In July of last year, while working as an EMT, I was viscously attacked by my patient and stabbed 8 times in the back of the ambulance. Attacks against EMS providers are becoming exceedingly common. Policies and procedures need to change, and we need to be protected. Below I have described in more detail some of the issues we face as EMS providers and ways they can be addressed.

The healthcare industry follows a “patients are always right” policy and there seems to be no limit to this. Where does that leave us? It leaves us defending our every move. If we get attacked and try to protect ourselves, we are in the wrong.

A fire lieutenant received 4 weeks suspension for choking an EMT on the job. I will not pretend to know everything that happened here, but best case scenario, he acted in self-defense. Last year my colleague and friend was suspended without pay pending investigation for defending himself against an aggressive patient. Now, they are taking his state paramedic certification away. There is a huge leap between having a license revoked and receiving 4 weeks suspension. Had I been able to defend myself inside the ambulance the night I was attacked, my case would look entirely different. If we get even the smallest opportunity to defend ourselves, it does not matter how many injuries we sustain from the patient; we are still the ones criticized and punished.

When you see small clips of interactions between patients and providers that seem concerning, take a moment to think before jumping to conclusions. We never know what waits for us on the other side of our call screen. Sometimes, patients are calm and become irritated and aggressive in a matter of seconds. We always request back up in these cases, but sometimes it takes too long and sometimes it is too late. I have heard many providers having the discussion of “If I defend myself, I know my career may be in jeopardy, but my goal is to make it home to my family every night, so I will do what I have to, to protect myself.” Imagine having to say that. Imagine having to fight for your life- because that is how we feel every time a patient attacks us- and then having to worry about losing your job or even jail time. It is not uncommon for our patients to carry guns, knives, and many other deadly weapons on their person. You may ask, “Why don’t you search them?”. So, I ask you this: do you think the patients that actually intend to use them would allow us to? Do you not think they would become defensive and try to use the weapon they are carrying? There are no simple answers for us providers.

Inside hospitals and their emergency rooms, there is an abundance of signs stating that assault against a nurse or physician is punishable up to so many years in prison. Where are the signs for us? Sure, they exist, but how many ambulances actually have one on display? What about assaults against EMS providers? Where is our protection and justice against our attackers? It is clearly lacking. I am not saying that the system is perfect for protecting other healthcare workers either; the system as a whole needs to change to provide better support for the entire profession. What I am saying and what we are fighting against is that violence towards EMS providers has become increasingly common and disregarded. Being kicked and spit on is so common that it is considered “insignificant” and we are expected to accept it and continue on with our shift. We need to be able to report these attacks and have them taken seriously- because they ARE significant. We do not respond to emergencies to be verbally or sexually assaulted, bitten, kicked, spit on, punched, stabbed, shot, or any other method of harm. Every violent act against us needs to be taken seriously. We need to be able to defend ourselves without fear of losing our job. We are not asking you to look the other way if there is an altercation, but so many decisions are made based on how the public will view the decision. We are asking you to keep us in mind when you do your investigation. Remember that we are part of the public too and we should have the right to protect ourselves.

The other side of this is that we are mentally exhausted. After an altercation or a traumatic event, we are generally given no more than the rest of the day off. When I was attacked, my partner had to return to work shortly after. Had I not sustained a debilitating physical injury, I would have been forced to return soon after also. We need to be able to take a reasonable amount of time off to mentally recover after truly devastating events without risking our livelihood.

The fact of the matter is there is a huge disparity in the treatment and protection of EMS providers compared to other first responders and healthcare professionals, as well as the public and this needs to change. Policy and procedural changes need to be implemented at the state level and above to include all EMS personnel in all agencies.

 

State EMS oversight agencies Shall:

1. Maintain and regularly publish records of assaults against EMS providers.
2. Lobby for an increase in criminal penalties for those found guilty of assaulting EMS Providers.
3. Produce regulations for ambulance operators to standardize safety practices to protect employees of said operators. Including, but not limited to, adding signage stating that assaulting EMS providers is punishable by law to the part 800 of every ambulance, issuing all EMS providers bullet and stab proof vests, and offering self-defense courses to all EMS providers.
4. Ensure employers maintain a simple and accessible reporting process for employees who are victims of workplace violence and keep them informed as the report escalates. Mandate a thorough investigative process of every report of an assault against a provider, and lobby for criminal charges against patients when appropriate.
5. Audit ambulance operators to ensure employees are provided with free crisis counseling and mental health services for incidents stemming from workplace violence. If no services are available, the State EMS oversight agency shall provide them.  
   • Ensure that employers offer employees in crisis counseling the opportunity to take a reasonable amount of time off from work while maintaining wage and healthcare protection.

 

Join me in signing this petition to bring awareness to the issues outlined above and to bring about policy and procedural changes for EMS safety.

If you would like to take further action, I encourage you to use the links below to contact your local representatives in the state assembly and state senate. Enter your address and you will be able to see who your representatives are and how to contact them. Explain that you are looking for the above changes and ask for a response from the representatives themselves. Below the links is a sample email you may alter as you see fit or copy and paste to send to your representatives.

 

https://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/​

https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator

 

Good afternoon,

My name is [your name here]. I am writing to you today to ask you to help make policy and procedural changes for EMS safety and protection. Attacks against EMS have become exceedingly common, so much so that in some cases we are expected to continue our shift after being assaulted.

Not only are we expected to look the other way for some of these attacks, but if we try to defend ourselves, our careers are put at risk. One of my colleagues defended himself against a violent patient and is now having his state paramedic certification revoked.

We need protection. The following policy and procedural changes need to be implemented at the state level and above to include all EMS personnel in all agencies.

 

1. Maintain and regularly publish records of assaults against EMS providers.
2. Lobby for an increase in criminal penalties for those found guilty of assaulting EMS Providers.
3. Produce regulations for ambulance operators to standardize safety practices to protect employees of said operators. Including, but not limited to, adding signage stating that assaulting EMS providers is punishable by law to the part 800 of every ambulance, issuing all EMS providers bullet and stab proof vests, and offering self-defense courses to all EMS providers.
4. Ensure employers maintain a simple and accessible reporting process for employees who are victims of workplace violence and keep them informed as the report escalates. Mandate a thorough investigative process of every report of an assault against a provider, and lobby for criminal charges against patients when appropriate.
5. Audit ambulance operators to ensure employees are provided with free crisis counseling and mental health services for incidents stemming from workplace violence. If no services are available, the State EMS oversight agency shall provide them. 
   •  Ensure that employers offer employees in crisis counseling the opportunity to take a reasonable amount of time off from work while maintaining wage and healthcare protection.

 

I would like to hear your thoughts on how these policies could be implemented. I look forward to a response from you, [insert representative’s title and name here].