Social Media - Do you take it to work?

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Permalink Reply by Skip Kirkwood on June 29, 2009 at 8:33pm

The idea of folks sending messages while on the way to calls is really scary. Two hands on the wheel, and the navigator probably has work to do too. I'm a big believer in the whole social media movement. But texting, phone calling, tweeting, needs to be outlawed from the time the tones go off until the unit is back in service - unless, of course, you are the Public Information Officer and communicating with the outside world is part of your job description.

Safe travels, Chris!

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Permalink Reply by Skip Kirkwood on June 29, 2009 at 8:33pm

The idea of folks sending messages while on the way to calls is really scary. Two hands on the wheel, and the navigator probably has work to do too. I'm a big believer in the whole social media movement. But texting, phone calling, tweeting, needs to be outlawed from the time the tones go off until the unit is back in service - unless, of course, you are the Public Information Officer and communicating with the outside world is part of your job description.

Safe travels, Chris!

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Permalink Reply by asysin2leads on June 29, 2009 at 8:49pm

I'm all for it. Send me one of these Twitterites service area, let me call 911, get a lawyer, use their log, and then retire with a nice settlement. I'm going to make money off of these worthless Millenials somehow.

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Permalink Reply by Duncan Hitchcock on June 30, 2009 at 5:38am

Never underestimate the ability of folks to find loopholes in the philosophy of policy. Never underestimate their ability to loose sight of where attention should be placed in their fascination with toys. Never underestimate their resistance to job introduced technology.

Never underestimate the knee jerk reaction of administration should proof of attention diverting toys being used while responding to a call is found. Never underestimate the legal quagmire created should the ontward occur when attention is diverted. Never underestimate the professional, political and financial impact that will be felt by the industry, the agency and the individual involved in such an incident.

And we post discussions and ask questions about why our "profession" isn't treated as such. As long as the knuckleheads amoungst us continue to shoot themselves in the foot the uphill battle will only get steeper.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Friese on June 30, 2009 at 2:51pm

Chris, you have posed an interesting question. Ambulance crews already do a lot of things on the way to calls - eat, talk, drink, navigate, etc. While running last summer I saw an ambulance driving lights and sirens through a controlled intersection (after slowing) and the driver was licking an ice cream cone.

I was recently on a call as a first responder and as the helicopter was taking off with our patient I thought I should get my phone out and take a picture of the helicopter. That would be a cool twitpic. Then I thought better of it and decided to turn my attention to packing up our equipment.

On several occasions I have looked through the door from the patient care compartment and asked my driver to stop texting and checking baseball scores as we drive a patient to the hospital.

Not sure I have an answer to your actual question ... tweet away brother.

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Permalink Reply by Skip Kirkwood on June 30, 2009 at 3:20pm

Just think.....Los Angeles train conductor....text message.....CRASH!.....MCI!......

Nah....won't ever happen to me!

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Permalink Reply by Geekymedic on June 30, 2009 at 4:00pm

All good points. I just think that we have to allow for the technology without causing incidents around them. I am not one to say no technology but prudent use. I say this as we are driving I80 and I am in the passenger seat. I would be interested in more perspective. Please continue to talk about it and add me to your twitter and facebook too.

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Permalink Reply by asysin2leads on June 30, 2009 at 6:00pm

If anyone starts text messaging or Twittering, or Facebooking while working with me, there will be an incident. Trust me. Why is it the post 1980's generation just can't get it through their Xbox fried noggins the concept of 'being at work?' You're at work. You should be working. I saw an article today about how employers are desperately trying to salvage the employment capacity of the Millennium generation, because right now they are virtually unemployable. I can see what this article is getting at. I feel so bad for the poor, overworked supervisor, having to politely explain why updating your Facebook on a call is not a good idea, and the person across the desk, without looking up from their text messaging goes "But WHHHHYYYYY????". Its a recession. Lots of good people need good jobs. Get rid of these guys and bring in people who are willing to work for a living. That's my opinion.

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Permalink Reply by TheCannulator on July 1, 2009 at 5:03am

Now that iPhones are cheap you betchya, but we have Facebook for example on our computers.

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Permalink Reply by Joe P. on July 1, 2009 at 7:34am

asysin2leads said:

If anyone starts text messaging or Twittering, or Facebooking while working with me, there will be an incident. Trust me. Why is it the post 1980's generation just can't get it through their Xbox fried noggins the concept of 'being at work?'

Been there, done that. My partner (I only ended up working with him once, guess why) decided that it would be a good idea to start texting while sitting at the end of the bench seat on a discharge. Yes, I use my rear view mirror. Yes, I can see if my partner is hunched over using a cell phone.

...and hey, not everyone post 1980s is lacking a work ethic.

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Permalink Reply by TheCannulator on July 1, 2009 at 9:05am

I am pre 1980's, my brained is wired well.

If I'm not working then I'm relaxing. Even if I'm being paid to do so. That includes my social obligations.

When it's work time, we switch on. Unless it's a long hour plus wait to unload.............

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Permalink Reply by Dave Konig on July 1, 2009 at 11:03pm

As far as the "safety" argument goes, I don't believe it really has relevance when it comes specifically to social media. The fact is that responders could just as easily be texting family members, talking on their cell phone to friends, or for that matter be on the radio with the dispatcher who just sent over an update on the MDT.

Is this becoming the new norm?

I think it depends on what you consider "new". Participation in social media outlets has been trending up since 2005 and mobile participation has trended up sharply since 2007. So if you consider "new" to be a trend greater than 4 years old, then the answer is yes. If you consider "new" to be a trend less than 4 years old then the answer is no.

Should we as administrators figure out a way to allow this free flow of information or should we stop it cold?

I think this has already been answered in recent world events. Attempting to stop the communication cold through a draconian policy, where enforcement will not be as easy as it may seem at first, is not going to be effective nor would it be received well. Considering that since most agencies continue to ignore social media, our responders are our sole evangelists or they can become our strongest critics in a forum where opinion is created and spread exponentially... including to the ears of those who may have influence over budgets.

It has become apparent that agencies need to address the situation responsibly whether they realize it or not. We have already seen an EMT charged with Official Misconduct for a photo uploaded to Facebook, and this is rightfully so considering his actions violated a number of laws including those governing patient confidentiality. Agencies need to provide guidance to their responders on what is not acceptable as well as what is acceptable.

Obviously agencies want to maintain patient confidentiality, they want to avoid undue public panic, and they want to keep their responders focused on the task at hand. The vast majority of responders want to relay what they are doing, what unique experiences they are having, and want to do so because they are in fact proud of what they are doing.

There is a middle ground in this, it is just up to the agencies to take the responsibility to find it and then communicate it to their responders.

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