Injured guts deserve glory?

[EmergencyMedicalTigger]

Hello all. It's been awhile since I've posted-just been lurking, not much to say. But as I'm sitting at work doing everything possible to avoid working on my 12 page clinical ethics paper due at the end of the weekend, I came across an article while perusing the latest issue of Texas EMS. Nominations are due for an award called the Star of Texas. This is an award given to nominated peace officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel who were injured or killed in the line of duty. I got to thinkin' this could create some discussion. This award can be seen as a way to honor a first responder, but how much is it promoting unsafe practices? In other words, how can the committee distinguish between those doing their jobs safely? I'm sure the nominations are biased. Do you think the people who nominate a firefighter who died in a burning structure will include that he went in without some of his equipment? Or how about a paramedic who was ambushed by a deranged gunman but did not verify if the scene was safe? I'm sure these details can easily be left out, so when a person such as one described wins an award, what message does that send to those who know what happened on scene?

Comments...

[firedoc5]

Same way as when a soldier is awareded The Purple Heart or a pilot is shot down and receives a heroic commendation. They'll all tell you that they were just doing their jobs, plain and simple. And some say it's the one's that didn't get hurt or shot down that should receive a medal. They were better by not getting their butts in a sling. Personally, I still think they deserve one.

But...then you get these guys, military, fire, ems, etc. that seems to "try" to get these awards. If it's an award you want, you don't want to be in that job.

[Dustdevil]

It's a little different with the military. Purple Hearts aren't handed out with fanfare and brass bands. And the act of flying into combat is heroic, whether it is just doing your job or not. On the other hand, there is nothing heroic about getting nailed by a minivan driven by a soccer mom on her cellphone, while standing on the side of the road. We're not the only people on earth who stand on the side of the road and take that chance. There is nothing necessarily heroic about simply getting hurt on duty. Shyte happens.

I too have often pondered the relevance of such awards and really can't get behind the concept. I broke my neck in the line of duty and spent four years in rehab recovering. I didn't receive any medal for it, nor did I expect one. I was doing nothing above and beyond the call of duty. I was just working on a patient and got in a wreck. Before you go awarding someone special recognition, it should be for something both above and beyond the call of duty and something that didn't involve negligence or stupidity. Again, few injuries in EMS meet that criteria.

I believe that we have discussed in the past the recognition we award to crews involved in a "save" or even a childbirth. Again, I don't believe this is recognition-worthy. Not only is it the normal course of our duties, but it's also just dumb luck. Nothing particularly "above and beyond" about a CPR. It's the basic foundation of our practice.