How to improve EMS professionalism

[EmergencyMedicalTigger]

Ok, so this thread is intended to be a place to offer suggestions for improving our efficacy and professionalism as EMS providers.

*sighs* Like I said in the twin to this thread referring to our ED cousins, I think I give this one about 3-4 days before it descends into complete uselessness and gets locked, but in the meantime, let's try to get some good ideas flowing now that people who actually might be able to help improve things are paying attention.

Good attempt at the topic Eydawn, but I think your topic has digressed beyond saving at this point.

[Asysin2leads]

I was going to reply to a post on here, but thought better of it. I was angry at the time and my reply was pretty harsh. So I deleted it. I am a volunteer myself. And yes I have showed up on runs in my PJ's. My OSU fleece PJ bottoms as a matter of fact. But I don't think the woman who ran her car into a tree really cared what I was wearing. She was just thankful that we showed up to help her. Honeslty if you are having an active MI do you really care what the EMT and medics are wearing? I know I wouldn't. I know the topic title is EMS and professionalism. Do I think I looked professional in my PJ's? No of course I didn't. Was I thinking about how professional I look when I was trying to take care of my pt? No I wasn't. I got my job done, dropped her off at the ER and went home.

Okay, shira, here's my question. You hopped out of bed in your PJ's, dashed off in the middle of the night to the woman who ran into a tree, and did exactly what for her? Took her blood pressure? Held her hand? What was the immediate attention that this woman required that was so critical and crucial that you couldn't even put pants on? And if the MVA was that critical, how were you going to even get near the patient with all the jagged metal and broken glass in your PJ's? To answer your question, if my mother was having an MI, and people showed up in their pajamas to take care of her, yeah, I really would care, and I'm not sure if I'd let them in the damn house.

I have read most of these posts (there's a lot) and I have listened to my b/f (emaxray) talk about volunteer vs paid. Is no one thankful for volunteers? I know I was when I was in my MVA. Had it not been for the volunteer FD and EMS I dunno what would have happened.

I dunno, I'd wager that a paid professional service would have showed up appropriately dressed, maybe.

I volunteer because I want to make a difference in people's life. If my department goes paid, great. I know it's not going to, but that isn't going to stop me from helping people. I'm not going to argue with anyone anymore about this, it's pointless. I'm not going to try and change anyone's mind. I do it because I want to. There are some that refuse to volunteer because they aren't getting paid, Okay suit yourself. However, I will rarely agree with someone who is totally against volunteer systems, I've seen them save too many lives that otherwise would have died waiting. But I've heard pt's dying because it took the volunteer system too long to get there, or they didn't get maned. I see both sides, really I do.

No, you really don't. You don't fully comprehend EMS in all its full function. Tell me, even less so than the MVA, what are you, as an EMT-I responding in your pajamas, going to really do for the MI patient? Sure, you can wait around for them to code and then defibrillate them, but in the grand scheme of things the O2 and the line you started is not going to make a difference in the patient's outcome. When people are alone, sick, and scared, they want someone who is knowledgable and professional to show up at their door, not someone in their pajamas. And just for the record, just for all you wonderful superhero volunteers out there who do this for the sake of helping others, just a friendly reminder, I could be doing a whole HOST of other jobs right now with a lot less aggravation and a lot more pay out there, so you had better bet your next issue of Galls that the reason I do my job is to help others when they are in need. I do this job by assuring that people get the best quality prehospital care they can, and to me, someone showing up in their pajamas with the delusion that their mere presence is going to somehow make a difference is not good quality patient care. Sorry, it isn't.

Back on the topic of professionalism, at one point in time my department had jump suits. They were lovely, lol. navy blue with reflective stripes everywhere including down your backside. I guess that way when you were bent over on a MVA scene the cars coming could see your butt sticking up in the air. But a couple -f years ago they did away with them. I happened to like those things because, if you wanted to go in your PJ's no one ever knew because they were covered up. Plus if you got yuckies on your it was on your jump suit not your personal clothes. Plus they were more professional looking, instead of my OSU PJ's. There is my 2 cents, take it or leave it, really doesn't matter to me

-25 points for being a typical volunteer and making me repost stuff I have already said many different times in many different forums. My suggestion: Get the jump suits back.

[chaser]

-25 points for being a typical volunteer and making me repost stuff I have already said many different times in many different forums. My suggestion: Get the jump suits back.

25 yard Penalty for Unnecessary Roughness

[Ridryder 911]

or better yet... change clothes. How long does it really take to place on some better suited clothing ? ..

R/r 911

[emaxray]

I agree with the sober statement. The ER was informed and I believe my partner made a call reporting it. She no longer worked there when I left. We "barked" the ER staff for allowing her to run around, bloody and barefoot in thier ER as well.

[Laura Anne]

Irregardless of where you live, if someone to comes me or my loved one's rescue in PJ's, flip flops, drunk, or under the influence of any other substance that will alter their perception, judgement, and SIMPLE motor skills.......WOW, I would basically GIVE you a reason for having motor function problems.......it'll start with my steel tipped boot up the butt. I find it to be not only unprofessional to show up in PJ's or whatever other outfits that aren't 'safe' depending on the scene, but you try to do an IV intoxicated? Talk about embarrassing.....HOLY COW. Glad you're not on my scene, I'd throw you off in a heart beat.... well, I dunno.... perhaps hand you my clip and make you stand there and look pretty..... cause that's all you'd be good for.

[shira_emt]

First off I WAS NOT the one that showed up to a scene and/or hospital drunk. Just in case any of you thought I was. Secondly I'm going to give that MI pt meds like ASA, nitro and morphine, like my protocol says. I can do more than just apply O2, start a line and defib. If you want to kick me off your scene for my apperance, fine. You can wait around 15 or 20 mins for another EMT to show up. Delaying pt care and transport. I don't always go on runs in my PJ's. I've done it maybe twice in the past 5 years. And when my department gets new shirts, uniforms whatever you want to call them, then I will wear them. Until then it looks like I'm going to go in my "street clothes". Yes I am your typical volunteer. I have only been with this site for about 2 weeks now and if you had posted stuff like this in the past, I wasn't around to read it. Maybe you should get all your facts straight before you start barking at other people. In the state of Ohio EMT-I's are allowed to give drugs. Such as D50, narcan, nitro, ASA, morphine, valium, albuteral, glucagon, etc. I can't do everything a medic can do for a pt., But I can do more than apply O2 and start a line. Personally I'm getting tired of having to defend myself and EMT-I's.

[medic001918]

Noone's asked you to defend EMT-I's. That's a topic that's been discussed many times over and always turns into a lengthy thread. The general concensus of many posters here that have any real experience is that the EMT-I program has a very limited application in pre-hospital care. That's not a new thread, and noone has asked you to defend yourself or your certification level. You do what your protocols will allow you to, weather we agree with them or not.

This thread was about professionalism, and that does include the appearances of personnel. Showing up in street clothes all the time and have no uniform policy really doesn't speak highly of your organization. The care they provide might be acceptable, but their policies sound like they need to be updated. Until we represent ourselves as a professional group of people in education, presentation and appearance; don't expect the rest of the healthcare industry to take us a professional group.

Shane

NREMT-P

[Asysin2leads]

No offense, but if in Ohio EMT-I's are running around playing with benzos and opiates in their pajama bottoms, I am staying the hell out of your state. Up until this point I thought that Ohio adhered to National Registry standards. Thank you for educating and scaring the crap out of me at the same time.

[chaser]

I give this one about 3-4 days before it descends into complete uselessness and gets locked ....

Pretty good prediction Wendy......