ADRENALINE JUNKIES

Sometimes though, with Rule #35, you notice patterns of your partner. There is a consistency in the course of their patterns, which you immediately notice if they changed. A few calls I noticed that Dick had been administering 2mg's of morphine sulfate to these patients. He drew up the sterile water that was to be mixed with the morphine. I never saw him draw up the morphine. Administering 2mg of water to the patient, without relief of the Chest Pains, no one to know the difference.

Upon arriving at the hospital we deliver the patient with active chest pains, decreased only by three Nitro Tabs, to the ER.

At the end of the call the Paramedic had the option to waste the medication or give the remainder of the drug to the Nurse excepting the patient. Dick’s rule was always wasting your unused drug in front of the accepting Nurse. I knew that this was the next step to the dark side of this profession.

R.O.E  #42  “If you wish to hide something, don’t make things obvious. Don’t let your excuses crack out of turn when attempting to cover the truth.”

I then remembered what was going on at the end of the year. I didn’t realize these people would withhold lifesaving medication from a patient for their own personal gain. That was wrong no matter how you look at it.

I felt compelled to ask Dick if this was how they were obtaining the drug for their Super Bowl party? After returning to service, we started back to the station.

“Dick, I need to ask a club question.”

 Dick said, “Go ahead, ask away”.

Well sometimes I see things that seem odd. I trust your EMS judgement 100%, but I have to ask. How much morphine is retrieved in a week?”

Dick answered, “I am not sure what you are talking about. What morphine are you talking about?”

I told him about the conversation between the pharmacist and JF; I wanted to know if the morphine you are administering is morphine, not just sterile water? Several times I have been watching you draw up the morphine through the mirror. I see the sterile water, but never see you draw the MS.

Dick responded with “Well I think you might be confusing things with others. First, The MS is not my department for party supplies; it’s the docs. Second, I cannot believe you would think that I am withholding medication from the patient. Third, next time I draw up the MS I will give you the empty amp bottle. Will that make you feel better?” 

Feeling intimidated I said, “ No problem just needed to know.”

R.O.E  #43 “Never be intimidated confronting your partner, when you do, you drop your guard. People whom practice to deceive are well polished with their answers of deception.”

I dropped the subject for a while. We had eight emergency calls spaced out over our 24-hour shift. Just enough to keep you out of rim sleep and make you extremely tired. It was the night before the Super Bowl Party. I was waiting for the 7 AM bell to get off of shift. I would have just enough time to go home and sleep six hours, shower and shave, dress and get to the doc’s house by kick off time at 7 PM. I guess I couldn’t miss the Super Bowl Party of the Decade.

0630 hrs, dead to the world asleep, the radio starts barking  “Cardiac 102 and Cardiac 104, respond code three to a multiple vehicle auto accident at Park St. and S.R. 545, CPD and County FD responding. This will involve three vehicles and a motorcycle. Someone is administering CPR on the scene, Timeout: 0635hrs.”

Dick, get up, we have a call. Dick was really slow getting dressed and appeared not to be with the program. I know I was tired but I was ten years younger than he was. This was occurring more and more each shift.

Dick said “Hey, you and JF go on this call. Stub and I will follow in a few minutes. This will allow you and Pants to be first on the scene and begin triage. Stub is an EMT, understand? When you arrive, give me an update.”

I guess it made sense at the time. Upon our arrival, the FD had begun to assess one victim, two were DRT (Dead Right There) entrapped in one vehicle, and the Motorcycle rider was a multi-trauma patient.

JF asked the FD if the patient they were treating was going to be transported. The FD stated that he had very minor injuries and didn’t need to go to the hospital. JF cancelled Cardiac 102. You hear Stub acknowledge the cancellation.      
 
JF turned to me and said, “You do know they didn’t leave the station. Dick went right back to bed and Stub manned the radio from the inside. One of these days that system is going to bite him in the bud.