I love my job. I love my career. I love that my trade is on the verge of being recognized as a legitimate professional skill. I hate that no one outside the service knows that.
Last shift on the ambulance brought us 15 bells. Not entirely out of line these days, but busy. Not busy in the "Breaking hearts and saving lives" sense but in the "My brother is sleeping" and "Will you stay and watch me eat" way of busy.
Of the 15 bells we received, 2 were for reported fires, both of which were people cooking and neighbors called. The remaining 13 medical bells were a variety of shortness of breaths, abdominal pains and literally, I couldn't make this up, a "pain in the neck."
We did have a legitimate medical emergency, however, and another instance of people who don't speak English recognizing a massive stroke and calling 911. Time from onset of symptoms to CT scan was under 30 minutes. I love my job.
For the others, I was disappointed such educated people had no idea what to do when their nose begins to run or their tummy hurts for more than 15 minutes.
We need a revamping of emergency care in this country and we need it fast. Too many are unable to see a doctor so they call 911. Forget taking themselves to the ER, they've already figured out our ride is free and the billing service can send letters all they want, these folks will just ignore it. And this is not a "rant" against the poor, in fact it's mainly against folks like me, plodding along somewhere between not going broke and doing just fine.
I'll have more about my new friends in coming posts, so check back. I'll mark them with a number like this 1:13 so you know that's call 1 of 13 ridiculous wastes of tax payer dollars in a 24 hour period.
I'll take Jingle Bells over these bells,
Happy Medic
Last shift on the ambulance brought us 15 bells. Not entirely out of line these days, but busy. Not busy in the "Breaking hearts and saving lives" sense but in the "My brother is sleeping" and "Will you stay and watch me eat" way of busy.
Of the 15 bells we received, 2 were for reported fires, both of which were people cooking and neighbors called. The remaining 13 medical bells were a variety of shortness of breaths, abdominal pains and literally, I couldn't make this up, a "pain in the neck."
We did have a legitimate medical emergency, however, and another instance of people who don't speak English recognizing a massive stroke and calling 911. Time from onset of symptoms to CT scan was under 30 minutes. I love my job.
For the others, I was disappointed such educated people had no idea what to do when their nose begins to run or their tummy hurts for more than 15 minutes.
We need a revamping of emergency care in this country and we need it fast. Too many are unable to see a doctor so they call 911. Forget taking themselves to the ER, they've already figured out our ride is free and the billing service can send letters all they want, these folks will just ignore it. And this is not a "rant" against the poor, in fact it's mainly against folks like me, plodding along somewhere between not going broke and doing just fine.
I'll have more about my new friends in coming posts, so check back. I'll mark them with a number like this 1:13 so you know that's call 1 of 13 ridiculous wastes of tax payer dollars in a 24 hour period.
I'll take Jingle Bells over these bells,
Happy Medic
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