The title doesn't lie - my colleague and me really didn't get any respect from the nurses at today's session of Blood Donors. Only two out of the whole gaggle of them really gave us any thought, but even then you could tell it was still in a "looking down their nose" kind of way. One of the two only spoke because I made a rather big effort to create a casual conversation with her in the ladies' loos. Personally I find this rediculous. That, and the fact that we weren't expected to help anyone in the ways of first aid. If anyone started to bleed heavily, or fainted, then we were to help them using the basics and leave the nurses to deal with the rest. Ok, fair enough, but the nurses take their time to respond.
What really ticked me off however, was just their plain ignorance. Harsh words, yeah, but at least treat us first aiders with some respect. When we walked in this morning, not one of them said "hello" to us, even when we greeted them. Only one nurse did (but that's because she knew the drill with us; my colleague had had a run in with her before and she probably wanted to keep the peace). It was the same with saying good-bye. Not one wished us a farewell, and our thanks was a brisk "thank you ladies" as the nurse disappeared to lunch. What the hell?
We first aiders are the frontline of the frontline. In any event, big or small, the first people to respond are the first aiders of the voluntary charities, like the British Red Cross, or St John, or St Andrews. We keep the show running until the next frontline - the paramedics - arrive to take over. Then it's down to them to deliver the casualties to the staff at the hospital.
Now in no way am I saying that being a first aider is a higher position than being a fully qualified paramedic or nurse or doctor; what I am saying though is that we work hard too to protect and preserve life. Highly trained first aiders are more or less an equivalent to an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), just without the drug administrations. So I think that we first aiders deserve a little more recognition and respect from those in the Scottish Ambulance and Hospital positions. Usually we do get a good response from such paramedics, nurses, etc etc, but today was just a joke.
They say (or at least this is what is being rammed into me in college at the moment) that nurses are to be understanding and open minded. I'd say very few of them matched such criteria today.
And saying they were under stress is no excuse; a good care worker should not let stress affect their treatment of patients and colleagues alike, and they were all being very nice to the public.
Still, after that rant I think I shall end on a positive by saying that my colleague and I were still able to have a laugh by throwing insults at each other, based mainly on our tea-making abilities. What a way to brighten up a duty which revolved around handing out various hot and cold beverages, with a few biscuits on the side.
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