EMS Humorous Names and Phrases

[Jamie Davis, the Podmedic]

During October’s MedicCast Live, a few guests mentioned some pet terms for types of injuries and emergency calls. I thought about it and realized that we all come up with our own funny terms and phrases (many just for use around the break room).

EMTs and paramedics along with other medical professionals come up with work related pet terms for certain kinds of patients. What are some of the ones you and your friends use? Here are some that I have come up with:

* Frequent Flyer (ok this is easy but people outside of EMS won’t know what you are talking about)
* DFO (done fell out)
* YouTuber (teens doing stupid things)
* Camper Divers (from Craig Corey on NASCAR fans who fall off their campers while drinking)
* Yard Sale (from Kelly Fujikawa on ski accidents who land hard enough to scatter their belongings over the slope)
* Weebles (walking drunks - they wobble but they don’t fall down)

Challenge for the EMS Haiku blog

I had a challenge for my friend, Eric over at EMSHaiku.com. He wrote some excellent EMS Haiku using phrases like these. Check them out in the comments to this post at the MedicCast.

My Question For You?

What kind of names, phrases, acronyms do you and your colleagues use to describe common occurrences seen in your workplace or in the field? Reply to this post and we'll start a list!

[Rob]

Out in the Northwest we also use DRT and TMB.
DRT is "dead right there" a term we use for when we aren't going to work a code, or sometimes when we cease efforts in the field.

TMB is "too many birthdays" which we use for those idiopathic instances with lonely older patients.

[Dan S]

Taken from several sources:
To: All EMS Personnel
From: Chief of Operations
Subject: Proper Narrative Descriptions

It has come to our attention from several emergency rooms that many EMS narratives have taken a decidedly creative direction lately. Effective immediately, all members are to refrain from using slang and abbreviations to describe patients, such as the following.

1) Cardiac patients should not be referred to as suffering from MUH (messed up heart), PBS (pretty bad shape), PCL (pre-code looking) or HIBGIA (had it before, got it again).

2) Stroke patients are NOT "Charlie Carrots." Nor are rescuers to use CCFCCP(Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs) to describe their mental state.

3) Trauma patients are not CATS (cut all to sh*t), FDGB (fall down, go boom),TBC (total body crunch) or "hamburger helper." Similarly, descriptions of a car crash do not have to include phrases like "negative vehicle to vehicle interface" or "terminal deceleration syndrome."

4) HAZMAT teams are highly trained professionals, not "glow worms."

5) Persons with altered mental states as a result of drug use are not considered "pharmaceutically gifted."

6) Gunshot wounds to the head are not "trans-occipital implants."

7) The homeless are not "urban outdoorsmen", nor is endotracheal intubation referred to as a "PVC Challenge".

8) And finally, do not refer to recently deceased persons as being "paws up," ART (assuming room temperature), CC (Cancel Christmas), CTD (circling the drain), DRT (dead right there) or NLPR (no long playing records).

I know you will all join me in respecting the cultural diversity of our patients to include their medical orientations in creating proper narratives and log entries.

[Emma Schneider]

That is what I was going to post! Ha ha! Did you get it from the Fire-EMS Application Forum on Facebook???

[Emma Schneider]

IOC. Idiot On a Cot- refering to a drunk
NAD - Now a Doormat
those r just 2 that ive seen used...

[John Cockrell]

Some input from Iowa-

CODE BROWN- patient has crapped their pants

ADMINISTER DIESEL BOLUS- drive faster to the hospital

GRIN BIN- psych unit

FAB (its used to describe that lovely body stench of someone who has not bathed in a few days)Feet, ass, and balls

[EMTKelli]

CTD- circling the drain
SUIT-Something up in there!
BRAD- Big red adress detectors ( fire trucks)

[Eric Austin]

Lets not forget the add-on to CTD (circling the drain) RTF - Ready To Flush. Lizard Slinging - endless transport of nursing home turfs.