Do you administer painkillers more often to white patients?

[xselerate]

I work in a system where people are only gonna get narcotics for stat-ep and flash ape, as far as what I have witnessed and know as a BLS provider, and I will say that some of these low lifes have a firm handle on the finer art of faking stat-ep

[MSDeltaFlt]

Race has absolutely zero impact on whether or not I treat pain.

That article frustrates me because nowhere was there mention of the different socio-economical stati and the different cultures and educational backgrounds embodied therein; which transend race.

I say this because the state and area I live is in the top 5 for poverty, lack of education, drug abuse, teen pregnancy, high risk pregnancy, unemployment, STD's, litigation. You name it, and we beat out just about everybody.

My state has the highest ER & OB/GYN MD liability insurance than anywhere in the country, and my area has the highest than anywhere in the state. This is a documented fact.

[JPINFV]

It ain't my drugs or my money. They are there for me to give away, and I never hesitate to do it.

I'd have to disagree with that. The military is funded with tax dollars, you pay taxes, therefore it is your money. Similarly, medicare/medicade is a large reimburser for health care and both are funded with tax dollars. Therefore tax dollars is paying for the meds.

Now the question is, is the amount of money per capita spent on prehospital narcotics worth being stingy with them? Probably not.

[ccmedoc]

Now the question is, is the amount of money per capita spent on prehospital narcotics worth being stingy with them? Probably not.

Agreed

The price per dose of morphine and fentanyl is so small, especially the amount dispensed prehospital, money should never be an issue. Another argument I hear is that it is not our job to feed their habit. This is rediculous, as it is not our job to judge whether they have a habit in the first place. If the patient hurts, fix it..no more to be said.

It is becoming not uncommon for litigation in reference to lack of, or inefficient, pain control. Protocols are a safe haven for now, but I doubt that 5 mg of morphine is going to get anyone into trouble. At the same time, judging someone an addict who is not, and withholding pain meds may.

If your patient hurts and it is within your scope, treat them...color or socioeconomic status or possibility of addiction plays no part initially. Leave the rehab to the counselors and those trained to do so.

[a918emt]

Not in our area, more whites, makes more white pts. Color doesn't make a difference. Most our 'whiners' ie 10/10 for stubbed toe are just full blown cases of manginaitis (man-<va>gina-itis). I swear the white men are the worst with white women coming in second for "i'm dying" pain flopping around on the gurney like a fish out of water when they are bp120/80 p80 etc........