Can Our Profession Be Resurrected

Are we becoming the Ghosts of Medics Past? In many jurisdictions, the number of EMS providers is not keeping up with the increase in population, or the call volumes.

Is it a sign of the times, blending into the background, or indifference to the profession that has lessened our numbers in the grand public service ratio. It could be a combination of factors.

Are We Fading Out?

I began to ponder the fact that many of us have made the transition over the years from “trauma junkie” and “squad dawgs” into a more refined and sophisticated provider with much less zeal and passion for the profession. Whether we are in burn-out or just see ourselves and the profession as growing up, there is a marked trend in the amount of pride exuded by ourselves. Do you have a Star of Life or EMT decal on your car when you first got into the business and earned your license? I did. Did you wear your EMS or rescue squad jacket sometimes, even when you weren’t on duty? I did, though it was for the volunteer rescue squad I was with at the time. The volunteer fire department I was with had hats we bought and wore, along with jackets we wore too. We just don’t see much of that anymore.

Have we chosen to blend into society and not stand out in the crowd? Have we regarded those once proud ideals and professional symbols and juvenile and silly? Maybe we have. But is it also affecting the people we could have drawn into the profession as a result?

Consequences

As a stepchild in the public safety arena, EMS is not a true public safety agency as are fire departments and law enforcement agencies. We are a healthcare service, with roots in public health, public service, public safety, and transportation. Obvious to anyone who can see us in our scrub top with BDU pants, boots, duty belt, a taser, fire helmet, penlight, scissors, and a pen.

Once we had uniforms like our public safety brethren, of polyester uniform pants and button-up uniform shirts, or coveralls… and then we transitioned to uniforms more like the local fire department or police departments… some of us still have those. Other agencies transitioned to T-shirts or Polo Shirts with most agencies adopting “EMT pants” with lots of pockets to hold all of the gear we used to keep in holsters. We couldn’t have people thinking we wore holsters like the police with a gun, handcuffs, mace, and extra ammunition accompanying our radio. We put all of our stuff into pockets… and downsized. Our penlight or Mini-Mag, EMT shears, and a couple of pairs of gloves sufficiently fit into all of the pockets with room for pens, guidebooks, and the like – cell phones too.

I can’t help but wonder if we have become too enamored with comfort and utility that we look less like the professionals we should portray? Many studies have emphasized the impact physicians wearing sport shirts have compared to those with dress clothes and a white lab coat. The same with nurses and scrub-suits compared with traditional nursing whites. Have we over-valued our comfort?

Studies reinforce that properly uniformed professionals give the best first impression and put the public at ease more so than those dressed just for comfort or utility.

The Old World Influence

Should we adopt the old world influence with everyone wearing “put your eyes-out yellow” or bright green? Adopting Battenburg patterns on our ambulances and reflective wear? Personally, I think that’s a bit overboard, but then I’m only speculating and pondering in this article. It is not meant as advice, but merely my personal ramblings to give us some food for thought.

Some of our European and other foreign EMS colleagues must abide by strict uniforms that contain retro-reflective materials and safety-color materials that help them stand out when in the roadway… or a blinding snowstorm. It’s quite an impact compared to where we are in the scheme of things.

Considerations of Safety

As we consider the causes of injury and death to most EMS providers in the united states, most of the injuries are due to slips, strains, and falls. Proper stretching and joint strengthening exercises combined with a continuous reinforcement of proper lifting and moving techniques, coupled with proper footwear could address a majority of these issues. Most of our fatalities are transportation-related and could benefit from proper vehicle design requiring providers to remain seated and buckled in while attending patients during transit, 

Identifying an EMT or paramedic as a law enforcement officer is very seldom an issue and results in rare incidents.

Clothes Maketh The Professional

Have you seen a NASCAR driver promoting a product? Have you seen one promoting a product while still wearing his helmet and racing suit? Me too. It’s because we identify people and their groups by their uniforms. If we do not recognize the person, we can still identify them as one within a group by how they dress.

Maybe its time we revisit wearing a more traditional uniform. A shirt with patches can be of a material that is comfortable and still looks professional if it’s pressed. Our uniform pants too can be a bit more dressy with only a couple of patch-pockets on the thighs for scissors and gloves. Excessive pockets are sloppy and catch on too many things… they also interfere with getting proper creases in those pants. Lastly, let’s clean up and shine those boots or shoes! Good grief I’ve seen a lot of providers who have probably never even been shown how to properly shine their boots. Watch a YouTube video if you have to! It’s not that hard!

Being a professional requires us to also look and act professionally. We need to reemphasize ourselves and take pride in our organizations. Promote our profession and not be afraid. Do not go gently into the night, there is no need to blend into the background.