Advice(Better)

Make Them Feel Better

We are in EMS to make people feel better. We are not there to diagnose people. We are not there to cure people. If that happens along the way, great—but that isn’t our primary job.

I tell people all the time that one of my goals on every single call is to make my patient either smile or laugh at least once. That doesn’t mean I’m not serious about my job. It means I understand what actually helps people in the moment.

We have a lot of what I call “wiz-bang cool crap” in EMS. Monitors, cables, numbers, medications, tools, protocols. We can assess, monitor, and treat a wide range of conditions. And all of that absolutely has its place. But sometimes, all you really need are your ears and your mouth. People want to be heard. They want to know that you are actually listening to what they’re saying and that you’re acting on it. 

We carry a drug box full of medications that can treat all kinds of conditions. That’s great. But if you miss the real problem because you were too busy clicking buttons or staring at a monitor, you didn’t help anyone. You can have the best drug box in the world, but if you haven’t listened to what the patient is telling you, most of it is useless.

We respond to a lot of older patients, and with them, we have to slow down. Older people don’t hear as well. They don’t process information as fast. They don’t always answer questions as quickly or as clearly as younger patients. I’ve watched providers rapid-fire questions at senior adults and then get frustrated when they don’t get immediate answers. What are you accomplishing by doing that? Absolutely nothing. You’re doing the patient a disservice, and you’re doing yourself one, too. Slow down. Give them time. Let them answer.

Listening matters. Seeing what’s bothering someone matters. Sometimes, just acknowledging what they’re feeling or dealing with helps more than anything else you can do on scene.

Humor—when done correctly and professionally—can go a long way too. A smile. A laugh. A moment where the patient relaxes and realizes they’re not just another call. That doesn’t mean you minimize their problem. It means you’re human with them.

Make people smile. Be professional. Be compassionate. Listen more than you talk.

We don’t always make people better, but we should always make them feel better.