Speak to me

Stop what you are doing. Read this story from Ambulance Driver blog. Don't come back until you have read the whole story. I'll wait for you.





While listening to the EMS Educast episode 6, Dr. Joseph Weiner, a psycologist was talking about how to teach EMTs compassion. He had a few really good ideas, including just simply talking to the patient. Ask the patient about their life, inquire about what interests them.

During my induction to transport medicine (chuck runs), the goal was to finish all your paperwork prior to arriving at your destination. Rarely did I engage the patient in conversation (save for the few talkers we would transport, then I usually faked listening while completing paperwork). I did not consider myself as the dispationate burnt out EMT, I was just trying to get my work done. After a while I would engage the patients, try to brighten their day, or just pass the time (although I would try to multi task and I would write while talking).

Now, I find that I either don't have the time to do paperwork, or (especially after listening to the show) I just try to show a little more compassion towards my patients. Most of the people are from nursing homes and rarely do they get to talk to new people outside their circle.

I have always been interested in sociology (albiet from a distance) and the history of the individual people who live through historic times. I have been transporting these people for years now and I have only just begun to truely listen to them, and learn what I can. There are some very depressing stories. A few patients don't get to talk to anyone, until the ambulance picks them up for their dialysis appointment, and after they return to a house, void of human interaction, they turn on the TV and wait until we return.

A few stories have left me sadder for the day, but I hope that the patients gain from our short interaction.

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• 06:06 Working @ OCEMS for 12 hrs.
• 06:07 OC is next to @buckman hollar. With any luck we won't meet today.
• 10:29 BTW I am playing BLS today. I can't be ALS at OC. They don't hire new medics. We just took a possible MI to the ER ( ALS onboard)
• 10:36 Just FYI - use of a whizinator is a class A misdemeanor. (via @dancanon)
• 10:39 #followfriday @weebeefire is my major at the firehouse. He's new to Twitter
• 12:05 On the move. We're rotating back to the center of the county.
• 12:07 Any one in Louisville taking part in the Humana Festival? Wondering which plays I should see.
• 12:28 4 people have been shot and up to 41 people have been taken hostage at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, NY. (via @BreakingNews)
• 14:12 RT @gfriese: welcome EMS magazine editor @NancyEPerry #followfriday (via @dengerin)
• 14:18 URGENT: Jumping out of moving cars on the highway is not a good idea. Carry on with your day
• 17:07 The Walt Disney Co. says it has cut 1,900 positions at its U.S. theme parks due to the slumping economy. (via @BreakingNews)
• 17:13 That last tweet is true. Many managers lost their jobs at Disney World. Luckily my friends survived the cuts.
• 17:18 Returning from BLS transfer from urgent care to hospital.
• 17:28 Shameless #followfriday plug for @medic_ray he's a good read, and inventive. No power failure stops him!

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• 04:24 Awake. 5 hrs sleep. Entire crew going to gym @ 5am. Maybe an aftenoon nap in my future!
• 05:50 Finished workout. Waiting for the rest of the crew. Basketball last night wasn't good on my knee. It's not happy today
• 10:39 At the sound of the tone the time will be 10:39 EDT. I've been awake for 7 hours. I get to nap now.
• 10:42 @funambulator
• 10:42 Nice use of negative space . @funambulator.
• 11:03 Ok, maybe no nap just yet. Rain is coming and I need to mow the yard. I hate grass, the way it grows continuously. It's evil incarnate.
• 12:23 RT @funambulator: If you remember or have a story about the '74 tornado, we want to hear from you today around 1:20 502-814-TALK or @soatalk
• 12:32 RT @toddmundt: Cutting the Coax: an update bit.ly/iP6Ll (I like the concept, and we thought of dumping cable but we would miss UK BB)
• 14:39 Watching Bottle Shock. Knee still hurts, I knew I shouldn't have played basketball last night
• 16:23 Everyone says I'm a wise ass. I'm waching Talidega Nights, I feel my IQ lowering already.
• 20:24 Going to sleep. Have to get up @ 4am for a shift at OCEMS

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• 06:24 When everything is wrong... I'm trying to just move along. Need mental health day off work.
• 08:12 This day is proving to be a worthy adversary but I have won the battle thus far. The war is still being waged. More reports from the front
• 08:36 I have to take my V02 max test again today. This FD doesn't understand that you can't really change a VO2 max number in 3 months.
• 08:38 Technically it's not a real test. It's a mathematical estimate of what my VO2 max should be given BMI & max heart rate over time.
• 09:34 Got 29 and change on m VO2 max test. Dept. Standard is 38. Ask me if I care.
• 09:37 Anyone want to hire a medic full time? Prospects need good health plan and pay.
• 09:40 I lie to the public when they ask if my job is exciting. It's not, and I wish we had more fires to fight. I'm bored
• 10:12 I am feeling Verbose today, and this is Tweet 3000 for me. Thanks for putting up with me ;)
• 11:09 What's worse than killing a patient? Trying to hide it: is.gd/pWUy (via @kevinmd)
• 13:00 Training at Nortons Commons. Preplan strategies & tactics. Yawn.
• 16:57 Back from gym. Truck washed. Last shift left us with nothing to dry the engine so it will hang on the line for an hour or more.
• 17:05 Congradulations on the new Class. Who did you get for lead instructor?
• 17:23 Dear Facebook iPhone App, Why can't I share links? Easy, simple add to next update. Ok, thanks.
• 18:11 Why the Monkey? 091/365 Nortons Commons tinyurl.com/d7ef3d
• 18:38 I have determined that the Submaximal VO2 max test is a joke. Tried to convince department to get a real VO2 Max test. No takers yet

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• 14:04 Very busy day on the ambulance. Finally got to eat lunch.
• 14:12 Nursing home to ER all day long. We're now posting.
• 14:26 I need to improve my IV stats. All the BLS runs are making me rusty. Missed twice today :(
• 16:06 Driving past down town. Sky doesn't look so good. Maybe rain soon twitpic.com/2nh14

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• 09:12 Waiting for my partner to Show (he's late). 1 of 3 medics on the street today
• 11:11 Waiting in radiology. Our truck has no power to the box. We are OOS.
• 14:25 At least they gave us 10 minutes to eat lunch before sending on another chuck run.
• 15:17 Posting. Beautiful sunny day - bkite.com/061Fn
• 16:03 Run volume has slowed this afternoon. One ALS truck has gone home. Only two medic left on the street. We're posting still.
• 19:36 Why the Monkey? 089/365 Vulcan tinyurl.com/c82jnu

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• 09:38 24 hours of firehouse love. Teaching Hazmat to the recruits.
• 14:50 I'm getting dragged into a legal case from an EMS run more than 3 years ago.
• 14:53 The 2 Louisville fans I work with are yelling at the TV. Sloppy play all around.
• 15:45 Watching Louisville MIST game at the station - bkite.com/05ZTn
• 17:28 Sitting on the side of I-71 SB waiting to clear from an MVC
• 17:55 Finally clearing the highway. What's for dinner?
• 20:34 Everything is all cleaned up at the station (finally). Washing clothes, working Rural Metro tomorrow
• 20:41 Been on my feet since 7am. My knee does not like me at the moment.
• 21:00 A friend of mine is doing a photo project fo her masters in education tinyurl.com/d48jjv
• 21:06 Why the Monkey? 087/365 Thai iced tea tinyurl.com/carehe
• 21:07 Why the Monkey? 088/365 MVC tinyurl.com/devufn
• 21:30 My first Medical Neccessity blog: Dispatch - tinyurl.com/cqwyrs
• 21:33 Don't know if I can keep up two blogs, but I am going to try to write. Too many things to say about Prehospital medical care.
• 22:25 Listening to EMS educast. Yes, I'm a junkie. I live with my issues.

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• 09:32 RT @craigdurling: Here's one way to clean your monitor: is.gd/5msS
• 09:39 RT @gbullard: This seems pretty smart tinyurl.com/ck35fn (I can't even get Fire Chiefs to work one 24hr shift to see what it's like)
• 10:01 Morning World. Welcome to my one day off, until Thursday.
• 10:02 I get 100% chance of severe storms today. Thanks NWS. At least I am not working.,would be very busy.
• 10:03 Actually I turned down two offers to work today from the two ambulance services I work for. I needed a day off.
• 10:04 Many people around here may not voluntarily participate in @EarthHourUS but mother nature will force our hand ;)
• 20:43 Line of thunder storms approaching the metro. Tornado watch for Louisville.
• 20:49 Welcome to spring weather metro Louisville!

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Dispatch

27 March 2009
Another day on the bus. The previous day was extremely busy for my service, so I thought that this one would be busy also. I was wrong, at least for the first six hours of my eight hour tour. The day began as most days in private service EMS, dialysis transports and return trips to the nursing home. The service I work for has been increasing the number of trucks on the street recently, today we had seven medics on the street for a total of nineteen transport ambulances. With so many paramedics I knew that I would be busy with the 'chuck' run all day long. I am not bothered by chucking people.

After the fourth run for my truck (which I teched so my partner could get a brake) we went back to a posting location. We did not stay long, we finally had the chace to make a priority 1 (code 3) run. Dispatch sends us the info, elderly female with difficulty breathing, a nursing home clear across the county. My partner is driving and we hit the road, lights and siren blaring. Five minutes pass and they send another truck to a priority 1 run right near where we had been. I have not knowledge of where this ALS truck cleared from but I thought they might be west of our location. I thought about trying to swap runs with them, but I decided that dispatch would know best. As it happenes so often in private ambulance service, we passed the other ALS truck, going opposite directions on the highway.

Surely the dispatcher could have seen this error? Why do they spend so much time crossing trucks, wasting fuel and time? Most of our dispatch staff have never been on the street, however they do have CAD to assist them, and they hear us enough to know where the facilities are located. I make it a point to tell them my exact location when they call my number. I am hoping they will use their brain and send me to the closest available run, not across town, when there is a closer truck.

My patient required a breathing treatment and a trip to the ER (non emergency). When we arrived on scene the nursing home staff told us she had a SpO2 of 50% on 3 lpm by nasal cannula and she had an irregular heart beat. The PT was laying supine in bed. I removed the nasal cannula, listened to her lungs and administered a breathing treatment before getting her on our cot. When will nursing homes get their act together and stop placing 2 miles of oxygen tubing connected to a concentrator at 2-3 liters per minute. This does your patient no good if they are having a hard time breathing, seriously people. LPN's are useless, if they cannot understand the concept.

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• 09:14 Back on the paramedic band wagon. R/M was busy yesterday. Slow morning so far, we shall see!
• 09:44 Posting downtown. A BLS crew is here with us. - bkite.com/05VfX
• 09:46 I'm at Waterfront Park - bkite.com/05Vg6
• 09:51 #followfriday @geekymedic for all your EMS podcast needs.
• 14:12 Posted in the Audobon area. Waiting for the next run - bkite.com/05VHr
• 14:16 bit.ly/bYlv explains, FINALLY, what this "#followfriday" thing is. (Thanks, @jankabili!) (via @Pogue)
• 15:45 Billy Gillispie gone from Kentucky. Press conference @ 4:30edt.
• 18:25 Clearing from lift assist. Missed IV on last run. Only ALS PT of the day.
• 19:18 Americanized Chinese food! Yumm! - bkite.com/05WeM
• 20:35 Arizona forgot to show up to the game. Louisville is klling them 65-34
• 21:02 Going to bed. Both games are a blow out. No point watching anymore. Need sleep

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• 07:32 Back at the firehouse. Hope all my friends @ WDW survive the axe!
• 08:12 On the way to USAR team training. First one for me. Just got on the team last December
• 08:38 I'm at Louisville - bkite.com/05TfI
• 12:42 On the way back from training. Nothing exciting, keep moving.
• 16:08 I'm riding as officer until 10pm EDT. Be afraid. Seriously.
• 17:35 EMS is busy. All private svcs. are out of trucks. LMEMS are holding code 1 runs. And it's sunny & dry out! WTF?
• 18:18 Dinner, yum! Night cleaning finished. I've got a few admin. duties to finish then I get to rest!
• 20:57 Finally finished with the administrative duties. No wonder my Major never gets to sleep before 1am!
• 21:07 Why the Monkey? 085/365 Tender 1869 tinyurl.com/dasqs5
• 21:18 Waiting for laundry in washer. Bored and tired.
• 21:24 Anyone ever actually try to read Legeslative bills in House or Senate? Ridiculously convoluted or what?
• 22:08 According to WHAS 11 news Billy Gillispie may not be back for a third season. tinyurl.com/cwq4r9
• 22:11 WHAS 11 implied that Billy G. is mostly fired. No official word yet.

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• 07:56 Just added myself to the wefollow.com twitter directory under: ##Paramedic ##Photographer ##Firefighter
• 07:57 Morning Twits. Warm and rainy here in the metro. Probably going to be busy on the ambulance
• 11:25 1st run difficulty breathing. PT was very warm. I'm thinking Pneumonia exacerbated COPD.
• 12:50 On the way to the Suburban Hosp. Area for posting. - bkite.com/05RLk
• 14:42 Clearing VA hospital. Back to our posting location.
• 14:46 Bright Kite is a neat idea but not very useful in my area. Not many users, and some haven't updated in 7-10 months #britekite
• 14:49 When will we finally have enough social media websites? Twitter, Brite kite, FB, Socialscope, plaxo, linked in. I'm going to pare down my
• 14:49 Social media web presence. Too freaking many.
• 20:36 Why the Monkey? 083/365 Lines & Knots tinyurl.com/cwl4xh
• 20:36 Why the Monkey? 084/365 Executive Inn tinyurl.com/cmu5b6
• 20:50 Kentucky proves why they never made the NCAA tourny. They can't get the little ball in the basket. #NIT
• 20:55 Horrible performance Kentucky. Lost 67-77 to ND. Please come back next year with some freaking heart and desire to play the game

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• 07:59 Home. No runs last night. Maybe I'll take an early morning nap.
• 22:26 That was easy - Funny video - Twouble with Twitter. tinyurl.com/cjrujf (via @MedblogAddict)
• 22:29 Let the dogs out, going to bed. Back on ambulance tomorrow morning.

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• 07:10 Welcome to 24 more hours at the firehouse. Hopefully stupidity will stay home
• 07:50 Live fire training this morning. Four departments will be there. Oh joy!
• 12:11 Back from training. Lunch finished. Need to repair door on the engine & refill bottles.
• 14:27 Stopped by station 2; now for some area awareness - bkite.com/05OlF
• 15:15 Listening to EMS garage podcast.
• 15:42 Back at station 3. Getting sleepy. - bkite.com/05OsX
• 15:56 Wishing I could be playing Paramedic on an ambulance.
• 15:59 Does anyone think Advanced Practice Paramedic program will be comming to Kentucky? I bet not. Surprised we are not using hurses still
• 16:20 Pass this along!!! - hour of silence(no tweets) tonight on Twitter from 8p-9p EDT in memoriam of the slain officers in Oakland.
• 16:30 I was going to take a RapidCE class, but I think I'll wash the engine first.
• 19:01 Watching Axe men on History Channel. People think firefighting is crazy?
• 19:05 JUST IN -- The Middle Tennessee University is on lockdown after an armed man reportedly ran into a building on campus. (via @BreakingNewsOn)
• 20:41 About time Patterson took a freaking shot! He's killing me with his lack of shots. #nit
• 20:45 Hey Kentucky, if you can't defend against the 3 you aren't going to win. This isn't rocket science
• 20:50 UK might as well get off the court if they are going to play like that. High school teams play better than this
• 21:01 WTG Kentucky, you officially SUCK. Can we get a New coach yet?
• 21:05 Last 2 minutes are always the best. #nit
• 21:16 Ok, now on to Notre Dame in the Quarterfinals. IF we could only play consistantly, we might have a chance. #NIT
• 21:26 Who wants to see a UCONN & Louisville rematch in the Final Four? #FInalFour
• 21:47 Unreal sheep hearding is.gd/nHjt (via @Chrismatthieu)
• 21:54 Getting sleepy. Have to go make bed. Then maybe @planetmoney podcast of the day. Crap, still need a photo of the day :(

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• 16:06 Why the Monkey? 080/365 Pools of light tinyurl.com/cexmrr
• 16:06 Why the Monkey? 081/365 Fancy Cat tinyurl.com/d9w952

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• 01:48 I think some of our EMTs are getting sloppy at the firehouse. Poor clinicians and lazy about taking vitals.
• 02:32 I'd like Louisville more if it were not the allergy capitol of the US. My congested head agrees. Never had problems till I moved here
• 03:21 So my stomach didn't like the decongestant I took a little while ago. Add that to sinus congestion = no sleep
• 07:36 Home. More sleep soon. First take care of dogs. Working special event for Rural Metro tonight @ Science Center
• 08:09 Mechanical sirens in the distance. E10 must have a med run somewhere. There was a fatal mvc Bardstown rd. At county line about an hour ago.
• 11:03 I give. World 1 me 0. No sleep this morning.
• 14:19 Home. Have a few chores to do. Maybe a nap before work tonight
• 20:14 Equipment checked; Truck checked. Ready to go
• 21:40 College dance party in celebration of heart awareness week. - bkite.com/05LqT

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• 07:04 Going to get recertified in ACLS this morning
• 14:23 Waiting for dealship to give an oil change to l Asst. Chief command car. How did I get the easy gig today?
• 14:23 I'm at Buckner - bkite.com/05IoN
• 16:33 PPE distributing fool. I am responsable for issuing PPE at my FD now. Oh boy how exciting.
• 18:09 Getting groceries! Soup & grilled cheese for dinner - bkite.com/05IOk
• 19:10 Two runs and we haven't finished making dinner yet!
• 21:35 Back up to date on my photo of the day. Trying to keep up with posting to the blog is getting harder. joelneild.com/blog
• 21:36 Why the Monkey? 078/365 ACLS Recert tinyurl.com/cr36h5
• 21:36 Why the Monkey? 079/365 Practice tinyurl.com/c8hfyh
• 21:59 Going to make my bed and listen to the EMSeducast. Hope @buckman is funny this time ;)

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• 06:52 Didn't sleep well. Got about 4 hours on and off. Working on the ambulance today.
• 11:23 6 medics on the street today. Loads of bls transfers. Almost got an ALS run but a closer truck took the run
• 13:08 They are trying to send me home. Too many trucks on the street not enough runs
• 13:19 Hey Louisville why is poplar level closed at 264?
• 14:22 RT @Squirrel325: Hug a third-year med school student today, they're ALL finding out where they're going for residency today.

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• 10:45 I'm waiting to see a few leaf trombone players get together and perform.
• 13:38 Trying Pocket Informant app for iPhone. Really liked the winmo version. Hopefully they can do good with this app
• 17:11 Why is KYTelco Bank not in the 21st century? They need to get with the freaking program so I can D/L my accounts into Quicken.
• 17:15 Feeling crappy. I'm going to vent frustrations of virtual airplanes.
• 17:27 Pink Floyd on the iPod & flying. This should be good

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• 11:41 I'm at Louisville - bkite.com/05BMp
• 11:47 Beer me. At Irish rover. Let festivities begin
• 12:08 Feeling better. Guiness, fish & chips, all is right in my world
• 12:21 Did I mention live music here Also? Best place For Irish food & beer. Yup Irish Rover is the place to be
• 13:08 The rover is filling up with merry people. All ages show. Saw one old lady dancing with her walker. Young at heart indeed
• 13:11 I wonder how my crew is getting on at the fire station?
• 13:14 BULLETIN -- ELEVEN A.I.G. EXECUTIVES RESIGN. (via @BreakingNewsOn)

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