I have always wanted to ask but feared the answer

[Joshua Benton]

Hello all.

I have been in this business for over 25 years and worked in all capacities (Street medic, hospital medic, QA coordinator, Instructor, blah,blah,blah). I have worked with a multitude of different types of people. I had a young partner a number of years ago, well before drug testing was the norm, who I knew had stolen drugs from patients. Most were taken during a "search for pertinent meds" that the patient was currently taking. After seeing this partner take a patients pain meds and empty them into his pocket, I was faced with the decision of either confronting him directly or turning him into our supervisor. I chose the former. After work I asked to speak to him in private. He knew that I knew. He said he would stop and shortly thereafter he left the profession. Less than a year later, he was found in his apartment with a .45 cal hole where his face should have been. No note, nothing.

I have lived with that for a long time and I still question whether I did the right thing. Should I have told my boss?? Would it have mattered??

Have any of you faced the same type of decision?? What did YOU do? What WOULD you do?

Much Love and Respect

Josh B. (the poster formerly known as Whelson P. Monroe)

[NREMT-Basic]

You asbsolutly did the right thing. We must mantiain the highest standards if we are to care for out patints. Well done an I am sorry for the lost of you partner. That is never easy no matter how it happens.

[chbare]

Joshua Benton, you cannot hold your self accountable for you former partner's actions. It sounds like he was well on his way to self destruction prior to you informing the supervisor of his actions.

Take care,

chbare.

[Imagine89]

That's a sad story, however you did the right thing.

He obviously had some issues, even before you alerted your supervisor to his unethical actions, and for you to do anything less would effectively say to him that those actions were condoned, when they're not. He may have lost his job because of it, but he did it to himself if you look at the bigger picture. Everyone should be held accountable for their actions, and there isn't much room for exceptions. He deserved what he got as far as losing his job. The rest of his life was in his hands, and for whatever reason, he decided to throw it away. There was nothing else you could have done.

Take it easy,

JPM

[Scaramedic]

You should harbor no guilt on this one JB, you did right by your partner. Like everyone else said he was already walking down that road, probably before you knew him. You can only do what you think is right, and you did that. the rest was up to him.

On a recent trip back to Oklahoma I found out that an old partner of mine had died secondary to an OD the day before I arrived. I couldn't bring myself to go to her funeral, I wanted to but I just couldn't. I felt guilty that maybe if I would have stayed in contact with her I could have helped her. Then I realized that we all make decisions in life and in the end it was her choice not mine. Though I will always feel bad things ended like that for her.

Peace,

Marty

:joker:

[Savoy6]

You should harbor no guilt on this one JB, you did right by your partner. Like everyone else said he was already walking down that road, probably before you knew him. You can only do what you think is right, and you did that. the rest was up to him.

On a recent trip back to Oklahoma I found out that an old partner of mine had died secondary to an OD the day before I arrived. I couldn't bring myself to go to her funeral, I wanted to but I just couldn't. I felt guilty that maybe if I would have stayed in contact with her I could have helped her. Then I realized that we all make decisions in life and in the end it was her choice not mine. Though I will always feel bad things ended like that for her.

Peace,

Marty

:joker:

Don't feel guilty. If it was an accidental OD or suicide, you couldn't have helped either. If it was intentional it may not have been anything that was occurring while you were partners. It may have been a sudden overwhelming event that caused it.

I have lost friends to both types of overdoses, intentional(suicide) and unintentional (accident). They are different, don't lump them together. You still lost a partner.

My advice though, do pay your respects to your late partner. Don't let a feeling of guilt override your compassion and your own feeling of loss. it will help you.

[GAmedic1506]

Yes you did the right thing, as there are only two key things to consider here:

1. Someone who is addicted to drugs is dangerous behind the wheel and in their patient care. How often did he come to work with something in his system. With a 10,000lb ambulance he couldve wiped out a whole family coming through an intersection. How would you have felt then ? Even if this werent about addiction, he was stealing from patients. Our patients put a level of blind trust into EMS Professionals that they do not afford anyone else; we must honor that trust and be the professionals they think we are.

2. People with addiction problems can usually hide their addiction for years. At the point they start getting sloppy, they are way over the edge, and will test positive for a multitude of drugs. Which is a warning to everyone here. Anytime you see the symptoms that arouse your suspicion, report it to your supervisor.

[ncmedic309]

You made the right decision, I would have done the same thing, these type incidents can not be tolerated. It's a tough call to make when it's a partner that you work with everyday, but it's the right call.

[Ridryder 911]

You are quite aware of the situation that no-one causes suicide. Depression, mental-illness and even addiction to medication is an illness.

You are aware you did not cause the problem, and apparently you only seen the tip of the iceberg. These situation is lengthy and much complicated. You actually helped... whom knows, what might had occurred if he had continued. This is tragic situation, and unfortunately it occurs way to often.

You had no choice, he caused the situation, and he was responsible for his actions... not you.

R/r 911

[MAMed]

I've found myself in a similar situation before. One of my best friends was a heavy drug and alcohol user. He died a few years ago from a viral infection because he had worn his body out by his mid-twenties. He lived with me for a while and I tried to help him get straight, but that didn't do any good. He made decisions and was not interested in help. The same was probably true with your partner. If he did not want help, going to your sup and trying to get him some would not have done any good. The guy still would have walked away. Don't beat yourself up over it.