tension between EMT and LTC nurses?

smk1, LPN · Mar 19, 2004

i was reading some of the prehospital forum on a different medical board hoping to get some info and insight into their job because if there is a lag time between finishing my rn prereqs i have been thinking i might enroll in the emt-b program, to get a heads up on a few skills. Anyway i was really disappointed to see the disrespectful posts regarding nurses and in particular LTC nurses. I have considered the source of course (because the board is a part of SDN), but i still was surprised at the overwhelming belief that nurses are not as well educated as paramedics or even emts. (among the ems providers this seemed to be the consensus at least) At my school the RN program not only has more gen ed requirements and (higher levels at that) but more science such as chemistry and microbiology and nutrition., so i don't quite understand where this idea of nurses knowing less is coming from. I guess i am just disappointed to see other non-doctor medical personnel downing nursing. I think that everyone has a vital role and don't see why the bashing is necessary.

pieWACKet · Mar 20, 2004

I was a public health nurse for many years. The worst abuse I received was from an EMT. While many appreciated my thoroughness [ i gave FAR more info than was demanded and far more than they get from family members] this one is the EMT I will remember. I had had to call 911 because of a patient's devastating condition on an intitial home care visit, and the lack of safety evident in her community environment. She had to be rehospitalized. I always waited for EMT to arrive before leaving, and always gave thorough reason for the 911 call, and the symptoms meriting it, the meds I had found, the interns and residents and their beeper numbers, the attending of record, the history I knew, etc. This particular EMT was beyond rude...he was abusive. He said all home care nurses are stupid. He grabbed my paper work from my hand, and refused to release it to me causing me to delay for 40 minutes as he painstakingly copied it down. He said home care nurses are lazy. When I asked him why he would say such a thing, he said "because its the truth". His name badge was not displayed, so I asked for his name, fully intent on writing up a complaint. He refused to give it to me [This was in NYC where the whole thing is very complex, with multiple providers of EMT transport]. He would not give me the name of his company. His buddy refused also to give his name. Luckily, the truck and license plate were clearly evident when I exited the apartment. So his identity was able to be found.

There is a fracture between EMT and Home care. I don't know why. I guess they expect we are "not able to handle our patients" and some perceive themselves the beleaguered hero forced to answer our distress call and do the work for which they are hired. You are absolutely right in your perception. I encountered this belittling more than once.

pieWACKet · Mar 20, 2004

I was a public health nurse for many years. The worst abuse I received was from an EMT. While many appreciated my thoroughness [ i gave FAR more info than was demanded and far more than they get from family members] this one is the EMT I will remember. I had had to call 911 because of a patient's devastating condition on an intitial home care visit, and the lack of safety evident in her community environment. She had to be rehospitalized. I always waited for EMT to arrive before leaving, and always gave thorough reason for the 911 call, and the symptoms meriting it, the meds I had found, the interns and residents and their beeper numbers, the attending of record, the history I knew, etc. This particular EMT was beyond rude...he was abusive. He said all home care nurses are stupid. He grabbed my paper work from my hand, and refused to release it to me causing me to delay for 40 minutes as he painstakingly copied it down. He said home care nurses are lazy. When I asked him why he would say such a thing, he said "because its the truth". His name badge was not displayed, so I asked for his name, fully intent on writing up a complaint. He refused to give it to me [This was in NYC where the whole thing is very complex, with multiple providers of EMT transport]. He would not give me the name of his company. His buddy refused also to give his name. Luckily, the truck and license plate were clearly evident when I exited the apartment. So his identity was able to be found.

There is a fracture between EMT and Home care. I don't know why. I guess they expect we are "not able to handle our patients" and some perceive themselves the beleaguered hero forced to answer our distress call and do the work for which they are hired. You are absolutely right in your perception. I encountered this belittling more than once.

MikeLPN · Mar 20, 2004

Well, I've only had one "tense" epsiode. Resident was diagnosed with a UTI in AM. A new TMA called me down way late. He had crackles, mottling, an almost undiscernable BP way low, no intake, demented, SPO2 awful and DNR besides. The paramedics didn't want to take him even though the family wanted him to go. All I could do was repeat "The family wants him to go so he goes." I had explained the options and the poor girl just was so upset she couldn't make up her mind at 10 O'Clock at night so we decided to send him. The EMT went on about how it was a waste, etc and called his supervisor.

I still wish we could have started our version of informal hospice instead of carting this poor guy around. It would have been so much better in retrospect.

I feel that the EMT was right in a moral and economic sense but that his primary job was not to be so.

MikeLPN · Mar 20, 2004

Well, I've only had one "tense" epsiode. Resident was diagnosed with a UTI in AM. A new TMA called me down way late. He had crackles, mottling, an almost undiscernable BP way low, no intake, demented, SPO2 awful and DNR besides. The paramedics didn't want to take him even though the family wanted him to go. All I could do was repeat "The family wants him to go so he goes." I had explained the options and the poor girl just was so upset she couldn't make up her mind at 10 O'Clock at night so we decided to send him. The EMT went on about how it was a waste, etc and called his supervisor.

I still wish we could have started our version of informal hospice instead of carting this poor guy around. It would have been so much better in retrospect.

I feel that the EMT was right in a moral and economic sense but that his primary job was not to be so.

Blackcat99 · Mar 20, 2004

When I have worked in LTC facilities I have met EMT's who seem angry because I haven't memorized every single fact and detail about my patient's physical condition prior to the emergency. I really wish I had the luxury of spending time reading and learning everything about my patient. However, in LTC most nurses are too busy running all day and night.

Blackcat99 · Mar 20, 2004

When I have worked in LTC facilities I have met EMT's who seem angry because I haven't memorized every single fact and detail about my patient's physical condition prior to the emergency. I really wish I had the luxury of spending time reading and learning everything about my patient. However, in LTC most nurses are too busy running all day and night.

plumrn, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2004

I have never felt LTC nurses get the respect they deserve. NO ONE could have 80, (or some other awful amount of pts), to be responsible for, and take care of them like an Emergency Personnel would, on the ONE patient THEY, (usually 2 of them), are there to pick up. I've also heard the attitudes, and I never let the comments pass when I hear them at the hospital.

Headhurt, ADN · Mar 20, 2004

Maybe the EMTs are just hacked off because it is not a trauma case that most tend to thrive on. :rolleyes: Either that, or they have some sort of inferiority complex that they are working through.

Don't worry...EMT's are equally rude to their patients. I was in an accident, my face badly burned, blind as a bat. I was in extreme agony, and when I asked for something to put on my face, I got yelled at by the EMT for being impatient. Well, EXCUSE ME BUTTHOLE, BUT IT IS NOT YOUR FACE THAT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE THREW ACID ON!!!

CCU NRS · Mar 20, 2004

Well I will jump in from a purely observational point of view.

I never have worked LTC so I can't say how things go, I did do my laddertrack course with several Paramedics however,(the program required either LPN or paramedic)and like Mike mentioned I did have occasion to hear them complain about LTC sending DNRs to the hospital, to which I have to agree to some extent. The problem with sending a DNR Pt to the hospital for care is we can not do anything invasive or take heroic measures either (BLS/ACLS)so the reason they became DNR is so that when they begin to go nothing will be done and if they live in LTC this would like dying at home for them. I understand the problem with families interefering and saying they need to go to the hospital but the second problem is once they get to the hospital an eager resident or ER doc will talk to this greiving family member and explain that we can not do anything as long as the Pt remains DNR and 9 out of 10 time the DNR will be revoked and then a Pt that wanted to be DNR and die peacefully will be fully coded and put on a vent and suffer a long agonizing death. So I am not sure if more education would help at the LTC to explain to families that your loved one wished to be DNR and is now dying and this is like being able to die at home and is what they wanted etc. or if they should let the Pt be sent to a hospital.

The problem EMT services have with transporting DNR Pts is that it makes them feel useless because they know they are dying and are not allowed to do anything, however the autonomy they enjoy as paramedics is sometime too much and they may perform some things that maybe they should not.

It is a difficult situation for all involved, I also dislike recieving a DNR Pt from LTC especially to CCU just to appease a family, we can do nothing, they take a CCU bed which should never have been given to them and they will die and they will not be at home or what they considered home the LTC, many times it is the family that are not ready for the Pt to go and these things are all done for greiving family members when the Pt had made their wishes and their mind up about the entire situation I also feel that many times this situation is brought on by the families because of guilt that they did not visit more or do enough for their loved one prior to them reaching this condition.

RubyRN,CHPN · Mar 20, 2004

I was a public health nurse for many years. The worst abuse I received was from an EMT. While many appreciated my thoroughness [ i gave FAR more info than was demanded and far more than they get from family members] this one is the EMT I will remember. I had had to call 911 because of a patient's devastating condition on an intitial home care visit, and the lack of safety evident in her community environment. She had to be rehospitalized. I always waited for EMT to arrive before leaving, and always gave thorough reason for the 911 call, and the symptoms meriting it, the meds I had found, the interns and residents and their beeper numbers, the attending of record, the history I knew, etc. This particular EMT was beyond rude...he was abusive. He said all home care nurses are stupid. He grabbed my paper work from my hand, and refused to release it to me causing me to delay for 40 minutes as he painstakingly copied it down. He said home care nurses are lazy. When I asked him why he would say such a thing, he said "because its the truth". His name badge was not displayed, so I asked for his name, fully intent on writing up a complaint. He refused to give it to me [This was in NYC where the whole thing is very complex, with multiple providers of EMT transport]. He would not give me the name of his company. His buddy refused also to give his name. Luckily, the truck and license plate were clearly evident when I exited the apartment. So his identity was able to be found.
There is a fracture between EMT and Home care. I don't know why. I guess they expect we are "not able to handle our patients" and some perceive themselves the beleaguered hero forced to answer our distress call and do the work for which they are hired. You are absolutely right in your perception. I encountered this belittling more than once.

Thanks for sharing yours story---I do home health and hospice and in the past 7 years of working in a rural area (where there are very few "paid" EMS staff-most of them volunteer) I have witnessed the attitude you describe above many times. Many of the volunteer EMT's who respond to calls are surprised that my scope of practice involves more than emptying bed pans. Seems I've seen the role of the "belaguered hero" more than once in my line of work; don't think for a minute if there is family present in a home they aren't quick to pick up on this mistreatment and attitude especially if you have formed a trusting rapport with them. I will say that one municipality I work in has paramedics who respect the role of the home health nurse, my physical assessment skills, my IV skills when they cannot locate access. Ihave even had one Captain call my supervisor when I had to perform CPR during a visit (the gentleman coded as I walked in the front door) and commend me on my excellent use of CPR during an emergency. It's important we (nurses & EMS staff) recognize we are all vital componants in the care of our communities. It's unfortunate that experienced, licensed professionals have to endure the type of abuse our reader board members have endured.