Rudeness from EMTs and Paramedics

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Are there any LTC nurses out there who have experienced condescending attitudes or blatant rudeness from EMTs and paramedics during the process of sending residents out to the hospital? I simply want to become reassured in the knowledge that I'm not the only LTC nurse out there who has sensed this phenomenon. Thanks in advance.

Specializes in subacute/ltc.
I would love to...you need proof of completing Blood Borne Pathogens training within the last year, fill out a few pages of paperwork, submit and get approval...etc.

Whatttttt??????? PAPERWORK???????:uhoh3: I shoulda known. Maybe I can just stalk some of our local EMT/Paramedics......

Tres

Who had one of those shifts: eg: a fall, two send outs and bruise of unknown origin......:nono:

Though I really do want to go and will call our local squad and see what their requirements are....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU,PCU,ER, TELE,SNIFF, STEP DOWN PCT.
Whatttttt??????? PAPERWORK???????:uhoh3: I shoulda known. Maybe I can just stalk some of our local EMT/Paramedics......

Tres

Who had one of those shifts: eg: a fall, two send outs and bruise of unknown origin......:nono:

Though I really do want to go and will call our local squad and see what their requirements are....

Ours has to have that, plus proof of license and some paperwork with the magic seal from a notery too, stating you are who you are, record check and you understand the rules and will not hold the dept accountable.:nono:

I tell them if you want to ride bad enough, like anything in life, you'll get the required paperwork done. Then you can come "WATCH" all you want and if the Personal feel you are compitent enough, then do Pt care. Come on out , we love teaching new tricks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I I wonder how feasible it would be for nursing schools to include an EMS rotation - maybe just a few days' ride-alongs to give us a better sense for what EMS deals with? Or for an EMT/Paramedic a day or two in a LTC facility to see what we do? Just a thought to chew on.

Iam currently a Paramedic student and work in an ER. Our curriculum requires rotations in LTC facility's, and that is a national requirement. However to date I have not heard of a nursing school that requires or even supports nursing rotations on ambulances. I wish this were different,but for nurses who want to see what its like in the field our local EMS agencies all allow health care professionals to do ride alongs. As a representative of the EMS community I would invite all nurses out there who do not understand how EMS works to call their local EMS agency and ask about ride alongs. It can be a lot of fun and hopefully provide valuable insight to how our world works.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

seems to happen everywhere. the paramedics and emts think they are one step below the MD's. but like was said earlier, they are the ones taking the orders from the doc who ordered the patient sent out and the rn who is giving the same order. their job is to transport the patient to the hospital, treat emergently if needed, and get them there safely. no questions asked. they may not like it, but that is there job. i get the medics who question my ability as an RN to evaluate and treat patients, and wonder why i think they need to be sent out....it doesn't matter!!!!! my job is to call the doc and if the doc says go...i send them. end of story....you can tell this aggravates me!:angryfire

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just had to post after I read the first post and apologize if I missed something.. The OP is in Fort Worth.. well, my husband works for the EMT service for FW and I am sorry that some/most of them are rude. I just thought it was interesting that you brought this up and that there might be a chance that he has been to your LTC!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I can shed some light on both sides of this topic. I have been a Paramedic for over 25 years and for 13 of those years I have also been an RN. I will admit that due to a huge difference in pay that I have abandoned EMS for working in a hospital setting. I have also noticed the friction between nurses and medics, most of which I believe is born out of ignorance. Most nurses have no idea what the Paramedic learns during training nor do the Paramedics understand the training of nurses. One seems to think they know more than the other; this is just not true. Paramedic and nursing education while similar are still very different. If I was lying in the street injured from an accident for instance, the LAST person I would want to take care of me (givena choice of course!) would be a nurse or for that matter a doctor (even worse!). Medics have a far superior knowledge of treating and safely transporting critically injured patients in the pre-hospital setting. Conversely, the last person I would want to take care of me in a LTC facility would be a paramedic! Their knowledge LTC issues is severely limited. Do they know and understand lab values? Yes, to a limited extent. Do they understand the challenging issues associated with treating a septic patient? The short answer is no. Do nurses know how to safely transfer a pt from a destroyed automobile to a backboard or even know what a backboard is?? Most likely no.

My point? In my opinion (again...I have worked both sides of the fence for many years) the lack of respect for nurses comes out a lack of respect for the medics and vice versa. Can the medics be rude and out of line? Absolutely. I can tell you that VERY often in my EMS career PLENTY of nurses were very rude to me as well! Want to have a better relationship with EMS staff? Invite them in to learn a bit more about what you do. Better yet, ask them to ride along on a busy night of treating gunshot patients and delivering baby's in hallways of apartments to get a better idea of what it is that they do! Join hands instead of butting heads. I have seen it from both sides and know it can be a challenge. Educate and become educated. Thanks for reading

Lloyd Gillies RN, BSN, CEN, EMPT

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My required prerequisite was the same as for nursing students (i.e. Micro, A&P, English, Algrabra....blah blah blah, along with 40 credit hours in EMT and Paramedic training. In addition, I had to spend several hundred hours working in the ER and riding EMS units. I received an A.S. degree in Emergency Medical Services. When I went on to complete the Nursing degree I had all of my prerequisite work done!

Lloyd

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know this is in the LTC forum and I work med surg, but I have to add something:

It's just not LTC. Our EMT's behave the same way towards us (aides) and nurses. I feel that they treat the pt's not as a human being but more like a chauffer. I'd like to see more compassion but I'm sure they have seen the worse of the worst.

I even had one pt who knew the EMT's well and was crying because she didn't want them near her. I promised to stay by her side and make sure they treated her well and I let them know that I wasn't going to put up with their rudeness. I don't care if they call be every name in the book behind my back, I'm not there to win brownie points. I get the feeling from them that they think they're transferring a LOL who means nothing to them and nothing 'exciting' like a code is going to happen.

But there a couple who are angels and I absolutely love them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

RE Bethin:

I am now a nursing supervisor in one of the countries largest and most progressive Cardiac Cath labs and after reading you comments about how the pt's didn't want certain EMS personnel around them made me think back a bit.

Recently, one of our Doctors called me into the office and told me that that he would pull his pt load out of our hospital and take them somewhere else if we EVER let one particular nurse treat ANY of his pt's EVER again! This was a seasoned nurse with a BSN. Know what? I sided with the doctor! She is terrible! She no longer works in the lab...cause she's that bad! Much like your pt saw flaws in the EMS personnel...I see just as many flaws within nursing!

Lloyd Gillies RN, BSN, CEN, EMP-T

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

Hello and no you are not the only one by far. I have been doin LTC for 15 years now and have had several run ins with the emt's and paramedics. Most, not all, act as if we dont need to have people sent to the hospital or even brought back for that matter. I even offer my assistance to help but that is not good enough so to speak. Thank you for bringing this matter up, maybe someone somewhere can do something about it :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU;CCU;ER;flight nurse.
I've had one set of emt's be very rude concerning a p/u to go to hosp for eval. The one woman asked why she was going, and when told her lab values prompted her MD to send her out, demanded to look at the labs. Stupidly, I showed her, and she said "hmmmmph, these ain 't that bad, I wouldn't waste the amb time to send her out" at which I couldn't take another moment of this, and replied "well Darlin', when you have the power to decide who goes for eval, no problem, until then, move your butt and get her to the hosp because both her MD and I want her to get checked out, and we both outrank you hon." She was part of a volunteer ambulance org, and wasn't even an EMT, but studying to be one and driving in the meantime.

Second time it happened was when another nursed called for transport to hosp on a DNR pt, who was having trouble breathing. He coded while they were moving him, and they began CPR even when I shoved the yellow DNR form in front of his face. They continued, and the MD chewed MY ass out for the CPR.

Some of these people thing they know everything, and believe me, they don't. Some of them know more than we do, but know how to act and not be obnoxious. Guess I just haven't met many of the latter.

It's too bad that happened. Most of the EMT's and Paramedics I work with are professional and pleasant.

The problem described in your second scenario is this.....if an ambulance crew is called to a nsg home for a resp./cardiac arrest or distress, they are doing what they are supposed to do by performing CPR. Why call an ambulance if nothing was to be done for the distress? It is inherently against a paramedics nature and his/her job description to kick back and watch while someone codes in front of them. If you called them, then they more than likely are thinking that someone along the whole messed-up advanced directive BS line decided something SHOULD be done. Here's something else....if they get to the ER with a resp./cardiac arrest and haven't done ACLS protocol, they're butts are going to get chewed up by their medical command physician and the nsg staff at the ED. Plus, if the ER isn't supposed to perform ACLS, exactly what ARE they supposed to do? 9 times out of 10, the family will come in to the ED and completely turn over an advanced directive out of panic. So in the end, I think the overall view of EMS is to do CPR until directed by the POA or medical command to stop.;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have had rude behavioral problems, yet have EMT friends and it is on both sides of the coin. I am a former Army Medic, so needless to say I just state "the Doctor said to send the Pt out" , or I assessed a need and didn't have time for the Doctor to approve, and If I get any rudeness, I have sternly said on numerous occasions...

"we are not triaging the Pt here, the ER will, I just want to know if you have a license to drive the vehicle and transport without jitting every bump in the road!"

My last time I got rudeness, I actually pondered a good 30 seconds, then opened the doors as they loaded the Pt and said "Hey boys, I don't wake you up for nothing, next time you see me, know there is a critical reason!!!....:sfxpld:

I have had no problems since with our small city Medics...:yeah::redlight:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment