Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe) (01/26/91)
Index Number: 13212
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
RC> Suggestion 1: Since all paramedics are EMTs, fingerspell the
RC> initials EMT.
Fingerspelling may be slow as you say. But I can fingerspell EMT
faster than I can say it :-}
RC> A "p" in the same place would NOT work in Pittsburgh
True. It would be mistaken for "Pittsburgh" every time.
RC> Suggestion 3: 3 line asterisk over sleeve, like hospital and
RC> infirmary.
I think any of your three suggestions would probably be understood
in a situation involving a Paramedic. But this is the exception that
proves the rule about fingerspelling being slower. It would be almost
too fast.
... Live, from Beaver County, it's . . . .
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26!Jack.O'keeffe
Internet: Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.orgRob.Carr@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Rob Carr) (01/26/91)
Index Number: 13202
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
There are simple words for doctor, nurse, hospital, and such. There is no
word in common usage for paramedic or EMT. Since, for a lot of people,
we are the first representative for the medical system in an emergency, a
word for us folks would be useful.
Suggestion 1: Since all paramedics are EMTs, fingerspell the initials
EMT.
Suggestion 2: 3 line asterisk over heart. Similar to policeman's badge, but
a star of life (looks like an asterisk * only the bar's
vertical). A "p" in the same place would NOT work in
Pittsburgh (too close to word for Pgh) and everyone would
sign back "You aren't Karen Walkney!" (local joke)
Suggestion 3: 3 line asterisk over sleeve, like hospital and infirmary.
My preference is for Suggestion 2, but if anyone has any comments or knows
of a sign already in use, please let me know.
... Subscribe to The Journal of Disasters in Emergency Medicine: $8.00/yr
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26!Rob.Carr
Internet: Rob.Carr@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.orgJay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Jay Croft) (01/26/91)
Index Number: 13228
Jay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Jay Croft) (01/26/91)
Index Number: 13228
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
Lissen, Rob. How many people (1)know what an Emergency Medical
Technician is and (2) recognize the intitials EMT.
Just wear a white jacket, call a professional sign language interpreter
and do your job, using whatever sign language skills you have.
Frankly, hearies deciding what is right for deaf people, give me the
fantods.
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!147.0!Jay.Croft
Internet: Jay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.orgStu.Turk@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Stu Turk) (01/26/91)
Index Number: 13233
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
Jay Croft of 1:109/147 wrote to Rob Carr:
JC> Lissen, Rob. How many people (1)know what an Emergency Medical
JC> Technician is and (2) recognize the intitials EMT.
JC>
JC> Just wear a white jacket, call a professional sign language
Come on Jay - anyone who doesn't know what EMT stands for is living in an
area where there arn't any. And only butchers wear white coats anymore.
(EMT's work out of mobile ambulances and are not hospital personnel as you seem
to think. I've never seen an EMT wear a white coat and I used to be the
photographer for 3 township's police and fire dept and answered my share of
emergency calls.
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26!Stu.Turk
Internet: Stu.Turk@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.orgRob.Carr@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Rob Carr) (01/26/91)
Index Number: 13239
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
JC> Lissen, Rob. How many people (1)know what an Emergency Medical
JC> Technician is and (2) recognize the intitials EMT.
Good point. That leaves out the fingerspelling.
JC> Just wear a white jacket, call a professional sign language
JC> interpreter and do your job, using whatever sign language
JC> skills you have.
I'd be fired for wearing a white jacket. We are required to wear a specific
uniform. See why I need to be able to identify myself as a medic when there's
cops and firefighters (first responder medically trained, show up a lot)
running around? I've been seen several times waving a stethescope, screaming
"DON'T SHOOT, I'M A MEDIC, NOT A COP!"
JC> Frankly, hearies deciding what is right for deaf people, give
JC> me the fantods.
No attempt was made to force anything on you. No attempt was made to decide
anything for you. I asked: 1) did anyone know of an extant sign 2) if not,
could one be standardized. Yes, I offered a few suggestions. I did not
say any had to be accepted. Several people have pointed out that there would
be problems with two of the suggested signs. Last night, using the third,
I was able to communicate effectively. Of course, the rocker above the patch
on my left shoulder saying "paramedic" didn't hurt.
Sorry that you seem to have acquired fantods. We're only trained in injuries
that pose a threat to life or limb, so I can't help you there. I have heard
that they're possibly an autoimmune disorder, though.
... Subscribe to The Journal of Disasters in Emergency Medicine: $8.00/yr
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26!Rob.Carr
Internet: Rob.Carr@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.orgJay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Jay Croft) (02/05/91)
Index Number: 13493
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
Thanks for your explanation. I was under the impression that your work
is in a hospital emergency room--where doctors, nurses AND technicians
of various sorts all wear white jackets, usually.
If there's some local committee to improve medical access for deaf
persons, perhaps you can get on it and push for better services. You
would have been legally in hot water if your admittedly limited sign
language skills brought on inappropriate treatment.
One local hospital some years ago actually used a hard-of-hearing person
to interpret! She was an employee of the hospital. I talked with her
about this and encouraged her to refuse to do this.
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!147.0!Jay.Croft
Internet: Jay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.orgJack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe) (02/05/91)
Index Number: 13497
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
JC> I was under the impression that your work is in a hospital
JC> emergency room--where doctors, nurses AND technicians of
JC> various sorts all wear white jackets, usually.
You must have had the good fortune not to visit a hospital emergency
room in recent years, Jay. As someone said, the only ones still
wearing white are the meat cutters in the supermarket :-)
JC> You would have been legally in hot water if your admittedly
JC> limited sign language skills brought on inappropriate treatment.
JC> One local hospital some years ago actually used a hard-of-hearing
JC> person to interpret! She was an employee of the hospital.
JC> I talked with her about this and encouraged her to refuse
JC> to do this.
How would you feel, Jay, if the hard-of-hearing interpreter took
your well intended but misguided advice, and this resulted in the
failure of a deaf person to receive appropriate emergency treatment
while awaiting arrival of a "certified" interpreter?
... Pax vobiscum.
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26!Jack.O'keeffe
Internet: Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.orgAnn.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker) (02/05/91)
Index Number: 13506 [This is from the Silent Talk Conference] > One local hospital some years ago actually used a hard-of-hearing > person to interpret! She was an employee of the hospital. > I talked with her about this and encouraged her to refuse > to do this. May I ask why you feel a person who has a hearing impairment is not qualified to be an interpreter???? I know quite a few who are certified interpreters and they have a hearing loss of one degree or the other. I think we all can help others in this way. I have had this experience several times, the most recent at the SHHH Convention in LR last summer but I'll let Frank Hicinbothem tell you about that. My brother who lives in DC and is profoundly deaf was one of the first people to get his certification in oral interpreting. He also is quite proficient at signing and is often called to help out at various places/meetings, etc. Also, we have an excellent interpreter (both oral and sign) who works for DHS, Mental Health Services - Services for the Deaf and HOH, in Oklahoma City who travels all over the state to interpret who is hearing impaired and her boss who is the director of the above department is deaf. I'm off my soap box now.... -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!385!14.0!Ann.Stalnaker Internet: Ann.Stalnaker@p0.f14.n385.z1.fidonet.org
Jay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Jay Croft) (02/09/91)
Index Number: 13655
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
I was recently in a hospital emergency room. My 16 year old daughter
passed out while watching a doctor give *me* an exam! (He was simply
examining my nose--no blood or gore, but she passed out anyway!)
Folks at Washington Hospital Center wear white coats. Ditto at Holy
Cross Hospital in Silver Spring.
The question was not if the hearing-impaired employee should sign in an
emergency situation. She was being *regularly* used by the hospital as
an "interpreter" instead of the hospital getting a qualified interpreter
at all. A great money-saving procedure, but it could have disastrous
comsequences.
Any signs are better than none, in most cases. But this should not
relieve the hospital of its obligation to provide a qualified
interpreter.
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!147.0!Jay.Croft
Internet: Jay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.orgJay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Jay Croft) (02/09/91)
Index Number: 13659
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
This woman was obviously not able to interpret very well because of her
hearing loss. She told me so.
If a hearing loss can be corrected by a suitable hearing aid, then
there's no reason why a hard-of-hearing person cannot be an interpreter.
This lady was having difficulty.
As I said in a previous message: she was being used by the hospital to
cut costs, not to provide quality service.
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!147.0!Jay.Croft
Internet: Jay.Croft@p0.f147.n109.z1.fidonet.org