“Then what is your job?”

There is a significant risk for any person or any organization to be asked to assist or given an assignment and to respond with the throwaway line “It’s not my/our job.”

If you use that response you better be sure that the rest of the world is really clear on what your job actually is.

Another high risk response is, “What else don’t you do?”

If the list of things you “don’t do” is longer than the list of things I know you “do” suddenly you become dispensable.

My list of what I know you do is likely much shorter than what you actually do.

Emergency responders and their employers – public, private, volunteer, municipal (the type doesn’t matter) – that spend more time defining what they can’t do, who they won’t help, why it’s not their job, or who else should do it put their contracts, jobs, stations, and pensions at risk.

Make a point to be memorable for what you can do, willingness to go beyond expectations, and never turn down an opportunity to be helpful.

This is my take on the 700 pound question raised at LifeUndertheLights.com.

When you have a chance to demonstrate that you are indispensable, will you?

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Only you can reduce the prevalence of self-reported obesity in your state. These CDC maps compare data from 2000, 2005, and 2009. Remember as EMS professionals we reflect the world around us. I actually suspect that the prevalence of obesity among EMS professionals is as high or even greater than the communities we serve. What do you think?

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Everyday EMS Tips readers weigh in on the responder bias of this question, “Would you say [child]‘s health in general was excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?”

In 2006 more than 17% of children were obese (CDC youth obesity site). Good health is in the eye of the describer. I am pretty skeptical about the ability of parents to describe their child’s health as good or excellent. How about you?

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Obesity is a contributing cause to many or most (all?) of the medical problems EMS professionals encounter. How has your agency adapted to assess, treat, and transport the increasing number of obese adults?

Source: CDC MMWR Quick Stats

To learn more about assessment, treatment, and transport of view the lesson on that topic at RapidCE.com.

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Buck Feris, a paramedic and EMS educator, and Greg Friese discuss communicating with patients and their family when the patient has a poorly managed chronic health condition like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, or COPD. Often times EMS providers see patients at their worst. We may be able to fix or resolve the acute problem, but then return the patient and their family to the ongoing conflict about managing the chronic problem.

Listen in as Buck and I talk through this complex issue. Also share your comments with us because we plan to come back to this problem again soon.

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Do you want to learn more diabetes, asthma, obesity, and heart disease? After registering as a new user at RapidCE.com browse for the courses on these and many other topics. An ALS and BLS version are available for 1.0 hours of CECBEMS approved continuing education credit.

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