That weird EMS sense of humor??

[Miz Black Crow]

Lobster sticks to madness!

[shannon013emt]

EMS humor is quirky and has been known to be a coping mechanism it's fun to be around other EMT's no mater at what level B I or P because the stories can go on forever and everyone understands and the humor makes it easier to get past the "bad" stuff so your ready for the next call.

[Dustdevil]

and the first time the call the tod, they ball for four hours.

Remember, Kids, if they "ball" for more than four hours, this is a potentially dangerous condition that should be seen by a physician. Preferably the same physician that prescribed the Viagra in the first place. 8)

[SWM_Medic]

If most people heard what we joked about in the truck and at our base they would be horrified. But then they have never called for a T.O.D. on an autoerotic asphyxiation, or transfered a pt who "fell" onto something that is now stuck in there butt.

[Dustdevil]

But then they have never called for a T.O.D. on an autoerotic asphyxiation, or transfered a pt who "fell" onto something that is now stuck in there butt.

Okay, I couldn't really make any sense whatsoever out of the original post. I was figuring that "the tod" was a mistype, like "ball" and the several other mistypes in that post. There really is something called "the tod"? Enlighten us, please.

[spenac]

My guess is Time Of Death.

[Dustdevil]

I have worked for a looong time as a EMT-B. Over the course of our conversation another nurse walked up and was just shocked at everything I was talking about. I did my ride alongs and worked in a rough area and saw lots of things that were pretty nasty, it's just a part of the job. She was just shocked that the other nurse and I could just laugh off a lot of it. I get that a lot though...

No offence intended, but seriously, Jessica, if you're doing that much talking about the stuff you see in the field, then I don't think you have as much experience as you suggest. That's a rookie move. Is your "looong time as an EMT-B" actually in EMS, or running transfers?

And minus five for using unapproved abbreviations. :wink:

[Asysin2leads]

The type of humor being described is known as "gallows humor" or "dark humor" and is a real, documented psychological phenomenon that occurs when people are faced with situations that are imminently life threatening to themselves or others, although true gallows humor relates only to when someone themselves are faced with imminent death, such during the Falklands war of the 1980's when a group of British sailors on a sinking warship started singing "Always look on the bright side of life" from "The Life of Brian" while waiting to be rescued.

Otherwise, the humor is known as "dark humor", but is of the same nature; when we laugh, it releases certain hormones which cause us to relax. It has nothing to do with finding others in pain funny or amusing, but rather our mind has to do something so that we can still function.

But just because we understand gallows humor and black humor from our own experiences doesn't mean that others always will. So keep your joking to yourself.

[DwayneEMTP]

I can't really get on board with humor directed at how stupid/smelly/ugly a patient is, but I do find I'm surprised at some of the things I now find hilarious...

One day the first three patients I put my hands on died, (Two arrests, one end stage lung cancer in agonal resps that went full resp arrest as soon as I moved her).

So of course all the crews knew, and gave me hell. No one would walk near me, or allow me to touch anything that they might later touch...It was just good, clean teasing. As we're leaving the hospital to clear, another ambulance is coming in, so I go to get the doors for them while the medic/basic went back to the ambulance.

As soon as I pull open the doors the medic inside says, "Can you take CPR for me while we go inside?" "Sure", I say. So as we come around the corner, into view of the crew I'm riding with, I'm riding the cot doing CPR on my 3rd pt of the day (lung CA was DNR) my crew is laughing so hard they can't breath! I'm of course cussing myself for giving them more fuel for their "the student as Angel of Death" campaign. But it was funny simply from the timing of events.

I did worry later that people might have seen the crews laughing at me, (Though at this hospital that ambulance bay is completely enclosed and shielded from families,etc.) because they wouldn't have seen me, or the day, just a bunch of ambulance drivers laughing at someone having CPR performed on them. But it was just funny. Maybe right, maybe not, but it just was.

Had you told me I could laugh and do CPR at the same time a year ago, I would have said something like "No...That's not really my way.." And I hope that it never becomes my normal way...but sometimes things are just funny....

Dwayne

Edited, as always, for spelling, minor content change, no serious change in context.

[spenac]

Dwayne that is just funny, sad all at the same time. That is why I say it is a coping mechanism. Even the jokes about the smelly no real need to be in my ambulance patients. It helps keep your sanity. It is not that we actually find humor in their sad state it is just how we separate ourselves from the reality that is our job. These things we laugh at would make others mad and thus should be kept in house away from the public. Think about what we say while people can hear us. One day 3 crews were eating and all of a sudden several tables worth of people got up and moved. The ambulance service can no longer go there. Some of the people you just go drive thru because you can't get them to shut up.