How has the EMS profession changed you?

[AnthonyM83]

I thought it would be interesting to hear how working EMS has changed different people. Either how you act or the way your view things.

I've only been working in the field for a bit under 6 months, so haven't had any big changes, but did realize how much I view people's bodies as simply machines, now. When I bang my elbow or get a cut, I seem to think of the injury less as me getting hurt, but rather my body receiving an injury. Flesh and blood vessels receiving a trauma.

I think this comes from the number of injuries I've seen where parts of people's bodies were injured/disfigured or flesh separated from main body...you start seeing bodies as just this biological casing for people's brains. Not sure if it's a good view or not...

Other small changes are being more action oriented, as well as worrying about my health and that of my parents, after seeing what poor shape so many of the elderly citizens end up in.

[Yummymedic05]

I'm more of a people person than I used to be, but it's also made me a cold hearted non caring person at times....

I now think all parents of young children are stupid unless they prove me otherwise.

I realize now why people ask me if i'm paid or volunteer, and it's changed me because I have zero tolerance for lack of education.

And those are the ones I can think of at the moment....

[smk8er]

This is a good topic. As for how much it changed me it has changed me greatly. If i had a chance to go back in time i would have. I have been an EMT for 14 years taking the class at age 15 years old and actually certificate in hand at 16 years old. I volunteered for a the whole 14 years with the occasional paid transports. The first 4 years of my certification i ran, First out ambulance and rescue, over 400 to 500 calls a year and burned myself out at an early age. I suffered from depression and had to get help. I am a cold hearted S.O.B. to life and people. I have had relationships that suffered and my current relationship suffers on and off from it, but i have to try 3x as hard to try to keep upbeat about things. I have had young adults come up to me wanting to be EMT's or first responders, I don't tell them not to but i give it to them straight and wish them luck on what they do. But if i could change my life i would never have gotten into this field. Yes i learned a lot and a lot of valuable lessons but not enough to compensate for the misery. So those are my thoughts of how EMS changed my life! happy happy joy joy! now damnit pass the happy pills.

[Eydawn]

EMS has taught me how to be a lot more level headed. It has taught me to subconsciously keep an eye on everyone around me... because you never know who's going to puke on you or fall over or a myriad of other wonderful things.

EMS has taught me that awful things happen to everyone- those who deserve it and those who surely don't.

EMS has taught me that not everything falls into a neat flip-chart order... and that you better be able to flex or you're going to be standing in front of everyone including possibly a judge, explaining why you're such an idiot.

EMS has taught me to continually pursue my education... because there's so much out there that I still need to learn to benefit myself and my patients.

EMS has taught me to call for backup when I need it... in both my professional and personal life. EMS has taught me to tell the ones I love how much they mean to me at every possible opportunity, because it has shown me how fleeting and fragile our lives really are. For all I know, I could die before hitting the submit button, and no one will ever see this.. but so could you. I have learned to appreciate what I have in my life, because I know it could always be worse. Doesn't mean I'm a pollyanna... I still struggle with things in my life like the rest of us... but I feel like I've got better perspective now than I did when I was younger.

EMS has taught me always to knock on wood, never say the Q word, and that bad $h!^ always comes in threes, no matter what!

EMS has taught me that latex isn't my friend. I'm sure I'd have learned this one sooner or later... but I think my learning curve got accelerated a bit!

EMS has taught me that I shouldn't judge a situation or a person without adequate information. I end up being wrong more often than not. EMS has taught me that it's not about the flashy lights and the adrenaline pumping serious situations... it's about comforting the kid with the broken arm, and calming down a distraught person who really just needs to learn to cope with panic attacks. Why get frustrated with the person you have in front of you? You're still getting paid. When did interacting with the PERSON, not the condition, get lost out here?

EMS has taught me that my definition of an emergency doesn't necessarily cover it all, and that different cultures and people have different criteria for what an emergency really is. Sometimes, that definition is REALLY dumb. Sometimes it isn't.

Every situation is one in which you can learn something. Might not be something really useful, especially if you're running with an Alzheimer's patient who was a whiz at answering Jeapordy in their 30's, but boy, it was interesting.

I know some people might look at this list and go, yeah, she'll learn in a few years... and I'm sure there's a lot left out there for me to learn. But the day I don't care on some level about the PERSON in front of me is the day I unlace the boots and hang up my uniform. It's more than just the interventions you do. It's about how you do them.

And that, in a nutshell, is what EMS has taught me- so far.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

MI EMT-B

[Connie31079]

What has EMS taught me so far? This is a loaded question, in my opinion, but I will try and answer....

When I graduated high school, I was taking the course necessairy to become an EMT.......I knew I wanted to be involved in the medical profession in some way, and I actually went to university, taking BScN for 6 months, until I realized that being a nurse isn't want I wanted to do.

So, I became a paramedic instead.

Because of the way I am.....and by that I mean, I'm a "pleaser", which is someone who basically bends over backwards to get along with people, who tries to be a perfectionist so that everyone will like me, etc.....I'm sure you get the picture....EMS is not the ideal job for me. I'm my own worst critic. I don't handle criticism very well. If I miss an IV or a tube, I beat myself up over it for days.

Because of my nature, people take advantage of me in so many ways, because they know they can. They know I have a hard time saying "no" when they call and ask me to work an OT shift, even if I've just worked 10 shifts in a row and I'm utterly exhausted. They know they can "count on me" to do something, even when I really don't want to.

I don't know if any of you can relate to what I'm saying, but I feel better just being able to say it, I guess..... :oops:

If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change the path I took, because I love my job, but I wish I could change ME. Wish that I could talk back to people more, and have a "backbone" without dissolving into tears.

So, I guess EMS really hasn't "taught" me anything other than it's a cut-throat world out there.....literally and figuratively speaking. I've seen people with their throats slashed, and I know some medics out there that would cut my throat and use my body as a stepping stone without a second thought. But I'd like to think you'd get that in any profession, not just EMS?

[Ridryder 911]

Since I have been a Paramedic over 3/4 of my life, it is hard to reflect what EMS has taught me since I don't remember much before EMS.

Some things I do know about EMS is that you may love EMS, but EMS will never love you. This saying, you may pour your heart out to the profession, but never expect anything in return. The moment you are gone.. you are forgotten.

I had planned all my life to be a Dr. in a ambulance, before the invention of Paramedics, so when Johnny & Roy came onto the scene, I knew my calling. I though I would only do it for about 2-5 yrs, then go into the ministry. Well, 30 years later here I am! I was a very naive kid, that was fortunately blessed from dysfunctional situations and world experiences.. At first I thought that was bad, now I see how lucky I was.

EMS has taught me how to "size up" people. I feel I am about 95% right on my opinions about who, how people are. It taught me over years that my "calling" was to be there when the poop hits the fan.. as they say someone has to do it. Ironically, the more crap, the worse the patient gets, the calmer and more focused I become. This is why I become stressed in clinic settings.. and loose insight from mundane illnesses.

I have learned that people over all try to be good, but cannot be trusted. Everyone has a "self" mode and will protect themselves over anyone else. There are those few that make the sacrifice and they are usually are labeled "caregivers" and work in the emergency or medical field. As well, they usually have a high divorce rate and never really "succeed" according to the worlds standards.

It has taught me God has a sense of humor. Look at other people...and the platypus. That he is really in control and we are just performing. That is why it is hard for me to see atheism in this profession. So many times, I have seen those that are not supposed to survive a crash only later to die in a few minutes from another mishap, or the witnessed 44 year old witnessed arrest not die and the 98 year old with a history of multiple cardiac, diabetes, and HTN respond to delay care after the first medication. Again.. we are really not in charge of anything or producing the real outcome.. just instruments to be used.

The down side is I see people entering this profession taking everything for granted for those that fought hard with blood and tears to increase education and professional levels. That EMT's want the easiest way out... no matter what it might sacrifice to the patient. EMT's (over all ) like to brag, but don't want to back anything up with academia and research.

I do predict that there will be a split in EMS in the future. Those with education and those that was trained (similar to LPN vs. RN) and this will be interesting.

R/r 911

[flight-lp]

Some things I do know about EMS is that you may love EMS, but EMS will never love you. This saying, you may pour your heart out to the profession, but never expect anything in return. The moment you are gone.. you are forgotten.

The down side is I see people entering this profession taking everything for granted for those that fought hard with blood and tears to increase education and professional levels. That EMT's want the easiest way out... no matter what it might sacrifice to the patient. EMT's (over all ) like to brag, but don't want to back anything up with academia and research.

R/r 911

This is without a doubt the most profound statements my eyes have ever seen...........

+5 to you Rid, very well stated and true to the core!

I too believe the future of EMS to be an interesting ride. However my ride is soon to end as i will be departing into the world of aviation fulltime. Honestly, I am not going to look back when I'm gone, I believe I have given what I could with the resources that I had at my disposal. I've saved some, I've lost some. I've had appreciation given for "a job well done" and I've been chastised for some that could not be saved. But after 15 years, the only thing I have to show are the lines on my face and the bags under my eyes. I do within my heart a feeling of self satisfaction and pride, but those will not help my back and neck in the morning and neither will provide for my retirement. Plus I am tired of noob's telling me that this "is how we were taught it" and listening with deaf ears when asked to think outside of the box or realize that some with experience might know a more efficient way. I've had enough of slapping c-collars on every fall, a NRB on every patient who says they "can't breathe", and asking "why can't I --insert something an EMT shouldn't be doing at their barely trained level here--?"

Time to move on to something that will ensure a future for my family.........................

And that sure to hell isn't EMS!

[chicagoambo]

Because we see the dark side pretty often, this job makes you appreciate your family and love ones!Death changes you like it or not!

[Chief1C]

EMS has changed me A LOT. It has injured me, opened my eyes, made me appreciate time a little more, shocked me, made me sick, made me cry. I try to give myself fully to every patient I can, when I see something bad, it bothers me. But I don't think that makes me a weak, but stronger and able to give better care to each individual patient.

A lot of people (notice I didn't say everyone) say that over time, the things they see don't bother them anymore. Well, I'm kind of like a total opposite. Maybe I'm just a little too traditional, but when someone asks me what I enjoy about EMS, I have to start with the compassion and the values and quality some of us put into it.

It bothers me even more when someone tells me that they don't care about the patients anymore, it's just a job. When I look at EMS, now, I fear for its future.

[Laura Anne]

The lessons learned and what I have gained form my experiences are just these simple few....

1. I have grown to be a stronger person, not just for myself, but for others. I used to be shy and naive.

2. EMS taught me that everyone's view of 'emergency' is different.

3. I have learned that there are far worse drivers out there than me! :shock: :wink:

4. I have become more wary and tend not to trust people so easily since I have been in this field.

5. EMS has taught me the most important lesson of all.....life truly is a precious gift. Take time to look around and smell the roses before it's too late.

Just a simple few things.....