Thanks to those of you who contacted me recently to complain (I mean, express concern) about my recent lack of posts. I haven’t gone anywhere, but there are two things that have been keeping me away from the computer. The first is the fact that I’ve just been too damn busy to sit down and write anything. The second is that just lately I’ve hardly done any shifts on call taking. Most nights I’m up on the dispatch desks doing the radio. This is probably more enjoyable for me, but it doesn’t make for such interesting blogging as I only get the stories second hand. Try as I might, though, I can’t quite bring myself to ask for more shifts on call taking simply because it can be so stressful — not because of the harrowing nasties that you hear, I can deal with those, but because of the rude people and the timewasters. Some of the people who only work upstairs might feel antagonistic towards ambulance crews but personally I’d much rather have “are we the nearest?” and “haven’t you got any green trucks?” than “hurry up, never mind the address, just send the ambulance, he’s DYING” and “You won’t send me an ambulance for my blocked nose? You are a ****** ***** ****** and I am going to sue you and murder your family!” Crews are not allowed to say things like this to us, even if we send them four miles for a patient with flu five minutes before their shift is due to end (which, incidentally, is something I try never to do, because if everything goes to plan one day I will be a crew and karma will come back to haunt me).
Anyway, the point of all this was to say that I am going to put in for some overtime for the next couple of months in order to get some good call taking stories for the blog, but in the meantime, I’m going to try to find some slightly different ambulance-related stuff to write about. Is there anything you lot want to hear about?
September 16th, 2006 at 12:20 pm
Actually, yes there is. I’d be really interested to hear about the process of actually becoming a neenaw worker. What sorts of tests do they make you take? Are they very hard?
(Not that I have any remote intention of applying, just for the record. I am full of admiration for you, think you do a wonderful job, but regret to say that personally I don’t think I could ever handle it).
September 16th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Yep..
Those harrowing nasties you mentioned.. how DO you deal with them? What’s your coping strategy..?
In fact, how do you deal with the shouty ones who don’t like being told “no you can’t have an ambulance”?
And when you’re on the dispatch desks, what sort of relationship do you have with the crews..? I can well imagine you get sandwiched in the middle (grief from good ole joe public, grief from the crews).
Nice to have you back
September 16th, 2006 at 4:14 pm
I did a spot of observation yesterday at EOC, all I can say is what I said in my post, you guys do a fantastic job. And from what I’ve seen grief from the crews is sometimes unavoidable, its just if you’re on the desk taking calls you don’t have to worry about it.
September 16th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
Also, the “Is there anything you lot want to hear about? ” has left you wide open my friend…
September 16th, 2006 at 4:40 pm
I have a couple of questions given a situation where a person sees an accident/incident) which is obviously going to need more than one service - for example collision where someone’s going to need cutting out, or a crime where someone ends up injured and the perpetrator is still around. First, what service should be asked for; second, how are the other services contacted - is the person passed around so each operator gets first hand details (subsidiary to that - what if continuing first aid information is needed to be fed to the ambulance service operator especially if there’s something meaning there will be a delay till the arrival of assistance from the ambulance service)?
What support is given (these days) to “good samaritan” callers who help a stranger after a potentially traumatising situation and who organises it? Are they left standing there after the ambulance has collected the patient to blue into hospital?
Can you run through what happens in the background of an example call which requires taking someone to hospital - from the operator talking to the caller, to those talking to the crew and hospital.
September 16th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
I’d like to second the questions above, and especially the “how do you deal with…” question. Specifically, are you able to leave the job behind when you go home, and if so, HOW? Or do you talk about events, and does that help you lighten the load? And which events? Stupid things boss and/or co-workers did more than callers?
Thanks for asking for questions! As the commenter above said, now you’re in for it.
September 16th, 2006 at 8:37 pm
Same as Miranda. I applied recently for a job in South Western Ambulance control and would like some idea of what they might like me to say in the interveiw.
September 16th, 2006 at 9:33 pm
I want to hear about how wonderful it feels when the thankful populace of London carry you on their shoulders through the streets and boroughs of this grey city as a way of showing their appreciation…
Whaddayamean it never happens?
Well Mark, thanks from me anyways.
September 16th, 2006 at 9:52 pm
Actually, I’d like to hear about things from the dispatchers’ end. When I’ve seen them working they seem to the busiest people in the job .
September 16th, 2006 at 10:55 pm
Glad to see you back.
As for questions - all of the above.
September 17th, 2006 at 1:23 am
Gidday,
How many trucks do you have to worry about at a time and how are your radio channels assigned?
I’m from Wellington, New Zealand and we manage the whole city on one channel (mind you, we have 400k, not millions!)
September 17th, 2006 at 10:08 am
Pc, Mac or Linux?
What’s for dinner?
/lack of imagination but glad you’re ticking along ok
September 17th, 2006 at 11:56 am
to give you my view from the ambulance: if time wasters abuse you over they phone, mention it to the attending crew as they run to the call. once i’ve established that there’s no urgent problem at scene i’m always happy to “discuss” with the patient the merits of politeness, decency toward call takers and their fellow man, getting off the dole, getting an education, getting a job and to STOP WASTING OUR F-ING TIME!
September 17th, 2006 at 6:09 pm
Tell us how you went from Gt. Ormond Street admin clerk to ambulance call-taker ?
September 18th, 2006 at 12:04 am
When you say call taker…do you actually mean Emergency Medical Dispatcher?? Its a easy mistake to make.. he he
September 30th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
Not necesarilly.
Where I am, South-West, call takers take the calls and dispatchers send the resources. It all depends on the service.