Pretty sad Emts won't help nowadays

[HotelMinion]

I was at work when I Felt nausea. I must've been green because the sup said ok, I could go home after little argument.
I had taken the subway so I got on it when pain hit me hard in my stomach area. It made me double over and throw up. People said are u ok but didn't stop.
I knew I was in big trouble, miles from home. After sitting and talking to my friend on the phone, he advised me to call 911 to go to the hospital. (He was miles away at work so he couldn't come pick me up).
The pain (omg, the pain) got worse so I called. I don't know how they understood me, since I was gasping but the dispatcher sent an ambulance. While waiting I threw up 2 more times.
I heard the sirens so I mustered my strength and went to meet them outside.
They asked me if this has happened before, and if I went to the hospital before for it, I nodded. A policeman was there. I answered their question as best I could but I was drifting in and out.
Next thing I know the policeman was grabbing me, I had been about to fall. The Emts were rolling their eyes and not helping at all! Finally they asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital or not, they informed me snappish lay they didn't have anything for pain. At that point, I just wanted to go home. So I said so. I mean, it was obvious they didnt want to take me.
The police helped me to a taxi and I did my best not to throw up in there and made it home to do it. My friend came later to visit and was relived that I was ok after a bit and resting. He was furious that the ambulance didn't take me to the hospital but I said it was ok since I didn't have insurance. And the last time this happened, they left me for the lobby writhing and puking. Unless you are gushing blood I guess, you are last. Pretty sad if u ask me.

[KuariKaydrith]

They probably had you figured for a drug-seeker wanting narcotics. Sometimes they just forget that not everybody is out to try to get drugs from them

[Sapphire Silk]

You should complain to the EMS administration. Their behavior was unacceptable. They should have put you on a stretcher, started an IV and taken you to the hospital instead of "asking" you.

They carry morphine (if they have a paramedic that is), but it's not in their protocols to give it for abdominal pain or nausea and vomiting. That's as it should be.

But most people would feel better just knowing they are being taken seriously and getting help. I can't understand why EMTs say "we don't carry pain meds" before the patient asks for them. What they should say is, "We aren't allowed to give medications for this, we have to take you to the hospital which is what we're going to do right now."

[LillFilly]

I thought that if an ambulance comes for you, you have to sign a waiver that you refused service before they will leave; this covers their butts in case someone tries to claim they were 'denied' service. It doesn't sound like they were very well trained to deal with a semi-incapacited person. I second the suggestion to complain to their higher-ups; would you have the policeman's information who might have noticed their names or ambulance number? I hope you're feeling better now; maybe it was a 24hr stomach bug or food poisoning.

[Seanette]

I just hope it wasn't appendicitis! Nausea/vomiting and abdominal pain were my major symptoms of that.

[Barracuda]

If you don't know what is causing these spells, I would get checked out by a doctor IMMEDIATELY. Other than that, though...I would file a complaint with the EMS service and with whoever they have their contract with (city, county, hospital, etc.) Ambulance services in many areas are private companies who must compete for contracts to provide services. This kind of behavior, if it is typical, can get a company's contract yanked. And the fact that you almost passed out in front of them and they did nothing is extremely concerning. Some licensing agencies would suspend or yank certification for that if nothing else.

[brucetiki]

Typical of paramedics these days sadly.

Whatever you don't don't get stuck in front of one WITHOUT it's lights on or sirens going. Had one tailgate me for a few kilometres awhile back before overtaking me and flipping me the bird. No lights or sirens, so I wasn't legally obligated to pull over and let them pass (of course, if they had the sirens/lights on, I would've pulled over immediately).

Lucky I had the wits to note the rego number of the ambulance, so I e-mailed a complaint to the ambulance service. After no reply, I wrote to the Emergency Services Minister. The two paramedics got sent to anger management.

I wouldn't trust a paramedic with a pet, let alone a human life.

[Rapscallion]

Can we not tar an entire profession with the same brush please?

Rapscallion

[Seshat]

What Raps said.

I've had excellent service from paramedics/EMTs, and I've had what I'd consider 'standard' or even 'mediocre' service from them. Never had the bad luck to get actually bad service - so far, touch wood.

While I fully understand that it can be a severe problem when you get bad service from anyone medical (or any emergency service, really); please phrase your venting so that you're only complaining about the specific people who fu-- up. Not the profession as a whole.


Thank you.

[star82869]

A close friend of mine is an EMT & would be horrified at this story.

[MoonCat]

Sounds like it could be appendicitis, or a bad gallbladder. Either one is serious. Please look into getting help in some fashion, okay? Sorry the EMTS were jerks. I agree they should be reported.

[redsox33413]

File a complaint, pronto... The cop can't do much or make a call medically, as they are not considered trained medical personnel (even though they have required first aid & cpr training), so he did right by at least getting you into a taxi and home. The paramedics, on the other hand... Where I'm from, you have to sign a waiver (AMA-type) stating you don't want to "take a rig ride". Also, someone actively getting sick (after a call to 911 has been made) in front of them should have been enough of a clue to at least assess the situation better and not assume you were "seeking" anything other than help. A quick trip to the ER and maybe a starter IV for fluids isn't exactly rocket science for these guys (I hope!). After they drop you at the ER, you're no longer their problem, anyway. I'm sorry you went through that, hopefully these guys were not the norm of service in your area. Feel better soon!

[Kittykat]

Contact the mayor's office. Also, go to the ER it sounds like your appendix is about to burst. Had mine do that, it wasn't fun.

[Arucard]

My only experience with paramedics was a good one. Very similar symptoms to you, but my mum drove me to the doctor's first, then they called an ambulance to take me from there to a hospital. They suspected appendicitis (which is what it was). When the ambos got there, they just confirmed with me that I wanted to take an ambulance, because I could be taken in my mum's car instead, but she didn't know where to go, and sitting with a seatbelt was very uncomfortable, so I said yes. They loaded me up, asked if I'd been given any pain meds, I said no, an I think it was because they didn't want to risk masking any symptoms for the hospital to check. The ambo in the back with me gave me a slightly shocked look and said "That's a really old-school way of thinking, was it an old guy treating you? They don't need to poke you these days, they can detect it by other ways. Here, this is a green whistle..." Proceeded to tell me how to use it and soon I was sucking down on my first pain relief all day, and it felt great to be able to finally relax without doubling over.

He even chatted with me about the people who do call just for the pain meds, will ask for the green whistle even before they're in the ambulance, and most concerning are the people who ask for it by its chemical name instead.

[fireheart]

I'm surprised that ANYONE can have the green whistle without puking. I nearly did puke when I had it last.