annoying titles

[Yummymedic05]

I enjoy the whole "You're just a girl" :roll:

[Sassafras]

I don't let things like this bother me. Why do we expect people (i.e. general public) who have absolutely no understanding of EMS to know our *appropriate* titles? Even when those people who should know better refer to me as an ambulance attendant, I either correct them or shrug it off. I remember when I was brand new in EMS, I asked the young lady at the ED who had 'BSN' on her name badge if she knew where I could find the receiving RN. :oops: I could tell she was taken aback, but she simply informed me that she was the RN. I felt stupid, but was glad she told me. EMS is not the only field to have this issue. Just like ERDoc mentioned, I'm sure residents have to explain several times a day that they are doctors, security guards have to explain they're not cops, hostesses have to explain they're not waitresses, and so on and so on. So instead of being so annoyed by it, use the moment to educate people on what you really do. It's really not worthy enough to cause such agitation.

[sheridan]

i dont think anyone is really really annoyed.this post was meant as a little venting and sharing of humorous tales.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

Ok, EMT-Bs are organic blood pressure machines...

Shhhhh fella...not what were talking about.

[Scaramedic]

"Ambulance Man"

As in "The ambulance man says I gots to go to the hospital"

:roll:

Peace,

Marty

:joker:

[Coach Hohman]

Paramedic

Now, First and foremost I'm not offended by this, but it's my pet peeve I guess. I'm an EMT-B as are most of the people on our department. I don't mind being called "paramedic" by people who don't know any better, until they question why I don't do certain things they see on TV. Prime example..we're called for an MVA, find our patient in a lot of pain pinned inside a pretty beat up car. The weather is pretty bad so the chopper won't fly so we take her by ground. This patient asked for some pain meds and I told her "we're all basic EMT's, I'm sorry...but I don't have anything to give you" and she's like "But your'e the Fuc**ng paramedics, you have medicine" and I told her we don't...and she said "but I see it on Third Watch..they can give pain medicine" so it ends up with me trying to explain to her the difference between EMT's and paramedics and we get nowhere. Anyway...that's my rant for the day, as much as I would love to be called paramedic, I'm not..>I can't do what they do...don't believe everything you see on TV

[uglymedic]

I actually prefer JAFAD!

Just another f*ckin' ambulance driver.

Do you know everybody else's jobs and what they do? They probably get offended as much as we do.

ugly

[Richard B the EMT]

When the patient/family member(s)/bystanders refer to me as a Paramedic, Nurse, or Doctor, I thank them for my "promotion" and wisecrack on how I wish the promotion would appear in my paycheck.

Oh, by the way, I gave a non-riding member of my defunct Vollie Ambulance a generic ID card calling him a JAFO. He still has it, over 10 years later, even with him now knowing what JAFO means.

[Savoy6]

I was EMS supervisor for a Fire Department in an earlier life. I had an appointment at my attorney's and came by the station still in my navy blazer, gray slacks and tie. Dressed better than my lawyer! Well a new hire medic was on and the tones went out for a patient with chest pain, so the chief says go with and observe.

All went well, got pt to ER. A car screeches up, out jumps mom screaming about her "little girl". So we go out, little girl is 17-18 in a bikini, a lifeguard and she's out, heat exhaustion going to heat stroke quick like. So we, the Fire guys, get her out and put her on gurney. In the process, her top comes up, oops. So ER doc is not there yet so my crew and I get things going, 02, IV, the whole shootin' match. I step out out and mom says, "doctor will she be okay". So I reach in to my inside blazer pocket and show my off duty badge and identified myself as the Chief Paramedic for the Fire Dept.. Mom flipped out! I think more because we saw what slipped out more than anything else. Of course, a full oral report was given the Fire Chief on our return. Of course we were both belly laughing throughout the debrief. Nothing more was said.

More than 20 years and it's still makes me laugh. Same thing happened at a federal agency last week. I filed some papers for my kids, in a suit and tie. "Are you there attorney?" Nope, just the dad. amazing people's perceptions.

[Spock]

Patient: Good morning doctor.

Me: Sir, I am not a doctor I am a nurse anesthetist.

Patient: What's the difference?

Me: I work for a living.

Live long and prosper.

Spock