So, I’m employed as a paramedic. I actually love my job, so no rants there. This story comes from a call I had not too long ago. Obfuscation to protect the innocent.
The call came out for a diabetic problem at a local big box store. Not uncommon, we pack in to find a young adult sitting in the employee break room. She’s pretty out of it, and the magic glucometer reads 25. Normal range is in the low hundreds, so yup, diabetic problem!
This is something we fix on scene. Low blood sugar can get ugly fast, and we carry the tools to reverse it. I’m setting up for an IV, and here comes The Manager.
The Manager starts off by insisting we leave immediately with the patient. That’s not happening. She next insists that we move the ambulance because it’s scaring customers. That ain’t happening either. My very large angry looking partner very politely informs The Manager that yes, this is a emergency scene and yes, she should stop interfering. I will swear on a stack of Bibles my partner never used a curse word, or stood menacingly between me and The Manager.
During this time, I’m getting my IV set up. A bolus of magic sugar water, and patient perks up. Soon as she’s oriented, I get the story. Type 1 diabetic, too her insulin for lunch, then got yanked back to man the registers before she could eat.
Patient decides to go get checked out at the hospital. The Manager wants her to walk out and that’s a big nope, she gets on the stretcher. Manager follows us out, and demands we let her ride along. Nope again.
I may have told my patient, within earshot of The Manager, to keep an eye on her hours because this is likely worker’s comp.