thing to some people, but those of us who have been through the torture of medic school have a lot of pride in being called a paramedic. Since we don't get the recoginition or the pay we deserve all the time, something like getting our title correct is a big thing. Believe me, I am the farthest thing from a "para-god", but I take a lot of pride in my job and training and would atleast like to be called the right thing.

[chicagoambo]

Most people don't call us ambo drivers to be mean,chill out!In a joking manner I just cut'em back by callin the nurses bed pan changers,its good for all to laugh!

[DontFearTheReaper]

When we had enough from the nurses we start firing back.

After a few time of us telling the nurses that the best way to make an RN is to give a Paramedic a frontal lobotomy they started just calling us "THE YOU PEOPLE".

[rachel2m83]

Well this might tick some people off but...

If it's a nurse that calls you an "ambulance driver", call her a "butt-wiper".

I mean, it is part of her job, just like driving the ambulance is part of mine.

[THUMPER1156]

IF THATS WHAT YOUR DOING @ THE TIME,THEN THAT DOES MAKE YOU AN AMBULANCE DRIVER.IN SOME STATES YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE EMS, JUST HAVE YOUR EVOC & CPR TO BE ON A TRUCK.ANYONE THAT DOESN'T LIKE DRIVING SHOULDN'T BE IN EMS .IF YOUR NOT HIGHER UP THE SO CALLED FOOD CHAIN ,YOU WILL BE STUCK DRIVING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS :? .I PERSONALLY BECAME AN EMT TO ACCUALLY DO THE JOB, NOT BE A DESIGNATED DRIVER FOR ALS.DON'T GET ME WRONG, I HIGHLY APPRECIATE ALL ABOVE ME IN TRAINING. I JUST GET TIRED OF BEING A 'TAXI DRIVER' SOMETIMES.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

IF THATS WHAT YOUR DOING @ THE TIME,THEN THAT DOES MAKE YOU AN AMBULANCE DRIVER.IN SOME STATES YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE EMS, JUST HAVE YOUR EVOC & CPR TO BE ON A TRUCK.ANYONE THAT DOESN'T LIKE DRIVING SHOULDN'T BE IN EMS .IF YOUR NOT HIGHER UP THE SO CALLED FOOD CHAIN ,YOU WILL BE STUCK DRIVING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS :? .I PERSONALLY BECAME AN EMT TO ACCUALLY DO THE JOB, NOT BE A DESIGNATED DRIVER FOR ALS.DON'T GET ME WRONG, I HIGHLY APPRECIATE ALL ABOVE ME IN TRAINING. I JUST GET TIRED OF BEING A 'TAXI DRIVER' SOMETIMES.

Please dONT YELL THANK YOU XOXO PRPG!

[Asysin2leads]

I've noticed that in the paper when we do good, EMT's get a promotion to medic, but when someone screws up, we all get demoted to ambulance driver.

I.E.

"PARAMEDICS SAVE 4 FROM BURNING CAR"

"AMBULANCE DRIVER RUNS OVER ELDERLY LADY IN MIDTOWN"