SNIGLETS FOR EMS

Ambuslaps -

Sharp, double blows, delivered to the back door of an ambulance, presumably to signal the driver to pull away; often seen on television.

Ambusneak -

To shut down all emergency equipment several blocks from a scene (also see cloaking device).

-Ambudextrous -

Ability to hold BVM with two hands and squeeze the bag with your elbow.

-Beltsnarl -

Mishandling of an ambulance seat belt by a frantic relative accompanying a patient; typically results in a need for assistance with disentanglement.

-Blurrections -

Unintelligible directions to a call (e.g. "hang a left where the old schoolhouse used to be")

-Brady Brunch -

Medication (typically 0.5 mg atropine) administered in an attempt to increase a patient's heart rate.

-Breathanol -

A gaseous, still-potent form of alcohol found wafting from the mouths of certain EMS frequent fliers.

-'Clean Jerk' -

What you hope you get when you pick up a body that's been down for a long time.

-Cloaking device -

A yet-to-be-invented gadget that renders an ambulance invisible to people who have nothing better to do than call 911 several times a day.

-Code Surfing -

Riding the stretcher into the ER while performing CPR

-Corpseekers -

Bystanders who maneuver and crane at the scene of a fatality, hoping to catch a glimpse of the recently deceased.

-Dash trash -

Paperwork, Burger King wrappers and other assorted litter that accumulates on an ambulance dashboard.

Diesel Zone -

The area to the right rear of an ambulance in high idle at an emergency scene; marked by hot, toxic gases, the atmosphere is impenetrable by bystanders.

Docklings -

A whole bunch of baby interns or residents following the attending physician through the hospital corridors.

-Ecnalubmauloid -

Any person who asks why "ambulance" is spelled backward on the front of your rig.

EMS-F -

A new EMS Certification affectionately known as an Emergency Medical Stretcher-Fetcher.

-EMS Wedgie -

The condition of an EMS worker after being "helped" (with a firm grip on the belt accompanied by lifting action) while carrying a patient down a flight of stairs.

-EMTpee -

A tent-like structure created by an exhausted EMS worker pulling the sheets over his head in a vain attempt to get a few minutes of sleep.

-FACBP -

A Fellow of the American College of Bystander Physicians; can easily be identified at any emergency scene as he shouts orders (typically "hurry up!") at EMS personnel.

-Faceprints -

Windshield indentations in car crashes.

-Fetcher -

Any lower-level EMS worker, firefighter or police officer who is repeatedly sent to the ambulance to carry ALS equipment to the fourth floor of a building with no elevator.

-Flaffling -

Hand motion by drivers stopped at intersections; intended to "help" the responding ambulance through.

-Gleek -

Any embarrassing siren noise, produced either unintentionally by the siren operator or intentionally by a "gleeky" partner.

-Glovidue -

Stubborn white powder marks left on dark uniform pants or the steering wheel after surgical gloves are removed.

-Golden Four Minutes -

The critical period prior to shift change when calls are most likely to come in.

-Kevlodor -

The pungent aroma that wafts from body armor after several hours of continuous wear, particularly on a hot day.

-Kevlumps -

The condition of a body armor vest after having been slept in.

-Levassistants -

"Helpful" bystanders at the scene of a medical emergency who attempt to help the stretcher into the ambulance, usually upsetting the balance.

-Lightbar Squirt -

A momentary activation of emergency lights as a greeting to passing fire apparatus, police cars, and other ambulances.

-Medimutes -

Patients whose relatives feel compelled to answer all questions for them.

-Mediperks -

Imaginary rewards that frequent flier patients are working up to (e.g. a free toaster after their 20th ambulance ride).

-Optic Analitis -

When your optic nerve is connected to your anus causing your outlook on life to look like shit!!

-Positive Samsonite Sign -

Victim requests emergency response. On arrival, victim standing at the curb with suitcase packed.

-Ronnie and Floyd -

Two previously unnamed "ambulance drivers" in the "Emergency" TV series; although they had non-speaking parts, the characters are easily identified by their sideburns, Afros, and white tunics and pants.

Singer Technique -

Rapid and repeated plunging of the IV needle attempting to find a vein. Considered bush league.

-Sirenoid -

An emergency vehicle driver who wears out the siren selector switch while attempting to make the most creative noise (see gleek).

-Snowden's Law -

An age-old postulate saying that a blitz of calls will come in just as you get a chance to sit down in the bathroom.

-Spazner -

Any frantic relative at the scene of an emergency who gets in the way and generally makes things worse.

Spooge -

Sticky residue, usually of organic origin; may be found on poorly cleaned backboards, laryngoscopes and other medical equipment, or on ambulance armrests.

-Talboting -

The act of driving as slowly as possible to delay arrival at an unsafe scene or unsavory call.

-Teetershuffle -

Emergency foot maneuvers done to avoid falling while carrying a patient.

-Telesymptom -

An imaginary condition thrown in when calling 911, presumably to make the ambulance arrive more quickly (e.g. "Yeah, he has a broken finger and chest pain"; see telexaggeration).

Telexaggeration -

A situation in which dispatch information does not match actual patient condition (e.g. "leg amputation" turns out to be a skinned knee).

Teley-Medic -

a newsperson's general term; used to call every EMS person on a scene a "paramedic"

-Two dude Syndrome -

Victim beat up; generally reports minding own business when, "two dude's beat the shit out of me."

-Wailmuffs -

Secret headgear worn by civilian drivers who don't want to be bothered by the ambulance behind them.

Wailenyelps -

Exciting new noises created by holding the siren knob between clicks

-Working-guy nod -

A brief head-twitch of acknowledgment to EMS personnel from roadside utility workers.

-Yelpkins -

Children who hear sirens and run out to watch a passing emergency vehicle.

-Yelpswerve -

A sudden, violent, evasive maneuver performed by a civilian driver who has just realized that an ambulance is behind them.

EMS One Liners

Airborne Ranger -

Suicide by fall.

Arrhythmia -

Living an alternative rhythm style.

AST-

Assuming Seasonal Temperature.

BA Bingo -

Play the lottery on blood alcohol results.

BATS fx -

Broke All To Shit

BENIGN -

After you be eight.

Bluey On The Green -

Full arrest on the golf course.

BOHICA -

Bend over, here it comes again.

BOHICA-WOKY -

Bend Over, Here It Comes Again, Without KY

Cancer -

yes , I can sir.

Car vs. Pole -

"But I only had 2 beers!"

Concrete Inspector -

Homeless Guy.

Concrete poisoning -

What a jumper dies from.

Cranial Rectal Inversion -

Head up butt.

CTD -

Circling The Drain; see also FTD

Defibrochism -

the need to test the defib out on oneself.

DFO -

Done Fell Out.

DRT -

Dead right there.

Deceleration Trauma -

It's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop.

Doing The 'Elvis' -

Vagal out on the toilet.

Doing The Tuna -

Seizures.

EMD -

Early morning discovery (Woke up dead).

Faceprints -

Windshield indentations in car crashes.

FTD -

Fixin To Die.

GB Out -

paramedic student abbreviation for cholecystectomy.

Gravitational Disassociation -

What intoxicated people experience when they fall.

Hamburger Helper -

pedestrian vs. AMTRAK.

Hang a Texaco Drip -

Haul butt fast.

Hypovolemic -

Volumetrically challenged.

Instant Ambulance-

Hip pack carried by the overzealous medic.

Insurance Pain-

"Neck pain" secondary to minor MVA.

Laser Trace -

Asystole (dead as a hammer).

MARPS -

Mind Altering Recreational Pharmaceuticals.

Mr. Sta-Puft -

the DOA after 2 weeks without A.C.

Navigationally Disadvantaged -

Your partner who can't read a map.

"O" sign -

Someone who lays unconscious with their mouth open.

Opscultate -

To visually measure a patient's vital signs without actually taking them.

Pap Smear -

Fatherhood test

Patient is A.R.T -

Assuming Room Temperature!

Patient Vu -

The strange feeling that you've transported a particular patient before.

Person of Xenon -

Guy who runs with every light known to man on the top.

Pharmanesia -

The inability to remember what a patient's home medications are for.

Pharmaceutically Enhanced Personality -

Cocaine O.D.

Pharmaceutically Gifted -

A steroid user.

Polyadipose Dysfunction -

Big fat person.

Projectile Vomit -

ALWAYS has the right of way!!

PVC Challenge -

Intubation.

PUHA -

Pick Up and Haul Ass - equivalent to Swoop and Scoop.

"Q" sign -

Someone who lays unconscious with their mouth open and tongue hanging out.

Randy Rescue -

New Guy with more shit on his belt than Batman.

Rectovisualitis -

When your rectal nerves are crossed with your visual nerves and you have a shitty outlook on life.

Rheumatic -

amorous

Road Pizza -

Motorcycle Crash Victim

Salad -

Permanent ventilator patients with no EEG activity.

Stare of Life -

Look on a rookies face during his first code.

Status Asparagus -

Brain dead patient.

Tater-

A vegged out patient.

Tater Toter -

Ambulance transporting a non-emergent patient.

Test Pilot for Sara Lee-

Obese patient.

T.I.D -

Transient in distress.

TTA -

Temporary Transient Alzheimers ( sometime suffered by EMS personnel).

TBC -

Total Bone Cruncher.

Urban Outdoorsman -

Homeless person.

Using the paddles -

Person of charge.

Vein -

Conceited

V-Fib -

A person of contractions.

Vertically Challenging Person of Size -

A 400lb guy on upper floors with no elevator.

VDRT-

Very Dead Right there.

V.I.P.-

Very intoxicated person.

Vital Signs 'WNL' -

We Never Looked.

Walky Talky -

Someone who can ambulate and converse.

Windshield Taste Test -

MVA victim who nails the windshield unrestrained.


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