Skip to main content

EMS Commandments

A quick glance at a search engine of your choice will net you a lot of results when you type in the statement EMS Commandments.  Over the years, our agencies have designed the rules of the trade when it comes to how a unit operates on a daily basis.  There are some of the commandments that are well known from agency to agency while others are a more local flavor. 

As some of you that know me personnally know that I am a watcher of people.  I like to learn about the body mechanics of individuals and what each movement means, and it is always intersting to see what people are really saying.  In addition to that, it is really interesting in learning about how people think and operate. 

Have you ever looked at how people act around other people.  When people look old and grungy they are less likely to speak to them, let alone give them something.  If they look clean and young they are willing to provide more of a hand-out and even more conversation.  I have witnessed several events over the past week to prove that very statement.  Now, I am not writing a truly statistical research paper on this revolution, but it is again interesting to watch people.  However, it did get me thinking.  Thinking about the way that I treated people when I was on the fire engine and on the ambulance.  Additionally, it got me thinking about the way that I generally operate around people. 

There is a tremendous discussion about how EMS is utilized.  There are those individuals who truly need the services offered by our fellow pre-hospital bretheren, while some utilize the services of our EMS agencies for other reasons.  As our services are continually worked hard on a daily basis, how do we treat those that need our services.  I know my next comment is going to get me in trouble in the EMS/Fire circle, and to my defense I wasn't perfect at this either (but I am continually trying to get better).  I tryly believe that we should be treating each patient with the utmost respect available.  I know that with certain circumstances we must be slightly more aggressive with the patients (i.e. combative) but we should be treating patients with respect. 

With many services looking at implementing the community paramedine model, will that change the negative attitude associated with overuse of the system?  If so why aren't we all implementing the new ideas?  There are several questions that I could ask here to peak interest in changing the system, but ultimately it is going to take a community of practice buy-in to make changes.  Knowing that, remember what if the tides changed and your patient was the provider treating your injury or illness...would you be happy with the way you are treating you?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

EMS Today 2013 - Social Media Style

EMS Today 2013 is has ended and everybody is returning back to their homes in spite of mother natures attempt to infiltrate Washington DC with #snowquester2013.  Don't you just love how so many take a name and quickly rebrand it into another name.  Now I must say, EMS Today 2013 was a massive success...and I wasn't even there.  The 2013 JEMS Conference and Exposition was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the center of the Nation's Capital, Washington DC.  Kicking off the conference with the National Association of EMS Educators Instructor I course, the main conference was held from 5-9 March 2013. AJ Heightman, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (www.jems.com) providing the momentous kick-off necessary for a conference of this size.  Coming forward in a three piece suit, Mr. Heightman spoke to the "Changing History, Unchangeable Dedication" and brought the attendees through the years and provided awards to thos...

Mentor Leadership

( www.amazon.com ) Tonight I began reading the Tony Dungy book "The Mentor Leader".  Everybody that has small knowledge of the NFL knows about Tony Dungy and his reputation and I can only wish that I was part of the Colts organization to be a fly on the wall to hear just a few words of his leadership style.  While I am still just in the beginning of this book I have already started to look at things slightly different than I did before.  So I started to look in my history and see who my mentors have been, or who they might currently be.  I looked at why I chose them, or why I considered them my mentors and I can really see that I jumped right into those because of their ability to get me where I want to be.  In the beginning of the book Coach Dungy states that most people look to get their leadership skills from those that have awesome bank accounts or tremendous winning percentages, but never for the way a leader is viewed, for what they really do....

The Kid President - Going Beyond to Achieve Amazing

"THE KID PRESIDENT" Going Beyond to Achieve Amazing!!! Sometimes inspiration comes from some strange places...really I'm taking advice from "The Kid President." But I must say, we all should. Watch the clip above. I have watched and discussed this clip many times since I watched on my TED app. The story of this young individual is truly amazing. This video is even more amazing. If you watch the clip and take it at face value it is already something that we should be doing. The Kid President makes a great point. Aren't we all on the same team. The story of today, the story of Easter shows just how much we are on the same team. The captain that led the team has sacrificed more than any of use, but we commonly think that just because we wear a different uniform, or a different title we are truly competitors. If you are a career firefighter you better than those that aren't, when really we take the same classes, we respond to the same type ca...