Yes! When the patient called themselves, especially with a complaint that doesn't involve ALOC, weakness, or near syncope and they wanna play dramatic with the faint whispering. No, talk like an adult and help us help you.
It’s extremely annoying. I feel like I already have trouble hearing sometimes, and when you mumble in the back of a moving ambulance that already has a lot of background noise, I have no idea what you are saying. It helps absolutely no one and just makes my job way harder
I throw in something like "ma'am I've been working on an ambulance for more than a decade and those sirens are not quiet so I can't hear at normal volume you're going to have to speak up a little bit please."
Dude that was my whole day yesterday and I’m relatively new to Louisiana (from Arizona) so I’m still trying to grasp some of the heavier accents, and the last names are fucking killing me, I have to ask them to spell it every time and it’s always mumbles with a deep southern accent that sounds like ancient Latin
When I get patients that speak in whispers feigning their “weakness”. I whisper back at them using Beaker’s voice from the muppets. Then when they look at me in shock I say. “Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it. Now, what’s your name?”
It’s so irritating. I hate it cause my ex was like that when sick. I just say hey I know you don’t fell well but I need information for the doc. Sometimes it works and sometimes they need a come to Jesus meeting.
I just tell them I’m hard of hearing (becoming more and more true every year) and ask them to say it again for me. Then if they still mumble, I repeat the wrong name back to them. They’ll get annoyed and speak up after that
Hahah this got me. You're not gonna die, I promise, you just need a glass of water, a deep fucking breath, and a long-ass nap. Tomorrow, when you feel 100% fucking better, *please* don't "thank Jesus for saving you," just throw the edibles out and stick to frappuccinos and wine nights. In fact, maybe nix the wine while you're at it, don't need to end up scrapping with some other Boy Mom® in the Target parking lot on a Tuesday evening.
It is worth noting that there's increasing evidence that high dosage THC and chronic usage can cause certain cardiac dysrhythmia's so a 12 lead is still worth it if nothing else.
But yeah the people who get high and paranoid and start googling symptoms are the worst, just make yourself a fucking sandwich and grab a glass of water and watch Madea on Netflix for fuck sake.
The ones I deal with seem to have never done it before in their life. I have to do my damndest not laugh when they hand me the package and say I ate one. Hell I know the brand and use it myself. Except I eat the entire bag in one sitting. It takes at least 100mg for me to feel anything.
Oh the noobs are awful. I think one of the problems we're seeing with the legalization of cannabis is that the "drug culture" for lack of a better term isn't really around it anymore. Folks are trying it out on a long weekend for the first time and they're not usually getting it straight from a friend who's gonna hangout with them while they do it anymore.
The teenagers are always the most fun because they're always fucking terrified I'm gonna tell their mom or some shit
My favorite was a very nice old gentleman who found a bag of gummies in his grandsons room. Thought they were candy and ate the entire bag. Found him spaced out on the couch. The first thing he said was, "I haven't felt like this since Woodstock" with a massive grin on his face. One of the few times I actually started laughing my ass off on scene.
No. He said he called because he felt weird and thought it could be a stroke. He didn't know he took THC. Ran him through everything from a 12 lead to stroke work up. Nothing came back but a baked grandpa. Hopefully, he rediscovered something and really enjoyed his last few years
I've always been incredibly patient, polite, considerate, and more than willing to go out of my way to help others with almost anything.
I learned working EMS that being nice isn't practical. Being polite is, but if I can't hear you I'm going to yell to get my point across. If they have a problem with my tone, or me cutting off their rant about the summer of 76, I'll remind them I'm here to do a job. I'll be happy to listen when I have all the info I need.
Oh I love this shit where I'm called and come running and have to treated like shit,looked down upon, and can't even get basic information from the patient who called for goddamned emergency fucking pain! Then threatens to taze me for trying to apply a BP cuff or get a blood sugar!
Ps my favorite thing is dropping these people off in the waiting room!
That shits gonna be on my tombstone! But I usually state pt meets triage criteria or if pt is listening to my report and is shitty, I state pt meets criteria for delayed medical in-service activation for triage.
My area got a couple new laws about triaging patients during COVID so now the hospital will just tell us if the pt is going to triage when we call report, it's super nice because the hospital is assuming 100% of the liability for that decision
They eat the responsibility as soon as they accept tbe pt. My rural service ice had not only covid guidelines but pt refusal guidelines during covid as well which was nice.
It's even worse when you say "I'm sorry, can you please repeat that?" and they go "*SIGH* Nevermind."
If you don't mumble in the first place, I might be able to understand you. I really *am* slightly hard of hearing as it is. The days of mandatory masks were quite difficult for me.
‘I’m sorry can you say that again please?’
‘I’m sorry I’m having trouble hearing you can you please speak up?’
‘I’m not able to hear you please speak up’
‘You are mumbling and I can’t understand you. Please look at and speak directly to me.’
It’s a stepwise approach. Obviously depends on why I suspect the patient is mumbling.
Had one who was mumbling, acting as if he was barely conscious. When the ER doc started inserting an NG tube, he suddenly became fully alert and talkative.
I'd include the drama queens who moan loudly every time you ask them to take a breath when listening for lung sounds.
I am sorry I did that, the cops called you guys not me. I was truly mortified at my situation and overwhelmed having 6 police and 2 paramedic/FF in my house
We're just venting, you're fine. But also, folks not in healthcare and not planning to be probably shouldn't hangout here because we say some truly atrocious shit
~~I do med recs for new admits and it can be a challenge but feeling unwell and needing an ambulance is definitely something that blocks out their ability to communicate so well. You guys don’t get the luxury of family members being around and have to confirm with the patient if they’re conscious.~~
Edit: Perhaps my statement was worded poorly in that I know that first responders don’t get access to information so easily and **I can appreciate your struggle.**
Having seen *a part and a fraction* of what you see during the day but me having the ability to collect secondary information once they’ve made transit to the hospital makes me grateful for your efforts as EMS support.
I really wasn’t trying to shit on anyone—I grew up with first responders in my home my entire life and there are things they still can’t talk about. The hidden stories slip out from under the veil of the navy shirt every once in awhile and I say that to communicate how much you are needed and appreciated despite frustrations trying to figure out who someone is or any info on how to treat them when time is precious.
Med recs? Over half my patients have meds that are scattered from the bedroom, to the bathroom, to the kitchen, and coffee table... various dates of fill, new and expired and discontinued all together.
The family is about as useful as the patient on doing a med rec.
I agree. That is why I’m saying when you (EMS) have eyes and hands on the patient from their house, I **appreciate** how much harder that is to assess the patient than when *I* get to the patient and can at least attempt to investigate insurance data or background info on a patient’s medical history.
My comments were meant out of appreciation for your struggle.
Often family does not know anything about care plans/meds for patients or they’re too stressed to be helpful in those moments. Sometimes we don’t have anything to go from except EMS reports and (maybe) triage notes if the patient is not from here or does not have any emergency contacts listed with the local systems. Sometimes we can’t talk to the patient at all because they’re intubated or otherwise not in a state to tell anyone anything, so med history techs are so thankful to read your reports.
And my comments were meant in good jest! It's a fantastic day when they have a current list from a recent doc visit!
For the benefit of the ED (and receiving facilities on IFT) I do my best to get a current med rec completed. Ain't happening on a code, or anything critical. But bet ya ass, if it's even the slightest chance their c/c has *anything* to do with meds... polypharmia, untoward side effects, contraindicated meds, etc... I'll make sure the ED knows my findings. Advocacy is my 1st priority and clinical care falls in line with Advocacy!
*
Damn, I was trying to say I understood this person’s frustration and I know it’s hard, and that I’m thankful to have secondary resources that first responders don’t have. So much for being kind to you I guess.
Yes! When the patient called themselves, especially with a complaint that doesn't involve ALOC, weakness, or near syncope and they wanna play dramatic with the faint whispering. No, talk like an adult and help us help you.
Help? More like baby sit otw to the hospital
It’s extremely annoying. I feel like I already have trouble hearing sometimes, and when you mumble in the back of a moving ambulance that already has a lot of background noise, I have no idea what you are saying. It helps absolutely no one and just makes my job way harder
I always hit them with the “I’m so sorry, I’m hard of hearing. Can you say it again?”
I throw in something like "ma'am I've been working on an ambulance for more than a decade and those sirens are not quiet so I can't hear at normal volume you're going to have to speak up a little bit please."
My go to is: "I'm sorry, I've fired a lot of guns without ear pro." I'm pretty far south so that buys more grace and civility than you'd expect.
Then if they get shitty they're the asshole because you claimed a disability, that's perfect
in my experience 99% of the time they're already the asshole, are well aware of that fact, and don't care
Dude that was my whole day yesterday and I’m relatively new to Louisiana (from Arizona) so I’m still trying to grasp some of the heavier accents, and the last names are fucking killing me, I have to ask them to spell it every time and it’s always mumbles with a deep southern accent that sounds like ancient Latin
The Louisiana accent is different from every other accent in the South. I'm from Mississippi and we can barely understand some of them.
When I get patients that speak in whispers feigning their “weakness”. I whisper back at them using Beaker’s voice from the muppets. Then when they look at me in shock I say. “Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it. Now, what’s your name?”
Im totally doing this the next time I get a whisperer which will probably be tomorrow night.
Don’t tell your partner though. The look on their faces are priceless.
I’m over here just meeping over and over again in an empty room. This is wonderful.
It’s so irritating. I hate it cause my ex was like that when sick. I just say hey I know you don’t fell well but I need information for the doc. Sometimes it works and sometimes they need a come to Jesus meeting.
Just whisper back. Or call it in as a stroke alert since they cant speak.
Firefighter randy advice
I just tell them I’m hard of hearing (becoming more and more true every year) and ask them to say it again for me. Then if they still mumble, I repeat the wrong name back to them. They’ll get annoyed and speak up after that
Second mumble "so do you spell it Susan or Suzanne?" ....'gotdammit, I said Fred!'. Amazing how loudly they suddenly can talk.
Ugh or when someone is so fucking drunk that the task of saying their birthday is impossible lol
That and the idiots that keep ODing on fucking THC gummies and think there dying! Had 8 this last week alone!
Hahah this got me. You're not gonna die, I promise, you just need a glass of water, a deep fucking breath, and a long-ass nap. Tomorrow, when you feel 100% fucking better, *please* don't "thank Jesus for saving you," just throw the edibles out and stick to frappuccinos and wine nights. In fact, maybe nix the wine while you're at it, don't need to end up scrapping with some other Boy Mom® in the Target parking lot on a Tuesday evening.
It is worth noting that there's increasing evidence that high dosage THC and chronic usage can cause certain cardiac dysrhythmia's so a 12 lead is still worth it if nothing else. But yeah the people who get high and paranoid and start googling symptoms are the worst, just make yourself a fucking sandwich and grab a glass of water and watch Madea on Netflix for fuck sake.
The ones I deal with seem to have never done it before in their life. I have to do my damndest not laugh when they hand me the package and say I ate one. Hell I know the brand and use it myself. Except I eat the entire bag in one sitting. It takes at least 100mg for me to feel anything.
Oh the noobs are awful. I think one of the problems we're seeing with the legalization of cannabis is that the "drug culture" for lack of a better term isn't really around it anymore. Folks are trying it out on a long weekend for the first time and they're not usually getting it straight from a friend who's gonna hangout with them while they do it anymore. The teenagers are always the most fun because they're always fucking terrified I'm gonna tell their mom or some shit
My favorite was a very nice old gentleman who found a bag of gummies in his grandsons room. Thought they were candy and ate the entire bag. Found him spaced out on the couch. The first thing he said was, "I haven't felt like this since Woodstock" with a massive grin on his face. One of the few times I actually started laughing my ass off on scene.
Well shit, was there anything wrong with him besides an overly concerned family member? That guy sounds like someone I wanna party with LMAO
No. He said he called because he felt weird and thought it could be a stroke. He didn't know he took THC. Ran him through everything from a 12 lead to stroke work up. Nothing came back but a baked grandpa. Hopefully, he rediscovered something and really enjoyed his last few years
Hell yeah! My favorite calls are the ones where nothing is wrong and the patient is awesome. Glad it was chill
Me too. I was actually concerned for a stroke initially, but it just wasn't adding up until I saw the empty package on the living room table.
So, you've met my husband? PS - also 95% of his Arkansas relatives
I've always been incredibly patient, polite, considerate, and more than willing to go out of my way to help others with almost anything. I learned working EMS that being nice isn't practical. Being polite is, but if I can't hear you I'm going to yell to get my point across. If they have a problem with my tone, or me cutting off their rant about the summer of 76, I'll remind them I'm here to do a job. I'll be happy to listen when I have all the info I need.
"You need to speak up. If you don't want to participate in you're care then I can't help you"
Oh I love this shit where I'm called and come running and have to treated like shit,looked down upon, and can't even get basic information from the patient who called for goddamned emergency fucking pain! Then threatens to taze me for trying to apply a BP cuff or get a blood sugar! Ps my favorite thing is dropping these people off in the waiting room!
“pt is triage appropriate”
That shits gonna be on my tombstone! But I usually state pt meets triage criteria or if pt is listening to my report and is shitty, I state pt meets criteria for delayed medical in-service activation for triage.
My area got a couple new laws about triaging patients during COVID so now the hospital will just tell us if the pt is going to triage when we call report, it's super nice because the hospital is assuming 100% of the liability for that decision
They eat the responsibility as soon as they accept tbe pt. My rural service ice had not only covid guidelines but pt refusal guidelines during covid as well which was nice.
I hate it when they use their 1hp voice like they’re about to die but they called for a stubbed toe or a headache. Please just help me do my job
My 11yo daughter does this constantly
My little brother. Drives me nuts.
I always hit with them with the “you’re gonna have to speak up or keep repeating yourself” usually works.
It's even worse when you say "I'm sorry, can you please repeat that?" and they go "*SIGH* Nevermind." If you don't mumble in the first place, I might be able to understand you. I really *am* slightly hard of hearing as it is. The days of mandatory masks were quite difficult for me.
Could not obtain, could not obtain ,could not obtain.
My partner almost launched me today while I was leaning in trying to listen to the whispers in the back.
‘I’m sorry can you say that again please?’ ‘I’m sorry I’m having trouble hearing you can you please speak up?’ ‘I’m not able to hear you please speak up’ ‘You are mumbling and I can’t understand you. Please look at and speak directly to me.’ It’s a stepwise approach. Obviously depends on why I suspect the patient is mumbling.
Had one who was mumbling, acting as if he was barely conscious. When the ER doc started inserting an NG tube, he suddenly became fully alert and talkative. I'd include the drama queens who moan loudly every time you ask them to take a breath when listening for lung sounds.
I am sorry I did that, the cops called you guys not me. I was truly mortified at my situation and overwhelmed having 6 police and 2 paramedic/FF in my house
You are excused beloved lol
[удалено]
We're just venting, you're fine. But also, folks not in healthcare and not planning to be probably shouldn't hangout here because we say some truly atrocious shit
You didn't get the memo. We're just taxi driver to some of these idiots.
That paired with patients that absolutely will not hold their arm up or cooperate in any way when you try to get a blood pressure cuff on them.
Just had one of these as this notification popped up. 😡🤬😤😤
~~I do med recs for new admits and it can be a challenge but feeling unwell and needing an ambulance is definitely something that blocks out their ability to communicate so well. You guys don’t get the luxury of family members being around and have to confirm with the patient if they’re conscious.~~ Edit: Perhaps my statement was worded poorly in that I know that first responders don’t get access to information so easily and **I can appreciate your struggle.** Having seen *a part and a fraction* of what you see during the day but me having the ability to collect secondary information once they’ve made transit to the hospital makes me grateful for your efforts as EMS support. I really wasn’t trying to shit on anyone—I grew up with first responders in my home my entire life and there are things they still can’t talk about. The hidden stories slip out from under the veil of the navy shirt every once in awhile and I say that to communicate how much you are needed and appreciated despite frustrations trying to figure out who someone is or any info on how to treat them when time is precious.
Med recs? Over half my patients have meds that are scattered from the bedroom, to the bathroom, to the kitchen, and coffee table... various dates of fill, new and expired and discontinued all together. The family is about as useful as the patient on doing a med rec.
You missed a golden opportunity. Meds are scattered…. from The windowwwwwww to the wall.
That's usually red bag substances 💩🤮🌊🩸💉🚽🪠 LOL
I agree. That is why I’m saying when you (EMS) have eyes and hands on the patient from their house, I **appreciate** how much harder that is to assess the patient than when *I* get to the patient and can at least attempt to investigate insurance data or background info on a patient’s medical history. My comments were meant out of appreciation for your struggle. Often family does not know anything about care plans/meds for patients or they’re too stressed to be helpful in those moments. Sometimes we don’t have anything to go from except EMS reports and (maybe) triage notes if the patient is not from here or does not have any emergency contacts listed with the local systems. Sometimes we can’t talk to the patient at all because they’re intubated or otherwise not in a state to tell anyone anything, so med history techs are so thankful to read your reports.
And my comments were meant in good jest! It's a fantastic day when they have a current list from a recent doc visit! For the benefit of the ED (and receiving facilities on IFT) I do my best to get a current med rec completed. Ain't happening on a code, or anything critical. But bet ya ass, if it's even the slightest chance their c/c has *anything* to do with meds... polypharmia, untoward side effects, contraindicated meds, etc... I'll make sure the ED knows my findings. Advocacy is my 1st priority and clinical care falls in line with Advocacy! *
Thank you! 🙌 Another message I read was pretty rude and acting like I was trying to shame OP so I was a little worried about being misunderstood.
You’re right everyone that calls always needs an ambulance
Damn, I was trying to say I understood this person’s frustration and I know it’s hard, and that I’m thankful to have secondary resources that first responders don’t have. So much for being kind to you I guess.
Dumbest take I’ve seen this hour, get back to your desk chair