Misunderstood. . .

There is a large population out there who has no idea what services we provide. The sad thing is, even after receiving our services, they still don’t get it.

About seven years ago, I was working an overnight with one of my former partners. We were both avid people watchers, so a majority of our time was spent in the Entertainment District of our city. On most Friday and Saturday nights, this section of town lived up to its name.

On one particular Saturday night, we were doing our usual “loop” checking out all of the sites, when we turned the corner, and found a group of people standing in the middle of the road flagging us down. When we pulled up, we noticed a woman lying in the middle of the road, and a car parked off to the side with a large “star” to the windshield.

The woman’s friends informed us that she was walking across the street when she was struck by the motor vehicle in question. She was now unconcious. My partner and I went to work, assessing her, and starting a quick trauma workup on scene before we headed off to the hospital. As many of you know, part of that trauma assessment involves the concept of “exposing” the patient to assess for injuries. Due to her unconcious nature, our patient’s clothes were cut off. We kept her covered though to preserve her dignity.

When we were getting ready to leave for the hospital, she regained conciousness. She asked me what happened, and I explained to her the events that led her to be boarded and collared with an IV in the back of my ambulance. She told me that was impossible. I asked her what the last thing that she remembered was, and she shared with me the events leading up to the accident, stating that the last thing she remembered was walking across the street, and then here she was with me.

No matter how much I tried to explain to the woman, she was convinced that she was not hit by a car. Was it the alcohol? Was it just defiance? Was it a head injury? I guess I’ll never really know.

Two weeks later, there we were again. My partner and I were doing the same loop. It was still Summertime and a very nice night, so our windows were down. Who do you guess we see? Our friend who couldn’t possibly have been hit by a car. There she was again, walking across the street, out for another Saturday night of drinking. My partner pointed her out to me as she crossed the front of our ambulance.

She looked back at us, and grabbed her friends arm. As we rolled past her, she pointed at us, and said. . .

“Hey! Those are the two who ruined my outfit!”

4 comments

  1. The Happy Medic /

    i recall a somewhat similar call where witnesses SWORE a man was run over, but his terry cloth track suit didn't have a speck of dirt on it. carefully considering all reasons of unconsciousness, we checked his blood sugar. It was in the 20s and after getting him out of the street and treating him he awoke and told us we was on the way to the store to get food and must have collapsed half way.
    I wonder if our two patients know each other?

  2. Scott C. /

    Funny how people prefer to remember the negative…

  3. Chronicles of EMS /

    OMG, That is the best example of patients just not appreciating how EMS truly functions… I see a this as a great PSA… WOW, I am now making sure it becomes one…

  4. I notice there are a lot of medics here, and I have a quick question. I don't mean to sound ugly or ungrateful I know people that owe there lives to EMT's. I just wanted to see if I could shed some light on a situation that I dealt with lately. I hope if I can get some answers I might be more likely to let it go.

    My name is Sloan and I am 20 years old and I am Epileptic. (I'm hoping someone here can answer my questions)

    This fall I suffered a Grand Mal seizure at my school. I woke up on my back with a bump and mild laceration on my head. I felt weak, but for the most part I felt ok. I was scared and began to cry, not only because of the re-percussions that my seizure would have on my life, but the fact that treatment would only add on to the medical bills I was paying from another seizure 2 months earlier (which I was already seeking treatment for with my Neurologist).

    When the EMT's arrived I was in tears as I stated that I did not want to go to with them. When they started asking me questions and I answered (birthdate, name, etc.) I responded correctly I was even able to tell them what I had done that day and what I was doing up until the seizure. I informed them that I was epileptic and I even pulled out my medicine bottle to explain what had happened to me. I asked for the refusal papers and thats when things went badly. One of the Medics told me that I had not answered the questions to their satisfaction and that I had to go the hospital and if I did not comply with them they would call the police on me if I did not. When I promised that I would go to the hospital (with the ride that I had already called) the same medic told me that he would follow me all the way to the hospital to make sure I did it. It was at this point that I was made even more upset. I cried and told them I did not want to go (which looking back on it may not have been the best idea) they wouldn't listen to me not even when I tried to explain calmly that they were the reasons that I was upset me.

    One of the EMT's finally called my Doctor, I was told (by one of the medics) that my doctor agreed with them and that I should go to the hospital which I did (after I signed my refusal papers and responding coherently and repeating back what the medics explained to me in terms of the paperwork.

    I would find out later that the medic who called my doctor gave him the wrong name I went to the hospital unecessarily as I originally thought. I have never felt so angry in my life. I still can't look at a medic without thinking of how those men treated me. I wanted to know if this is standard procedure.