Ambulance Drivers
Every person on earth , no matter what their profession (or lack thereof) has a name called them that is not only derogatory, but sinister.
I attribute this slang to a lack of educational facts. Lets face it, if we were ambulance drivers, who would take care of the sick and injured riding in the back! The term ambulance driver conjures up anger, a blatant shortfall of our years of training and is akin to the “N” word when it is used.
Emergency medical technicians of all sorts, including Paramedics are held to the highest prehospital standards dictated by a governance of state and federal agencies. We have to rectify our licenses every 3 years, attend massive amounts of continuing medical education (CME) and the mere fact that you show up does not in any way guarantee you will pass. If you don’t pass, you lose your livelihood and become unemployed. There are no jobs for “ambulance drivers”
We carry medications, do minor surgical procedures, are subjected to physical violence, and have to carry 3 times our own weight. If one responds to a home loaded with cockroaches, quickly you learn not to put your gear on the floor. Roaches climb in and are carried to other homes, or in the worst case scenario, back to the place you call home.
When God calls you home, there is nothing, and I mean nothing we can do. We try to resuscitate you, but God has the final word. Rightfully so.
Paramedic carries between 30 and 52 different medications. It’s impossible to deliver those medications if you are an ambulance “driver”.
Please help the profession that I have lovingly given over 30 years to and drop the phrase ambulance driver. You have no idea the marked increase in self worth we will all feel.
I was working with a Paramedic Supervisor and we were beginning an ALS transport at a familiar facility. The nurse we were waiting to obtain report from was on the phone, and said to the person on the other end, I guess I better go, the ambulance drivers are here. Unfazed, my partner proceeded to inquire of her upon completion of the call if she was the bedpan warmer we ambulance drivers were to get report from. Two wrongs may not make a right, but it was on point and immediately elicited a prompt I am so sorry from her.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite was being called "The Stretcher People" by one particular RN at a SNF in our region every time we went there. "Mrs. Jones, the stretcher people are here for you." or "OK Mr. Alfredson, the stretcher people are here for you."
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