I figured out how to handle my issues with Firefighters.
It came to me when we were called to assist a BLS Fire Department ambulance. The patient was an elderly man with a fever, who had been in rehab for an infection. He was absolutely stable, but needed a ride to the ER for some blood work and maybe a new antibiotic.
As the obvious rookie Firefighter-EMT gave me a hurried and breathless report on the patient’s condition, I noticed something in his expression.
Eyes wide, leaning forward, muscles tensed, mouth slightly open.
The expression that anyone who has ever played with a lab knows. Behind those eyes, the racing thought was Throwtheballthrowtheballthrowtheball.
Firefighter; "Yeah, he ‘s complaining of chills and shakes.” Throwtheballthrowtheball
Paracynic: “Ok. Is he oriented?’
FF (blinks): "Ummm...yeah. History of diabetes." Throwtheballthrowtheballthrowtheball
PC : "But he’s oriented?"
FF: "Uh-huh." Throwtheballthrowtheballthrowtheball
PC: "You check his vitals?"
FF: *pause* "Yeah. Pulse is 92 and bounding." (only Firefighters use “thready” or “bounding” like this) "I couldn’t hear his systolic BP, but his diastolic is 52." BALLBALLBALL!
PC: "Ok. You could palpate a pulse, so his systolic is decent, and his diastolic is decent and he’s oriented. He’s already being treated for infection. It sounds like he just needs a ride to the ER. You comfortable taking him?"
FF; *silence* OMGBALL!!!!!!!!!!!
PC: "...Y’know what? Why don’t I start an IV line and ride this in with you?"
FF: *nodding hyperactively* WOOT! BALLBALLBALL!
Now that I’ve reframed the way I look at it, I’m ok. It’s really quite liberating.
The IAFF knows where you live.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, that's how all the brothers look at rookies.
We used to call them wheel chocks cause that's they were good for.