Help Me

Is usually a phrase uttered by someone in true peril. I don't expect to hear it from a middle aged man with a runny nose and a sore throat. But then I don't expect someone to ring an ambulance for that kind of condition so what do I know?

I also don't expect to be lectured by a nurse on how CPR should now be at the rate of 140 - 150 compressions a minute and how I don't know what I'm doing and he does because he has been on a course. Who needs to bother with published resuscitation guidelines when a course has told him that he knows better? It makes me all warm inside to know that such a well educated individual could be looking after somebody I know in the future.

I feel much better now that it has pointed out to me that even the advert on TV with the Bee Gees song shows a rate of about 150 a minute. I don't know what kind of freaky dance remix they are listening to but it sure as shit isn't the same as the one I heard when listening to the advert.

I am at a loss as to which is worse...

"I don't mean to tell you how to do your job..."

but you are going to aren't you, you irritating jack russel esque cunt.

This phrase seems to be coming up more and more recently (mostly from people whose role in life is to connect a hose to a water pump) but I've also heard it quite a lot recently from nurses.

Now I don't know how to do a nurses job, but I sure as hell know how to do my job so stop fucking interrupting and demeaning me with your assumption that all we should do is carry people and do what the proper HCP's tell us to. Seriously holding onto a GP's letter like its rocking horse shit and trying to stop us reading it is not helping anyone.

I do wonder if there are idiot ambulance staff standing in A&E's speaking to nurses saying "I dont mean to tell you how to do your job" but I suspect strongly this problem is across the board and there will be somewhere.

Do even BASICS understand what paramedics do?

Looking at A Life in the Day of a Basics Doctor

Can't help but wonder with the below comment from Matt Dinnery

"Someone who, without your volunteering, would quite possibly not have made it tonight!"

What exactly did this BASICS Doctor do that ParaGirl could not? If ambulance was already there would they not have assessed this patient as needing to travel and immobilised appropriately? Only treatment given is IV Fluids which is in paramedic skillset. Going to a MTC is also a decision made by paramedics.

Poor Plod

Checked out Inspector Gadget Blog. Found it quite disappointing.

Apparently poor PC Plod is upset because they have to come out to patients who are potentially violent to assist ambulance crews and they do not think it is their job.

Lets look at the facts

Pc Plod
Starting Wage £23,000
Pension Age 55
Restraint Training
Some have tazers
Batons
CS Spray
Stab Vest

Paramedic
Minimum of 2 Years training that has to be paid for at university by the individual (£18,000 minimum for tuition fees only)
Starting Wage £21,176
Pension Age 60 though soon to be increased to 65 or maybe 68
No restraint training
No personal defence weapons
No Stab Vest

Tell you what police. Fuck off. No we will not wander into dangerous situations because you can't be arsed to come out as you are too busy policing (if not keeping people like EMS workers safe then what exactly is policing?)

Saying S136 is our responsiblity (and all mental health) because we have contacts with mental health units. No we do not. We take them to A&E. Its totally inappropriate. Our vehicles are not safe for somebody that is resisting. You have training in restraint. You have safe police cells.

Saying that drunk patients might die in a police cell so you should be using an EMERGENCY AMBULANCE to take them to A&E rather than arresting them for drunk and disorderly. They are not ill. They are drunk. If you are so concerned take them to A&E for assessment.

In fact the other day I went to "check out" a patient that was feeling "a little down" and police were on scene. What in fucks name were they calling an emergency ambulance for? Do you not have police doctor? What exactly do you want us to do?

You are on more money, retire earlier so shut the fuck up about "wahhhh ambulance service are emergency service they should accept risk as part of their job". Well no. We are an essential service and we are not accepting risk as we are paid nowhere near what you are.

Its annoying to think that our "colleagues" despite abusing the ambulance service (constantly) and dumping people on us rather than actually deal with them (how many times have I been to the cells for a patient that has been arrested but now feels ill so they de-arrest the patient just so they don't have to deal with him) and they bitch and moan about coming out to help us perform our duties safely.

I love the police officer high up the comments who wants some of their staff to do paramedic training (bit like the firemen think they can do our job?) if we won't do what we should be doing by risking life and limb to jump in like heroes and save lives. I wonder if any of the other services have any idea just how much work goes into being a paramedic?