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From: Fran.O'gorman@f94.n272.z1.fidonet.org (Fran O'gorman)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: EMS and ALS and ASL
Message-ID: <17199@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 25 Jan 91 16:29:53 GMT
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Index Number: 13218

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

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

You're caring attitude and readiness to EXPLAIN a proceedure that
might be about to take place to a patient made me realize where
those chapters SHOULD be there...
     
 RC> Whenever I've signed  "My name's Rob, slow down, my sign language 
 RC> is not good" every patiet I've had (10-12, lost count) has 
 RC> brightened up immensely. Maybe it's a touchstone of some kind.  

This is really so neat how you do this, I'm sure this DOES make a
difference. 

 RC> I teach the "special populations" module for the paramedic 
 RC> students at the Center for Emergency Medicine.

I just wish that you could be video taped (your techniques for
handling all this) so that even more than those students you get
there could receive the benefit of the very kind and caring way in
which you do this...it's really a gift how you've such a
sensitivity and knack for this (not to mention a sense of
humor--which really DOES help!) and if others could watch perhaps
they could pick up on it...  

 RC> to come up with a list of phrases that would be useful.

Thanks!  That would be very helpful.
 
 RC> Mind if I 
 RC> put a copy on the computers at the Center for Emergency Medicine?  
 
Not at all!  Would be happy to see you do that.

 RC> Anyway, thanks for listening.  I think it's something important.  

Thank YOU for sharing all this with me!
  
 RC> Those things are like gold around here.  And the word "bull*&^%" 
 RC> in sign language has become very popular for use around hearing 
 RC> patients who aren't sick.  That one's my fault.... :-} 

Guess that's one I might NOT find in my sign language books ;-)

Take care and thanks!
--Fran

     
 

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