I know the joke is everyone in EMS is a bit autistic, but seriously, who's here that's actually clinically borderline autistic and struggles with reading people, talking to people, controlling their tone, and coping quickly with frustration and keeping their heads clear and the facts straight in overwhelming situations? Yknow, all of the soft skills you seriously need to succeed in EMS? What things did you struggle most with and what are some concrete strategies you took to improve?
I'm not trying to write myself off as unable to improve, far from it, I've progressed so much further in my social and life skills than I ever thought possible, or else I wouldn't even be interested in this job and certainly wouldn't have gotten this far. I'm almost done with clinical rotations and have been doing decently well and don't want to make any excuses or believe that I'm not capable, I believe that I am if I can figure out how best to work on it.
I'm at an expected level of okay at talking to patients and building rapport, I'm just struggling with the critical skills of calming down and resetting once I've gotten frustrated with myself for fumbling something, and just keeping straight and processing all of the information coming at me in a dynamic situation. I lose track of things easily. I've "run" a few BLS calls but still need help just guiding the scene and keeping track of everything. This is all very fast-paced and complex and it's a lot even for a neurotypical person. I'm not good at hiding frustration or bouncing back from it, and I got feedback from an instructor that I sometimes come off as difficult to teach and unreceptive to criticism because of that, and that being easy to teach and work with is critical and I need to control how my attitude comes off or I will be disliked. I've never been good at that, I have always struggled with concealing stress and being aware of my tone of voice, people always tend to think I'm angry at them and don't want to hear what they have to tell me, when I'm just frustrated at myself and would genuinely love and be very receptive to even the harshest feedback. It's how I come off inadvertently that is an issue, and I struggle to control that, because it's inadvertent. Again, I've improved dramatically from how I used to be, but I need to do better for this job. Idk, I might just need more time, thanks for reading.
Yes, there's actually alot of us. What you'll find is most people, including yourself, will also look at the different presentations as personality differences. I've found a few things that when changed up from how normally taught benefits me at least.
Clinically a good emotional separation from the patients helps immensely with burnout. I've found leaning into it can actually overcome facial or verbal issues, by genuinely being there for the patient beyond the average provider. Just genuinely listen and try to convey that you're the one on scene that cares, be the good cop as much as able. This gave me an in with alot of tricky patients, which gave me confidence, and eventually soft skills have followed. I actually received commendations left and right for my role as one of our best "psych whisperers".
Don't force yourself to do things beyond the essential. Eye contact is a huge issue for me and when I try to force it, it can be creepy. So I do my normal routine of intent listening where I more present my ear and nod along. It just looks like you might be hard of hearing from the sirens or such. If you have to ask uncomfortable questions? Try to find repeatable, light, easy jokes to pair with them to lighten the mood as applicable. The more you connect with each patient the more you'll see your ability to do this. Positive interactions breed confidence and sometimes you have to make them happen.
1 that is applicable to us and them is gonna be the classic fake it till you make it. Stuttered on the radio report? Don't acknowledge it, just make sure they got what they needed. Butterfingering ecg wires or the bgl kit? Pop off a joke like your THAT guy. Be sweet and cute with the lonely old sweet meemaw just like that one southern guy we all have around. We mask and create personas as a way of life. Just work to make one based on providers that you see and wanna grow up to be like
Most people think we're the professionals we dress up as. Just don't give them clear reason to doubt you. Don't get caught up in agency drama, we aren't like them, don't get involved at all if possible. When in doubt, just be polite because you already know how good we are at saying the worst things off the cuff.
All solid advice, thank you
Literally all of us
Came here to say this lmao, this is the field where we excel
I'm not trying to be rude or anything and appreciate the optimism but my entire post is about how I'm struggling in the field due to my autistic traits lol
Backing up OP for a second, and I mean this in total good faith, but this is a post where OP is talking about their autism presentation making EMS more difficult for them. Your intentions are totally good and kind but it's alienating to tell a fellow autistic person that this field is where autists excel when they're not excelling due to traits of autism that they described in the post. Ice cream sundae theory of autism, yknow? Autism's an ice cream sundae and you and OP do not have the same types and amounts of "toppings"
Without large scale data to officially confirm that, I'd hesitate at saying most of EMS is neurodivergent. A disproportionate amount maybe but otherwise it might just contribute to stereotypes to an extent.
Hi.
Easy: Department politics, and meeting the emotional needs of patients.
The reality is that it's harder for me than some people, easier for me for some people, and I generally work as part of a team. Had a call last night, for example, where we ended up staying on scene after a code until the funeral home arrived. Rural, so it took a couple hours.
My partner hugged the widow, provided emotional support. I helped with the other questions, the more logistical support, figuring out things like whether she should call the family, etc.
Yeah, that can be a thing. In the end, I've stuck with it, learned to show my value, and dealt with attrition. When the new people come in, I'm just one of the people already here, and I'm seen as more "normal". There's still some friction because I'm only EMS, not Fire, and I rarely take shifts (I respond POV, since I live here), but it works. We're professionals, we do our jobs.
These days, I only have one person I have any kind of conflict with, and he's a general asshole. Some lines were crossed, and I needed to escalate it up the chain. Chain dealt with it, doesn't tolerate retribution, life moves on. Awkward, but what's new?
I know one medic who is an amazing provider and also pretty damn autistic. Yeah he can come off a bit weird sometimes but he’s someone that I know would be delivering top notch prehospital care and I would have zero worries if he was treating my family or friends.
Ahhaha I feel like I could have written this.
I have other people-related duties in my current non-ems profession, I've learned to accept my quirks and make my qualities shine. I'm too slow and autistic to make witty jokes on the fly, but I can always help people take a deep breath and get grounded with me !
im autistic. im pretty personable, but i struggle with connecting with patients sometimes… mainly because of hearing issues? old people are so hard to understand. they mumble (sometimes combined with thick accents) and then get pissy if you cant understand them. that’s a big issue for me
another issue is the lack of structure in medicine in general. i’ve noticed this is a profession wide problem so there’s not much that can be done. but it’s almost like no one knows what theyre doing? i’ll ask questions and then get treated like the first person who ever existed.
“what do you want me to do with (blank)?”
“uh, i don’t know. whatever… i guess.”
ive had this same reaction from nurses while in the hospital, to paramedics i’ve worked with. why is everyone so aloof. i hate it.
another hard thing to learn is how to talk with the grieving. i still have no idea how to do that. i cry easily and i will start crying if i’m trapped in a room with a mother who just lost her son. i try to keep my head down. luckily i havent been in a situation like that. i want to be professional but seeing someone in that raw grief will make me bawl like a baby.
Diagnosed autistic EMT here. Also got ADHD which contrary to popular belief did not help me in this field. I didn't pass FTO for my first few jobs over the past 4 years(minus two IFT gigs) I'm doing better post meds and also learning some hard lessons due to other factors at the time. I'm working 911 currently and doing great, so better late than never. I don't like the claim that we all have ASD/ADHD without official data to confirm it, otherwise it probably contributes to stereotypes/misconceptions.
I'm sorry you are having a rough go of it. Admittedly I struggled with the interaction part early on myself especially being a homebody in my formative years. Part of working on that was time and the rest was just gaining experience and becoming better socially in general. Perhaps therapy with a counselor familiar with autism or specializes in it could be helpful. Good luck.
I think claiming autism, "neurodivergence" and/or some form of mental and/or chronic illness is a prereq for reddit.
I mean, I was diagnosed when I was 5, spent most of elementary in special ed, and most of middle and high school with an IEP plan and in various therapies.
Sorry if you don't care, I don't really know what you're implying or what you expect me to say in response. Forgive me for seeking advice on overcoming personal obstacles so I can become a better clinician.
gestures broadly at everyone
While the “everyone here has autism or adhd,” can come off completely as a joke, it’s not. Quite literally many, many, many of us are diagnosed or should be diagnosed. People aren’t trying to come across as rude or uncaring - The biggest thing is to understand is that when you say, “my autistic traits,” everyone is thinking, “but these are normal traits?”
Almost everyone feels the way that you do when they first started. You quite literally need to take a step back when you’re on scene, take a deep breath, and sort through information. ABC’s, SAMPLE and OPQRST. Only time and practice make you able to get things down. Do not be too hard on yourself, I know it’s hard but your FTO’s are probably misinterpreting your anger/annoyance at yourself as annoyance and anger at them. Don’t get annoyed at yourself on scene, wait until after the call. Ask the FTO’s for something specific about each call that you need to work on. You’ve got this, we’ve all been in your shoes. Breathe and give yourself grace.
I’m diagnosed autistic, but I have NO clue what you mean by “borderline”
I just meant like "high-functioning" and well adjusted
Ohhhhhh, yeah no, you’re right
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Yo
I’m diagnosed autistic in EMS
We’re all here.
I don't have much in the way of advice to offer as I am also a new EMT on the autism spectrum and am dealing with very similar things to you. I don't have much in the way of specific advice but I will let you know that things have gotten much easier for me as I've run more calls and seen more things and worked with more people. You sound like you've got a good head on your shoulders and I'm wishing you the best!
Im autistic!
Diagnosed autistic? Or I just know the radio frequencies too well?
Diagnosed at 5, IEP and 504 plans in every grade, in various therapies ages 5-14, thank you for the interest