medicgirl05 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) Captain- I have been thinking about that...too expensive. Rural- If you need men for the heavy lifting you better hit the gym. We are already an inferior species in EMS and we don't need any more men talking about our inadequacies when it comes to the physical demands of the job. Just saying... Edited October 11, 2012 by medicgirl05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuralKSEMS Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Captain- I have been thinking about that...too expensive. Rural- If you need men for the heavy lifting you better hit the gym. We are already an inferior species in EMS and we don't need any more men talking about our inadequacies when it comes to the physical demands of the job. Just saying... Anything extreme we call in help. It doesn't happen very often. Most of the time, the two or three of us can handle it fine. In the last year I think I've done it once or twice mainly because the only exit from a house was a flight of stairs with an awkward landing and turn and we didn't to risk pt harm. That one was more about the extra people to manipulate the cot then being unable to lift. The last one before that, I don't even remember. And I hear ya about the gym, try to get there as much as I can. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
island emt Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 As a just shy of 60 yo male thats been in the business since 1971, I'm not bashful about calling for lifting help with the size of some of the Patients we are seeing today. Back in the old days, there was the occasional 300lb + pt to move. Today it's rare to find one under 250lbs. We have several regulars that go 400 + and one thats just shy of 500 lbs. I don't care who you are, or how buff you think you are, You , your partner , Pt the pt will get hurt trying to exceed common sense when lifting & carrying pt's that size. We only get one back ,and back injuries are the # 1 career ending injury in prehospital care providers. Lets be careful out there kids! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneEMTP Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 MG, I hear you, and that's cool, right? I see some cleavage and treat you better, hopefully you feel better, I KNOW that I feel better, no one is harmed, everyone goes away in better spirits...Win/win? Obviously, (or hopefully so), I'm speaking within the bounds of the professional arena. But your response to RKS kind of makes my point. You choose to try and fit into EMS by proving that you don't need the help of men, when Island, who's been doing this since long before I was born, claims that he wouldn't take such foolish chances. Do you want to know why men still rule EMS? Because women, too often, try and compete as men. Men are like big dumb dogs most times. Women could own EMS if they's stop competing and start manipulating...Sounds bad? Nah...it's the way the world works when it's working right. When I was doing clinicals there was a lady basic on the truck. She was maybe 5'8" (170ish cm) and around 250lbs (you do the math..) She had the most amazing personality and for about a month, every day that she came into work she had her hair and make-up done in the fashion of one of the old pin-up girls. I mean, perfectly so! You could have just about picked out the poster that she was copying. Like they used to paint on the bombers? Stunning! And you know what? It paid big dividends, though I don't think that that is why she did it. Cops, firemen, dorky medic students, difficult to manage patients, male and female in every category just paid attention to her. They listened when she spoke, tried to anticipate what she might need...it was awesome! And though I only spent about 160hrs of shift time with her, I also never saw any sign, from either sex (and a few undetermined) that anyone considered her less professional for it. Why would a woman choose not to ustilize that? How did we end up in a society where, if you want to try to be equal to a man that it demands that you choose not to use the inherant tools at your disposal? That doesn't sound superior, or equal to me, it just sounds idiotic...And what moron decided that 'man' was the best standard to try and equal? I don't even like most of us... If I could get everyone's cooperative attention by spending my day going, "Oops! Dang it, did my wee wee slip out again?" the friggin thing would be sunburned and calloused from all of the time I'd spend "ooopsing"... And before someone says it, I KNOW that this isn't an earth shattering topic. I KNOW that we can't fix it...but I like the conversation anyway...Hell, where I am, this is practically porn....so bite me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
island emt Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 . And before someone says it, I KNOW that this isn't an earth shattering topic. I KNOW that we can't fix it...but I like the conversation anyway...Hell, where I am, this is practically porn....so bite me. Dwayne my friend: It's time to let loose and get home for some homemade pron. Your starting to sound like the folks down on the Antarctic ice pack. Where the only erotica is watching the penguins mate. In order to be an old timer like me you have to know when to call for help. doesn't matter what sex you are. I've worked with female providers that could outlift me anytime they wanted. I've also worked with guys that couldn't lift a wet paperbag of donuts. It evens out in the long run. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medicgirl05 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 The only thing being female truly affects when I'm on scene is possibly lifting some of the heavier pts and then the fire department is great about coming out to help with that when we need to. Let me clarify, this statement I interpreted as meaning that females in general are less capable in lifting than men. I don't think being female affects my lifting abilities at all. I can lift more than some men I have worked with. Maybe I am misunderstanding the intention behind the statement. In that case I'm sorry. I agree that there are most definetely patients that require lifting assistance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuralKSEMS Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Let me clarify, this statement I interpreted as meaning that females in general are less capable in lifting than men. I don't think being female affects my lifting abilities at all. I can lift more than some men I have worked with. Maybe I am misunderstanding the intention behind the statement. In that case I'm sorry. I agree that there are most definetely patients that require lifting assistance. It's all good. No offense taken. Around here, the boys are farm grown, big guys. Sometimes if there's only women on duty, we have to call the guys to help us lift the heavier pts. It is what it is. Why would a woman choose not to ustilize that? How did we end up in a society where, if you want to try to be equal to a man that it demands that you choose not to use the inherant tools at your disposal? That doesn't sound superior, or equal to me, it just sounds idiotic...And what moron decided that 'man' was the best standard to try and equal? I don't even like most of us... If I could get everyone's cooperative attention by spending my day going, "Oops! Dang it, did my wee wee slip out again?" the friggin thing would be sunburned and calloused from all of the time I'd spend "ooopsing".... I'd wear make up more on duty if I had the time to do it, lol. I like wearing it even though I don't do it often enough. Most of the time people are surprised when I do wear it, lol. I'm lucky if I can hit the bathroom before I'm running out the door at 2 in the morning to make it to the barn in five minutes from the first page. It is, however, why I wear the kinds of contacts I can sleep in. i don't want to have to keep pushing glasses up when I'm working on somebody. Sunburned and calloused "wee-wee" Too funny! That must hurt! (although probably not as bad as the tattoo of winking eyes my father in law reportedly had on a certain nameless body part) And yep, a lot of men are asses. Especially the ones who think that they know everything. Of course, there are women like that too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaTiane Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 (edited) It's all good. No offense taken. Around here, the boys are farm grown, big guys. Sometimes if there's only women on duty, we have to call the guys to help us lift the heavier pts. It is what it is. I'd wear make up more on duty if I had the time to do it, lol. I like wearing it even though I don't do it often enough. Most of the time people are surprised when I do wear it, lol. I'm lucky if I can hit the bathroom before I'm running out the door at 2 in the morning to make it to the barn in five minutes from the first page. It is, however, why I wear the kinds of contacts I can sleep in. i don't want to have to keep pushing glasses up when I'm working on somebody. Sunburned and calloused "wee-wee" Too funny! That must hurt! (although probably not as bad as the tattoo of winking eyes my father in law reportedly had on a certain nameless body part) And yep, a lot of men are asses. Especially the ones who think that they know everything. Of course, there are women like that too Haha I gotta say, I almost always wear makeup and all that when I work...if nothing else, it seems that patients behave better for you when you don't look like you just rolled out of bed, even if you just did! But...maybe thats just here? I have only worked here and it just seems that a misbehaving drunk listens to a "pretty" girl better than anyone else on scene... ... Poor Dwayne, it must really be hard for you to have no boobs to look at. I use my boobs to my advantage all the time! I get all kind of special favors and treats just for being a woman. For instance, being a female I am smaller than all my partners so they always elect to toss me through windows when doors are locked and crawl into cars for prolonged extrications. I am also usually left to do all the emotional duties, death notifications and such....yeah, I totally get special priveleges due to my boobs. NOT!!!! Gotta agree with you there : ) I always end up with OBs and babies...just because Im a lady doesn't mean I don't fear the vagina too! Edited October 14, 2012 by LolaTiane 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctickat Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 In my experience, the best way to control a belligerent drunk is a petite woman. I'm a second generation medic, both of my parents were EMTs who spent most of their career working together. My mother is 5"1' and might be about 130lbs. They would often come home with stories of how some drunk at a scene would be threatening my father and placing the entire scene at risk until my mother stepped in and took over. She's a pretty good manipulator. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuralKSEMS Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Haha I gotta say, I almost always wear makeup and all that when I work...if nothing else, it seems that patients behave better for you when you don't look like you just rolled out of bed, even if you just did! But...maybe thats just here? I have only worked here and it just seems that a misbehaving drunk listens to a "pretty" girl better than anyone else on scene... Gotta agree with you there : ) I always end up with OBs and babies...just because Im a lady doesn't mean I don't fear the vagina too! I've had the only OB call in the area in the last several years, lol. I can't stand wearing makeup to bed. If I'm on standby I do. I tend to put my hair up in a pony tail when I go to bed so at least I don't have bedhead, lol.; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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