Chaplains in an ambulance...

[Richard B the EMT]

Even Father Mulcahy, from TV's "MASH", on numerous times, said Jewish prayers, both with, and over, sick, injured and dying soldiers, as did a priest in a Second World War sequence on the "JAG" show. (Judge Advocate General)

From the JEMS.com website and link,,,

http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/news...emt_riders.html

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Chaplains turn into EMT riders

CARLISLE, Pa. - Chuck Kish was driving near Carlisle a few months ago when he came upon a traffic accident scene.

When Kish, pastor of Bethel Assembly of God Church, saw the tarps covering the bodies, he knew it was a fatal crash.

"I saw an emergency medical technician walk over to one of the bodies. They lifted the corner of the tarp and he turned away," Kish recalled. "I'll forever remember the look on his face. I thought, 'he needs a chaplain.'"

That traumatic moment planted a seed that will bear fruit this month when four volunteer chaplains from his church in South Middleton Township begin riding with crews from Carlisle's Cumberland Goodwill Ambulance company. It might be the first such program in Pennsylvania, and perhaps in the country.

The chaplains, including Kish, will be at the elbows of the emergency medical technicians to help those crews, patients and families deal with the physical and emotional pain ambulance workers encounter on a daily basis.

"At some point, I think, every person of faith has to take stock of their lives and ask, `Are we giving back enough?'" said Jack Rau, one of the volunteer chaplains. "I can't think of a more perfect place to serve people in need."

Janette Kearney, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council, which advises the state Department of Health on ambulance issues, said she knows of no other unit in the state that has chaplains riding with crews.

Rau and the other chaplains, Amy Jones and Frank Poley, are commissioned ministers with Bethel. Rau has undergone first-responder training in basic ambulance procedures. Jones is a nurse.

Robert Pine, Cumberland Goodwill's EMS chief, said he expects his crews will welcome them. "I don't sense any reluctance," he said.

The crews already can seek counseling after stressful calls, but this will be different because the chaplains, in many cases, have been through the same experiences and will be able to relate, Pine said.

"There is a benefit in talking to someone who has been there, someone who understands," Pine said. Such understanding is most needed after calls involving children, he said.

"When kids are involved, it's always very, very hard," Pine said. "Most of our people have kids of their own. When they come back from one of those calls, you see the looks on their faces and know they need someone to talk to."

During the height of a call, the chaplains will mostly stand back. They will be expected to get equipment, Kish said, and to help calm patients, inform and counsel families and pray with them if asked. "There is no expectation that they'll be providing (medical) care," Pine said.

Chaplains, who will have special uniforms, will ride with crews in the evenings, which Pine said are among the busiest times for calls.

The ambulance effort will mark the second time Kish and Rau have donned uniforms for community service; both are veterans of a police chaplaincy program Kish organized that operates with two local police departments.

"It seems that God has put us at all the points of pain in the community," Kish said.

[firedoc5]

Both Dawn and Rich has posted my thoughts of reasoning. Thank you both. Believe me, I'm not for it OR against it, but am leaning more for it.

If they should run with an ambulance they'll need some introduction and what to expect. You can't just throw 'em in the back and tell them to hang on.

[sirduke]

I am of two minds on this, while I can see the need for an outlet for providers who have been overwhelmed by an incident, I don't see the need for a chaplain to ride along. The problems I see are varied.

Firstly, some patients are reluctant to discuss their medical problem, for fear of embarrassment or censure, as well as fear of punitive actions for something they've done. It can be difficult enough to get them to talk as it is, much less with an authority figure, and yes some people view priest/preachers/chaplains in that light. Often, almost always, we require the family member who wishes to accompany them, to ride in the front. With a child, or other special circumstances we do allow them in the back, provided they can follow the guidelines for behavior. IE no scolding the patient, no Tachy-Lawdis, or anything that disrupts patient care. The same would apply for the chaplain in my opinion.

Secondly, when it is hectic in the back, code, bad trauma, etc, I don't need someone else in the way, especially if they are closely involved with the patient. I could see problems with a chaplain wanting to ensure the salvation of the soul of my patient if they thought they were crashing.

Thirdly, and bad as I hate to agree with Dust, with the exception of military chaplains I've known, there are very few pastors/priest/chaplains that don't have their own agenda in regards to beliefs, and try however subtle, to advance them. I have my own beliefs, and I don't need someone pushing theirs on me, or my partner, or patient.

As for the pastor seeing the look on the EMT's face and immediately assuming he needed a chaplain, I again take that as the pastor seeking to advance his own beliefs and agenda.

I've worked some calls that were as F'd up as a soup sandwich, and the last thing I wanted at that moment was someone talking to me, or "counseling" me. Leave me be, let me detach, and do my job. I will drag it up later and deal with it, but at the moment, it isn't "about" me, it's about the patient and if I go all emotional, or wack out, then what good am I to my patient. Leave me alone, let me do my job.

So, having said all that, let me see......Bad Idea in my opinion.

Let them make themselves available to those who want to seek them out, but not as ridealongs.

[john_boston]

I think it's grossly inappropriate. There are many perfectly normal, moral, reasonable people in EMS who get along fine without any religion. You need to see a priest about a particular incident? Fine. Do it on your own time and do not bring your private matters into the workplace.

[firedoc5]

I think it's grossly inappropriate. There are many perfectly normal, moral, reasonable people in EMS who get along fine without any religion. You need to see a priest about a particular incident? Fine. Do it on your own time and do not bring your private matters into the workplace.

Sounds like a good idea for some services to have for themselves. Having clergy available when ever and where ever needed, for the staff.