Your impression of a nurse working on an ambulance

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 3, 2017

Keep doing what you're doing; it's not a "you" problem, it's a "them" problem. They shouldn't talk down to anyone who steps off a medic unit, even before they know you are an RN. Just stay professional. Your job sounds great, I am envious. :)

Sour Lemon · Jul 3, 2017

I took a part time job as a CCRN with an ambulance company. Sometimes when I go to the ER/ICU, I get strange looks and occasionally talked down to from other RNs until they realize I too am an RN. I manage very critical patients i.e. up to 12 drips, vent, intubation, art-line, chest tube ect so I feel like I am competent in what I do.
What are your thoughts?

They always sound tired and depressed. They never introduce themselves and I'm usually wondering "Who the **** is this?" for a while before I finally figure it out. They seem competent enough, but rarely personable.

Most of my admissions do not arrive by ambulance with a nurse, so I admit that my experience is very limited.

ClayH · Jul 3, 2017

They always sound tired and depressed. They never introduce themselves and I'm usually wondering "Who the **** is this?" for a while before I finally figure it out. They seem competent enough, but rarely personable.
Most of my admissions do not arrive by ambulance with a nurse, so I admit that my experience is very limited.

I agree with you there that the nurses may be basing this off experiences with ambulance crews who may not be as clinically educated as would be expected from a healthcare professional, but I feel like if I am managing a patient as sick as I do it would give the impression that I am not an idiot just based off that the patient is alive.

Oh well..

offlabel · Jul 4, 2017

Ambulance crews don't get a lot of respect no matter who they are. They are safe targets for people that are targets of someone else. If you derive satisfaction from deference from other medical professionals, find something else to derive satisfaction from because it won't be that working on a ground ambulance doing IFT's

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Jul 4, 2017

Who cares? Just do what you do. Your patients and their families appreciate that.

AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jul 4, 2017

Welcome to the world of EMS! As both an RN and medic I am all to familiar without how some nurses treat medics and EMTs because for some reason they think they are beneath them.

Annie

allnurses Guide · Jul 4, 2017

I'm sorry I don't do impressions; my training is in nursing.

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Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 4, 2017

I'm sorry I don't do impressions; my training is in nursing.

I was waiting for someone to post along these lines, hahaha. Good ol' Airplane!

allnurses Guide · Jul 4, 2017

Wow....I hate that anyone would "talk down" to another medical professional regardless of perceived role.

Just keep doing you. You and your patients and their families know the value of your skill and experience.

AceOfHearts<3 · Jul 4, 2017

You're job sounds totally bad***. I'm new to critical care and couldn't even imagine taking on that role!

Kudos to you and please know that you are amazing and your job is so important!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jul 4, 2017

I agree with you there that the nurses may be basing this off experiences with ambulance crews who may not be as clinically educated as would be expected from a healthcare professional, but I feel like if I am managing a patient as sick as I do it would give the impression that I am not an idiot just based off that the patient is alive.
Oh well..

So why aren't you introducing yourself right off the bat? You're giving report, aren't you? Your report will display your competence (or lack thereof). My husband was a transport nurse -- ground and air -- and pretty much everyone in the ICUs and ED at our huge, referral hospital KNEW he knew his stuff and respected him. (Even before they knew he was my husband).