Professional courtesy from police at traffic stops

[FireStarterRN]

Has anyone else gotten leniency from the State Patrol or Police during a traffic stop? I have gotten many warnings instead of tickets when I am on my way to work or if I manage to mention my occupation. I got stopped last week, I was in uniform and when the officer found out I was a nurse he said that he'd just write down my info really quickly so I could get to work on time. He didn't even ask for my insurance card!

[EmmaG, RN]

I gave a general example in post #64 of what I meant. Basically, nicer, quicker, more caring and compassionate is what I am talking about. Though, as I also stated, if that's not doable just treat an officer just like anyone else. I hate it when an officer is treated worse because someone on the treatment team has a chip on their shoulder about cops. It difficult enough to have to deal with the circumstances that led to the officer being in the hospital in the first place, and then have to deal with poor attitudes from people you give your total trust to. I could give examples, but it might be brushed off as just anecdotal. It seems to me that if officers are giving medical personnel breaks with traffic enforcement in the amounts these posts seem to indicate, it should follow that officers should enjoy kinder, gentler treatment when they are on the receiving end. That's not been my experience and I am not alone.

Kinder, gentler treatment than my other patients? Quicker, nicer, more caring and compassionate care than I give other patients?

No, sorry.

I don't believe in "VIP" treatment. You are no better or worse than the homeless man with pneumonia... or the demented old lady with the broken hip...

It's not a question of whether or not it's 'doable'.

[banditrn]

For me, as a police officer, in those instances where I was treated as a patient and medical personnel knew who I was, I would have been happy to have been treated just as any other patient. It would have been a ten fold increase in quality of care. With the exception of the one time where the staff knew of my profession and treated me well, and that was when I was off duty and in a different town. It seems strange that some healthcare professionals think it's fine to take advantage of a law enforcement officer at a vulnerable time. Yet it is common knowledge that police give breaks to medical personnel. Makes me wonder why we give breaks when the professional courtesy is rarely returned.

I'm so sorry if you were ever treated badly by a member of my profession! It would never have happened at the hospital where I worked - we had kind of a brother/sister thing with the local police and firemen. That said, I would never put your care before that of another patient, unless your condition called for it, but I would do my best to make you comfortable

I took care of an Illinois State Trooper in Day Surgury one day - and when heh left he told me that if it was up to him I'd NEVER get a ticket in Illinois ever. So I told him that I'd run off a bunch of copies of my drivers license, and he could hand them out to his friends.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

Kinder, gentler treatment than my other patients? Quicker, nicer, more caring and compassionate care than I give other patients?

No, sorry.

I don't believe in "VIP" treatment. You are no better or worse than the homeless man with pneumonia... or the demented old lady with the broken hip...

It's not a question of whether or not it's 'doable'.

Yes it is doable, I give everyone good treatment. But if i can get an officer taken care of faster I will.

[EmmaG, RN]

Yes it is doable, I give everyone good treatment. But if i can get an officer taken care of faster I will.

I think you missed my point. I, too, try my best to take care of my patients. I simply don't believe in some getting 'special' treatment, over and above what I'd do for anyone else. And I wasn't referring to the ER.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

I think you missed my point. I, too, try my best to take care of my patients. I simply don't believe in some getting 'special' treatment, over and above what I'd do for anyone else. And I wasn't referring to the ER.

I believe in VIP treament, its a fact of life, especially in the ER.

[EmmaG, RN]

I believe in VIP treament, its a fact of life, especially in the ER.

That's unfortunate.

Ah well, another reason I'm glad I don't work the ER.

[58flyer]

Kinder, gentler treatment than my other patients? Quicker, nicer, more caring and compassionate care than I give other patients?

No, sorry.

I don't believe in "VIP" treatment. You are no better or worse than the homeless man with pneumonia... or the demented old lady with the broken hip...

It's not a question of whether or not it's 'doable'.

If I get the "VIP" treatment, that's great. If I get treated the same as the next person, I will accept it without complaint. But I think there is no justification to do harm, deny or delay care to a patient who happens to be an officer. I'm not saying that's what you're suggesting, I know where you are coming from here. If you give excellent and impartial care to every one of your patients, I'm OK with that.

Above all do no harm.

[EmmaG, RN]

But I think there is no justification to do harm, deny or delay care to a patient who happens to be an officer.

If that occurs, you have cause for action against that person and I'd hope you would pursue it. I have no use for healthcare professionals who harm, deny or delay care to their patients.

[leslie :-D]

Yes it is doable, I give everyone good treatment. But if i can get an officer taken care of faster I will.

of course you would give faster tx, if the acuity level warranted it...right, tom?

[leslie :-D]

I believe in VIP treament, its a fact of life, especially in the ER.

agree.

there are many "facts of life".

racism, discrimination, endless improprieties, abuses, judgments, and the list goes on.

but still, they're facts of life.

and let the apathy continue.

leslie

[leslie :-D]

you know, when i was in school, one of the first things we were taught was the importance of treating all pts equally.

the subject came up r/t a well known sports team being treated at the hospital where i did most clinicals.

it was drilled into our heads, that these team members were not to receive vip tx or any type of partiality.

it's really nothing i had to learn.

i don't believe in vip's, or anyone being superior to anyone else.

i find it downright unethical that, in the absence of acuity, one would get preferential tx over the other.

i've cared for a pedophile, homeless people covered with maggot-infested wounds, hookers, prisoners who have murdered....you get my drift: our 'dregs' of society.

i've also cared for many "vip's" from all walks of life.

both deserve the same quality of care.

i'm just not understanding this 'professional courtesy' stuff.

if you break the law, you get fined...or not.

if you require med'l care, then response/consideration s/b based on acuity level.

2 call lights go off, the vip pt doesn't merit the 1st response "just because".

whatever.

thankfully there are many nurses who do aspire to this very basic concept of equality.

thanks for listening.

leslie

[EmmaG, RN]

i've cared for a pedophile, homeless people covered with maggot-infested wounds, hookers, prisoners who have murdered....you get my drift: our 'dregs' of society.

i've also cared for many "vip's" from all walks of life.

both deserve the same quality of care.

One of my favorite passages:

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,

naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'

Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'

And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'