You can and will take it with you!

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

So my hubby, who is paramedic came home a little upset the other day. When I asked why, the response I got...well, I didn't know whether to laugh or be angry!

You see...the company he is working for just came up with a new solution to garbage (and the cost)! All garbage that is personal garbage, like food wrappers or tissue, is to be taken home with you at end of shift so that it is not taking up space in their company dumpsters! They were saying it was a way to minimize garbage for the environment...okay ummmm sorry but garbage all makes it to the dump???

Anyway...it took talking to three different state administrations to find out YES, that is a volilation and can not be practiced. And what a waste of time to find that out!!!!!

What bothers me is...well my hubby went through the effort to find out it was against state administrative and labor rules. Now, I fear he will be labeled as a 'trouble maker'...which would be seriously unfair! I mean heck, I don't want that waste that has been in an ambulance all day brought home, it is bad enough his uniform comes home for me to sanitize (and mine too!).

What are your thoughts? Case of managment thinking they are above it all? Case of power struggles? Case of environmentalism? and how can you avoid getting in deep 'waste' for speaking out???

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

I have not input but just the idea of them making you bring the garbage home is ludicrous to me!

Good luck

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Specializes in Emergency.

Oh geez... I laughed and grumbled at that post as well! Tell your beloved Paramedic to remind management that taking his dirty uniform home is a violation of OSHA regs. If needed, I can scan in the page for you. As for the trash issue... he works for idiots. I'm sorry.

Ambulance services are supposed to have dedicated washers/dryers for uniforms or contract with a linen service. As for trash, biohazard and regular trash is kept separate; I could see a service griping about regular, uncontaminated trash going into the red bags since we are charged on volume, but regular trash going in a dumpster??? Sheeesh.

I hate "penny-wise, pound foolish" services like that. Hurts the crews, the patients, everyone in between. Wish I had a solution for you; nationally, good paramedics are in short supply... any other services he could move on to that offer better treatment of their crews?

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Specializes in home & public health, med-surg, hospice.

I'd also like to know how many chiefs it took to come up with the idea that all the indians/scouts needed to take their garbage home to "cut-costs"...:uhoh3:

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

I know! Isn't this one of those "no way...you can't be serious" types of things! LOL!

I will tell hubby about the old uniform bit...but knowing him he may put that up for discussion and get into trouble..LOL! But no..great backing for the case!

The company is actually really great...lots of CME that they allow even us spouses to take free of charge if we want. So this was so out of left field I couldn't believe it (and trust me, neither could they!). The only other instance were were kinda 'huh' about was the whole 'wait staff person at a party thinking paramedics went out after Christmas parties and working drunk" deal I did another post about...

Sounds like someone with too much time on their hands has a pull on the old administration reigns! LOL!

Keep em comming guys, this will do wonders for my hubby! :)

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Specializes in Emergency.

As an EMS service, we pay $300 per month for 90 gallons of biohazard removal, and in contrast, $34 per month for a big dumpster.

Have your husband offer the Powers-That-Be this ultimatum: "Either spot for another dumpster, or I'll start rendering this trash as 'biohazardous' materal".

Let the hubby think of the possibilities... 'medics are good at that stuff {evil grin}. Numerous orifices, numerous ways to contaminate. A few extra cups of coffee also helps the process along. :D

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

OH Aliakey you are the bomb! Thanks! Good stuff!!!!!!!

BTW...I am a wannabe EMS stuck in a nursing body..LOL! I help with POLST implementation for my state, and am a PR rep for all EMS :). I love EMS...and this to me is beyond silly! I can see a hospital doing this..but EMS??? OH MY!

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Tell hubby to eat stinky cheese and tuna for lunch then leave the wrappers in the ambulance until EOS so he can throw the garbage away at home.

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Tuna fish? Heck break out the sardines! Maybe for dessert a little liver pudding:)

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:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

WOW...... see... just when you think you have heard it ALL!!

I would like to say this: FIRST of ALL--- PRINT THIS FOR HIM!!

THANK-YOU!!! THANK-YOU!!! I appreciate what you do for people and GOD BLESS YOU! If it was not for EMT's and paramedics I would not be here to type this now! I would be worm food! These folks are out there helping the very rich and the very poor. They literally scrap people off the streets to get them help. I doubt the "brain" behind the trash thing is telling his staff "Thank-you"!---

As far as advice, I don't have any because if someone told me to take home my personal candy wrapper I would HAVE to be the biggest SMART #$$ out there and I don't know if that helps!:lol2:

:idea: I see a Christmas Wreath made of Snicker wrappers and tissue hanging on that supervisors door next year--- that is me though! Likely not a good idea in his case! The adm. sounds a TAD-BIT ANAL!

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I am really not trying to be a trouble maker here and I might be pointing out the obvious but how about dumping the trash in the trash cans in front of the 7-Eleven? Taco Bell? McDonalds?

As he or his partner walks into wherever he stops for coffee, just pitch the trash then.

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I am really not trying to be a trouble maker here and I might be pointing out the obvious but how about dumping the trash in the trash cans in front of the 7-Eleven? Taco Bell? McDonalds?

As he or his partner walks into wherever he stops for coffee, just pitch the trash then.

I'm sorry but no person working anywhere should have to carry around trash with them. That is just plain unacceptable. They should not be in business if they have such a hard time funding trash. Especially being healthcare providers.

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