In her post over at On the Clock, "Things I have learned", Medic61 has gotten me thinking about the things I have learned from this job in the last 8 years. I know it's taught me a great deal about myself and about people in general. I don't think everyone is bad or on the take, even though it can be difficult seeing the flagrant abuse of the system that we see. I have learned some basic things about most people.
~The Good
Fake it until you make it really works. People don’t want to know you are just as scared as they are. I have to trust myself before anything else. I have to be willing to listen and but be ready to redirect the line of conversation if need be. Small talk can make all the difference in the world and may get you the information you need. People want compassion and strength in one. They want you to look them in the eye when you are talking to them. And they want the truth even if they are going to lie to you. People want you to relate to them, when you do you get more information. Seatbelts really do some good. I learned that we all make mistakes and the best thing is to admit you were wrong and learn from it.
~The Bad People who are rude and abusive mostly stand down when you stand up to them. People lie, it does me no good to be embarrassed by that fact when they spill the beans in the ED. It wasn’t my fault they wouldn’t tell me. There are bad things in this world and people make really stupid decisions. They also feel entitled to say or behave in any way that they want. There are scammers and people who will abuse the system whenever they choose. Guys on bikes are usually drunk. Alcohol starts some really bad ideas.
~The Ugly Not everyone loves their children as children. Sometimes they are just a paycheck. People don’t care to restrain their children properly. The way that the elderly are treated in this country is a crime. Our society is becoming so desensitized to everything that even young children have no regard for others life or property. Drunk people rarely die a crashes it is usually the young mother that dies during the impact.
The biggest, and to me the best thing, that I have learned so far is this: Every once in a while I actually make a difference in someone’s life. I leave a positive mark on the world. And that makes it all good.
~The Good
Fake it until you make it really works. People don’t want to know you are just as scared as they are. I have to trust myself before anything else. I have to be willing to listen and but be ready to redirect the line of conversation if need be. Small talk can make all the difference in the world and may get you the information you need. People want compassion and strength in one. They want you to look them in the eye when you are talking to them. And they want the truth even if they are going to lie to you. People want you to relate to them, when you do you get more information. Seatbelts really do some good. I learned that we all make mistakes and the best thing is to admit you were wrong and learn from it.
~The Bad
People who are rude and abusive mostly stand down when you stand up to them. People lie, it does me no good to be embarrassed by that fact when they spill the beans in the ED. It wasn’t my fault they wouldn’t tell me. There are bad things in this world and people make really stupid decisions. They also feel entitled to say or behave in any way that they want. There are scammers and people who will abuse the system whenever they choose. Guys on bikes are usually drunk. Alcohol starts some really bad ideas.
~The Ugly
Not everyone loves their children as children. Sometimes they are just a paycheck. People don’t care to restrain their children properly. The way that the elderly are treated in this country is a crime. Our society is becoming so desensitized to everything that even young children have no regard for others life or property. Drunk people rarely die a crashes it is usually the young mother that dies during the impact.
The biggest, and to me the best thing, that I have learned so far is this:
Every once in a while I actually make a difference in someone’s life. I leave a positive mark on the world. And that makes it all good.