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From: Rob.Carr@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Rob Carr)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: EMS and ALS and ASL
Message-ID: <17190@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 25 Jan 91 16:25:43 GMT
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Index Number: 13200

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

Fran,

I'm glad my original message has added some points to the discussion.  I'd
like to go into serious mode (or at least as serious as I get) and talk
about one of the most important reasons for paramedics to be able to at
least do some signs when dealing with a hearing impaired patient.

When anyone is sick and has been forced to call EMS, there's a loss of
control.  The patient does not entirely control their destiny.  I suspect one
of the reasons we get as many people refusing treatment (who actually NEED
treatment) as we do is because it's the last piece of control they feel they
have.  Add to this being hearing impaired and being treated by some lunkhead
hearing
person who never took the time to learn to communicate with you and you are
not going to be a happy camper.

Whenever I've signed  "My name's Rob, slow down, my sign language is not
good" every patiet I've had (10-12, lost count) has brightened up immensely.
Maybe it's a touchstone of some kind.  Nancy would probably call it a
"transitional object."  But the point is, the patients are relieved to find
out they are in the hands ofsomeone who knows a little about their world.
I'll take that over 2 amps of lidocaine any day.  The patients visibly relax
at this point.

I teach the "special populations" module for the paramedic students at the
Center for Emergency Medicine.  I explain some simple methods of
communicating with the hearing impaired.  I tell them to try sign language
if they know it (this lecture is 1 hour long and I also cover four or five
other special groups).  I go over what not to do for lipreading (actually the
hardest thing for students!)I point out that writing is an effective means of
communication if the patient can read and write.  Then I have a non-signing
student come up to the front of the class, and ask them what they would do if
a patient was deaf and did not read or write.  They almost always come up
with pantomime as a method of communications.  Then I ask the "display"
student how to ask if the patient was the driver of the car.  How do you ask
where the patient hurts?  Does the patient take any medicines?  Tell the
patient you're going to take a pulse.  A blood pressure.  Tell the patient
you want to start an IV.  Most of the time, the student will use the proper
sign language words without knowing it, and they're always intelligible.
Heck, I can't even keep the difference between "IV" and "cocaine" and "Coca
Cola" straight, but then the patients get a good laughout of it and they know
what that harpoon in my hand is for.

No, I haven't gotten your program yet.  Still have to do that.  I didn't get
it before because I'm on a laptop with a screen that's nice for typing, but
that's it.  Now that my dad got his new computer and gave me the old desktop,
I'll try it.  I'll also try to come up with a list of phrases that would be
useful.  Hey, computer education is the wave of the future in EMS.  Mind if
I put a copy on the computers at the Center for Emergency Medicine?  I'll
only be able to afford to register my own copy.

Anyway, thanks for listening.  I think it's something important.  BTW: about
6 years ago, Pgh EMS had someone come teach the alphabet and a few signs to
the medics.  You know, they all still have the little "alphabet and a few
signs" card they were given?  Those things are like gold around here.  And
the word "bull*&^%" in sign language has become very popular for use around
hearing patients who aren't sick.  That one's my fault.... :-}

... Subscribe to The Journal of Disasters in Emergency Medicine: $8.00/yr

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