Land of the Fakers

[Walrus]

EDIT

[Asysin2leads]

On my recent 16 hour endurance test/shift, I had a someone who I suppose wasn't necessarily faking illness, but jeez if I still didn't want to give her an Oscar.

The call: Unconscious. (Translation: May have been unconscious at one point, may not have been, but send the medics anyway)

The presentation: Middle age woman found sitting on chair shuddering heavily wrapped in a blanket at work accompanied by concerned co-workers.

The chief complaint: "I'm cold except for my head which is hot and I feel like my blood pressure is low and I can't stop shaking."

The assessment: Patient is warm to touch, lungs clear, EKG negative, everything else fine. When told blood pressure could not be assessed with the shaking, patient stopped shaking arm. Shaking also stopped when asked to sign name.

The medical history: Kept overnight for shaking once before. Could not find cause.

The diagnosis: Idiopathic psychogenic skeletal muscle contractions.

At hospital, patient discovered to have 100.3 fever. I hate drama queens.

[Rescue0ne]

Talk about an age-old subject!

It all comes down to the bottom line...what can you do about it?!?! You deal with it. You do your job and move on.

If you work for a large municipality, or your smaller agency does it just because...yes, some places have you take an "oath". Whether it's ceremonial or not, it's very serious stuff.

An EMS PRovider shall DO NO HARM...whether it's by action, or inaction. Above all else...DO NO HARM. I've seen it throught the years. You'll hear about it in the crew quarters, or elsewhere. "Bubba hittem with a 14 gauge, he swore the bitch wuzn't really unconcious." God...you just don't do that crap! If you have a problem with this...snail-mail me your EMS License/Certifications. I have a handy dandy brand new paper shredder I love playing with.

Seriously...if you abuse patients in any way, for any reason, you need to get the !@#$ out of EMS. For Good. I don't give a rats' arse if they're abusing the system. Find other ways to deal with it. If it pisses you off to the point of patient abuse, go to your supervisor, or HR rep, and turn in your shield/uniforms/what have you. You're scum.

[bassnmedic]

Finally, I was beginning to think I was the only one that felt that strongly. AMEN Rescue 1

[fire911medic]

I think we all agree that patient abuse is uncalled for and should be avoided at all costs. I myself know how frustrating it can be to be needed somewhere for a true emergency and be unable to respond due to being tied up with a bs call. I have seen people die from it and it's a site I don't enjoy. However, I don't enjoy watching the abuse of patients either. A call which sticks in my mind and forced me to learn very quickly shortly after becoming an EMT makes me never forget. We had a nursing home lady which we picked up all to frequently simply because she was lonely always complaining of general not feeling well, no specific complaint but just needed a friend. It was getting old with other people in the department, but I was new to her, didn't know the story, so when we picked her up, I treated her like any other general illness patient. Her bp was a little high, pulse a little quick, but said she wasn't having chest pain, no nausea, anything like that, but she just didn't think it was anything. I was a BLS truck and didn't have the luxury of a monitor, and other things. My partner slipped me a note as I got in that said "she just wants attention". I put her on O2 anyway and monitored her vitals all the way in. They got her on a monitor when we came in for kicks and giggles and that was when they found out major ST elevation....my partner went "oh crap". I was grateful I had given her good treatment. She recovered, returned to the nursing home and is doing fine six years afterward. Always treat your patients well as the one day you don't will be the day you regret. Let's be safe and not sloppy out there !